A native of New Hampshire, Dr. Fussell has enjoyed a successful career as an educator and leader in both public and Catholic schools. Prior to joining the Education Department faculty at Creighton, Dr. Fussell was the Associate Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Manchester (NH), where he led innovative efforts to improve diocesan curricula, leadership development, teacher and principal evaluation, and Catholic school identity in service to 26 schools and nearly 6000 Catholic school students in the State of New Hampshire.  He is a coauthor for Your School's Catholic Identity: Name It, Claim It, and Build On It! (2020) and Writing a New Story for Catholic Schools (2022), as well as two upcoming monographs on Catholic Identity, Catechesis, and Faith Formation in Catholic Schools.  Dr. Fussell conducts research and has published on Catholic school leadership issues in the Journal of Catholic Education and International Studies in Catholic Education.

Dr. Fussell is a core faculty member in Creighton's innovative educational leadership programs.  He teaches courses for aspiring Catholic school leaders, and he directs the Graduate Certificate in Catholic School Leadership.  Outside of the classroom, Dr. Fussell is active in professional organizations that serve Catholic schools, including serving as Vice President of the NNAC - the advisory council that oversees the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Schools.  Dr. Fussell is a volunteer review board member for the Nebraska Foster Care Review Office, and he engages in other service work in the greater Omaha community.

Dr. Dale R. Hoyt serves at Ädelbrook as Vice President for Education overseeing four Academies, and a Pre-School & Day Care Center located in Connecticut.  Prior to Ädelbrook, Dr. Hoyt was Superintendent of Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Hartford (2004-2016) and in the Archdiocese of San Antonio (1996-2004), and a Catholic School Principal in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles (1990-1996). Dr. Hoyt taught elementary and secondary education in the (Arch)dioceses of San Bernardino, Chicago, Detroit, Ft. Wayne-South Bend, and Charleston. Dr. Hoyt has served as Catechist, Youth Minister, and Director of Religious Education for the Archdiocese of Military Services at Ft. Jackson Army Base, and the Dioceses of Charleston and Savannah. Dr. Hoyt was an adjunct instructor at St. Mary University in San Antonio and the University of San Francisco, and has been an adjunct faculty member at Creighton University since 2015.

Dr. Hoyt is a member of National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), Association of Supervision, Curriculum and Development (ASCD), Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS), Connecticut Council of Administrators of Special Education (ConnCASE), National Association of Church Personnel Administrators (NACPA), and serves on the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Association of Private Special Education Facilities (CAPSEF). 

In April 2025, Dr. Hoyt will be receiving the Service Award from the National Association of Church Personnel Administrators at their annual Convocation in Salt Lake City, UT, alongside of the Bishops of Tucson for leadership and El Paso for vision.

Dr. Hoyt holds a doctorate in education from the American International College in Springfield, MA, and other graduate degrees in education and theological studies from Catholic institutions of higher education. 

Max Engel was raised in western Michigan. After teaching in Catholic high schools for eight years, he earned his PhD at The Catholic University of America and has taught in both the Education and Theology departments at Creighton University since 2013. 

He researches and presents in the areas of religious formation and instruction in Catholic schools as well as the formation and identity of Catholic school faculty. Recent publications include co-authoring On the Eighth Day: A Catholic Theology of Sport, published by Cascade Press; co-authoring "Why inclusion isn't coming, it is already here: Catholic schools and inclusive education" in Journal of Catholic Education; and serving as the lead author and editor of Name It, Claim It, and Build on It: Your School's Catholic Identity, published by NCEA press. 

He lives in Omaha, NE with his wife and four children.

Dr. Todd Sweda is the Associate Director for "Lumen Accreditation" granted to Catholic schools nationwide by the Catholic University of America through its Institute for the Transformation of Catholic Education (ITCE). 

Dr. Sweda’s life-long commitment to the ministry of Catholic education includes service as an instructor, dean, advancement officer, principal, associate head of school, and president. Prior to joining ITCE, Dr. Sweda served as the Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of St. Louis. 

He co-founded the Central Southern Catholic School Superintendents Association and has served on numerous accreditation visits, sponsorship review teams, and board governance consultations. He also serves as a presenter and on the planning committee for the national Virtual Board Development Series for Catholic schools. 

His university teaching includes areas of school leadership and operational vitality.

Dr. Sweda earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wittenberg University, a Master of Arts degree from Georgetown University, and a Doctor of Education degree from Seton Hall University.

Jill Annable taught English and math at the middle school, high school, and collegiate level. She has served as Assistant Superintendent of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Grand Rapids and was Senior Vice President of programs for the National Catholic Educational Association. Today, she is President and CEO of West Catholic High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan and she serves as consultant for micro-schools and multi-age education.

Jill is the author of Greatness in Smallness: Effective Multiage Instruction in Catholic Microschools, and co-author of Greatness in Smallness: A Vision for Catholic Schools. Her greatest joy in the ministry of Catholic education is gathering with like-minded educators to spread best practices in teaching, learning, and school operations.

Dr. Tad Dickel is a strategy, leadership, and creativity consultant who works with a wide variety of organizations. He specializes in strategic planning, leadership coaching, and group facilitation. In addition, he provides training in creative problem solving skills and nonprofit board development. 

With a career beginning in education, Tad has served as a Catholic school president, principal, and teacher. He regularly teaches graduate courses in Catholic school strategic planning, leadership, and school finance at Creighton University (Omaha, Nebraska). Tad has presented at national, state, and local conferences and meetings about strategic planning, nonprofit board development, and planned giving.

Tad is the author of two books: Strategic Planning for Catholic Parishes (2021) and Catholic School Planned Giving (2022). In addition, he contributed a chapter on strategic planning for the Purposeful Leadership (2023) anthology.