Faculty
KELLY DEHNERT,
Director of AIA
Kelly Dehnert is Professor of Music at African Bible College in Lilongwe, Malawi, Central Africa. He received performance degrees from the University of Arizona (BM) and Yale University School of Music (MM). Mr. Dehnert has performed with the Arizona Brass Quintet, Elm City Brass Quintet, Colorado Springs Symphony Brass Quintet and the Central Wyoming Brass. His love for chamber music and interest in music from a spiritual perspective sparked his interest in developing and coordinating the Arts in the Alps. Kelly and his wife, Connie have four children: Britney, Joel, Shea and Janelle.
BETTYANN HENDERSON, Administrative Assistant
Bettyann Henderson has taught general music classes grades K - 12 in Christian schools for 25 years, and is now enjoying the relatively-easy life of a piano teacher in Oregon. This gives her the opportunity to travel as a consultant in music and theater to Classical Christian schools. She has a B.A. in Biblical Literature from Highland College, a B.A. in Liberal Arts from Colorado Christian University, a M.Ed in Supervision of Instruction from Reformed Theological Seminary and a M.A. in English Literature from Wroxton College in Oxfordshire, England. B ettyann has been blessed with a love for Austria since her family's first visit 30 years ago. Friendships developed over the decades are the joy of her life, as are her children and eleven grandkids!
MARK CHAMBERS, Assistant Director of AIA
Mark Chambers is the Director of Worship and Arts at Westminster Presbyterian Church. A native of Greenville, SC he has earned degrees in Music Composition from Samford University, the University of Tennessee and is currently completing his DMA in Composition from the University of Alabama. He is an active composer of contemporary art music with performances and awards in the United States and Europe. As a member of the Christian Fellowship of Art Music Composers (CFAMC) he is interested in the intersection of theology and the arts and their impact and influence on the life of the body of Christ. As Director of Worship he leads the choir and worship teams and plans for the Sunday worship services at Westminster. He is also engaged in setting hymn texts from the Gadsby and Spurgeon hymnals for congregational use. He and his wife Jennifer have two children, Jacob and Emilyn.
SAM MCDONALD, Bible Study Leader
Sam McDonald joined the staff of Arts in the Alps in 2009 as the Bible Study Leader. Sam is Professor of Theology and Literature at African Bible College in Malawi, Africa. He is married to Leanne (a teacher at ABC Christian Academy) and has 3 daughters. He has degrees in Journalism, History and an M.Div. from Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi. He spent time as a high school history teacher and as editor for a weekly newspaper prior to going to seminary. He finds the study of culture particularly interesting and seeks to apply the gospel to all of life - including the arts. Besides that, he would love to be a rock star.