WINONA LAKE — Grace College is pleased to welcome five new full-time faculty members for the 2017-18 school year: Melanie Eller, lecturer of communication and forensics coach; Dr. Brent Krammes, assistant professor of English; Dr. Ronnie Pace, Dr. Jill Brue and Dr. Ashley Wildman, assistant professors of graduate counseling.

“We’re thrilled these talented individuals will be teaching at Grace,” said Dr. John Lillis, provost of Grace College & Seminary. “Their combined expertise and experience will be a great benefit to students. We’re also very excited to offer a new forensics team for students to foster excellent communication and speech skills.”

Melanie Eller earned her bachelor’s degree in speech and master’s degree in communication rhetoric from Liberty University. She has taught and coached debate in several states as well as Germany. At Grace College, Eller will teach communications and commence a competitive speech and debate team. “The forensics team provides one-on-one guidance in speech preparation and practice,” said Eller. “It also provides an opportunity for students to travel, perform and compete with students from other colleges. I’ve never met a student who felt it wasn’t worth his time.”

Dr. Brent Krammes earned his doctorate after defending his dissertation on American literature in May, 2017, at the University of Iowa. He also earned his master’s of fine arts from the University of Southern California. His written work, including articles, fiction and reviews, have appeared in “Word and Image,” “Natural Bridge,” “Five Chapters,” “SEEN: The Journal for Christians in the Visual Arts” and elsewhere. He grew up in Southern California, where his father teaches art at Biola University. Krammes now lives in Fort Wayne, Ind., with his wife Annmarie. He began as assistant professor of English at Grace this semester.

“Dr. Krammes brings increased insight to our department,” said Dr. Lauren Rich, chair of the Languages, Literature, and Communication Department at Grace College. “The students will benefit from his knowledge on multiple levels, from understanding American literature to publishing written work.”

Dr. Ronnie Pace earned his bachelor’s in counseling and psychology and master’s in counseling from Louisiana Tech University. He earned his doctorate in counselor education and supervision from Walden University. For nearly 30 years, Pace has provided professional clinical mental health counseling, supervision and consulting throughout the U.S. Among other qualifications, he is a licensed mental health counselor and supervisor, and marriage and family therapist. Most recently, Pace worked as director of psychological health for the Air Force National Guard, where he directed all mental health activities in Texas. His career also includes several positions in higher education, as his passion is to mentor and educate counseling students. Pace joins Grace College as associate professor of counselor education.

Dr. Jill Brue is a 20-year licensed professional counselor from Texas. She received her bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University, her master’s degree from Asbury Seminary and her Ph.D. at Regent University. She enjoys teaching and mentoring students as they prepare for a career in counseling. Her research interests include the integration of faith and professional counselor identity, developing character and counselor dispositions in online education, and effective teaching strategies. Brue has five children and lives in Amarillo, Texas. She will engage remotely with Grace College students via the online graduate counseling program.

After studying English literature at Denison University, Dr. Ashley Wildman went on to complete her master’s degree in counseling from Nyack College and her Ph.D. in counselor education and supervision from Western Michigan University. She has taught in a variety of classrooms, ranging from special needs preschool through masters-level counseling, including numerous health and safety classes for the American Red Cross. In addition to teaching, Wildman has experience in higher education as a resident director and academic advisor. She is a licensed professional counselor in Michigan and a National Certified Counselor. Her clinical experience includes residential drug treatment, church-based practice, college counseling and integrated health care. Wildman is a member of the American Counseling Association, the Association of Counselor Education and Supervision, the American College Counseling Association, and Chi Sigma Iota, the honors society for counseling. She joins Grace as assistant professor of graduate counseling.