Howard Payne University began the 2016-2017 academic year with 11 new faculty members. Joining HPU’s faculty were Dr. Kylah Clark-Goff, dean of the School of Education and professor of education; Joseph Dunlap, instructor of music; Chuck Gartman, assistant professor of Christian studies and director of ministry guidance; Gina Gibbs, instructor of criminal justice; Dr. Gregory Hatlestad, associate professor of biology; Sidni Kirby, instructor of communication; Sarah Langford, instructor of mathematics; Dr. Christopher Rosborough, assistant professor of music; Laci Sutton, instructor of nursing; Dr. Hendra Tarigan, assistant professor of engineering and director of the engineering science program; and Jill Underwood, instructor of education.

“We’re pleased to welcome these eleven additions to the university’s extraordinary faculty,” said Dr. W. Mark Tew, provost and chief academic officer.

Dr. Kylah Clark-Goff received a Bachelor of Science degree from Baylor University in 1995, a Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2001 and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Texas A&M University in 2008. Her experience includes serving as a teacher of English as a Second Language for the International Mission Board in Mocuba, Mozambique, from 2002 to 2004. She also served as a first-grade teacher at Washington Christian School in Rockville, Maryland in 2009-2010 and, most recently, as assistant professor of curriculum and instruction at Tarleton State University from 2011 to 2016.

Joseph Dunlap received a Bachelor of Arts degree from HPU in 2009 and a Master of Music degree from Hardin-Simmons University in 2012. His experience includes teaching in various music-related roles from 2007 to the present and serving as a fellowship grader for the Theory/Composition Department at Hardin-Simmons University from 2010 to 2012. Dunlap most recently served as an adjunct faculty member at HPU from 2015 to 2016.

Chuck Gartman received a Bachelor of Science degree from HPU in 1972 and a Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1974. His experience includes various teaching roles at HPU and, most recently, serving as an instructor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary from 2001-2016. Gartman has been the owner and chief consultant of “Go To” Youth Ministry, Inc., since 2001 and has a combined total of 47 years in ministry at various churches in Texas and Tennessee.

Gina Gibbs received a Bachelor of Science degree from HPU in 2005, a Juris Doctor degree from The Catholic University of America in 2009 and a Master of Science degree from the University of North Texas in 2013. Her experience includes various positions in the judicial/legal field from 2007 to 2011 and criminal-justice teaching positions at the University of North Texas and the University of Cincinnati in 2013 and 2013-2014, respectively.

Dr. Gregory Hatlestad received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Minnesota in 2003 and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from The University of Texas at Austin in 2010. His experience includes teaching and research roles at the University of Minnesota and The University of Texas. Most recently, he served as a post-doctoral fellow from 2010 to 2012 and clinical assistant professor from 2012 to 2016, both at The University of Texas.

Sidni Kirby received a Bachelor of Science degree from The University of Texas at Tyler in 2011 and a Master of Arts degree from Texas State University in San Marcos in 2013. Her experience includes serving as marketing coordinator at CMMS Mobile Imaging Services in San Marcos from 2013 to 2014, academic advisor and public speaking instructor at Tyler Junior College from 2014 to 2015 and, most recently, admission counselor at HPU from 2015 to 2016.

Sarah Langford received her Bachelor of Science degree from HPU in 2012 and her Master of Science degree from The University of Texas at Arlington in 2015. Her experience includes serving as a graduate teaching assistant for The University of Texas at Arlington from 2013 to 2014 and serving twice as a Graduate Assistant in Areas of National Need (GAANN) fellow in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Texas at Arlington, first from 2012 to 2013 and again from 2014 to 2016.

Dr. Christopher Rosborough received a Bachelor of Music Education degree and a Bachelor of Music degree from HPU in 2008, a Master of Music degree from Mercer University in 2012 and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Louisiana State University in 2016. His experience includes music-related teaching positions at various levels from 2008 to 2013 and, most recently, serving as graduate assistant at Louisiana State University from 2013 to 2016 and contemporary music director at First United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, from 2015 to 2016.

Laci Sutton received her Bachelor of Science degree from HPU in 2009 and a Master of Science in Nursing degree from Lubbock Christian University in 2014. Her experience includes clinical examiner and adjunct faculty positions from 2015 to 2016 and from 2016 to present, respectively, at Excelsior College in New York. She has also held positions at the Medical Intensive Care Unit of Covenant Medical Center in Lubbock, including unit nurse tech from 2010 to 2011, unit registered nurse from 2011 to 2016 and relief charge nurse from 2015 to 2016.

Dr. Hendra Tarigan received a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree from University of Nevada in 1988 and 1992 respectively; two Master of Science degrees from Texas Tech University, one in 2012 and another in 2013; and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Texas Tech University in 2016. His experience includes teaching and mentoring in various roles at the high school and collegiate levels in Indonesia from 1998 to 2009 and, more recently, serving as a physics teaching assistant at Texas Tech University from 2011 to 2016.

Jill Underwood received a Bachelor of Science in Education degree and a Master of Science in Education degree from Baylor University in 1988 and 1990 respectively. Her experience in education includes serving as elementary music teacher at Brownwood’s Coggin Elementary School from 1991 to 1993 and teaching fourth grade at East Elementary School, also in Brownwood, from 1993 to 1994. More recently, Underwood has served as an adjunct faculty member at HPU from 2002 to 2016. She has also been a private music instructor since 1991.

Pictured above are the new HPU faculty members.