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Dr. Chad Winterfeldt is Cantor of Christ Chapel where he oversees music in the chapel, teaches music theory and church music, directs the handbell ensembles, and maintains an active organ studio. He has received the Swenson-Bunn Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence, a recognition by which nominations and selections are administered wholly by Gustavus students. Chad holds degrees from the University of Nebraska, Yale University, and Concordia College, Moorhead. A frequent recitalist, he has performed internationally for the Early Music Festival in Wittenberg, Germany, and in solo performances in Leipzig (Thomaskirche) and Naumburg (Wenzelskirche), Germany. Other notable recitals include complete performances of Messiaen’s La Nativité and Bach’s Leipzig Chorales. He collaborates often with the choirs, bands, and orchestras at Gustavus and enjoys liturgical playing for worship services. An active church musician, he is Director of Music at Grace University Lutheran Church in Minneapolis.

Emma Brunton ’19 is an instructor in the Health and Exercise Science Department. She recently returned to her alma mater after receiving her master's in Community Health Education from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Her professional expertise centers on preparing future health and physical education teachers and coaches through evidence-based, purpose-driven practices. Currently, her work focuses on athlete development, leadership training, and incorporating mental health and functional movement into sport. She has led important cross-divisional service initiatives, including the Mental Health Club and Hope Squad, to promote student well-being and support. Brunton received the Golden Apple Award in 2021 and the Section 1A Assistant Coach of the Year award in 2021 and 2025. Outside of academic work, she enjoys weight lifting, painting, reading, and spending time with her husband, family, friends, and dog.

Hannah Drea, MS, BSN, PHN is Nursing Faculty, a Clinical Instructor, and the Clinical Coordinator within the Gustavus Nursing Program. She has taught a variety of courses across the nursing curriculum, including Medical–Surgical Clinical, Pre-Health Professions, Public Health, and Public Health Clinical. Through these diverse teaching experiences, she supports students at different stages of their academic and professional development. She is committed to the College’s liberal arts mission, striving to help students reach their full potential, foster a passion for lifelong learning, and prepare them for lives of leadership and service. Her teaching pedagogy emphasizes student-centered and collaborative learning, encouraging students to actively construct knowledge through experiential learning while adapting to diverse learning styles.

In her role as Clinical Coordinator, Hannah facilitates high-quality clinical learning experiences by securing, scheduling, and managing student placements across healthcare settings while ensuring compliance with accreditation and regulatory standards. She serves as a liaison between the nursing program and clinical partners, overseeing site contracts, coordinating student and faculty orientations, and tracking required clinical hours. Her responsibilities include clinical placement management, partnership development with healthcare organizations, and comprehensive compliance and documentation oversight—such as immunizations, CPR certification, background checks, HIPAA training, and adherence to site-specific policies. She also monitors and evaluates the quality and effectiveness of clinical experiences to support continuous improvement and student success.

Hannah brings clinical expertise to her teaching, with a strong background in medical–surgical and endoscopy nursing. Her experience in the Endoscopy Unit includes colonoscopies, esophagogastroduodenoscopies (EGDs), endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCPs), BRAVO placements, dilations, pre-operative EGDs for bariatric surgery, and bronchoscopies. She has also been involved in the implementation of robotic bronchoscopies, reflecting her engagement with advancing clinical technologies.

In her medical–surgical nursing practice, Hannah specialized in the care of patients with gastrointestinal and urinary conditions, hospice and end-of-life needs, cancer-related complications, post-surgical recovery, withdrawal management, and a wide range of other medical and surgical conditions. This breadth of experience informs her ability to connect theory to practice and prepare students for the complexities of clinical care.

In addition to her clinical coordination and teaching responsibilities, Hannah is actively engaged in professional service and collaboration through the Gustavus Nursing Program Local Advisory Board, the Minnesota Nursing Student Internship Consortium, and the MN Academic Networking Group. These collaborative groups provide guidance and direction to support best student outcomes by strengthening the connection between didactic course knowledge and clinical practice.

She actively participates in ongoing continuing education to remain current in nursing practice and education. Her professional memberships include the National League for Nursing and the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity, through which she stays connected to best practices in nursing education and clinical coordination, further enriching her work with students and colleagues.

Sarah Ruble is a Professor of Religion and specializes in the history of Christianity in the United States. She is the author of The Gospel of Freedom and Power: Protestant Missionaries in American Culture After World War II (University of North Carolina Press, 2012). She has also published articles on topics such as gender in U.S. religious history, the American missionary movement, and Lutheran contributions to American religion. Dr. Ruble is also a frequent presenter at adult forums and lifelong learning programs. She has developed two YouTube-based curricula for adult forums, one on the history of Christianity and race in the United States and the other on the development of Christian doctrine. Both are available on her website sarahruble.com.

