Susy Morales is the cofounder and Vice President for Finance of Amenity Health Services. She graduated in 2006 from Southwestern Adventist University with a degree in Accounting and finished her MBA in 2007. She became a Certified Public Accountant in 2009. Through her involvement in SWAU’s SIFE club (now called Enactus*), Susy procured her first accounting job as an internal auditor for Trinity Industries while still working on her MBA with SWAU. During that year, she traveled to Mexico to lead audits for the company.

As a student, Susy worked her way through school as the Head RA in the SWAU women’s dorm, as a waitress, and by working in Guest Services at Texas Health Huguley. She was also a lifeguard at the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventist summer camp, NVR, for two summers.

Susy was working in finance for the Spring ISD in Houston when Emmanuel brought the idea to launch Amenity Health Services. In addition to watching the impact of therapy on their niece, Susy had the added benefit of seeing the need for therapy in the local school district. Clearly no stranger to hard work, Susy supported Emmanuel in starting the business; she officially joined the company three years ago.

Susy has been involved with both Texas Conference youth ministries initiatives since 2012, helping with training youth leaders and volunteering as an instructor for various Texas Conference youth ministry events. She was the local church treasurer for four years. Having grown up in Pathfinders, it wasn’t even a question of staying involved. With Emmanuel, they were the Club Directors for Pathfinders for six years, before becoming the Pathfinder Area Coordinators for the Houston-Bay area through 2025.

Susy grew up in El Salvador, experiencing Adventist education until her family moved to the United States. No longer able to afford Adventist education, Susy missed the Christian atmosphere and support as she finished her secondary schooling. Coming to SWAU was the return to her Adventist roots that she longed for. The Christian programming, supportive professors, and experiences in SIFE cemented the importance of involvement. As she graduated and started a life with Emmanuel, Susy saw the need for leaders who in the church who were young adults. It became her mission to be involved and support church programming for younger Adventists.

Furthering that life goal, Susy is now also one of the newest Board of Trustee members at Southwestern Adventist University.

Susy and Emmanuel have two children: Alicea, 12, and Andreas, 10

*A global non-profit organization and network of university students, academic professionals, and business leaders who use social entrepreneurship to create positive social and environmental impact.

Emmanuel Castilla is the founder and CEO of Amenity Health Services in Houston, Texas. He holds a BBA from Southwestern Adventist University (‘08) and a master's in healthcare administration from American InterContinental University (‘12). He went on to get a Speech-Language Pathology certification from the University of Utah in 2016.

Emmanuel supported his way through college while working full-time at Texas Health Huguley Hospital. After graduation, he moved through various roles, eventually becoming the Vice President of Operations for a therapy clinic. While working through a personal injury, Emmanuel had a very close-up experience with the importance of physical therapy. This understanding became even more personal as he watched his brother support his niece through a cerebral palsy diagnosis. The impact of care from therapists and nurses was a substantial positive experience for the family. Emmanuel saw how vital those services became for his family and decided he wanted to help make sure those services were available to everyone.

So inspired, Emmanuel, with the support of his wife Susy, launched Amenity Health Services. The company provides comprehensive pediatric care in the form of speech-language pathology, behavioral therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. Now five years into the venture, Amenity has three locations in the Houston area with over 100 employees. Emmanuel and Susy are working on opening the fourth location in Ft Worth.

During his time at SWAU, Emmanuel was faithfully involved in the intramurals program. He credits that experience, along with his business department professors, with influencing his desire to be involved in youth ministries.

Phrases like “you dress for success” and “giving back is one of your most precious resources,” shared repeatedly by his professors, have stuck with him.

Today, Emmanuel lives both his professional and personal life in a way that is always “giving back.” Emmanuel volunteers as a coach for the volleyball team and the middle school basketball team at Houston Adventist Academy. As a team, Emmanuel and Susy were the Club Directors for Pathfinders for six years, before becoming the Pathfinder Area Coordinators for the Houston-Bay area through 2025.

Emmanuel and Susy have two children: Alicea, who is 12, loves to play volleyball. Andreas ,10, loves the world of academia and basketball. Emmanuel is thrilled to now help with coaching their teams.

Renee Sensabaugh graduated from Southwestern Adventist University in 1981 with a BS in Elementary Education and with a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of New Mexico in 1984.  Renee spent the next 30 years working as a speech-language pathologist, specializing in dyslexia treatment and other learning disabilities. When Renee’s parents could no longer run the family business, Renee left her profession and began to manage and operate the entire family enterprise, which includes farming, ranching, commercial real-estate, and investments. In response to that significant change in life course, Renee says “I am a steward of what God has given me to manage for Him.”

It was with that spirit at heart that Renee accepted the invitation to be on the Board of Trustees for her beloved alma mater in 2016. While the invitation came as a surprise to her, it seemed an obvious invitation to Southwestern’s administration. Renee had already been supporting Southwestern in significant ways – whether it was sharing about Southwestern to potential students, sponsoring a student to visit from her hometown in Albuquerque, or significantly supporting programming on Southwestern’s campus.

