Office of the Provost
Meet the Team
The Provost's Team
Julie Finnern, Ph.D.
Associate Provost for Teaching & Learningj-finnern@bethel.edu
Started at Bethel: 2017
Education:University of South Dakota—Ed.D.
University of Minnesota—M.A.
Wheaton College—B.A.
Todd Harmening
Associate Provost for Academic Systems and Planning
t-harmening@bethel.edu
Started at Bethel: 2025
Education:University of Minnesota—Ed.D.
American University—M.P.
Minnesota State University—B.S.
Tom J. Brown, Ph.D.
Dean of the School of Business
tom-brown@bethel.edu
Started at Bethel: 2025
Education:University of Wisconsin, Madison—Ph.D.
University of Wisconsin, Madison—M.S.
Oklahoma State University—MBA
Oklahoma State University—B.S.
Barrett Fisher
Interim Dean of the College of Arts, Sciences, & Education
b-fisher@bethel.edu
Started at Bethel: 1993
Education:Cornell University—Ph.D.
Cornell University—M.A.
Bowdoin College—A.B.
Peter Vogt
Dean of the School of Theology & Bethel Seminaryp-vogt@bethel.edu
Started at Bethel: 2001 as a professor; 2019 as a dean.
Education:
University of Gloucestershire—Ph.D.
Bethel Seminary—M.Div.,
American University—B.A.
Matthew Vraa
Dean of the Anderson Family College of Health Sciences
vraa@bethel.edu
Education:
Faulkner University—Ph.D.
Bellin College—DSc
Regis University—FAAOMPT
Regis University—DPT
Argosy University—MBA
Carroll College—MPT
Carroll College—B.S.
Cheryl Fisk, Ph.D.
cheryl-fisk@bethel.edu
Started at Bethel: 2022
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota—Ed.D.
Crown College—M.A.
Crown College—B.S.
Jeff Olson
University of St. Thomas—B.A.
St. Paul bible College (now Crown College)—MBA
Brenda Niemi
Northwestern College—BA
Emily Dehmer
Started at Bethel: 2022
Education:Yeshiva University—MA
St. Norbert College—BA
Amy Fokken
Started at Bethel: 2020
Education:University of Minnesota—BA
Josh Manfred
Started at Bethel: 2019
Education:Bethel Theological Seminary—M.Div.
Bethel University—B.A.
Mary Michener
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis—Ed.D.
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis—B.S.
Jon Nykanen
Special Assistant to the Provost for Artificial Intelligence
j-nykanen@bethel.edu
Started at Bethel: 2025
Education:Metropolitan State University—DBA
University of St. Thomas, St. Paul—MBA
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis—BEE
Matthew Thiesen
University Library Director
m-thiesen@bethel.edu
Started at Bethel: 2024
University of North Texas—M.S.
Western Seminary—M.A.
Grace University—B.A.
Kimberly Thorstad
Started at Bethel: 2016
Education:St. Cloud State University—M.S.
Winona State University—B.S.
Ray VanArragon
Assistant Provost for Faculty Affairs
rvanarra@bethel.edu
Started at Bethel: 2005
Education:
University of Notre Dame—Ph.D.
Calvin College—B.A.
Kara Wicklund
Director of Instructional and Media Designk-wicklund@bethel.edu
Started at Bethel: 2011
Education:Bethel University—EdD
Bethel University—MA
Northwestern University St. Paul—BS
Virginija M. Wilcox
Associate Dean of International and Off-Campus Programsvirginija-wilcox@bethel.edu
Started at Bethel: 2021
Education:University of South Dakota—MA
Black Hills State University—BA
Tonia Rucker
Started at Bethel: 2022
Education:Clemson University—B.S.
University of California, Berkeley—M.A.
