Faculty - Lifelong Learning
Meet the faculty behind Lifelong Learning
Jim Arnett (’67)
Retired Biology Professor, Lipscomb University
Dr. Jim Arnett left an enduring mark on Lipscomb University through his decades of service as a professor of biology, researcher and mentor. As the longtime chair of the Health Professions Advisory Committee (HPAC), he provided strategic guidance to hundreds of pre-health students, helping them prepare for and gain admission to medical, dental and other professional schools. His leadership, integrity and unwavering support for student success earned him deep respect across campus, and as a result, he was named the J.S. Ward Society’s 2025 Hero of Science. Arnett is now retired and loves traveling with his wife, Linda, spending time with his family and continues to be a student.
Thea Danos
Nashville Jazz Workshop
Thea Danos is a Nashville-born vocalist whose romantic, “old soul” sound bridges the smoky jazz clubs of 1950s New York with the intimate bossa nova scene of early-1960s Rio de Janeiro. Specializing in American jazz and Brazilian bossa nova, she brings warmth, elegance and an unmistakable sense of timelessness to her performances.
Drawing inspiration from artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Elis Regina, Astrud Gilberto, Milton Nascimento, Antônio Carlos Jobim and João Gilberto, Danos blends the technical mastery and expressive depth of these influences into a signature style uniquely her own.
Whether performing on international stages, in recording studios or in intimate live settings, Thea Danos brings a rich, inviting tone—balancing between a laugh and a cry —that welcomes listeners into a deeply personal experience of song. Above all, she strives to share not only her love of music, but her love of the audience, making every performance feel like home.
Jackie Edwards-Henry
Professor Emeritus of Piano, Mississippi State University; Adjunct Instructor/Collaborative Pianist, Lipscomb University
Jackie Edwards-Henry is professor emeritus of Piano and Piano Pedagogy at Mississippi State University, where she also served as coordinator of Group Piano for more than 20 years. She has also served as an adjunct collaborative pianist at Lipscomb University since October 2023.
She holds a Ph.D. in piano pedagogy from The University of Oklahoma, B.S. and M.M. degrees in performance and pedagogy from William Jewell College and The University of Illinois, and pursued additional piano study in Bordeaux, France as the recipient of a Rotary Scholarship.
She first received group piano training at the age of 19, as a freshman at William Jewell College, by Richard Chronister, co-author of Keyboard Arts piano method and former director of the National Conference on Piano Pedagogy. She taught children’s group piano classes using the Keyboard Arts method from 1979-82 in the Lydia Lovan Community Music School at William Jewell. She served as a graduate assistant in group piano at The University of Illinois (1984-85), supervised by Dr. James Lyke, and The University of Oklahoma (1989-91), supervised by Dr. E. L. Lancaster. Both of her supervisors are authors of popular texts for group piano (Keyboard Musicianship and Alfred’s Group Piano for Adults, respectively).
In 1986, between her master’s and doctoral degrees, Dr. Edwards received certification in the Yamaha Music Education System and taught adult group electronic keyboard classes for Jenkins Music Company, Kansas City, MO (1986-89). To augment and enhance independent and group piano teaching, she pursued levels 1 and 2 training in Dalcroze Eurhythmics at DePaul University in 2003 and did additional training in 2010 at the Lucy Moses School in New York City. As a result, Dr. Edwards regularly uses Dalcroze techniques with students in private lessons and classes.
In addition to teaching and coordinating group piano classes for college students, Dr. Edwards regularly offered beginning piano classes for adult hobbyists. And because group piano teaching was an area of specialization, she regularly used level one adult hobbyist piano classes as the intern teaching component for the undergraduate Introduction to Piano Pedagogy course.
Dr. Edwards remains committed to teaching piano to adult hobbyists. She serves as Chair of the Committee on Teaching Adults for the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy. Additionally, she received a grant from the National Piano Foundation to do training in Recreational Music Making at the 2024 MTNA Convention held in Atlanta. To utilize her recent training and long-standing group piano expertise, she would like to offer a beginning adult piano class at Lipscomb University on the day she accompanies vocal students. This would have the added benefit of serving Lipscomb with a new area of outreach, and possibly give undergraduate piano majors an opportunity to learn about group piano teaching and gain some hands-on experience assisting in classes.
