Mike Beidler

Chair

Mike Beidler A retired US Navy commander and former civilian Deputy Director for International Affairs for the Department of the Navy, Mike Beidler resides in the Washington DC Metro Area and currently works as a US Department of Defense contractor. Mike holds an MS in Global Leadership (University of San Diego), a BA in Political Science (University of Michigan), and an AA in Persian-Farsi (US Army’s Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center). Mike—a registered tribal citizen of Cherokee Nation, which has its own beautiful creation stories!—is president of the Washington DC chapter of the ASA, a lifetime member of the National Center for Science Education (NCSE), a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and a Fellow of the C. S. Lewis Institute.

Kathryn Applegate

Vice Chair

Kathryn Applegate joined the ASA as a graduate student and appreciates the focus on fellowship and mentorship within the organization. She is a former Program Director and current advisor for BioLogos, an organization founded by Dr. Francis Collins to show how faith and science work hand in hand. Kathryn received her doctorate in computational cell biology from Scripps Research (La Jolla, CA) and bachelor’s degrees in biophysics (BS) and math (BA) from Centenary College (Shreveport, LA). In 2010, she joined the BioLogos staff where she focused on writing, speaking, and working with a wide variety of scholars and educators to develop new science and faith resources. Kathryn co-edited with Jim Stump the book How I Changed My Mind About Evolution (InterVarsity Press, 2016). From 2017–2022, she led the development of Integrate, a 15-unit science and faith curriculum for home educators and teachers at Christian schools. Kathryn lives with her husband and their two children in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she enjoys volunteering at church and at her kids’ school. As a life-long animal lover, she also enjoys tending the backyard bird feeder and doting on Teddy the family dog. She is a native Texan.

Robert Geddes

Treasurer

Robert (Bob) Geddes is a retired Presbyterian pastor. He received a BSc and MSc in geology from the University of Western Ontario and worked in that field for about 15 years, half in mineral exploration and half with the Ontario Geological Survey. He then felt the call to pastoral ministry and received an MDiv from Knox College (U of T). He pastored at The South Gate Presbyterian Church in Hamilton, Ontario, for nearly 20 years. Bob has been a member of the ASA/CSCA since 2002, and he served on the Executive Council of the CSCA for 14 years, much of that time as secretary treasurer. He was the local arrangement chair for the 2014 ASA Annual Meeting at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. He has been thankful for ASA/CSCA local chapters, and he was active with the Hamilton Chapter for many years. He also appreciates being a participant with the ASA Prayer Group. His wife Lynne, a retired physical therapist and former department head at McMaster, enjoys being part of the ASA annual meetings. Bob also lives vicariously through his children: daughter Jennifer who is a Presbyterian minister on Vancouver Island, and son Jeff who is on the faculty of the Department of Earth and Environment at Boston University.

Se Kim

Member

Se Kim is trained in genetics and neuroscience, and her research work focused on the role of epigenetics in mammalian brain function and plant stress response. She received her BS in biochemistry from The University of Texas at Austin, a PhD in molecular and human genetics from Baylor College of Medicine, and an executive MBA from the Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, College Park. Currently, Se serves as the Director of Membership and Governance at the National Academies of Medicine, where she oversees the election and works closely with the Board on Academy initiatives and member engagement. Previous to the National Academies, she was the Deputy Chief Program Officer at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and she also helped lead the AAAS Program on Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER) for five years. Se lives in the DC suburb of northern Virginia, where her husband serves as the English (young-adult) Pastor at a local Chinese-American church. She is passionate about building reflective leadership in mission-based organizations and encouraging fellow scientists to take part in engagement with faith audiences.

Karma Carrier

Member

Karma Carrier received his PhD in molecular virology from the University of British Columbia. His Post-doctoral Fellowship was in the area of viral-oncology at the Emory University School of Medicine. Since then, he has spent over 20 years working in the Biotech industry in a variety of scientific and business development roles. He was the founder and CEO of Biotranscribe, a company which used artificial intelligence (A.I.) to translate clinical research studies between languages. In addition, he is the founder of GC Science an online ministry for Christians, who love science. Currently he works as Director of Strategic Services for Meso Scale Discovery (MSD), which uses biomarker assay technology to help research groups understand disease progression as well as speed up drug and vaccine development. Karma lives in the Boston area with his wife and two kids, where he serves on the board of directors for Liberty Church Lexington.

Mark Strand

Member

Mark Strand received his PhD in health and behavioral science from the University of Colorado Denver, after earning an M.S. in cell and developmental biology from the University of Minnesota. He is currently professor in the School of Pharmacy and the Department of Public Health at North Dakota State University. His research focus is chronic disease epidemiology, with funded research in the area of opioid misuse prevention. This work earned him the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research (2016), and the American Pharmacists Association Honorary Membership Award for contributions to the profession (2024). Mark previously worked with the Ministry of Health in China to improve chronic disease surveillance and prevention through establishing sustainable primary health care. A member of the ASA since 1990, Mark’s service includes presenting at the ASA annual conference, as well contributing publications to Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith. Mark is an officer in the Red River Valley Chapter of the ASA. Mark and his wife Rene and three adult children are active at Salem EFC in Fargo, ND, where Mark serves as an elder.

Debra Schwinn

Member

Debra A. Schwinn is the ninth President of Palm Beach Atlantic (PBA) University. She assumed office on May 4, 2020, and brings a wealth of experience in academia and medical leadership. She previously served as Associate Vice President for Medical Affairs and Dean of the Carver College of Medicine at the University of Iowa. A distinguished alumna of Stanford University School of Medicine, she has also held significant roles at the University of Washington and Duke University.

Under Debra's leadership, PBA has expanded its programs, offering a bachelor's in engineering and a Physician Associate program. The university has experienced a three-year enrollment increase, the highest in its history, and implemented a new strategic vision for and launched the transformative God-Sized Dreams campaign. Debra was recognized as a 2024 South Florida Business Journal Influential Woman in Business. Beyond her professional pursuits, she enjoys CrossFit, reading, and playing the violin. She is married to Robert Gerstmyer, a religious scholar. They have two children.

Rita Wang

Student/Early Career Representative

Xi (Rita) Wang is a postdoctoral fellow at the Indiana University School of Public Health–Bloomington and will join Baylor College of Medicine starting June 30, 2025. With a PhD in industrial-organizational psychology, she brings an interdisciplinary lens to public health, focusing on nutrition, obesity, diabetes, and aging. Her work is rooted in a commitment to scientific rigor, reproducibility, and transparency, and she is passionate about improving how research is conducted, communicated, and applied to serve the well-being of others. Motivated by a sense of purpose and stewardship, she believes that excellence in research is not only a scientific pursuit but also a meaningful way to serve communities and uphold truth.

As the ASA student/early career representative, Rita is honored to support the next generation of scholars by advocating for mentorship, inclusion, and integrity in both academic and professional spaces. She is dedicated to fostering relationships across generations and disciplines, guided by values of humility, curiosity, and compassion.

Outside of her academic work, Rita enjoys Bible studies and fellowship, dancing, and discovering the richness of cultures through food and travel. She is continually inspired by opportunities to connect her work with a deeper calling to serve others through science and community.