Office of the Provost

Dr. Susan Wendel brings over 15 years of Christian higher education leadership experience, having served as professor of New Testament and dean of Horizon Seminary and dean and associate professor of New Testament at Briercrest Seminary. More recently, Susan was appointed academic director of ACTS Seminaries at Trinity Western University, where she provided leadership for the development of graduate theological studies at TWU. 

Susan holds a PhD in early Christianity and early Judaism from the Religious Studies department at McMaster University in Hamilton, ON. Her major publications have centered on how the interpretation of the Jewish scriptures shaped the identity of early Christ-believers. Within this area of study, her work includes a monograph, Scriptural Interpretation and Community Self-Definition in Luke-Acts and the Writings of Justin Martyr (NovTSup 139; Leiden: Brill, 2011), and a co-edited volume, Torah Ethics and Early Christian Identity (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2016). She has also authored several peer-reviewed book chapters and articles and is currently working with a British colleague on a handbook for upper-level students of Luke-Acts (T. & T. Clark).

Susan is enthusiastic about advancing Christian higher education to equip learners to serve with integrity, faithfulness, and excellence in various professional contexts. In her role as Associate Provost of Graduate Studies and Interim Provost, Susan aims to engage in this work by promoting academic excellence and helping educational leaders, faculty, and students thrive at TWU.

Philip G. Laird, PhD earned his BA in Psychology from the University of British Columbia in 1990, his MA in Social/Developmental Psychology from Simon Fraser University in 2003, and his PhD in Psychology with a special designation in Psychology and the Law in 1997 from Simon Fraser University. Phil joined the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Trinity Western University in 1995 and served as a faculty member in Psychology conducting research on moral reasoning, moral attributions, and jury decision-making. During his first seven years at TWU, he served on multiple committees/councils including the Faculty Affairs Executive, Academic Technology Committee, Mediated Learning Taskforce and TWEST Council. He transitioned to University Administration in 2001 as the Director of the Global Mediated Learning Center and has subsequently held various academic administrative positions including Dean of Global Learning Connections and Associate Provost. Leading many new initiatives at TWU, Phil currently provides leadership to non-traditional learning programs and students including online and mediated learning programs, summer sessions, adult professional programs, and global education programs.

Phil also holds the title of Vice President of Innovation, Global & Academic Partnerships and is a member of the Trinity Western University Executive Leadership Team.

Building on a bachelor’s degree in English education and over two decades teaching English in secondary schools, Laurie Matthias, EdD earned both a Master of Education degree and a doctorate in higher education with an emphasis in teaching from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She served twelve years as a faculty member in education at Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois where she also directed the graduate programs in education and founded the Center for Integrative Faculty Development for the entire university faculty. She was the only faculty member awarded the President’s Prize for Excellence in Scholarship and Teaching twice within a five-year period. In her role as Associate Provost, Teaching & Learning, she brings expertise in and passion for the integration of faith and learning, the alignment of student learning outcomes with instruction and assessment, and a desire to honor and celebrate diversity in the university community.

Richard Chandra, PhD joined TWU in 2019 as the Director of Research Services in the Office of Research and was appointed as the Associate Provost, Research in 2021.

Richard worked previously at the University of British Columbia as a Researcher in the UBC Bioenergy Research Group and the Department of Chemistry and also as a Research Scientist working on the development of renewable nano-materials for the Government of Alberta (Innotech Alberta).  Richard’s 25 year multi-disciplinary research career has focused on the development of renewable and sustainable fuels, chemicals and materials from the abundant woody and plant materials that we have here in Canada.  His research has resulted in 75 peer reviewed journal publications including a publication in Science magazine entitled: “Lignin valorization: improving lignin processing in the biorefinery” and >100 conference presentations, including several keynotes at international conferences.  Richard has been awarded the Wallenberg Young Researchers Award and the American Chemical Society Graduate Student award in Cellulose and Renewable Materials.  He completed his PhD (organic chemistry/biochemistry applied to renewable materials) at the Institute of Paper Science and Technology (now the Renewable Bio-products Institute at the Georgia Institute of Technology) and his MSc.(Wood Science) and BSc (Microbiology) at the University of British Columbia.  

Richard is extremely passionate about growing research culture and research resources at TWU and working with TWU Faculty to continue to develop their research programs.

Patti is Sto:lo, living on the traditional ancestral unceded territory of Cheam First Nation where she enjoys her children and grandchildren. She and her late husband Gary are the founding pastors of a thriving First Nations Church in Chilliwack. She is an ordained minister with the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada.

Patti earned her BA in Pastoral Theology at Summit Pacific and her MA in Leadership at Trinity Western University.  She is the chair of the Indigenous Partnership Council and director of the Institute of Indigenous Issues & Perspectives.  In her role of TWU Siya:m, Patti teaches Indigenous perspectives across disciplines;  coaches and mentors Indigenous students; builds relationships with Aboriginal communities; and provides opportunities for the TWU community to understand Indigenous perspectives in education, spirituality, community, history and reconciliation.

Patti's passion is to build bridges with the Aboriginal community through education: through professional development workshops for educators, Aboriginal Awareness workshops for churches or facilitating events where a greater understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing and being are developed and the journey of reconciliation can flourish.