The Fuller Youth Institute is a team of researchers, creatives, church leaders and dreamers who believe in helping churches unleash the passion and potential of young people everywhere.
Leadership
Kara Eckmann Powell, PhD
Executive Director, Fuller Youth Institute
Chief of Leadership Formation, Fuller Seminary
Dr. Kara Powell is the Executive Director of the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI), a faculty member at Fuller Theological Seminary, and Fuller's Chief of Leadership Formation. Named by Christianity Today as one of “50 Women You Should Know,” Kara serves as a Youth and Family Strategist for Orange, and also speaks regularly at parenting and leadership conferences. Kara is the author or coauthor of a number of books, including 3 Big Questions That Change Every Teenager, Growing Young, Growing With, The Sticky Faith Guide for Your Family, Sticky Faith Curriculum, Can I Ask That?, Deep Justice Journeys, Deep Justice in a Broken World, Deep Ministry in a Shallow World, and the Good Sex Youth Ministry Curriculum. Kara lives with her husband Dave and their three teenage and young adult children, Nathan, Krista, and Jessica, in Southern California.
Brad M. Griffin, MDiv
Senior Director of Content and Research
Brad M. Griffin is the Senior Director of Content & Research for the Fuller Youth Institute, where he develops research-based resources for youth ministry leaders & families. A speaker, writer, and volunteer pastor, Brad is the coauthor of over fifteen books, including Faith Beyond Youth Group, 3 Big Questions That Change Every Teenager & 3 Big Questions That Shape Your Future, Growing Young, and Sticky Faith. Brad and his wife, Missy, live in Southern California and share life with their three teenage and young adult kids.
Chuck Hunt, DMin
Senior Director of Training and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
Rev. Charles (Chuck) Hunt, D.Min has been ministering to adolescents, young adults, and their families for more than 30 years. He was born in Virginia and grew up in Huntington Beach, CA where his love for adventure developed. He has a BS from Hampton University in Aviation as well as an M.Div and D.Min from Fuller Theological Seminary. Chuck is passionate about Christ’s call to restore our relationship with God and with each other, thus he advocates for righteousness and justice. He has a proven record of building teams in the church and fostering partnerships with organizations in the community. Through both his career and lived experience, Chuck has an ability to connect with individuals from diverse cultural, spiritual, and economic backgrounds. He lives with his wife Shannon and their young adult daughter Rhyen, in Southern California. Though cleverly disguised as a responsible adult, Chuck still runs, surfs, mountain bikes, and skateboards.
Andy Jung, DMin
Senior Director of Church Engagement and Business Administration
Andy Jung is the Senior Director of Church Engagement and Business Administration at the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI). He focuses on developing relationships with church, denominational, and network leaders, finding ways for FYI's research, resources, and training to support their ministry. Andy earned a BS in Math Education from North Carolina State University, an MDiv from Campbell University Divinity School, and a DMin from Fuller Theological Seminary in Youth, Family, and Culture. He has served as a youth minister for 20+ years and a senior pastor for five years. In addition, Andy also served as a state executive leader for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of NC for two years before joining FYI's staff in 2020. In addition to his work at FYI, he is a current ministry practitioner as he serves as the Minister in Residence for Young Adults at Trinity Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC. Andy lives with his wife Amy in Raleigh and is passionate about helping churches better love and care for young people so that teenagers and young adults can thrive in their faith.
Steve Argue, PhD
Applied Research Strategist
Steven Argue, PhD (Michigan State University) is the Applied Research Strategist for the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI) and Associate Professor of Youth, Family, and Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary. Steve researches, speaks, and writes on adolescent and emerging adult spirituality. He has served as a pastor on the Lead Team at Mars Hill Bible Church (Grand Rapids, MI), coaches and trains church leaders and volunteers, and has been invested in youth ministry conversation for over 20 years. Steve is the coauthor and contributor of a number of books, including Growing With, 18 Plus: Parenting Your Emerging Adult, and Joy: A Guide for Youth Ministry.
Our Exemplary Team
Nasim Bowlus
Video Editor
Nasim is a video editor based in Atlanta. Apart from editing, Nasim is passionate about storytelling and Latina representation on-screen. She enjoys creating social media content, directing narrative films, and reading self-help books. A foodie at heart, she loves tasting new recipes and desserts, especially gourmet donuts! Nasim is happily married to her husband Shawn.
