Kevin G. Creagh
Rector and President, Sacred Heart Major Seminary
Father Kevin G. Creagh, C.C., Ed.D., a Vincentian priest and experienced Catholic higher education leader, has been appointed the fifteenth rector and president of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, effective July 1, 2026.
He succeeds Father Stephen Burr, who has led the seminary since 2021 and will return to parish ministry in the Archdiocese of Detroit.
Previously senior vice president for mission integration at Catholic Health on Long Island, New York, Creagh brings extensive experience in priestly formation, seminary leadership, and Catholic higher education. He has been praised his lifelong commitment to forming leaders for the Church and his broad experience in seminary and diocesan leadership.
Ordained a priest in 1996 as a member of the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians), Creagh has served in a variety of leadership and formation roles, including president-rector of Christ the King Seminary in New York and vicar for ministerial formation for the Diocese of Buffalo, New York.
He has held administrative and teaching appointments at St. John’s University, Niagara University, and Christ the King Seminary, and has served as a missionary in Taiwan and vocations director for the Vincentian community.
Before entering priestly formation, Creagh served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He earned a bachelor’s degree from St. John’s University, a master’s degree from the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception, and a doctorate in higher education management and policy from the University of Pennsylvania.
Andrew Evans
President, Summit Pacific College
Andrew evans, d.min., became the seventh president of Summit Pacific College in summer 2026, succeeding retiring president Dave Demchuk after a comprehensive national search under the guidance of Summit’s Board of Governors.
Evans has served Summit Pacific College for the past 15 years, joining the institution in 2010 as director of the youth ministry program after more than a decade in pastoral ministry. He also has played a key role in preparing and mentoring youth pastors who now serve churches and ministries across Canada and beyond.
In addition to faculty leadership, Evans has been a member of the Academic Senate and Operations Committee, contributing to strategic planning and institutional development. He is recognized for his expertise in emerging generations, discipleship, and spiritual formation.
A graduate of Summit Pacific College, formerly Western Pentecostal Bible College, Evans earned a master’s degree through Trinity Western University and Canadian Pentecostal Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 2016, focusing his scholarship on emerging generations and ministry leadership.
Evans lives in Abbotsford, British Columbia, with his wife, Nelia, and their children. He is actively engaged in the local community through volunteer service and church involvement.
Daranne Harris
Principal-Dean, Martin Luther University College
Following an international search, the Board of Governors of Martin Luther University College has appointed the Rev. Daranne Harris, Ph.D., as principal-dean. Her five-year term began Aug. 10, 2026.
She succeeds Rev. Kristine Lund, Ph.D., who served since 2021 as the first woman to occupy the top administrative role.
Harris brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in congregational ministry, humanitarian aid and development, health care, and education to her new role.
An ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, she previously served as pastor of Hope Lutheran Church in Calgary, Alberta, and as an interim and supply pastor for several congregations in the Synod of Alberta and the Territories.
Her previous leadership roles include director of communications and education at Canadian Lutheran World Relief and vice president and chief mission officer at Bethany Care Society. Most recently, Harris has served as director of the Doctor of Ministry program and as pastoral care faculty at the Saskatoon Theological Union, which encompasses Lutheran Theological Seminary, the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad, and St. Andrew’s College.
Harris’ interdisciplinary scholarship explores the intersections of awe, compassion, health care practice, and pastoral theology.
Tim Osborn
Dean, Portland Seminary, George Fox University
Tim Osborn, D.Min., began his tenure June 1, 2026, as dean of Portland Seminary, the graduate theological school of George Fox University in Oregon. He succeeds the Rev. Tammy Dunahoo, D.Ld., who served as dean for the past three years.
Osborn previously directed church mission and strategy at Western Seminary, where he developed master’s degree cohorts and led regional ministry initiatives. Before that, he served for 17 years as lead pastor of Mosaic Church in Portland, emphasizing church planting, disciple-making, and leadership development.
An ordained minister and certified spiritual director, Osborn is a co-founder of the Portland Metro Network and serves on the leadership team of MultiplyPDX.
He earned a Doctor of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary, a master’s degree from Talbot School of Theology, and bachelor’s degrees in biblical studies and psychology from Azusa Pacific University. He and his wife, Abby, have three sons.
Scott Pace
President, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Scott Pace, Ph.D., became president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, in August 2026, succeeding Daniel Akin, Ph.D., who retired as the longest-serving president after leading the seminary for 21 years.
Before his election, Pace served as provost, dean of graduate studies, and professor of preaching and pastoral ministry. A Southeastern graduate with a Master of Divinity degree and doctorate, he has dedicated much of his academic and ministerial career to the institution and fulfilling its mission of preparing students for ministry and global missions.
Prior to entering vocational ministry, Pace worked as an accountant and business manager before transitioning to pastoral ministry and theological education. At Southeastern, he has led academic administration, faculty development, graduate education, and student mentoring while continuing to teach.
He earned a bachelor’s degree from North Carolina State University in Raleigh and a Master of Divinity degree and doctorate from Southeastern.
He and his wife, Dana, have four children.
Dempsey Rosales Acosta
Executive Director, Institute of Pastoral Studies, Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago appointed Father Dempsey Rosales Acosta, SSL, STD, executive director of the Institute of Pastoral Studies effective July 1, 2026.
He succeeds Peter Jones, Ph.D., who served as interim dean since 2019 and who will continue as principal investigator for a $10 million Lilly Endowment Pathways for Tomorrow grant.
A Catholic priest and biblical scholar, Rosales Acosta brings nearly two decades of experience in academic administration, pastoral formation, and theological education to his new role. He has served on the faculty of the University of St. Thomas in Houston since 2010 and is currently a tenured professor of theology and director of the Center Semillero for Hispanic/Latino Theology. He most recently served as interim president.
Rosales Acosta earned a bachelor’s degree in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, a master’s degree in exegesis and biblical languages from the Pontifical Biblical Institute, and a doctorate in biblical theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University.
He has published several books and peer-reviewed articles in biblical studies and theology, consulted for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on biblical translation, and helped develop graduate programs in English and Spanish for the University of Notre Dame, Loyola Marymount University, and Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology.