David French (’91)
Distinguished Visiting Professor of Public Policy, Lipscomb University College of Leadership & Public Policy
David French is a columnist for The New York Times. A graduate of Harvard Law School, David was previously a senior editor at The Dispatch and a contributing writer at The Atlantic. He is a former constitutional litigator and a past president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. David is a New York Times bestselling author, and his most recent book is “Divided We Fall: America’s Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation.”
David is a former major in the United States Army Reserve and is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he was awarded the Bronze Star.
LaJuana Gill
Adjunct Faculty, Middle Tennessee State University and Belmont University O’More College of Architecture and Design
LaJuana started her interior design career in 1978 in Detroit, Michigan. After moving to California with her husband, she served as the interior designer for Pepperdine University at their Malibu, Long Beach and Florence, Italy campuses. She later served as a campus minister at Pepperdine while earning the MS in ministry.
In Nashville, Tennessee, she practiced healthcare and hospitality design at Earl Swensson Associates. In 2008, she transitioned into teaching and earned her MFA in interior design from Brenau University. She taught at Middle Tennessee State University and at Belmont University’s O’More College of Architecture and Design.
In her Fall 2026 course, she combines her academic training, her practice of design, her passion for theology and her international travel experiences to explore the deep connection between space and faith.
LaJuana is married to Randy Gill, musician, songwriter and professor at Lipscomb University. They have one son.
Katlyn Green
Gerontologist, Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)®, COS, Certified Geriatric Doula (EOLD)
I’ve had a longstanding goal to experience (academically and professionally) each phase of the lifespan that the older adult would encounter. As a professional gerontologist, my scope-of-practice begins with initial Medicare enrollment (64+) and spans the developmental stages of aging, progressing to and through vigil during the active dying process, into funeral service implementation and grief care.
I love this work, as I help families and professionals better understand dynamics, roles and plans for successful journeys. I'm able to plan for and walk alongside the paths of: retirement, independent living, assisted living, rehabilitative care, skilled care, palliative care, hospice care, chaplaincy, death, bereavement and grief. As a doula, I've worked as a trainer, private-duty consultant and also in a funeral home. My background has culminated to a beautiful position of servant leadership for me, as I can relate to both sides of the death bed, guide the planning for it and walk with people through it.
My academic studies began with undergraduate studies at Freed-Hardeman University (B.S., Psychology). I began to care for a friend with a terminal diagnosis in the home under hospice service. It was then that I discovered a passion for end-of-life care, chaplaincy and grief care. While enrolled at Western Kentucky University (M.A., Clinical Mental Health Counseling), I studied specialties in aging, grief and counseling intervention. My field work during practicum, internships, student teaching and clinical training were served in chaplaincy, grief counseling, end-of-life care, hospice service, funeral implementation, family mediation, aging development and social work.
Continuing my education, I completed work as a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)®, a Certified Senior Occupancy Specialist (COS), a Certified End-of-Life Doula (EOLD) before completing a Master of Business Administration from Trevecca University and mortuary school at Mid-America College of Funeral Service. I am currently a doctoral candidate for a Ph.D. in gerontology from Concordia University.
Roy Hamley
Retired Professor of Psychology and Counseling, Lipscomb University
Dr. Roy Hamley joined the faculty of David Lipscomb College, now Lipscomb University, in 1974, immediately after completing his bachelor's degree in psychology. He was a member of the psychology faculty for 41 years and taught in the undergraduate psychology and graduate counseling programs. He retired from Lipscomb in 2015 at age 80.
Hamley was awarded three Outstanding Teacher awards, and also received the John William Baker Summer Fellowship award. Hamley played a pivotal role in initiating the master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling that had been dreamed of by Drs. Turner, Pruitt, Sturgeon and others.
Hamley has a passion for working with grief and end-of-life challenges. For many years, he taught the Grief and Crisis class in the master’s degree in counseling program. His “Death & Dying” class was the most popular among students, so we are thrilled that he is now sharing it with our lifelong learners.