At Gustavus, Dr. Ruble teaches a broad range of courses in the Religion Department. She also currently serves as the Faculty Director of Assessment and as Gustavus’s Accreditation Liaison Officer. In 2025 she was awarded the Faculty Service Award for her contributions to the Gustavus community.

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Dr. Kate Knutson began her Gustavus career in the Political Science department in 2005. Kate's areas of focus are U.S. politics and public policy, and she teaches courses on public policy, interest groups, Congress, women and politics, and child welfare policy. She is the recipient of the Edgar M. Carlson Award for Distinguished Teaching (2020) and the Swenson-Bunn Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence (2024). Kate’s research focuses on the role of advocacy groups in the creation of public policy. She is author of "Interfaith Advocacy: The Role of Religious Coalitions in Political Process" and a textbook, "An Introduction to U.S. Public Policy: Theory and Practice." Kate serves as the faculty advisor to Pi Sigma Alpha (the political science honor society), Building Bridges, and Proclaim.  Outside of Gustavus, Kate volunteers with Seeds of Hope, a faith-based summer camp for kids from southern Minnesota who are served by the social services system.

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Kathy Lund Dean holds the Board of Trustees Distinguished Chair in Leadership and Ethics, a position uniquely designed to engage external stakeholders with students, faculty, and program opportunities. This role supports three main strategic focus areas:

1. Increase Gustavus’ national and international footprint through scholarship and high profile recognitions
2. Increase and broaden career readiness through alumni engagement
3. Increase and deepen opportunities for experiential learning for students across campus

Kathy explores experiential education’s impacts on students, learning outcomes, and teaching practice, especially links between student mental health and experiential learning. In managerial practice, she examines remote work and why managers and executives resist remote work so strongly. Last, her partnership with the City of St. Peter and City Council allows her research insights into how municipal leaders prioritize very different constituent issues and resolve serious conflict.

Her scholarship encompasses more than 100 journal articles, book chapters, and books. Books include “The Ethical Professor: A Practical Guide to Research, Teaching and Professional Life” (published both in English and Chinese); "Course Design and Assessment" (2022, Edward Elgar) and "How to Become an Effective Journal Editor in Business and Management A Guide to Developing Authors" (2024, Edward Elgar).

Getting Gustavus' brand recognized outside the United States is a key focus. She won a Fulbright Specialist role to assist institutions under-represented in academic scholarship, an editorial role she will be continuing with the Journal of Management Inquiry. She has worked with business school colleagues at Rikkyo University supported by a Fulbright award, creating an exchange agreement between Rikkyo College of Business and Gustavus. Kathy holds joint appointments at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, and University of St. Andrews in Scotland.

Kathy is passionate about engaging students in learning about investing and markets. She advises student members on the Board of Trustees Investment Committee as well as the E. Terry Skone Investment Club on campus, where students work with large endowments and portfolios and make important decisions. The Skone Club won a Magnuson Leadership & Service Award for its long-term positive impact on learning, outreach, and philanthropy, donating more than $135,000 in scholarship money back to the College. 

Her conflict resolution practice takes many forms. As a certified mediator, a Minnesota Rule 114 qualified neutral, and faculty Ombuds, she helps others talk through and resolve complex issues from an impartial and non-judgmental perspective. At the Academy of Management, Kathy supports ethical practice and manages difficult situations as a member of the Ethics Adjudication Committee and the Ethics Education Committee. 

She is a Chicago native and has lived in seven U.S. states and two countries. Prior to joining the Gustavus faculty, Kathy was Professor of Management at Idaho State University for ten years. 
 

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Prior to joining the Gustavus faculty in 1990, Mark worked in broadcasting. He brings extensive administrative experience spanning more than 15 years, including nine years as Chief Academic Officer—serving as Provost at Gustavus Adolphus College and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Augustana University. He previously held the position of Associate Dean of the College at Gustavus for seven years.

Mark has an extensive record of service to the field of higher education and was recognized nationally by the Council of Independent Colleges with its Chief Academic Officer Award. He served on the executive committee of the board of directors for the American Conference of Academic Deans, on assessment and planning teams for the Association of American Colleges and Universities, and on the board of directors for the Broadcast Education Association in Washington DC. He also chaired the board of directors of The Collaboration for the Advancement of College Teaching and Learning, and was on the executive committee of the board for the Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota. He was awarded the Outstanding Citizen Award from the City of Mankato for his work with the Department of Public Safety.