Newman welcomed 29 new faculty and staff between the 2025 spring and fall semesters. Read on to learn more about these new members of Newman’s community.
Braxton Braswell — CRM, Slate Administrator, Enrollment Management
Braxton is originally from Rocky Mount, North Carolina, but lives in Lynchburg, Virginia, with his wife and two daughters. Though his time with Admissions will be brief, he’s excited to contribute to the team. He loves grilling and watching movies in his free time.
Michael “Mick” Cayless — Corporate and Foundation Relations Officer
Mick is originally from Loughborough, England, and joins the university with a wealth of fundraising experience. Before Newman, he spent a decade in prison ministry, meeting with inmates as a part of a mentorship program. Outside of work, he enjoys photography, particularly capturing landscapes that reflect his faith. He met his wife, Celia, at a children’s camp in New York in 1989, and they married three years later. They have three adult children: Lauren, Jeffrey and Genevieve.
Kyrstin Gable — Executive Assistant, Advancement
Born in Sacramento and raised in Wichita, Kyrstin has worked in a wide range of fields, including teaching, real estate and administration. She loves spending time with family, curling up with a mystery novel or movie, and dreams of visiting Greece or Hawaii. Her favorites include kids, cheese, wine and a good mystery — though not all at once!
Bryn Kovacic — Major Gifts Officer, Advancement
Bryn found her passion for higher education during her time at the University of Kansas School of Medicine – Wichita, where she worked in residency coordination and student services. At Newman, she’s already involved in the Sacred Heart Hall revitalization project, focused on preserving the building’s historic character while improving accessibility and modern infrastructure. She’s the youngest of four sisters and loves being an aunt. Recently, she even became a godmother to her youngest niece.
Sarah Lugo — Administrative Assistant, Nursing
Sarah once won first place in her high school graduation talent show and even auditioned for “American Idol.” Originally from Wichita, Kansas, she loves singing old country music like Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn. Married with two children and three pets, she’s returning to work now that her kids are in school full-time.
Kensley Morris — Admissions Counselor, Admissions
Kensley is also from Wichita and is a proud Newman graduate. As a student, she was a photographer for University Relations and a four-year member of the women’s bowling team. Now she’s learning golf, enjoys video games and music and loves the color green. Her favorite part of Newman? The community.
Carlie Rooney — Program Director for Agribusiness, School of Business
Originally from Syracuse, Kansas, Carlie now lives on a farm and ranch in Satanta, Kansas. She’s passionate about teaching students the importance of agriculture in everyday life — from food and fiber to fuel. She also enjoys traveling, live music and horse racing.
Kenyon Spears — Athletic Director, Athletics
Originally from Texas, Kenyon is a longtime NCAA Division I basketball coach at Lamar University (and proud Longhorns fan). He has a wife, Anne, and their three children — Eli, Mary, and Avery, who he spent every minute with before making the drive to Newman. He wants to bring a hands-on, student-centered approach to his leadership role.
Mary Ellen Swords — Assistant Professor of Music, Humanities
Originally from South Dakota, Mary Ellen has lived in Wichita since 2004 and has more than 25 years of music teaching experience. Her passion for music first came from her grandmother, a church organist. She’s a proud mother to five children: four of whom she adopted through foster care, and her son, a senior at Bishop Carroll High School. She feels blessed to be at Newman, as the opportunity came to her unexpectedly, but aligns with her Catholic identity.
Darnell Vargo — Visiting Assistant Professor of Education, Education
Darnell has called Manhattan, Kansas, home for more than 40 years. A passionate baker, gardener and sports fan, she has four grown children and five grandchildren under the age of two — with another on the way. With three decades of teaching experience, she’s excited to be a mentor to the next generation of educators because it’s what she truly loves.
Lin Andrews — Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology, Biology
Lin was born on a military base in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada, and raised in a tiny farming town in Tennessee, where there was only a single traffic light in the entire county. A lifelong lover of animals, she studied nearly every “-ology” — except ichthyology (she’s not a fan of fish). She has many exotic pets, including Monty, a ball python, and Elliot, a spiny-tailed lizard, who students can meet in her office!
