Board of Trustees

Driftwood, TX

Dale Simons earned an associate degree from Christian College in 1965 and later attended the University of Texas, where she earned a political science degree in 1967. At Christian College, she served as junior class president and president of Campus Community Government. She has continued to support Columbia College in the years since, both as a donor and as a member of the Alumni Association, where she served as the board president from 2009 to 2011. She is currently serving on the Columbia College Capital Campaign Steering Committee.

Simons has extensive experience in non-profit management and governance and has worked with organizations including the Foundation for Women's Resources, the Marbridge Foundation, Communities in Schools of Central Texas, the Governor's Committee on Volunteerism, and the Texas Department for the Prevention of Developmental Disabilities. She has served on the national boards of the Association of Junior Leagues International and Children's Research Triangle. She is a board member of Leadership Women, Collaborative Care for Kids, and she chairs the Grants Committee for the Kappa Alpha Theta National Foundation. She is currently volunteering at the George W. Bush Institute where she assists with the International Women's Initiative chaired by former First Lady Laura Bush.

Simons is married to Dr. James K. Simons, DDS. The couple has three children and eight grandchildren. Simons' mother, Helen (Boo) Cates Neary, attended Christian College in 1937 and is a member of the Ivy and Oak Circle of the President's Society.

Simons is a member of the Trustees Circle of the President's Society. She and Neary are the first mother and daughter to be inducted together into the President's Society.

Delaware, OH

Anita Abbott Timmons '58 returns to the CC Board of Trustees after having served from 2007-2015. During her previous tenure, she chaired various Board committees, served as vice chair of the Board, and chair of the Executive Committee. Mrs. Timmons was awarded trustee emerita status in 2015.

Mrs. Timmons is a retired partner of TAJ Enterprises, Investments, a former CEO and owner of Adventure Travel, St. Simons Island, Georgia and a primary school educator.

Timmons, a lifelong volunteer, has been involved in numerous community, state, national, and international nonprofits and has expertise in nonprofit governance and leadership. She has served as a trustee of Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire, where she created, established and chaired the Committee on Trustees, established and chaired the Parents Fund and the Grandparents Fund, and was the recipient of the Founder's Day Award. She served as board chair of the College of Coastal Georgia, the Symphony of Coastal Georgia, and the YMCA and YWCA of Brunswick, GA, where she is also a trustee emerita, vice chair of the Advisory Council to the Anglican Observer at the UN, New York and London, chair of the governance committees of several nonprofits including K through 12, secondary, and undergraduate educational institutions as well as other nonprofits and community organizations. She has also served on the President's Council of Colonial Williamsburg, the Vestry of Christ Church, Episcopal, St. Simons Island, GA, the Georgia Conservancy, the Whole Theater Company, Montclair, New Jersey, and the New Jersey Chamber Music Society, among others.

Mrs. Timmons was presented the Columbia College Alumni Association Community Service Award in 1992, and served as chair of the Science Initiative and the Philanthropy Committee, as well as the Tradition Meets Tomorrow Campaign Steering Committee from 2013 to 2015. She delivered the CC commencement address on two separate occasions and is a member of the Trustees Circle of the President's Society.

Timmons graduated with an Associate of Arts degree from Christian College in 1958, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Montclair State University, magna cum laude, in 1976. She and her husband, James, are the parents of four children and seven grandchildren. The Timmons' currently live in Delaware, Ohio.

Columbia, MO

Local philanthropist and dedicated Columbia community advocate Genie Rogers became a member of the Columbia College Board of Trustees in July 2018. Rogers has been an active member of numerous boards and organizations, including the Downtown Rotary Club, Boone County History and Culture Center, Central Missouri Humane Society and Lenoir Retirement Center. She also recently retired from a 28-year appointment on the Columbia Housing Authority Board of Commissioners.

Rogers has received several awards during her career that has been deeply focused on public service. She was recognized with the Howard B. Lang Award for outstanding volunteer service to the city of Columbia in 2015 and was also named to Inside Columbia Magazine's COMO 100 top citizens in 2017 among others.

