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Dr. Karen Swanson
Karen is the Director of the Institute for Prison Ministries (IPM) at the Billy Graham Center, Wheaton College. As Director, she oversees the Charles W. Colson scholarship program at Wheaton College, serves on the Christian Association for Prisoner Aftercare Advisory Board, Co-Chairs Operation Startling Line, and pursues the goals of the Institute for Prison Ministries through networks, collaboration and strategic partnerships that provide leadership and training to those engaged in correctional ministries for the advancement of the Gospel. Karen has engaged in a wide range of correctional ministry experiences for more than ten years. She has taught in jails and prisons, in faith-based and non-faith based programs, founded and was the executive director of a faith-based reentry program, presented workshops at several conferences and volunteered with several prison ministries.
Karen holds faculty status at Wheaton College in the Christian Formation and Ministries Department. She graduated from Northern Illinois University with an Ed. D. in Curriculum Leadership. Her dissertation was titled, Faith and Moral Development: A Case Study of a Faith-based Correctional Education Program. Karen enjoys golf, reading, playing board games and walking her dog Luther
Dr. Tom Beckner
For more than 30 years, Dr. W. Thomas Beckner has been engaged in correctional ministry—as a prison chaplain, as senior staff of non-profit prison ministries, as a teacher and administrator in Christian colleges, and as a consultant to correctional ministry agencies. He is currently the Director of Criminal Justice Programs for the School of Professional Studies, Trine University.
Dr. Beckner founded the American Chaplaincy Training School (ACTS) in 1985, an organization that provided educational programs for prison ministry volunteers and correctional chaplains across America and in Canada. In 2008, he collaborated with the Institute of Prison Ministries to merge ACTS into the newly established School for Correctional Ministries.
He is the producer of a six-program video series, “I Was a Prisoner . . . Did You Visit Me?”, co-editor of Effective Jail and Prison Ministry for the 21st Century, and author of several articles on restorative justice. Dr. Beckner has degrees from Milligan College (BA), Kent State University (MA), Georgia State University (MS in criminal justice), and the University of Tennessee (Ph.D.)
R. Steve Lowe
As a former probation counselor and therapist and today as a seasoned juvenile correctional chaplain, Steve has provided over 40 years of professional institutional service to California's San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange counties. Supervising the Protestant Chaplaincy Ministry for the Orange County Juvenile Justice Complex's seven institutions since 1981, Steve's purpose is to help fulfill the Great Commission with incarcerated and hurting youth, adults, and their families.
As the Founder, President, and Executive Chaplain for Pacific Youth Correctional Ministries, an international chaplain-placing ministry, Steve also assists Christian organizations and penal agencies as a consultant in program origination and development. He has experience as an adjunct faculty member, specializing in criminology and juvenile deliquency.
Steve holds undergraduate degrees in Police Science (Associate of Arts) and Criminology (Bachelor of Science); Steve's graduate education includes: Master of Arts degree in Intercultural Studies (Talbot Theological Seminary-Biola University); Master of Arts degree in Psychology-clinical (Pepperdine University); Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice (California State University, San Bernardino); and doctoral coursework in Criminal Justice (Claremont Graduate University). Steve is an ordained minister and is joined in ministry by his wife Jan. Steve and Jan have three grown children: Jeff, Morgan (deceased), and Jessica.
Dr. Michael Reighard
Since entering the Chaplaincy Ministry in 1989, Dr. Michael L. Reighard has served as Chaplain in three United States Federal Prisons, pasturing inmates of security levels from minimum to maximum. He pastoral experience at the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners encompassed several types of Chaplaincy ministries, including correctional, hospital, HOSPICE, and mental health. During Michael's previous ministries, he served churches in Wyoming, Iowa, and Idaho. In his post-doctorate teaching career, Mike has traveled internationally, providing education in diverse ministry topics. He is the founder and President of Jericho Commission, a Christ-based reentry mninstry for ex-offenders. His administrative abilities, experience in leadership, superior skills in interpersonal communication, and his sincere desire for others to achieve, has allowed Michael to become a remarkable trainer to those who desire creative "front-line ministries."
He holds degrees from Central Bible College (M.A.) and Assemblies of God Theological Seminary (M.A. Pastoral Counseling, M.Div, D.Min.)
Joseph Williams
Joseph Williams is the founder and CEO of New Creations Community Outreach, Inc., an international ministry model for serving prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families. He received degrees from William Tyndale College and Wayne State University. Joe has worked with prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families since 1982, becoming one of the most sought after prison reentry authorities in the country. He is a frequesnt speaker and panelist at reentry forums around the nation.
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