Brittany Henning — Head Softball Coach, Athletics
A Wichita native, Brittany played collegiately at Oklahoma and Mississippi colleges, helping lead her teams to deep postseason runs. She brings more than a decade of experience, including private instruction, club coaching and managing a local training facility. Henning lives in the Wichita area with her husband, PJ, and their children — Joseph, Maison and Rory — and says she’s honored to coach in a place where faith, integrity and community matter.
Lance Spongberg — Head Men’s Baseball Coach, Athletics
Lance helped lead Southeastern University to the 2025 NAIA National Championship Game. Before that, he coached at William Jewell, Ottawa University and Morningside and played pro ball for the Sioux City Explorers from 2016 to 2017. Originally from Sutton, Nebraska, he wants to give Newman athletes more than just wins and aims to shape well-rounded men prepared for life after college. He and his wife, Shannon, have a two-year-old son, Carter.
Mitch Arnold — Head Wrestling Coach, Athletics
A former Newman wrestler and two-time NCAA qualifier, Mitch returns to lead the wrestling program. He coached at Andover Central High School and Bishop Carroll High School, and previously served as Newman’s assistant coach. This season, he says, will be “all gas and no brakes.”
Mike MacNeill — Head Women’s Volleyball Coach, Athletics
Mike joins Newman from Fresno Pacific, where he helped three players earn all-conference honors. He previously coached at Tabor College (where his teams posted a combined 43–21 overall record) and earlier coached at a variety of different schools. He’s a graduate of California Baptist, a two‑time NAIA champion and two‑time national runner‑up. He’s looking forward to building something special at Newman and contributing to the continued success of Newman Athletics.
Michael Neises — Assistant Professor of Mathematics, Academic Affairs
Michael is a Wichita native who attended the University of Kansas for his undergraduate degree. He has a wide array of interests, from juggling and pottery to homebrewing mead and writing mods for the video game Subnautica. He hopes to build a classroom environment where every student feels heard and supported.
David Pérez — Assistant Professor of Music, Humanities
David lived in Cuba until the age of 25, before making the jump to Wichita, Kansas, for his graduate studies. He began playing piano at the age of 10 and studied organ performance with a special interest in Latin American organ music. As a Cuban, he loves the tradition of coffee and has a passion for food!
Darren Snyder — Director of Tennis, Athletics
Darren grew up in Wichita and played soccer and tennis locally. He was a stuntman in “The Game of Their Lives,” a movie about the 1950 U.S. soccer team that beat England 1-0. He said the opportunity came from him being in the right place at the right time, and that he feels the same way about coaching for Newman.
Carlie Ciesielski — Director of Clinical Education for Respiratory Care, Healthcare Professions
A Newman graduate herself, Carlie spent nearly nine years working in hospitals before returning to teach in the same program she once attended: Newman’s respiratory program. She said she’s excited to be at Newman and to share her passion for respiratory care. In her free time, she loves being outside, fishing with her son, shopping with her daughter and going to concerts with her husband.
David Akao — Head Athletic Performance Coach, Athletics
David was born and raised in Wichita and owns NPWR Training, a local performance-training business. He previously served as assistant athletic performance coach under NPWR Training, and is excited to lead Newman’s athletic performance department. He even DJs in his free time.
Patricia “Trish” Keller — Mission Animator for Southwest Kansas, Academic Affairs
Trish lives in Garden City, Kansas, and in addition to her role as mission animator, she also teaches introductory Bible courses online. She said she’s a new employee at Newman, but that she doesn’t feel like a stranger since she’s taught pastoral and ministry formation courses for the Diocese of Dodge City/Newman partnership. She also shares weekly reflections on her Instagram: @NewCatholicLife. Trish also loves to travel with her husband, and over the summer of 2025 went to Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia.
Jake Sellinger — Assistant Men’s Baseball Coach, Athletics
Leisl Sackschewsky — Director of Writing Across the Curriculum, Academic Affairs
Grace Wilkinson — Reference & Instruction Librarian, Library
Fernando Rubio Garcia — Assistant Professor of Data Science, School of Business
Lorena Garza — Custodian, Custodial Services
Marina Kelley — Finance and Student Accounts Coordinator, Business Office
Makenzie Brawner — Financial Aid Assistant
Roberto Panichi — Visiting Professor of Biology, Biology
Newman University Job Openings
Newman University is a Catholic university named for St. John Henry Newman and founded by the Adorers of the Blood of Christ for the purpose of empowering graduates to transform society.
