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Jay Hake is a faculty member in the Business and Economics Department, where he teaches Business Law, Conflict Management, Entrepreneurship, and Social Entrepreneurship. Jay brings an integrated perspective to his faculty role: that of a licensed attorney, seasoned executive, and entrepreneur who has built companies, closed venture financings, and advised startup founders navigating the full arc of early-stage growth.

Jay's teaching philosophy centers on experiential, student-led inquiry. He believes that rigorous frameworks become meaningful only when students apply them to real decisions, and his courses are designed to support this approach, incorporating active discussion, case-based reasoning, and real world application. Whether working through contract disputes, conflict resolution scenarios, or the design of ventures built to generate both economic and social value, his students engage with material that mirrors the complexity of professional life.

Jay’s professional background spans roles as Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and General Counsel across technology, software, and consumer products companies. He has structured equity financings, negotiated complex commercial agreements, managed board and investor relations, and guided organizations through periods of rapid scaling. That operational and legal experience informs his approach to teaching at every stage: from identifying opportunity and building teams, to navigating the legal, ethical, and strategic challenges that define a business’s trajectory.

In addition to his work at Gustavus, Jay leads a boutique consulting firm, serving executives and startup leaders on strategic planning, leadership development, and organizational growth.

Outside of the classroom, Jay is an avid fly fisherman, hiker, lover of the outdoors, and a reader.
 

Lynnea H. Myers, PhD, PhD MSN, RN is a dual PhD-trained nurse and researcher specializing in pediatrics, child development, asthma, and digital health. She currently serves as the faculty mentor for the Gustavus team for the Innovation Scholars Program. She most recently worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden and a Visiting Research Fellow at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Prior to those roles, she was an Associate Professor of Nursing at Gustavus Adolphus College. Her research interests focus on leveraging artificial intelligence and remote monitoring devices to improve pediatric asthma management.

A graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College herself, Stephanie was delighted to return to her undergraduate alma mater as a professor. Stephanie teaches courses both within and beyond the Exercise Physiology major, and she finds student mentorship to be among the most rewarding aspects of her work. Her teaching philosophy is grounded in the concept of vocation, emphasizing the integration of academic learning with personal purpose. She is committed to helping students discern how their skills, values, and passions can be meaningfully applied in service to others, preparing them not only for professional success but also for lives of purpose and engagement. Research is intentionally embedded within the Exercise Physiology curriculum at Gustavus, and she regularly serves as a faculty mentor for multiple student-led, independent research projects. These projects are frequently presented at local, regional, and national conferences across the country.

Her scholarly interests focus on the relationship between physical activity and bone mineral density. Most recently, she published an article in the International Journal of Fitness titled “Step Count, Calcium Intake, and Bone Mineral Density Among Women Using Depo-Provera.”

Stephanie is an active presenter and attendee at national meetings of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), where she has earned Fellow status. She has also served on the ACSM Women, Sport, and Physical Activity Committee.

Dr. Loramy (Mimi) Gerstbauer teaches courses in international relations, US foreign policy and Latin American Politics. She contributes to multiple interdisciplinary programs, with longtime leadership roles in Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies. Her research is on peacebuilding NGOs and transitional justice and reconciliation in international politics. She has published multiple peer reviewed articles, book chapters, and a book on apologies in US foreign policy. She served as a US Fulbright Scholar at Collegium Civitas in Warsaw, Poland, and taught at Kansai Gaidai University outside Osaka, Japan. She serves with the nonprofit organization, Peace and Hope International, working for human rights across Latin America, and has taken student groups to Nicaragua, Colombia, and Peru. She has been at Gustavus since 2001 and completed her PhD at the University of Notre Dame.    

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.

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.

Dr. Yumiko Oshima-Ryan began teaching at Gustavus in 2004. She enjoys teaching private piano lessons and establishing relationships with her students that focuses on trust and integrity. At her piano studio, students cultivate musical, technical, historical, and theoretical features of piano repertoire which they select to perform for their recital. Students focus on developing piano skills which are vital for artistic self-expression. Dr. Oshima-Ryan values mentoring students as they face their challenges, find new perspectives, and most of all, promote self-belief. All of these things ultimately provide deeper meaning and joy to their performance and creativity.

A native of Japan, Yumiko also teaches keyboard courses to students of all levels, including total beginners. Along with keyboard skills courses for music majors and minors, she offers courses on how to practice and prepare performances, as well as on wellness for musicians.