Jen Bradbury
Content Director
Jen Bradbury serves as the content director for Fuller Youth Institute and a volunteer youth pastor at her local church. With more than twenty years of experience in youth ministry, she’s the author of several books, including The Jesus Gap, The Real Jesus, Called: A Novel About Youth Ministry Transition, and What Do I Believe About What I Believe? Jen and her husband, Doug, live in the Chicagoland area where they can regularly be found adventuring with their two young daughters.
Macy Davis
Creative Director
Macy is the Creative Director at the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI) where she creates and manages the design of the FYI brand through its resources, online presence, and various creative needs. She holds a BA in Studio Art with an emphasis in Graphic Design and a Minor in Business Administration from Baylor University. Macy has lived and worked in Arkansas, California, Arizona, and now Texas where she currently resides with her husband Jarrett and daughters Adelina and Anastasia. In her free time, you'll likely find Macy spending time with her family, running, painting, or drinking a good cup of coffee.
Rachel Dodd, MDiv
Managing Editor
Rachel Dodd is a spiritual director, writer, and Managing Editor at the Fuller Youth Institute. She has a BA in Church Music and Youth Ministry from Point Loma Nazarene University, an MDiv from Fuller Theological Seminary, and is currently working towards a DMin in Spiritual Formation and Direction. Having served students and families in the UK and US for over 15 years, Rachel loves writing to share stories and equip those following their own calling in ministry. She and her husband, Carl, now live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, and have two daughters.
Charissa Dornbush
Administrative Assistant
Charissa serves as the Administrative Assistant for the FYI team. She holds a BA in Christian Education from Wheaton College and an MA in Intercultural Studies with an emphasis in Children At-Risk from Fuller. She is passionate about support, advocacy, and ministry with children particularly child-parent relationship, child development, and cross cultural understanding. Charissa has lived and worked in Minnesota, Chicago, Zambia, and California where she currently resides with her husband Casey and her puppy Waffles. In her free time, you will find her trying a new coffee shop, visiting my family back in Minnesota, driving in the mountains, or at the zoo. She truly enjoys meeting new people and hearing about their life stories.
Zachariah Ellis, PhD
Church Training Manager
Zach Ellis is the Church Training manager at the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI). Zach holds an MDiv from Nazarene Theological Seminary and a PhD from Fuller Theological Seminary. He is ordained in the Church of the Nazarene and is an active volunteer in his church’s youth group. Before joining FYI, he was a youth pastor in Eastern Oregon. In his free time, you’ll likely find him hiking with his wife and two kids or watching Sporting Kansas City score goals.
Jenica “Nica” Halula
Video & Podcast Producer
Jenica “Nica” Halula is the Video and Podcast Producer at the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI). Nica began writing and performing as a teenager with the Fitz Family, a traveling, family juggling act. After studying Writing at the University of Northwestern, St. Paul, MN, she spent the next decade with HappyFunTime Industries, performing improv, writing comedy sketches, and producing short films, award-winning educational films, and story-driven content for nonprofits. She co-authored <18>: Faith for the Next Generation as well as wrote and illustrated Shep & a Hundred Sheep. She lives in Roseville, Minnesota with her husband and two kids, and enjoys writing, creating art, exploring new places, and family movie nights.
Jennifer “Jen”
Operations and Office Manager
Jennifer “Jen” is the Operations and Office Manager at the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI) and involved in many areas of the FYI team. She holds a BM (Bachelor of Arts in Music) and a Minor in Education from University of California, Irvine (UCI). After college, instead of going into music education, she ended up in ministry where she volunteered and worked at an Orange County church for 10 years. She juggled many coordinating positions during her time there, but children’s ministry coordinator was her steady role. Children’s ministry is where her heart is and she has been a part of different children programs since high school. Outside of work, Jen loves hiking, baking, and Disneyland.
Roslyn Hernández, MDiv
Diveristy, Equity, and Inclusion Manager and Content Producer
Roslyn Hernández is DEI Manager and Content Producer at the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI). She produces The FYI on Youth Ministry podcast, manages resource production, and provides support for research projects. Roslyn lived in México City as a child and grew up in the Central Valley of California. She holds a BA with majors in Film & Media Studies and Spanish, and a minor in Art History from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB); and an MDiv with an emphasis on Youth, Family and Culture from Fuller Theological Seminary. Roslyn is also a Spiritual Director and writer. She is passionate about decolonizing, public theology, pop culture, culinary traditions, nature, and tea.