Ruth Henry (’74)
Adjunct Professor, Lipscomb University College of Health Sciences
Ruth Henry came to Lipscomb in 1992 as a teacher and employee wellness director. She attended Lipscomb from kindergarten through college, receiving a B.S. degree in 1974. She earned the M.S. from Middle Tennessee State University in 1992, and completed the Doctor of Arts degree at MTSU in August 2000 with the initial year of doctoral study at Vanderbilt University.
Henry teaches undergraduate and graduate courses, specializing in Biostatistics and Applied Exercise Physiology. She is certified by American College of Sports Medicine as a Certified Exercise Physiologist, and by the Yoga Alliance. She is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine, SHAPE America, and Tennessee Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance where she served as newsletter editor for 20 years. She has served as a reviewer for the Committee on Accreditation for the Exercise Sciences, as a member of the wellness advisory board for Faith Family Medical Center, and as board member for Nashville Corporate Challenge.
On campus, she serves as chair of the Academic Integrity Committee, and as a member of the Health Professions Advisory Committee and the General Education Council. At Lipscomb, Henry has been awarded Outstanding SALT Faculty, Outstanding Advisor, Outstanding Teacher, and the Baker Award for Excellence in Teaching. She was also named University Teacher of the Year Award by TAHPERD and received TAHPERD’s Honor Award.
Henry's professional interests are applied exercise physiology and adult fitness, in which she has published papers and presented at regional and national conferences. Henry currently serves as Chair for the department of Kinesiology. She is married to Phil Henry, an elder at Hillsboro Church of Christ; as a couple, they serve as pre-marriage mentors to engaged couples. They have three adult children and nine grandchildren. Henry enjoys exercise, hiking, teaching, reading, and spending time with grandchildren.
Tim Johnson
Author; Professor of History, Lipscomb University
Dr. Tim Johnson joined the Lipscomb University history faculty in 1991. He is the author/editor of eight books and over two dozen articles that focus primarily on early U.S. military history. His work has been nominated for various awards including the Lincoln Prize, the Society of Military History Book Award and the Society for Historians of the Early American Republic Book Prize. He was a finalist in 2019 for the Army Historical Foundation’s Distinguished Writing Award. Johnson has been a research fellow at Yale University of the Virginia Historical Society.
He earned a Ph.D. in history; M.A. in history, M.Ed. in education; and B.S. in history—all from the University of Alabama.
Chris McKinny
Associate Professor of Archaeology, Lipscomb University; Host, Biblical World podcast
Dr. Chris McKinny is the associate professor of archaeology at Lipscomb University. He is a host on the Biblical World podcast. Most recently, he was director of research at Gesher Media, where he helped produce a documentary on the Ark of the Covenant. As a senior staff member at the Tel Burna Archaeological Project, Chris regularly leads study tours to the lands of the Bible.
Passionate about the archaeology, history and geography of the Biblical world, he has written extensively on these subjects in both academic and popular publications. He is the author of “My People as Your People: A Textual and Archaeological Analysis of the Reign of Jehoshaphat “ (Peter Lang, 2016), and has co-edited several volumes, including “The Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Ages of Southern Canaan” (De Gruyter, 2018) and “Tell it in Gath: Studies in the History and Archaeology of Israel: Essays in Honor of Aren M. Maeir on the Occasion of his Sixtieth Birthday” (Zaphon, 2018).
Russell Moore
Editor-in-Chief, Christianity Today; Bill & Crissy Haslam Endowed Distinguished Professor of Faith and Reason, Lipscomb University
Russell Moore, editor-in-chief of Christianity Today, is the author of several books, including “Losing Our Religion: An Alter Call for Evangelical America,” “The Courage to Stand: Facing Your Fear Without Losing Your Soul,” Onward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel” and “The Storm-Tossed Family: How the Cross Reshapes the Home.”
An ordained Baptist minister, Moore served previously as president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission from 2013 to 2021. Prior to that role, Moore served as provost and dean of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, where he also taught theology and ethics.
