Ƶ welcomes new trustees for 2026-2027
From left to right: Jori Brink ’04, Rev. James Lee ’12, Pam Marmon ’05, Carolyn Wilson ’83, and Kyle Yonker ’05
The Ƶ Board of Trustees is welcoming five new members for its October 2026 meetings and honoring four for completing their service to the university.
Jori Brink (Chicago, Illinois), Rev. James Lee (East Islip, New York), Pam Marmon (Franklin, Tennessee), Carolyn Wilson (Muskegon, Michigan) and Kyle Yonker (Homer Glen, Illinois) are joining the board in 2026. While Rev. Edward (Wayne) Coleman (Paterson, New Jersey), Lambert (Bert) Kamp (Orland Park, Illinois), Craig Lubben (Kalamazoo, Michigan), and Carl Triemstra (Palos Heights, Illinois) concluded their terms of service this month.
“We are grateful for the outgoing members of our board who have dedicated their time, lended their expertise, and offered many prayers over the past several years on behalf of Ƶ,” said Greg Elzinga, president of Ƶ. “At the same time, we are excited to welcome our five new trustees who bring a diverse array of talent, experience, and perspective to the board. Together, with our returning board members, we are confident we have a great team in place to steward Ƶ’s enduring mission.”
The current 31-member board of trustees now includes representatives from 12 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces with multiple board members holding citizenship in other countries around the world. The board includes pastors and professors, CEOs and consultants, analysts and attorneys. Their expertise ranges from accounting to agriculture, ministry to marketing, and higher ed to healthcare.
Incoming trustees
Jori Brink ’04 is vice president of accounting & reporting for Service Area West at Trinity Health, one of the nation’s largest faith-based nonprofit health systems. At Trinity Health, she oversees financial reporting for regional health ministries across seven states. Brink holds a bachelor’s degree in public accountancy from Ƶ and a master of public health from DePaul University. She has served two terms on the Ƶ Alumni Association board, including one term as president. Brink and her husband, Michael, live in Chicago and are active members of their church.
Rev. James Lee ’12 is the lead pastor of Christ Community Church in East Islip, New York. He holds a bachelor of arts degree in history from Ƶ and a master of divinity from Ƶ Theological Seminary. Over the years, Lee has served in a variety of roles with the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA), including currently on the CRCNA Korean Council. He also previously served on the board of the Ƶ Alumni Association. Lee, his wife, Jin Young, and their three young children live in East Islip, New York.
Pam Marmon ’05 is founder and CEO of Marmon Consulting, a business management consulting firm focused on organizational change management, organizational design, and strategic planning. In this role, Marmon works with Fortune 500 clients and nonprofit organizations across diverse industries. Marmon graduated with a bachelor’s in business administration from Ƶ and a master’s in business administration from Seattle Pacific University. Marmon previously served on the Ƶ Alumni Association board and represented Ƶ as an ambassador in Seattle, Chicago, and Nashville. Marmon, her husband Sam, and their three children live in Franklin, Tennessee.
Carolyn Wilson ’83 is chief operating officer for NexCore Group in Denver, Colorado where she leads the business development team for all medical, academic medicine, and science projects, helps with the company’s rapid development of senior living communities, and leads and manages all shared services for NexCore Operations. She earned a diploma in nursing from Blodgett School of Nursing, a BSN from Rush University Chicago, and an MBA from Benedictine University. Wilson and her husband Justin live in Muskegon, Michigan and have adult children and grandchildren.
Kyle Yonker ’05 is vice president of Homewood Disposal, a family-owned company where he plays a key role in operations, strategic growth, and maintaining strong relationships throughout the communities the company serves. Yonker, who is also involved in nonprofit leadership, holds a bachelor’s degree from Ƶ. He and his wife Heather and their four children live in Homer Glen, Illinois and are actively engaged in their local community and church.
Expanding representation
The Ƶ Board of Trustees is comprised of Classis region representatives of the Christian Reformed Church, of which six are elected and 10 hold at-large positions. They are eligible to serve two 3-year terms. There are three alumni trustees chosen by the Ƶ Alumni Association and they are also eligible to serve two 3-year terms. Finally, there are 12 at-large members who are selected by the president and members of the trusteeship committee of the Board of Trustees. They are eligible to serve three 3-year terms. All trustees are approved by the Synod of the Christian Reformed Church.
“Our board is a great representation of our institution as it’s comprised of leaders from various fields who are coming together, bringing their expertise and experience for the shared purpose of advancing Ƶ’s mission of equipping students to think deeply, act justly, and to live wholeheartedly as Christ’s agents of renewal in the world,” said Perrin Rynders, chair of the board of trustees. “We are grateful for the opportunity to serve the Ƶ community in this way as we work to protect and advance this mission.”