Issac Kim
Graphic Designer
Issac Kim is the Graphic Designer at the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI) where she focuses on design for print and digital resources, social media, email marketing, and web design. She has spent nine years serving as a youth worker in the local church cultivating a heart for raising leaders in the next generation. Issac also has experience volunteering her design skills for youth conferences, mission organizations, and local churches. Outside of work, you can find Issac going on evening walks, learning how to golf, meeting with her book club, or hanging out with friends.
Will L. Lewis IV
Marketing Manager
Will is the Marketing Manager at Fuller Youth Institute (FYI), where he manages all things marketing for FYI. As a professional photographer, graphic designer, communication specialist, coach, youth pastor, praise and worship leader, Will knows first hand what is means to have boots on the ground with youth ministry and marketing. Will is a native of Gary, Indiana, but now resides in Dallas, Texas. He holds a BA in Organizational Leadership and a specialization in Computer Graphic Technology from Purdue University. He also holds several certifications in bible studies from Aenon Bible Institute. To know Will is to know JOY! In his free time, he can be found enjoying lake views, ocean sights, parks, good food, and traveling.
LaTasha Nesbitt, Ph.D.
Research Director
LaTasha Nesbitt, Ph.D. is the Research Director at Fuller Youth Institute (FYI). Born and raised on Chicago’s southside, she brings a unique perspective on serving God, understanding research, and connecting with youth. She has served as adjunct professor, business owner, and itinerant pastor. Her greatest joy is to assist others in discerning their God-given gifts and assignments. She holds a Ph.D. and M.A in Educational Policy Organization and Leadership from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a B.A. in Political Science from Eastern Illinois University. Some of her favorite memories include: traveling to Israel, giving birth to two children, and discovering her Dad’s family five years following his death. Her current research interests are regarding the history of race in American society and effective post-pandemic leadership within the church context. She enjoys and embraces the power of storytelling, spoken word, Zumba, and all things genealogy.
Giovanny Panginda, MDiv
Social Media Lead
Giovanny serves as the Social Media Lead at the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI), assisting staff in a variety of ways, including multicultural research, social media, and marketing. He holds a BA in Psychology and Sociology from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), and an MDiv with an emphasis on Asian American Context from Fuller Theological Seminary. Born in Indonesia, but raised in Southern California, Giovanny also serves as a youth pastor for two Indonesian churches. Giovanny is passionate about photography and going on adventures with friends to find food, coffee, and hiking spots, which just so happens to be some of the subject matter you'll find on his Instagram..
Caleb Roose, MDiv
Project Manager
Caleb Roose is a project manager at the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI), where he advises and facilitates FYI church trainings and research, coaches and consults with churches around the country, and develops resources. The coauthor of two FYI resources (i.e., Sticky Faith Innovation: How Your Compassion, Creativity, and Courage Can Support Teenagers' Lasting Faith and Who Do You Say I Am?: 6 Session High School Curriculum Exploring Identity, Ethnicity, Race, Community, and Faith), Caleb is passionate about human-centered design, holistic discipleship, and fatherhood. Caleb has worked in a variety of ministry and professional roles, including volunteering in youth ministries, serving as an associate pastor of discipleship and administration, counseling at and running youth camps, ministering in six different countries with Youth With a Mission (YWAM), and managing an after-school program for kids. A Southern California native, Caleb lives with his wife and three young children near Pasadena, CA.
Hannah Struwe
Project Coordinator
Hannah Struwe serves as a Project Coordinator at Fuller Youth Institute (FYI). Hannah earned her BA in Psychology from Simpson University and is in the process of earning her MS in Marriage & Family Therapy from Fuller Seminary. Hannah was born and raised in the Central Valley of California, moved to Redding, CA in 2015 where she completed her Bachelor’s degree and met her now husband, and has since relocated to Pasadena where she and her husband both work and are continuing their education. Since her young teenage years, Hannah has loved to learn about and discuss theology, and has been privileged to travel internationally on a few occasions which broadened her love for the global Church and her passion to serve its God-given mission to reflect His nature to the world. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking & backpacking, drinking good coffee, and spending time with family and friends.