The Wall Street Journal has called Moore “vigorous, cheerful, and fiercely articulate.” He was named in 2017 to Politico Magazine’s list of top 50 influence-makers in Washington, and has been profiled by such publications as the New York Times, the Washington Post, TIME Magazine and the New Yorker.
Moore was a Fellow at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics and currently serves on the board of the Becket Law and as a Senior Fellow with the Trinity Forum in Washington, D.C.
He also hosts the weekly podcast The Russell Moore Show and is a senior commentator of Christianity Today’s weekly news and analysis podcast, The Bulletin.
A native Mississippian, he and his wife Maria are the parents of five sons. They live in Nashville, where he teaches the Bible regularly at their congregation, Immanuel Church.
Joy Osipchuk (’24, ’26)
Teaching Assistant, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Lipscomb University
Joy Osipchuk earned her Bachelor of Science in biochemistry in 2024 from Lipscomb University, where she also serves as a teaching assistant in the College of Arts and Sciences. In 2026, she was part of the first inaugural cohort to graduate with a Master of Science in applied artificial intelligence from Lipscomb University.
Joy’s passion for AI literacy was born close to home. As the designated tech liaison for her local community, she discovered a deep love for helping everyday people understand and confidently use AI in their lives. That experience shaped her belief that technology should be accessible to everyone, not just those with a tech background.
Known for her ability to break down complex topics into simple, digestible ideas, Joy currently teaches a science lab for non-STEM majors. Her graduate research explored AI-driven Socratic dialogue as a tool for personalized learning, reflecting her commitment to education that meets people where they are.
When she’s not teaching or exploring the latest in AI, Joy loves cooking, crocheting, and reading up on theology and history.
Nancy Posey (’76)
Adjunct Professor, Department of English & Modern Languages, Lipscomb University
Nancy Posey (MA.Ed, Ed.D.) has taught English literature, composition, humanities and creative writing for more than 35 years. She has been an adjunct in Lipscomb University's English and Modern Languages Department for the last 10 years. A lifelong reader, writer and learner, she co-hosts a Black Dog Poetry Open Mic, monthly event; writes reviews and feature articles for a number of music publications, blogs about her reading life and writes bluegrass songs.
Passionate about capturing and sharing family stories, she is the keeper of family history and photographs for her family, turning that oral history into poems, narratives and songs. She is passionate about helping others to collect their own family stories as well, breaking the project into manageable, enjoyable tasks.
Linda Peek Schacht (’72)
Retired Lipscomb University Faculty; White House and US Senate veteran, Former Senior Fellow, Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government; Founding Director, Nelson and Sue Andrews Institute for Civic Leadership and Co-Founder, Leadership Tennessee
Linda Peek Schacht has advised government, business and nonprofit leaders on communication and strategy for over 40 years. A veteran of the Carter White House press office, she has held the top communication positions for a national presidential campaign, USA Today, the Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate and the Senate Democratic Policy Committee. She is a former vice president for global communications and public affairs strategy for The Coca-Cola Company and former senior fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.
In her government, corporate and education roles, Schacht developed programs reflecting her commitment to developing leaders who serve the common good through collaboration and communication. She is an executive coach for young government leaders for the state of Tennessee’s LEAD program and for leaders in education and nonprofits. A frequent commentator and author on leadership, politics and government, she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in leadership and communication at Boston’s Emerson College.
As a board member of the International Women's Media Foundation and Athena International, Schacht has worked to advance women’s leadership around the globe and hosts the Women Business Collaborative series #WBCfastertogether. She was elected to the International Women’s Forum and is the recipient of the NBJ Women of Influence Trailblazer award, the Athena Leadership Award, the YWCA's Academy of Women of Achievement and Women in Numbers (WIN) Woman of Impact.
She is the widow of baseball artist and author Mike Schacht, whose literary and art legacy she manages.
Paul Prill
Retired Lipscomb University Professor, Certified Master Gardener of Davidson County and Certified Tennessee Naturalist
Paul taught at Lipscomb for 42 years, and he served as director of the Honors College for the last 22 of those. He was also the minister of the Acklen Avenue Church of Christ from 1981-2011.