Rogers and her family have been tightly connected to Columbia College nearly since the founding of the school. Her great-great-uncle, Joseph Kirtley Rogers, served as the third president of Christian College from 1858-1877, and shepherded the college through declining economic solvency and the Civil War. He is credited with keeping both the college and First Christian Church, of which he was the minister, open without interruption during the war in a deeply divided Boone County. A sixth-generation Columbian, Rogers is a lifelong member of the same church. She was presented with the Outstanding Leadership Award in 2007 after chairing First Christian's 175th Anniversary Celebration and then penned a history of the church in 2008 titled From the Frontier to the Future.

Rogers' great-grandmother, Mary Rogers Banks, served as headmistress of Christian College after the Civil War, and her grandmother, Rose Allison, graduated from CC in the early 1880's. Rose's husband, Hartley Hopson Banks, and their son Hartley Garrard Banks, both served on the Board of Trustees. The latter – Rogers' father – served as president of the board from 1947-71, and presided over several critical transitions at the end of his tenure including the name change to Columbia College, the admission of men to the main campus, and the implementation of four-year degree programs. Banks Hall is dedicated in his honor. Also, her late husband, David, served on the Board of Trustees from 1972-82, including the final three years of his tenure as president. Two of their five children are Columbia College alumni.

A graduate of the University of Missouri in 1967, Rogers earned a bachelor's degree in secondary education and is a member of Phi Lamda Theta Educational Honorary.

Olathe, KS

Joshua Muder '99 joined the Board of Trustees in July 2021 as the Columbia College Alumni Association representative to the board. Muder currently serves as a project director for the specialty contractor Pullman Power LLC in Kansas City, Missouri. He received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Bachelor of Arts in History and Government from Columbia College.

After graduating, he worked and completed graduate school in Sydney, Australia, earning his Master of Arts in International Relations at Macquarie University. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, Kansas. He lives in Olathe, Kansas, with his wife, Ann, their two children, and their two dogs.

Jefferson City, MO

Bill Seibert ’09 rose through the ranks of the Missouri State Highway Patrol to serve as assistant superintendent (Lieutenant Colonel), overseeing daily operations of the 2,300-person agency before retiring in 2006 after nearly 30 years of service. Later serving as deputy police chief and interim police chief in O’Fallon, Missouri, he earned his bachelor’s degree online through Columbia College’s St. Louis location, finishing what he had started as one of the first African American students on the main campus in the 1970s. Seibert then worked for nearly a decade at the Missouri Gaming Commission, regulating the billion-dollar gambling industry in the state. Seibert served his last four years as executive director before his second retirement.

Seibert currently serves as a board member on the retirement board for the Missouri State Highway Patrol and Missouri Department of Transportation (MPERS), where he also served two terms as chairman. Seibert has also served on nationally known boards, including service as chair of Team Adam of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Policy Advisory Board. Today the Jefferson City resident is an ordained Catholic deacon. Seibert is a member of the Cornerstone Club and the President’s Society. He was the 2023 recipient of the Columbia College Alumni Association Professional Achievement Award.

Chicago, IL

Joe Nicchetta '79 joined the Board of Trustees in July 2025 as the Columbia College Alumni Association representative. He graduated from the Day Program on main campus majoring in business administration.

Nicchetta recently retired from an extensive career in the shopping center industry, managing and leasing regional malls across the country. He also assisted in the development, acquisition and disposition of retail assets.

He has served as a member of the Columbia College Alumni Association Advisory Council since 2020. He lives in the Chicagoland area with his wife, Judy. He has two sons, Martin and Michael, and a grandson, Alexander.

Hannibal, MO

Dr. Brian Kessel is an associate professor of Political Science at Columbia College, where he has taught since 2000. As an undergraduate, he completed degrees in Political Science and German at the University of Northern Iowa, which stimulated a lifelong interest in foreign affairs and international travel. He completed his Ph.D. in Political Science at the University of Iowa in 1998, which included a year of field research in Germany.

At Columbia College, Kessel teaches a variety of courses in international and comparative politics and is the advisor for the College’s Model United Nations team. He served for many years as the College’s Study Abroad Coordinator and frequently taught education abroad courses, including leading trips to Central Europe, China and Costa Rica. He was a past department chair and currently serves as the Director of General Education.

