Board of Directors

PLTS is governed by a Board of Directors composed of 25 people, some of whom are elected from each synod in ELCA Regions I and II, and some of whom are appointed by the Churchwide Vocation & Education Unit. All board members serve 6-year terms, renewable once. Efforts are made to build board equity and diversity around gender, ethnicity and lay and rostered persons.

The board generally meets in 3-day sessions twice a year. Board meetings are almost always held on campus and are open to all staff and students, except for brief “executive sessions” that may be held to consider confidential personnel matters.

The board functions throughout the year with numerous standing and special committees, appointed by the Board Chair in consultation with other board members and the seminary president. It is a PLTS tradition that all board standing committees include seminary staff and students, as well as frequent outside friends and associates of the seminary.

The current Board Chair is Mr. Randall Foster, a lay person who was elected to the board from the Southwest California Synod in 2006. The board elected Mr. Foster to the chair position in 2009.

Current Members of the Board of Directors

Mrs. Linda Baumhefner, Vice Chair   Sierra Pacific Synod

Mr. Brad Berg   Northwest Washington Synod

Bishop Chris Boerger   Northwest Washington Synod

Mrs. Twila Burdick   Grand Canyon Synod

Mr. James Carlson, Treasurer   Vocation and Education Unit

Mrs. Mary Carlson   Vocation and Education Unit

Mrs. Kathy Dean   Sierra Pacific Synod

Rev. Ruben Duran   Vocation and Education Unit

Bishop Murray Finck   Pacifica Synod

Mr. Randall Foster, Chair   Southwest California Synod

Dr. Judith Larsen   Sierra Pacific Synod

Rev. John Lund   Montana Synod

Ms. Beverly Masini, Secretary   Southwest Washington Synod

Ms. Carol McDivitt   Rocky Mountain Synod

Ms. Debra Papageorge   Southwest California Synod

Mr. Clint Pehrson   Division for Ministry

Rev. Lisa Smith   Alaska Synod

The Hon. Evan Sperline   Eastern Washington Idaho

Bishop Steve Talmage   Grand Canyon Synod

Dr. Paul Tillquist   Vocation and Education Unit