Over the years, Renee’s love for Southwestern and young people has shown through her actions. Many, many times, her support was quietly behind the scenes – figuring out where the needs were and finding solutions. When asked how she determines what projects to get involved with, Renee said it is God that tells her what to work on next. "God puts projects on my radar.  I have committed myself to listening to His leading and to saying YES His often very specific calls. Helping students attend SWAU is my favorite thing to do but He is the One who guides me to each project specifically, sometimes in crazy and unexpected ways! I try to live by this mantra: What you do with what you have matters. I will be asked to account for what I've done with God's blessings someday, and I want to hear those important words "Well done!”

Renee’s dedication to Southwestern and our students comes from her own experiences. As a student, Renee grew in her relationship with Christ because of the spiritual atmosphere of the campus. She did not grow up in a Sabbath-keeping home and was hungry for all the spiritually focused events. She absolutely loved every service. These experiences grounded her and continued to impact her during her life’s journey.  She was also deeply impacted by the lifelong friendships she made, with both fellow students and faculty members.

“I want every student that comes on our campus to experience what I experienced. I want them to find the foundation of a relationship with Jesus that will sustain them throughout their lives.  Our campus has an incredibly strong spiritual life environment, with student and faculty leaders passionately creating opportunities for our students to engage. We are here to build the kingdom - one student at a time. I want every student to receive not only a strong education and preparation to go out and be effective adults, but I want them to be in Heaven with me. That's the only thing that matters.”

Renee’s mantra actually comes from a full-circle moment. While the philosophy behind “what you do with what you have matters” was something she has lived by her whole life, she heard the words in this succinct form during a sermon by Michael Gibson – who is one of the students she sought to support from the moment she first met him as a young child, along with his parents. Now, this year, they’re both being honored for the legacy they’re individually inspiring.

Alumni can give in innumerable ways through talent, resources, and time.  Renee hopes that her fellow alumni will join her in giving back, in whatever way God impresses upon their hearts.

“Supporting SWAU has been a wonderful way to partner with God as He builds His kingdom.  I encourage other alumni to consider this.  I was on campus recently during Student Week of Prayer and I was blown away by the messages OUR students gave!  I sat there thinking, this is exactly where I want to invest my earthly blessings.”

Michael Gibson is the lead pastor of the Keene Seventh-day Adventist Church in Keene, Texas, where he faithfully shepherds a large and vibrant congregation with a passion for discipleship, community engagement, and personal ministry. Michael was a pastoral intern at the Keene Church while a student at SWAU and, after graduating in 2016 with a BA in Theology, he and his wife, Melissa (DePaiva) ’16, moved to Andrews University where Michael earned a Master of Divinity in 2019. Michael was called right back to Keene to join the pastoral staff and fill the role of young adult pastor.

He became known for his warm and invitational spirit often expressed in his signature phrase, “Welcome home. There’s always room for one more.” Michael was an anchor in growing “Elevate”, a thriving young adult worship experience that began as a small gathering and is now established as one of three worship services at Keene Church, serving a wide and engaged audience each week. Michael sought to narrow the street between the university and church by collaborating closely with SWAU Spiritual Life and Development for events and ministry that impacted students directly. He also served as an adjunct professor in the university’s Religion Department, where he collaborated with the Nursing Department to develop and teach a religion course geared specifically for nursing majors.

During this time, Michael also brought to life the Keene Church food bank ministry now known as LIFT. Through the years the ministry has expanded to include Senior Share and a standing food pantry at the church entrance available 24/7 to the community, serving thousands of individuals.

After four years as the young adult pastor, Michael accepted the call to serve the Keene Seventh-day Adventist Church as the lead pastor in 2022, becoming the youngest lead pastor of a university church in the North American Division at the age of 27. One year later, he was ordained to the gospel ministry by the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, affirming his call to lifelong service in pastoral ministry.

Michael has demonstrated a deep commitment to community outreach through his vision casting and leadership, spearheading a $400,000 renovation project that saw the opening of the Keene Community Impact Center, the new home of Great Stuff Thrift Store and multi-purpose facility that hosts counseling services and community classes.

A collaborative and team-oriented leader, Michael relies deeply on the pastoral team he leads. He has intentionally built a diverse staff that reflects a range of backgrounds, perspectives, and ways of thinking, strengthening both leadership and ministry impact.

Michael is also an avid reader, constantly learning and growing to better serve his congregation and community. He is highly relational and deeply present with those around him, often found between worship services visiting with members and guests in the pews and hallways, creating meaningful connections one conversation at a time, even going as far as serving for a time as a volunteer chaplain for the Johnson County Sheriff Department. For every moment Michael is leading from the pulpit, there are many more moments where he is behind the scenes, facilitating help for projects and families in need.

