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CDSP Announces New Associate Dean, New Staff Appointments

The Rev. Mark Chung Hearn, PhD

Church Divinity School of the Pacific has named the Rev. Mark Chung Hearn, PhD, as associate dean of academic affairs, effective August 15. 

Hearn serves as associate professor and director of contextual education. He joined the faculty in 2020 after six years as assistant clinical professor in the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University.

The new post is intended to make the duties of academic administration more manageable for professors who also have demanding teaching loads. Hearn will work in collaboration with the Rev. Ruth Meyers, PhD, dean of academic affairs. Hearn’s areas of responsibility will include  oversight of faculty life and student academic needs.

In the past quarter, the seminary has also hired numerous staff members to fill reconfigured, new, and vacant positions. These new members of the CDSP team join the Rt. Rev. Kirk Smith, PhD, newly appointed interim president and dean, as well as Dr. Katrina Olson and Dent Davidson, whose appointments to the faculty were announced earlier this summer.

The Rev. Michael Barham (DMin ‘12, CAS ‘07) will serve as director of student services and recruitment, beginning his work in mid August. Barham has served as vicar and associate rector of congregations in California and Hawai’i. In the spring of 2022, responsibilities for student services and recruitment were shared by the Rev. Jude Lyons ‘20 and the Rev. Randal Gardner, DMin (MDiv ‘84), both serving in their current roles on an interim basis. 

The Rev. Stephen Hassett (DMin ‘16, MDiv ‘06) will serve as director of chapel and campus chaplain. He will also serve as an adjunct professor teaching leadership for ministry and will coordinate the student formation program. He follows in the ‘21–‘22 academic year Dr. Ben Riggs and a team of part-time community chaplains. Hassett has served Bay Area congregations for sixteen years, including as rector, associate, and interim vicar. He begins his work in mid August.

Dennis Hendricks serves as director of human resources. This is a new position intended to improve on-site employee support and development. Hendricks began his work in late April, having previously held HR and management consulting roles in Philadelphia and New York. 

Dorjon Preston serves as facilities maintenance technician. Previously he served as an assistant project manager at Puckett Construction in Rodeo, CA. He follows in this position longtime CDSP staff member Steve Sibbitt, who retired in 2021. Preston began his work in mid June. 

The Rev. Andrew Schule ‘22 serves as student services and recruitment administrator, having begun his work in mid July. A recent alum of the residential program, he brings to the position an immediate knowledge of student life at CDSP.