At Work in the Garden: The Faith and Work Conference

Dr. Steven Bouma-Prediger is Professor of Religion at Hope College, where he has taught for the last 32 years. He is a graduate of Hope College, with a major in mathematics and computer science, and has masters degrees from the Institute for Christian Studies (in philosophy) and Fuller Theological Seminary (in theology) as well as a Ph.D. in religious studies from The University of Chicago.

Prof. Bouma-Prediger has had published over 100 articles and has authored 8 books, including For the Beauty of the Earth: A Christian Vision for Creation Care, Earthkeeping and Character: Exploring a Christian Ecological Virtue Ethic, and most recently Creation Care Discipleship: Why Earthkeeping Is an Essential Christian Practice.

He is married to Celaine Bouma-Prediger, an ordained minister in the Reformed Church in America and a marriage and family therapist, and they have three daughters.

Melinda K. Rangel, Ed.D., is the Marvin Sellberg Professor of Business Administration & Entrepreneurship and M.B.A. Program Director at Tabor College. Rangel's teaching and research focus on entrepreneurship, career readiness, and educational leadership. A nationally recognized business educator, she has received numerous honors, including National Secondary Business Teacher of the Year and the Wichita Business Journal's Women Who Lead in Education award. She holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Wichita State University, along with graduate and undergraduate degrees in school leadership and business education.

Emma Nydam is a scientific illustrator and fine artist whose work explores the intersection of faith, science, and art. Raised in the Pacific Northwest and inspired by a lifelong love of nature, she creates illustrations that celebrate the beauty, complexity, and interconnectedness of God’s creation. Emma holds a B.S. in Biology from Dordt University and a Certificate in Science Illustration from California State University, Monterey Bay. Her work focuses on biodiversity, ecosystems, and conservation, reflecting her belief that studying and caring for creation is both a privilege and a calling.

Travis West is a teacher, preacher, writer, speaker, and Sabbath-seeker. His deepest desires are to spread joy, defend delight, promote play, and help people reconnect with their truest selves. He is professor of Hebrew and Old Testament at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, MI and is the author of three books, most recently The Sabbath Way: Making Room In Your Life for Rest, Connection, and Delight. When he's away from the classroom and the writing desk, he can be found searching for wonder while walking the fields near his house, going to a farmer's market, watching a movie, or hanging out with his wife, who is his most consistent source of delight and amazement.

Dr. David Mulder serves as a professor and department chair in the Education Department at Dordt University. He teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses, sharing his expertise in effective pedagogy in classroom and online instruction, educational technology, and STEM education. His scholarly work focuses on AI in education, technology integration, social presence in online learning, and teaching Christianly. His recent book, Teach Like a Human: Playful Practice and Serious Faith in the Age of AI, is an encouragement for Christian educators to navigate the possibilities and pitfalls of artificial intelligence with wisdom and creativity. Dr. Dave plays the ukulele (badly) and loves superhero movies.

Rachel M. De Smith Roberts received a BA in English from Dordt (2009), an MA in English from Creighton University (2011), and a PhD in English from Baylor University (2016). She serves as Chair of the English Department and Associate Professor of English at North Greenville University (in South Carolina). Her academic specialty is British women writers of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and she has published on these writers in journals such as Early Modern Women and The Sidney Journal. With Rachel B. Griffis and Julie Ooms, she is coauthor of Deep Reading: Practices to Subvert the Vices of our Distracted, Hostile, and Consumeristic Age, published by Baker Academic in 2024 and recipient of the 2025 Arlin G. Meyer Book Award from the Lilly Network. Rachel resides in the Upstate of South Carolina with her husband and daughter.

Derek C. Schuurman worked as an electrical engineer for several years and later completed a Ph.D. at McMaster University in the area of robotics and computer vision using machine learning. He is currently professor and chair of computer science at Calvin University and was a visiting associate professor of computer science at Dordt University from 2015-2016. He is a fellow of the American Scientific Affiliation, a fellow of the International Society for Science and Religion, and an advisor for AI&Faith. He is the author of the book Shaping a Digital World: Faith, Culture and Computer Technology and co-author of A Christian Field Guide to Technology for Engineers and Designers, both published by InterVarsity Academic Press.

Christine Crouse-Dick, Ph.D., is professor and chair of communication arts at Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas. She teaches courses in communication, media studies, and journalism, and serves as faculty advisor for The Collegian, Bethel's student newspaper. Crouse-Dick earned a bachelor's degree from Tabor College, a master's degree from Wichita State University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Kansas. Her teaching and scholarship explore communication, media, and the ways stories shape communities and public life.

Stephen Carter is the founder of Seed Tree Group, where he partners with K–12 Christian schools nationwide to design and implement entrepreneurship programs rooted in redemptive entrepreneurship.

His work helps schools develop a Christ-centered entrepreneurial mindset in students, equipping them to create, lead, and serve with purpose. Through real-world, hands-on learning, students build practical skills, resilience, and a vision for meaningful impact. Stephen is also the author of Teaching the Entrepreneurial Mindset, which explores how intentional formation and authentic application can lead to student flourishing.

He lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, with his wife and two children.