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Since 2003, Kiki Harbitz has taught courses in the department of Biology, as well as the department of Health and Exercise Science. She specializes in anatomy and physiology, evolutionary biology, and animal behavior. She enjoys teaching students about their own bodies and helping them build upon the skills necessary to advocate for themselves and others in medical settings and situations. She spends her free time with family and friends, with pets (and foster dogs), gardening/landscaping, making art, being active, storm chasing, doing photography, and enjoying nature.

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.

Tom Flunker joined Gustavus in February 2017 as Interim Director of the Diversity Center. His background spans K–12 and higher education teaching, athletic coaching, and administrative leadership. He has also held board and leadership roles in faith-based and nonprofit organizations. Throughout his career, Tom has focused on intentional, collaborative mentoring—helping individuals identify meaningful opportunities and supporting students as they navigate the complex but rewarding path of education. He remains committed to cultivating an authentic culture of community and belonging across the entire campus.

Dr. Brandon Dean serves as the Jon and Anita Thomsen Young Distinguished Endowed Chair in Music and is the Conductor of the Gustavus Choir. In addition to his conducting duties, he teaches beginning and advanced conducting, and serves as music director for Christmas in Christ Chapel. Dr. Dean received the 2014 Swenson-Bunn Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence and the 2022 Faculty Service Award, the highest accolade a Gustavus faculty member can receive for distinguished service activities. Before his appointment at Gustavus in 2011, Dr. Dean completed the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in conducting from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Lisa "LD" Dembouski, Ph.D., has been a mental health worker, Peace Corps Volunteer, and wilderness survival counselor before beginning work in her true passion and profession: education. She taught for 15 years in public K-12 schools before finding her next true love in teacher preparation at Gustavus, where she instructs a variety of courses and supervises teacher candidates in field placements. LD also devotes a great deal of her time and energy supporting Global Educators, a highly unique opportunity for Gusties to complete part of their student teaching semester in "away" destinations.

Phala Tracy has been on the Gustavus Adolphus music faculty since 2004. In addition to teaching at Gustavus, Phala also teaches at Studio Fidicina in Minneapolis, MN and at summer Suzuki institutes across the U.S. and Canada as a clinician and Suzuki harp teacher trainer. She has developed a curriculum of Music Theory in Song and Rhyme as well as a collection of Songs for Sight Reading for harp students. She is an active arranger, composer, improviser and performer in the Twin Cities where she plays with Matt Wilson and His Orchestra, Follow the Firefly and The Dust of Suns. BM Oberlin Conservatory of Music, MFA California Institute of the Arts.

Dr. Jeff Ford has been a visiting assistant professor of mathematics at Gustavus since 2016. He has taught almost every mathematics course offered at Gustavus. His research is in topology, dynamical systems, and mathematics education. Dr. Ford has supervised three honors theses, two interdisciplinary research projects, and six independent studies. He has co-authored two books in dynamical systems and one in linear algebra. He is committed to providing open access educational materials to students and encouraging teachers to use active and inclusive pedagogy. To that end, he has presented more than 20 times at conferences on active learning and alternative grading. 

Phillip Voight is the Director of the Nobel Conference and teaches courses in new media, reality television, documentary film, argumentation studies, communication research methods and genocide studies. He is the former speech and debate coach and is a member of the Pi Kappa Delta Hall of Fame. He has also served on a number of non-profit Boards, including the GLCAC (Gay Lesbian Community Action Council, Philanthrofund, Outfront Minnesota, the South Saint Paul Educational Foundation, and Pi Kappa Delta.) He is also an avid traveler and has taken more than 175 trips abroad.

Rachel Flynn joined the Gustavus faculty in her current role as the digital liberal arts librarian in 2023. Her research and teaching practices focus on student-centered, inclusive information literacy pedagogy; student learning assessment; and the incorporation of digital technologies in the library and classroom. Rachel has collaboratively published and presented scholarship that promotes the development of information literacy skills both within academic disciplines and in students’ daily and civic lives. She works collegially with other faculty and staff in the library to build the library’s collection to support the curricular and extra-curricular needs of the campus community. 

Brittany Otto began her career at Gustavus Adolphus College in 2023. She holds an M.S. in Nursing Education (2023) from American Sentinel University, and is pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Educational Leadership. Her clinical background spans pediatric and obstetrical/gynecological nursing in a variety of settings as well as experience in nursing leadership, and she is passionate about integrating technology into her teaching. Brittany focuses on supporting diverse learners and fostering inclusive classroom environments. Her academic interests include information technology in nursing education, supporting multilingual learners, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and best practices in NCLEX preparation.

Kyle E. Chambers is the Associate Provost for Institutional Research & Analytics. He leads a team focused on leveraging data to support strategic decision-making across the institution. Kyle oversees the development of data dashboards, research reports, and surveys that inform key areas such as student success, resource allocation, and program development. By collaborating with academic and administrative departments, he helps the college use data insights to enhance institutional effectiveness and foster a culture of informed decision-making that benefits the entire Gustavus community.

Kyle also serves chair of the Gustavus IRB (2020-present), and prior to joining the Provost's Office, he was the chair of the Department of Psychological Science (2017-2020). His research interests have been in cognitive development, typically focusing on issues related to language learning.

Dr. Suzanne Wilson is an Associate Professor of Sociology and Anthropology. Since arriving at Gustavus in 1998, she has taught a range of classes, including Social Inequality, Kinship, Criminology, Drugs and Society, Women, Crime, and Criminal Justice, Globalization, and the Research Seminar in Sociology and Anthropology classes. Dr. Wilson has worked with several campus interdisciplinary programs including Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies and Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies. 

Her research has focused on U.S. drug policy, the cocaine trade, and extralegal right-wing violence in Latin America. Dr. Wilson has presented at numerous conferences and published in many academic journals. In 2025, the Latin American Research Review published her most recent article, “Colombian Paramilitaries and Their Successor Groups.”