Dr. Oshima-Ryan believes musical performance is one of the most valuable opportunities students can have, and that it represents a core value in the music department of a liberal arts college. As an instructor, she also values sharing the experience of her own performances with students.

Her recordings, "Piano Works for the Left Hand - Takashi Yoshimatsu" and “From Afar,” are published by the Naxos Records label and available to stream on major digital platforms, including iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon. "Piano Works for the Left Hand" was selected as a special edition in the August 2022 issue of Record Geijutsu, a top music review magazine in Japan. Dr. Oshima-Ryan hopes this album inspires and encourages people rehabilitating after injury or fighting a major illness, such as cancer. The album includes pieces which were written for the composer’s respected friend, Izumi Tateno, who lost the use of his right hand after a cerebral hemorrhage. She wants the listeners to get past the idea of the left hand as the overlooked partner of the dominant right. She wants them to see, instead, that through courage, compassion, and creativity, the limitations of human frailty can be overcome.

Recently, Dr. Oshima-Ryan started collaborating with the Department of Theatre and Dance at Gustavus by creating original music for dance performances. Performances, recordings, and lectures are available online.

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. 
 

John C. Volin, PhD serves as the 18th President of Gustavus. 

Following a postdoctoral fellowship in plant physiological ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Volin accepted a faculty position at Florida Atlantic University, where he rose to the rank of full professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and served as the director of the Environmental Sciences graduate program. Volin joined the University of Connecticut in 2007 to head the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, advancing to serve as Vice Provost of Academic Affairs. From 2020-2025, Volin served as the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at the University of Maine, where his portfolio included oversight of more than 1,000 faculty and staff and a budget of over $250 million. Volin is recognized as a national leader in using evidence-based practices to support holistic student wellbeing. He serves on the Executive Committee of the LearningWell Coalition and is a co-founder and senior advisor of LearningWell magazine.

Born and raised in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Volin holds a BS in botany and biology and an MS in agronomy from the South Dakota State University, and a PhD in forestry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Volin and his wife, Valeria, have five children and six grandchildren.

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Tara Cadenhead serves as the Instructor of the Practice in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, where she is also the Director of the Center for Innovative & Entrepreneurial Leadership (CIEL). A Gustavus alumna herself, Tara brings a unique blend of high-level corporate strategy and "maker" entrepreneurship to the Hill, providing students with a practical roadmap for turning creative ideas into sustainable ventures.

Tara’s teaching is informed by nearly two decades of leadership in the corporate sector. During her tenure at FICO, a leading provider of analytics and CRM software, she led talent management and organizational change initiatives, specializing in aligning human capital with strategic business goals. Later, at Target Corporation, she served as a key advisor to Supply Chain leadership, and then played a strategic communication and change leadership role in launching a new enterprise-wide talent system and related processes for a workforce of more than 70,000 users.

In addition to her corporate background, Tara is the founder of Marquess Studios, a creative venture based in Stillwater, Minnesota, that emphasizes intentional design and community-focused commerce. Experience as a small business owner allows her to mentor students with authentic insights into brand storytelling, lean product development, and the resilience required to launch a startup.

In the classroom, Tara emphasizes experiential learning and vocational discovery. She views entrepreneurship as a multidisciplinary mindset relevant to every major, from the fine arts to the hard sciences. Her courses function as laboratories where students are encouraged to iterate, take calculated risks, and solve complex problems through "failing forward."

As the Director of CIEL, Tara spearheads initiatives that foster a culture of innovation across the entire campus. She oversees the Gustie Cup, the college’s premier entrepreneurship competition which offers significant seed money prizes across "Scalable" and "Sustainable" categories. In this role, she mentors student founders through intensive Start-Up Labs and 1:1 consulting sessions, while engaging alumni and industry experts to enhance the viability of students' plans. Gustie Cup winners have advanced as semi-finalists in the statewide Minnesota Cup. Her service extends to the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem, where she builds bridges between Gustavus and Minnesota’s business leaders, alumni mentors, and economic organizations, and recently represented Gustavus on an International Economic Development trip to Ireland.

Outside of her work at the College, Tara is deeply committed to community-driven service and regional development. She is most interested in exploring public-private partnerships to maximize social and economic impact. Tara is a founding Board member for Connect Lake Elmo, where she helps guide initiatives that enhance local connectivity and economic vitality. Her dedication to service is further highlighted by her previous involvement with Rotary International, various non-profit organizations, and was recently nominated as "Volunteer of the Year" by the Stillwater Area Chamber of Commerce. When not mentoring the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs, she enjoys traveling, cooking, gardening, and spending time with her family.