AFM Board Members

• Dwight K. Nelson, DMin, Chair
Born in Tokyo as a missionary kid, Dwight Nelson served as a pastor for fifty years (forty years at Pioneer Memorial Church). Pastor Nelson has also served as the speaker for New Perceptions television, is a writer, and is the husband of Karen and Papa for three granddaughters.

• Ellen Corbett, OD, Vice-Chair
A champion for redemptive relationships and emotional wellness among missionaries, Ellen Corbett served with AFM as a Student Missionary in Cambodia during the 2015-2016 school year and then was AFM’s Training Assistant each year for 2017-2020. In this role, she helped to equip Student Missionaries as they prepared to launch and helped returning missionaries debrief and process their mission experience at the annual re-entry program. Ellen represents AFM to donors across Canada.

• Dale Bidwell
Dale Bidwell served as the President/Executive Director of AFM from 2008 to 2011 and is responsible for the purchase and development of the AFM Center for Training and Conferences. At this 22-acre facility, missionaries are housed and trained before launching to their projects across the world. His wife, Reda, was instrumental in making the facility welcoming to missionary families.

• Phillip Brantley, Esquire
Phillip Brantley is a personal injury attorney based in Houston, Texas and has been practicing law for nearly 30 years. Phillip completed a Bachelor of Science in Political Economy at Andrews University (1986) before earning his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law (Austin) in 1989. He is married to Marilyn Brantley, and they have one daughter, Rachel.

• Bruce Bauer, PhD
After completing a BA in Theology, Bruce Bauer served for 15 years in Japan, five years in Micronesia, and three and a half years in Cambodia as a frontline missionary. Throughout these years, he studied during his furloughs to better equip his ministry, completing an MA (Religion), an MA (Missiology) and his Doctor of Missiology studies. After returning to the U.S., Dr. Bauer taught missions at Andrews University for 26 years before retiring. He remains the editor of the Journal of Adventist Mission Studies.

• Ken Denslow
Ken Denslow served the Seventh-day Adventist Church in full-time ministry for 47 years, 30 of which were in administration, including as Associate Director of the North American Division Evangelism Institute (NADEI); Ministerial Director, Executive Secretary and President of the Illinois Conference; Assistant to the President of the North American Division; and Lake Union Conference President.

• Joseph Kidder, PhD
Following more than 20 years of successful pastoral work and the completion of his doctoral studies (DMin), Joseph Kidder began teaching at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University, where he has continued for more than 22 years. He travels extensively all over the world, teaching people, pastors and churches how to have a vibrant and authentic walk with God. Dr. Kidder has written nine bestselling books and hundreds of articles on Worship, Leadership, Church Growth and Spiritual Growth. Mentoring the new generation of pastors is one of the joys that thrills his heart. To be close to His Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Dr. Kidder takes daily prayer walks, often with some of his students. The main thing about Dr. Kidder is that he loves Jesus and wants everyone to love Him.

• Jason Lohr, MD
Dr. Jason Lohr earned his BA and BS from Pacific Union College in 1997. While a pre-med student, he served a year at Heri Adventist Hospital in Tanzania. Later, he and his wife, Belen, graduated from medical school together at Loma Linda University in 2001, then completed a family practice residency at Florida Hospital. From there, they journeyed to Nigeria to serve at the Ile-Ife Adventist Hospital (2005-2010), where they served in multiple capacities, including working with non-governmental organizations. Afterward, they worked at the Adventist Hospital Valle de Angeles in Honduras (2010-2012), once again undertaking numerous responsibilities. Both are currently serving at Loma Linda University Health. They and their four children are deeply devoted to mission service, organizing and completing multiple short-term mission trips.

• Tom Mullen, MD
Trained in family and preventive medicine, Tom Mullen served with his wife and family at the SDA Scheer Memorial Hospital in Nepal before transferring to Pakistan to coordinate the training of village health workers at the Pakistan Adventist Seminary and College for over 15 years. Because of his passion for missions and the health message, he has also served as the NEWSTART physician/Medical Director at Weimar Institute and in private practice in the U.S. state of Georgia. An AFM Board member since 2005, Tom and his wife, Bethany, regularly participate in missionary retreats, providing counsel, prayer support and encouragement to AFM missionaries worldwide.

• Alex Niculaescu
Alex Niculaescu brings a wide variety of cross-cultural ministry experience to the AFM Board, particularly from Europe, Central America and Central Asia. His experiences combating human trafficking have given him unique insights into the depths of human depravity and the beauty of the gospel. He currently serves as a district pastor in the Michigan SDA Conference.

• Melody Roper
Melody and her husband, Glenn, were Adventist Frontier Missions career missionaries from 2010 to 2023, serving the Tai-Kadai people of Southeast Asia, and then transitioning to field directors for West Africa. Melody taught in Seventh-day Adventist schools in Michigan for 15 years and also taught English in an SDA language school in South Korea in 2006.

• Boubaker Sanou, PhD
Boubakar Sanou is Chair of the Department of World Mission and Professor of Mission and Intercultural Leadership at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, Andrews University. He holds a Post-Doctoral Certificate in Intercultural Leadership (2021), a PhD (2015), a DMin (2010), and a BA (1999) from Andrews University, as well as an MA (2005) from Newbold College. Before coming to Andrews to pursue his PhD, Dr. Sanou served in various pastoral ministry roles in Burkina Faso. A certified Cultural Intelligence facilitator with substantial international experience, his research focuses on the influence of culture on leadership behaviors and practices and its implications for Christian witness.

• Marc Scalzi
Marc Scalzi and his wife, Aunie, along with their children, served the Ifugao people of the Philippines as career missionaries with Adventist Frontier Missions from 1987 to 1993. Following their service, the Scalzis were Asia Field Directors from 1993 to 1998.

• Kimberly Westphal
Please check back for Ms. Westphal’s bio.