From the pulpit, Michael’s Christ-centered preaching engages the mind and softens the heart. While grounded in deep biblical study, he has a gift for storytelling, making the gospel accessible and practical. His leadership reflects a holistic vision of ministry that extends beyond the church walls into meaningful, hands-on service and has been instrumental in shaping the culture of Keene Church over the past decade. It is often said of him that he is wise beyond his years, to which he would respond he is thankful for the trust and respect of his church family and community.

Michael and Melissa DePaiva (’16), a nurse with a heart of gold and a sense of humor that keeps him grounded, enjoy the outdoors, long walks in their neighborhood, and exploring new places—especially those with good food and bad cell service. However, their favorite adventure has been raising their two sons Micah Eden (3) and Mason Adam (1), their greatest treasures.

Shari Gordon Harriss graduated from Southwestern Adventist College in 1981 with an Associate of Science degree. She taught home economics and was the librarian at Chisholm Trail Academy for 23 years. Shari went back to school and finished her Bachelor of Science degree in 2006.

Shari married fellow alum, Dwight Harriss (1981), in 1982. Together, they have two children, Michael and Melissa, who also both graduated from SWAU in 2007 and 2010, respectively. Shari’s parents, grandmother, and brother are also Southwestern alumni.

Shari’s heart is in supporting ministries and educational experiences. She has supported the Navajo Mission Trip for the last nine years as a cook and a sponsor – her variety of talents, including building and construction, makes her indispensable. She has gone on Southwestern’s Dino Dig in Wyoming for nine summers, helping with the cooking for all the diggers and spending a fair amount of time in the dirt with the dinosaur bones herself. She helped finish building the new Hanson Research Station Field House at the dinosaur dig with Maranatha and assisted with the International Camporee at Gillette when thousands of Pathfinders came out to the dig for an experience with the bones.

Shari volunteers with group events at the Thompson Observatory since its reopening in 2018. She has helped manage the SWAU Student Food Pantry with other alumni volunteers for the past four years. She is also a deaconess at the Keene Church and teaches Community Sewing Classes. Shari finds joy in kayaking, gardening, and bird watching.

Shari’s kind spirit, calm demeanor, and passion for being helpful are noted wherever she goes. The Southwestern Alumni Board, students, and faculty are grateful to her for all she does to support campus programs and specifically our students.

Michael Gibson serves as the lead pastor of the Keene Seventh-day Adventist Church in Keene, Texas, where he’s been part of the team since 2018. He holds a BA in Theology from Southwestern Adventist University (’16) and a Master of Divinity from Andrews Theological Seminary (’19).

Michael is passionate about the ministry of presence, walking with people through real life and helping them discover the joy of following Jesus. He believes discipleship is less about a program and more about showing up—learning to love God and love people in the everyday, ordinary moments.

He’s married to Melissa DePaiva Gibson (’16), a nurse with a heart of gold and a sense of humor that keeps him grounded. The Gibsons enjoy the outdoors, long walks in the their neighborhood, and exploring new places—especially those with good food and bad cell service. However, their greatest adventure has been raising their two sons Micah Eden (3) and Mason Adam (1).

In Adventism, the Gibsons have found a faith that shapes their lives through prayer, Sabbath rest, biblical study, and community. Their mission is simple: to help others experience the transforming love of Jesus—and to remind the church that the gospel still changes everything.

Dominick is currently serving as the district pastor of the Bartlesville, Nowata, and Ponca City Seventh-day Adventist Churches in Northeast Oklahoma since 2021. He holds a BA in Theology from Southwestern Adventist University (’16) and is currently working on a Master of Pastoral Ministry from Andrews Theological Seminary. Dominick’s heart beats for discipleship in the way of Jesus, but he’ll be the first to admit he’s still figuring out what that looks like day to day. He loves helping people see the goodness of God in real, practical ways, through messy, ordinary life, not just polished sermons. Dominick believes people today need more hands-on love from faith communities, and he’s passionate about helping create spaces where that can actually happen.

Ashley (’16) is a stay-at-home mom and former Communication Assistant Director for the Oklahoma Conference who deeply cares about people and the Church. She enjoys partnering with her husband’s churches to help them communicate better and reach their communities, usually through digital tools, creative ideas, and a lot of trial and error. She doesn’t really have it all together, and most days involve kids, half-finished projects, birding, and discovering new bakeries wherever life takes them. Her life is filled with the beautiful chaos of parenting and making memories out of the mundane.

Together, Dominick and Ashley are embracing the chaos of parenting two amazing kiddos, Amaya (5) and Judah (1). They recently returned from a life-changing trip to the Philippines and are always looking toward the next great adventure God has in store. Whether through ministry, travel, parenting, or worship, they long to live and lead from a place of deep connection with God and genuine love for people.