Meet the team that makes it all happen.
The Prindle Institute for Ethics is staffed by a full-time team of six and a Visiting Scholar in Ethics, in addition to serving as home to the staff of the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics (APPE). We also employ nearly 30 DePauw undergraduate students as Hillman Interns. The Institute’s work is supported by an Advisory Committee comprised of key stakeholders from across various disciplines and campus units at the University.
Jeffrey Dunn, Ph.D.
Phyllis W. Nicholas Director
Jeff received his PhD in philosophy from the University of Massachusetts in 2010 and has taught at DePauw since then, with a brief stint at the University of Agder from 2020-21. From 2017-2023 Dunn served as the secretary-treasurer of the Eastern Division of the American Philosophical Association. At DePauw, he has taught classes about the philosophical and ethical aspects of evolutionary theory, artificial intelligence, scientific practice, game theory, and economics. He has also taught classes on philosophy for children, where DePauw students discuss philosophical topics with elementary students using picture books. His early research focused on traditional and formal epistemology. Dunn’s more recent work explores connections between epistemology and ethics, with a specific focus on consequentialist ethical theories. He is also interested in ethics pedagogy, especially in how to integrate ethics education throughout K-12 and university curricula and was recently awarded an NEH grant to develop a curriculum that bridges business education with the humanities.
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Emily (Jones) Knuth, '99
Associate Director
Emily oversees the Institute’s community and regional engagement efforts—the Indiana High School Ethics Bowl, Express C.A.M.P., and various K-12 ethics education initiatives. Before this role, Emily was the Assistant Director of Events and Engagement, during which time she organized events and led the Hillman Intern program. She began her career in commercial real estate before transitioning to working in her local community. An alumna of DePauw University and a child of Greencastle, Emily has been involved in various major projects in Putnam County–from managing Castle Arts to leading the development of the splash park at Robe Ann Park. She and her husband, Dennis, live in Greencastle with their three children, Eleanor, Charles, and Michael.
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Alex Richardson, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Content Strategy and Engagement
Alex oversees our student and public-facing educational content platforms and digital experiences, as well as directing the Prindle Institute’s national engagement initiatives. He also teaches courses in the Department of Philosophy at DePauw, serves on the Board of Directors of the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics, and as Chair of the American Philosophical Association’s Committee on Pre-College Philosophy. His philosophical interests are varied, but as of late, center on issues in moral and civic education. Alex was previously Director of the National High School Ethics Bowl at the UNC Parr Center for Ethics and a Visiting Professor at Elon University. He holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Contact Alex
Kristen Fuhs Wells, M.B.A.
Executive Director, Association for Practical and Professional Ethics (APPE)
Kristen directs the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics (APPE)—the world’s largest professional ethics organization, which is headquartered at the Prindle Institute. Previously, she spent more than 12 years as Vice President of Indiana Humanities. Kristen earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Integrated Communications and an M.B.A. in Marketing, both from Butler University. She is active in the Greencastle community, serving as a board member of the Greencastle Civic League and Friends of the Park of Putnam County, and is a co-founder of the Putnam County Mural Project.
Contact Kristen
E. Tucker Sechrest, Ph.D.
Editorial Fellow
Tucker manages the Institute’s ethics-in-the-news online magazine, The Prindle Post. He has served as the publication’s Editor In Chief since 2019. Tucker also teaches in the Philosophy Department at DePauw and holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Binghamton University.
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David Holiday, Ph.D.
Nancy Schaenen Visiting Scholar in Ethics
David is a moral philosopher who holds a BA in Psychology & Philosophy from Oxford University, an MSc in Philosophy from the University of Edinburgh, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Chicago. Previously, he served as Director for the Center for Ethical Leadership at Washington & Jefferson College (PA), and the Jackson Family Center for Ethics and Values at Costal Carolina University (SC). David teaches courses in moral philosophy, applied ethics, and the theory and practice of human rights. His research focuses on moral psychology, and questions of moral harm, repair and community relating to transitional justice. Outside of his professional work, David is a father of two, a passionate cook, a Japanese speaker and anime enthusiast, and a fan of Chicago teams and the mighty Arsenal.
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Haley Thompson, '20
Manager, Campus Ethics Programs
Haley manages a variety of ethics programming that engages the DePauw campus, including the Ethics, Civics, and Leadership Program for first year students and the Hillman Intern Program. Haley is currently a candidate for the doctoral degree in Bioethics and Health Policy at Loyola University Chicago’s Stritch School of Medicine. Her research interests include children’s moral reasoning development, pediatric ethics, and organizational ethics. Haley is a 2020 alumna of DePauw University, and previously worked as a Clinical Research Specialist for Indiana University Health’s Comprehensive Cancer Center.
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Brian Cox
Manager, Accounts and Events
Brian manages the Prindle Institute accounts and also coordinates Prindle events, both those on the main DePauw campus and at the Institute’s campus in the DePauw Nature Park.
Contact Brian
Advisory Committee
Members of the Prindle Institute’s Advisory Committee provide wide-ranging expertise and multiple perspectives as they advise on the work of the Institute.
Departmental Members
Social Sciences: Deepa Prakash, Political Science (term ends Spring 2025)
Arts/Humanities: Harry Brown, English (term ends Spring 2025)
Philosophy: Jeremy Anderson (term ends Spring 2025)
Library and Information Services: Victoria Peters (term ends Spring 2026)
Natural Sciences/Math: Mamunur Rashid, Mathematics (term ends Spring 2025)
Religious Studies: Justin Glessner (term ends Spring 2026)
Education Studies: Caitlin Howlett (term ends Spring 2025)
At-Large Members
Lydia Marshall, Sociology/Anthropology (term ends Spring 2025)
Ryan Rudderham, Economics (term ends Spring 2027)
Michael Roberts, Psychology (term ends Spring 2026)
Ex-Officio Members
Erik Wielenberg, Blair Anderson Endowed Professor, Philosophy
Bridget Gourley, Dean of the Faculty
Emily Knuth, Associate Director, Prindle Institute for Ethics
Alex Richardson, Associate Director, Prindle Institute for Ethics