After retirement at the end of 2020, he became a Master Gardener and joined Wild Ones (a nonprofit committed to native plants), and he serves on the board of the local chapter as the secretary. In October, 2023, he earned a Certificate in Native Plants from the Tennessee Valley chapter of Wild Ones, and in May, 2024, he was certified as a Tennessee Naturalist. His yard was featured on the Nashville Public Television program “Volunteer Gardener” in summer 2024.
Rubel Shelly
Retired Distinguished Professor of Philosophy & Religion, Lipscomb University
Rubel Shelly received his graduate training at Harding and Vanderbilt Universities, and he taught both undergraduate and graduate courses at Lipscomb University. He retired from the classroom at Lipscomb as Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and Religion. He has preached during his entire adult life. He and Myra have three children—who have provided them with nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He currently has a part-time role on staff with the Harpeth Hills Church of Christ and focuses his time on a variety of writing projects.
Willie Steele (’95)
University Research Professor, Professor of English, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Lipscomb University
Willie Steele grew up in Ohio before completing his undergraduate degree (English and Speech Communication) from Lipscomb University where he ran cross country and track. He stayed in Tennessee to coach and complete his MA in English from Middle Tennessee State University. In between teaching and coaching stints at Cascade College in Portland, Oregon, Steele completed his PhD in Literature and Criticism from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He also taught at Oklahoma Christian University before returning to Lipscomb in 2015.
Steele is the editor of NINE: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture and has authored two books, "A Member of the Local Nine: Baseball and Identity in the Fiction of W.P Kinsella" and "Going the Distance: The Life and Works of W.P. Kinsella." Willie is a regular presenter at the Cooperstown Symposium on Baseball and American Culture and at the NINE Spring Training Conference.
He is married to Heather and has two daughters. In his free time, he works on perfecting his knuckleball with the hopes of being drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Greg Thomas (’86)
Former College Football Official in the Southeastern Conference
Greg Thomas brings a unique blend of executive leadership, relationship-building expertise and high-pressure decision-making experience to the classroom. A 1986 Lipscomb University alumnus, Greg has spent nearly 19 years with Frost Arnett, where he currently serves as senior vice president of national accounts. In that role, he works closely with clients across the country, drawing on decades of experience in communication, accountability and leadership.
Beyond his corporate career, Greg spent 28 years officiating college football, including 20 years as a field judge in the Southeastern Conference. His officiating career included assignments in 15 postseason bowl games, four SEC Championship games and a College Football Playoff Semifinal Game—experiences that sharpened his ability to lead under pressure, make sound decisions in real time and maintain trust in fast-paced environments.
Greg retired from officiating in 2021, but the lessons he learned on the gridiron continue to shape his approach to leadership, teamwork and personal growth. Today, he enjoys time on the water in his pontoon boat, watching golf and spending time with his wife, Rachel, their three adult daughters and two grandchildren.
Rob Touchstone (’97, ’12)
Executive Director of the Center for Vocational Discovery, Lipscomb University; Co-Founder of The Well Coffeehouse
Rob learned to be an entrepreneur while finding and selling golf balls as a kid growing up near a golf course in Marietta, Georgia. He has a passion for serving marginalized and impoverished people and communities and believes that one of the most effective and sustainable ways to address needs is through business as mission. Rob loves helping businesses, churches and nonprofits strategize how to engage at the intersection of compassion, strategy and sustainability.
In 2012 Rob created the vision for and co-founded The Well Coffeehouse as a social enterprise that turns profits into hope for those who lack access to clean water. He also planted Dwell, a marketplace church community at The Well.
Touchstone received the NASBA Center for the Public Trust Making a Difference Award in 2017. He also was named Nashville’s Business Innovator of the Year in 2016 by 12th and Broad and awarded Lipscomb’s Mary Morris Award For Exemplary Service in 2015.
He earned a Master of Divinity from Lipscomb and served students for 16 years as a youth minister. Rob loves teaching, baseball, the outdoors, hiking, a good cup of coffee and driving with the top down on his Jeep Wrangler. His greatest gift is his family. He is happily married to Aimee, and they have four children.