Dr. Kessel enjoys engaging students with the wider world to not only deepen understanding of other political systems and cultures but to better understand our own and our mutual interdependence.

Columbia, MO

Dr. Brad D. Lookingbill is Distinguished Professor of History at Columbia College, where he has been a faculty member since 1996. He previously served as a member of the U.S. Army National Guard and Reserve.

Dr. Lookingbill earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. At the University of Toledo, he obtained the Master of Arts in History in 1993 and the Doctor of Philosophy in History in 1995.

Dr. Lookingbill received the Governor’s Award for Teaching Excellence in 2002, the Columbia College Trustees Award for Teaching Excellence on 2007, the Eugene Asher Distinguished Teaching Award from the American Historical Association in 2010, and the Columbia College Deans Award for Excellence in Scholarship in 2020.

Dr. Lookingbill and his wife, Deidra, reside in Columbia, Missouri. They have two children, Augustus and Beatrice.

Independence, MO

Lynne B. (Stuver) Baker earned her associate of arts from Columbia (Christian) College in 1964, followed by her bachelor's degree in education from the University of Missouri in 1966 and master's degree in counseling and guidance from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1973. She also earned a bachelor's degree in social work at the University of Central Missouri in 1996 before finishing an additional master's degree in social work from the University of Kansas in 1998.

Baker has served on the Columbia College Alumni Association Board of Directors since 1991, acting as the board's first vice president from 1993 to 1995 before serving as president from 1995 to 1997. She also has served on several committees and currently is the chair of the nominating committee. Baker also served on the Columbia College Board of Trustees as an Alumni Trustee from 1997 to 2006.

Baker will soon retire from a career in counseling and education in the Independence, MO, public school district. She now operates a part-time life counseling service, Heart to Heart Counseling and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in both Missouri and Kansas.

Columbia, MO

Dr. Mary Beck retired in 2021 as chief nursing officer at University of Missouri Health Care, where she led all nursing practice across the health system and was responsible for nursing policies and initiatives while optimizing the recruitment and retention of approximately 1,200 nurses. She previously served for 16 years as vice president of patient care services and chief nurse executive at Boone Hospital Center. The Columbia resident’s professional experience started in critical care nursing in rural Missouri and evolved into critical care education. She earned a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Missouri and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Rush University.

Nelson, MO

Rev. Dr. Michael Kateman recently retired after amassing more than 38 years of experience in communications, constituent relations and fundraising, including nearly nine years as Columbia College’s executive director of Development, Alumni and Public Relations. Most recently, Kateman served as assistant vice chancellor for Advancement at the University of Missouri. He also previously worked at the formerly named Columbia Regional Hospital.

His acting career includes professional theatre, television and film work. As a playwright and producer, his work has been produced in Missouri and New York City. Currently, he produces the readers theatre series Voices of Arrow Rock, which brings to life underrepresented voices of the past in this historically significant village. In addition, he serves as pastor at the Arrow Rock Federated Church and an adjunct professor in Communication Studies at Missouri Valley College.

Kateman holds three degrees from the University of Missouri: a bachelor’s in Business Administration (Marketing), a master’s in Journalism, and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis. As an undergraduate, he studied at Universidad Iberoamericano in Mexico City. He is currently working toward a certificate in Pastoral Ministry at Phillips Theological Seminary. He is a member of the Columbia College President’s Society.

Glen Carbon, IL

René Massey has been a key part of the Columbia College community since enrolling as a student in 1980. She first served the college as a work-study student in Academic Affairs. She then began work full-time in the adult learning division, now known as Columbia College Global. During 34 years on staff, Massey was instrumental in moving the college from paper to computer and from strictly in-seat study to online education. She attained the position of associate dean for Adult Higher Education and served in that capacity until she retired in 2015.

Throughout her career, Massey directed nationwide campuses, planned and executed many conferences and training events for division staff, and participated in graduation ceremonies at various Columbia College locations. She also taught online courses in Management. She worked diligently to bring innovation and excellence to each task undertaken.

