Coba Canales, Dean of Students Azusa Pacific University

Coba Canales has served in college or campus ministry and student development for 18 years, mostly at Azusa Pacific University. While finishing seminary and preparing for a career in academic theology, Coba stepped into a role as a part-time campus pastor. That experience of sitting with students in pastoral counseling changed his life and confirmed a call to join God in the work of healing and transforming students into change agents in God’s Kingdom. During his time in higher ed, he has had the privilege of leading in campus ministry, diversity programs, and currently serves as Dean of Students.. 

Coba was a student-athlete and completed a B.A. in Biblical Studies at Azusa Pacific University, M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary, and Ed.D. from the University of Southern California where he studied the career exploration processes of first-generation college students. He loves to paddleboard, run, lift, and recently discovered a passion for outdoor cycling. He and his wife, Drea, are very active in their local community and church through supporting kids, youth, and college ministries and coaching youth sports. Coba and Drea were high school sweethearts and have been married 17 years (before you say,  “ahh, how cute!!”, the story is very long and very complicated 🙂 They find themselves so fulfilled and completely exhausted being mom and dad to Joseph (11), Ruthie (9), and Micaiah (5 and a half).

Mark Pothoff, Dean of Students & Title IX Deputy Coordinator, George Fox University

Mark Pothoff found convergence of his vocation and calling early on in his professional career.  Having been the recipient of people from the Student Life world journeying alongside him while in college, Mark wanted to extend the same care to others after he graduated. He served as Assistant Dean of Men at Crown College in Minnesota for two years, where he also started a women’s and men’s cross-country team. When a position in Residence Life came open at his alma mater, George Fox University, he jumped at the chance to return to the place that had so greatly impacted him and his faith. For the last 28 years, Mark has enjoyed serving the George Fox community in various roles.

Mark earned a B.S. from George Fox University in Elementary Education and his M.Ed. from Azusa Pacific University in College Student Affairs. As the Dean of Students, Mark uses his strengths of relator, maximizer, arranger, responsibility, and belief in a variety of work centering around problem-solving, team building, conflict-resolution, and healthy communication.

Since he was a boy, Mark has always had a love for stock car racing and is currently racing in the Pacific Northwest. Being behind the wheel makes him feel alive. He enjoys running and for fun, Mark loves to design and build things with his hands, like the farmhouse dining table his wife saw at Pottery Barn and then added to his “honey-do” list. He and his wife, Olivia, have been married for 23 years and built a house out in the country where they are reminded every day of the beauty of God’s creation. Together, they enjoy the wonderful community of Newberg, Oregon with their 3 daughters, Tenley (18), Kaselyn (16), and Aubrey (14).

Sarah Jobson, Interim Dean of Students & Associate Dean of Campus Life, Simpson University

Sarah Jobson has lived, worked, and journeyed alongside college students for 20 years. She is now serving as the Interim Dean of Students and Associate Dean of Campus Life at her alma mater, Simpson University. Simpson is located in Northern California, Sarah’s hometown – the second sunniest city in the US! Holding different roles within higher education, she has worked at Malone University in Ohio, George Fox University in Oregon, and Northwest University outside of Seattle Washington. 

With master’s degrees in Spiritual Formation and Christian Ministries, she values developing whole persons, finding creative pathways for connection, and building authentic leaders. She has the market on developing teams, cultivating belonging and living wholeheartedly. 

Sarah is an author, preacher, mentor and leadership coach, trying to offer others the grace to be and the room to become. She is a mom of two boys, Cale (16) and Elias (11) and has been married for almost 25 years to Brian. Sarah loves organizing and rearranging (especially the living room or her office at random hours of the day), she loves books and writing, but also football and has even jumped on the bandwagon of playing pickleball. Favorite travel destinations include the Oregon coast, downtown Portland, and as of recently, the beautiful country of Norway. 

Miranda Powers, Vice President of Student Experience, Bethel University

Miranda Powers has served in Christian Higher Education for almost 20 years, mostly at Bethel University in the area of Student Affairs. Miranda transferred to a Christian University her sophomore year of college and was the recipient of amazing mentoring which led her to develop a passion for continuing work in student affairs. The Lord has continued to give Miranda a passion for Christian Higher Education and the growth that students can experience as they learn more about who God created them to be and how they can be bearers of hope and peace to the world around them. 

Following graduation, she moved from Seattle to Minneapolis to work for a non-profit organization and met her husband during that first year. Since Minnesotans are enthusiasts of their state, she willingly relocated to Minneapolis and got a job at Bethel University. During her tenure at Bethel, Miranda has changed roles roughly every three years and had the privilege of working in many offices. After she worked in Admissions, she was a Resident Director, then worked in Career Development and the Counseling Center, served as an Associate Dean for Campus Engagement, Dean of Student Programs, Associate Vice President for Student Life, and then became the Vice President of Student Experience. Miranda completed her B.A. in Human development from Seattle Pacific University in 2003. In 2009, she finished her Master’s degree in Clinical Counseling at Bethel University and then became a licensed counselor in 2013. Currently, she is completing her Ed.D. in Higher Education.

Miranda lives in Shoreview, Minnesota and enjoys cooking, gardening, being outside (in summer and winter), and spending time with her family and friends. She has been married to her husband, Brian since 2005 and they have two girls and a boy; Hadley (14), Sophie (11), and Wyatt (6). As a family they love to go on bike rides, try as many ice cream places as possible, and travel.

Becky Starkenburg, Vice President for Student Formation & Dean of Students, Hope College

Becky Starkenburg has served in student affairs for 28 years. She began as an RD/Coordinator of Student Activities at Dordt University, and then as RD at Calvin University. After receiving an MA in Student Affairs Administration from Michigan State University, she worked at the University of Virginia for six years in residence life. These first 12 formative professional years were spent living in/on campus in community with students. 

In 2008, Becky and Keith moved to Chicago from Virginia to pursue Keith’s calling to become a faculty member at Trinity Christian College. Becky quickly got plugged in as Director of the First Year Experience there, a position that straddled academic and student affairs divisions. Five years later, Becky responded to a call to become the vice president for student life. From 2013-2022, Becky served Trinity as vice president, adding Title IX Coordinator and multiple other roles throughout those years. Becky now serves as Vice President for Student Formation and Dean of Students at Hope College. In this role, Becky oversees counseling, health, residential life, conduct, care, student life (activities, greek life), and integrative learning, athletics, and serves as a senior leader at the college. Becky really enjoys both the institutional and team development aspects of her work as much as the walk-alongside-students aspects of her role, as she leads from her strengths: strategic, learner, positivity, relator and achiever. 

Becky and Keith have been married since 1995 and they have three amazing kids: Sam (20) a sophomore at Valparaiso University, Mia (18) who will be a freshman at Hope College in the fall and Clara (almost 14). Becky loves living in the Michigan woods (year round!), loves coffee, and loves investing in people. She is grateful to be exploring – through writing, leadership development and her work at Hope – ways that leaders can lean into a deeply Christian vision of abundance and generosity, while challenging the ways that we too often lead from scarcity and competition.