Massey earned multiple degrees from Columbia College, including a bachelor’s in Psychology, a bachelor’s in Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration degree. She and her husband, Dr. Gary Massey ’85, are members of the President’s Society, and she previously served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors. She currently serves on the board of directors for Retrieving Freedom, Inc., a service dog organization. She is also the director of volunteers at her local hospital and sits on the auxiliary board. In addition, she volunteers at a St. Louis-based Alzheimer’s organization, Memory Care Home Solutions.

Columbia, MO

Jolene Schulz earned an associate degree from Christian College in 1961, followed by a bachelor's and Master of Education from the University of Missouri. She has taught kindergartners and college students alike, including some at Columbia College, where she was an adjunct professor from 1998 to 2001.

Schulz served 34 years as an administrator for Columbia Public Schools and has held board positions with many organizations, including the National Association of Partners in Education, the Central Missouri Leadership Board of Directors, the Missouri Community Service Commission (appointed by the governor), the National Association of States Service Association (as a representative for the state of Missouri), Columbia Junior Achievement Board, the University of Missouri College of Education Advisory Board and Achievement Board, the University of Missouri Jefferson Club Board of Trustees, the Ronald McDonald House Charities Board, the Columbia Community Foundation Board, the Voluntary Action Center Board and the Mid-Missouri Tourism Council Board. She is also a Columbia Chamber of Commerce Ambassador.

Schulz has won numerous awards, including the Columbia College Alumni Association's Community Service Award, the University of Missouri College of Education's Citation of Merit for Outstanding Achievement and Meritorious Service in Education, the University of Missouri Faculty-Alumni Award, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Outstanding Community Educator Award, the Hazel Riback Volunteer Director of the Year Award for the State of Missouri, the National Association of Partners in Education Director of the Year Award, the Columbia Public Schools Fund for Academic Excellence Outstanding Community Education Award, the Voluntary Action Community Leader Award, the Outstanding Young Women of America Award and Who's Who in American Education. She is a member of the Columbia College Founder's Circle of the President's Society and was inducted into the Columbia Public Schools Foundation Hall of Leaders.

Schulz presently is a co-owner of Tiger Trolley Tours, which offers “A New and Fun Way to See and Explore Columbia.” She was named secretary of the Columbia College Board of Trustees in July 2016.

Aurora, CO

Retired Air Force Col. Robert “Rob” Walker '87 was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 2022. He currently serves as the program manager for the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Contractor Logistics Support Program at Lockheed Martin, and previously held similar roles at both Engility Corporation and Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc.

Walker served in the Air Force for 30 years, completing a distinguished military career as vice commander of the Twentieth Air Force (Air Force Global Strike Command) and Deputy Commander ICBM Task Force 214 (United States Strategic Command), Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming.

In 1987, Walker earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Computer Information Systems from Columbia College's Aurora location (now Denver). He also holds master's degree from the U.S. Naval and U.S. Air War Colleges.

Walker and his wife, Gail, reside in Aurora, Colorado. They have two children and several grandchildren.

Columbia, MO

Matt Williams, a native of Shelbina, Missouri, and a 26-year veteran in the banking industry, began his tenure on the Columbia College Board of Trustees on July 1, 2017.

Williams has served as the regional president of Landmark Bank since October 2014, a role in which he oversees the bank's Columbia market while also managing its Columbia commercial lending department. Before coming to Landmark Bank, Williams served as the president of the Columbia market for the Jefferson City-based Hawthorn Bank (2007-2014), chief credit officer at Boone National Savings and Loan (2002-2007) and vice president and senior lender for the Columbia market for Mercantile Bank (1993-2002).

Throughout his time in mid-Missouri, Williams has been an active member of community organizations. He currently serves on the boards of Regional Economic Development Inc. (REDI), the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, the City of Columbia New Century Fund, the Country Club of Missouri and the Women's and Children's Hospital, and he is a tri-chair of the United Way campaign major firms division. Williams is also a past board member of the Community Foundation of Central Missouri and Russell Boulevard Elementary School PTA.

Williams earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a concentration in finance, from Truman State University in 1990. He and his wife, Carla, have been married for 26 years and have three children: Annie, Katie and Tommy.