The Chosen has become a worldwide phenomenon, both encouraging Christians in their faith and providing opportunities for non-believers to encounter Jesus afresh through excellent storytelling and the powerful medium of film. This year at Summit, we will encounter the show in a conference environment—with fans of the show, presentations by a variety of individuals, and good conversations all around. Naturally, our lineup of presenters will feature professionals from the world of theatre and film, including individuals who have been involved with the show. And we’ll also have theologians and biblical scholars, including a New Testament professor involved with the production as a consultant. We will spend time in Scripture, talk about how we use imagination and creativity in our faith and in reading the Bible, and of course we’ll watch and discuss scenes from The Chosen itself! Our time at Summit will be extraordinarily rich, and we hope you will join us.

COMMUNITY DETAILS

DAVID KNEIP

Dr. David Kneip teaches in ACU’s undergraduate Bible department and serves as the associate director of the Siburt Institute. He teaches courses in church history and worship, and his research interests focus on the early church period, especially on early Christians’ theology and their interpretation and understanding of the Bible. David’s combined background in theatre and ministry has led him to love The Chosen, and he contributed a chapter to the first scholarly volume dedicated to the show, entitled Watching The Chosen: History, Faith, and Interpretation (Eerdmans, 2025). David and his wife, Cynthia, have two daughters and are members of the Highland Church of Christ in Abilene.

DAWNE SWEARINGEN-MEEKS

Dawne Swearingen-Meeks is the Chairperson of Abilene Christian University's BFA Theatre Program and is in her 20th year at ACU. Dawne holds an MFA in Acting from The University of Arizona and MT Certificate from NYU’s CAP 21. She loves traveling and engaging with people and places. Dawne has performed in, directed, and produced hundreds of productions in her time at ACU Theatre and NYC. She loves Jesus and Mexican Food. Dawne and her husband, Jeremy, call Abilene home and are the proud parents of two boys, Charlie and Henry.

CATHERINE BAUMGARDNER

Catherine Baumgardner is an associate professor of costume design in the theatre department at Abilene Christian University. Alongside university teaching for the past 15 years, she has designed for stage, film, and commercials. Since 2018, Catherine has hosted the “Voice of Costume” podcast which she produces with her husband, filmmaker Jason Baumgardner. The podcast has connected her with a distinguished list of costume designers for film, television, and streaming series. Due to her work on the podcast, she was invited along with 19 other journalists from around the world to a three-day press junket in Midlothian, TX to showcase season 5 of The Chosen series. Those interviews are currently under embargo, but she is excited to release them as soon as she can!

JASON BAUMGARDNER

Jason Baumgardner, a West Texas native, has gone to Hollywood and back chasing his passions in filmmaking with his costume designer wife, Catherine. Along the way, he has faced failures professionally, personally, financially and creatively. Chuckle along as he shares his ‘top fails’ and maybe gain some freedom from the fear of chasing your own creative dreams. Some of Jason's film credits include Perfect Lineup (2016), Samson (2018), Run the Race (2019), and soon-to-be-released, Spooklight and Matter of Time. He has been working in the entertainment industry since 2013. He holds an MFA in Film Production from Dodge College of Media Arts at Chapman University in Southern California. He has been mentored by successful industry filmmakers such as director Randal Kleiser (Grease), editor Paul Seydor A.C.E. (Turner & Hooch, The Program, Tin Cup), and screenwriter Bettina Gilois (Glory Road, Bessie).

NOUWEN CRAFT-DOYLE

Named for beloved theologian Henri Nouwen, Nouwen Craft-Doyle (ACU Theatre alumna ‘24) brings a spirit of compassion, depth, and authenticity to every role she inhabits. A rising voice in faith-based performance, Nouwen offers a powerful monologue inspired by The Chosen, merging biblical text with heartfelt dramatic interpretation. Through this performance and a personal reflection on her own spiritual journey, experience on set with The Chosen, Nouwen invites the audience into a sacred space where faith and art meet. Her work is a testament to the transformative power of storytelling rooted in Scripture and truth.

ARIEL FERNALD

Over the past three decades, Ariel Fernald has partnered with her husband Trey to produce, cast, write, and direct over 100 pieces for the stage and screen between the two. Ariel and Trey are also authors of the book, Producing Drama for Ministry, which is being used by both ministries and universities around the country. Their most acclaimed production, The Last Appeal, is a powerful story that originated as a touring live stage show and was later filmed for TV. It won 11 prestigious awards at 8 film festivals, including best picture, best director, and best ensemble cast. TLA has been viewed by over thirteen million people worldwide. In addition, Ariel and Trey are the founders of Eastern Sky Theatre Company. Ariel is a public speaker, Bible teacher, adjunct professor at Biola University and Abilene Christian University as well as the President of Eastern Sky Theatre Company (ESTC). Ariel’s most recent award-winning film titled, Bringing Back Christmas, can be seen right now on Amazon, Apple, Vudu and several other platforms.

TREY FERNALD

Trey Fernald, alongside his wife Ariel, has produced, written, and directed over 100 stage and screen projects over the past three decades. Their most recent film, Bringing Back Christmas, debuted in 2023. Trey’s most acclaimed production is the hit play filmed for TV titled The Last Appeal, which he wrote and executive produced. The feature went on to win 11 awards in 8 national film festivals. Trey and his wife, Ariel, co-founded CineSky Entertainment and Eastern Sky Theatre Company in Los Angeles. Trey has also co-authored the textbook Producing Drama for Ministry and taught theatre at several universities, including Azusa Pacific, Abilene Christian University, and Charis Bible College.

ALISHA TAYLOR

Alisha Janette Taylor is an actress, producer, director, and founder of Taylor Made Studios. With a BFA in Musical Theatre, she has performed in productions such as Mary Poppins and The Mountaintop, and transitioned into filmmaking with the shorts Baggage and Nazen, both screened at the Pan African Film Festival. Since venturing into documentary filmmaking, Alisha has started her own production company, Taylor Made Studios. Her feature documentary A Legacy Unearthed explored Black history in her hometown and was selected for the Queens Underground International Black History Film Festival. Most recently, she completed Da’Cipher 360, a documentary on mass incarceration in Texas, which is heading to the festival circuit in 2026.

CLIFF BARBARICK

Dr. Cliff Barbarick is an associate professor and the Chair of the Department of Bible, Missions and Ministry at ACU. He's been at ACU since 2011, after earning degrees at Pepperdine (BA and MDiv) and Baylor (PhD). His teaching and research focus on the New Testament using a method known as biblical performance criticism. He serves on the board of the Network of Biblical Storytellers International and convenes the organization's Scholars Seminar. He and his wife, Tali, have three children—one in high school, one at ACU, and one at Lipscomb University.

KEN CUKROWSKI

Dr. Ken Cukrowski serves as the Olbricht Distinguished Professor of Christian Scripture in the Graduate School of Theology. After finishing his undergraduate work in Bible and French at ACU, he completed his M.Div. at Yale Divinity School, and his doctoral studies in New Testament at Yale University. His recent scholarship has focused on Luke-Acts, Greco-Roman backgrounds, and intertextuality. He and his wife Karen have two adult daughters and four grandchildren. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, watching movies, running, visiting National Parks, and eating dark chocolate.

DOUGLAS HUFFMAN

Dr. Douglas Huffman is a New Testament scholar, teacher, and church leader who has served at both Northwestern and Biola University and is currently the Dean of the School of Theology and Ministry at the University of Northwestern St. Paul. He has written many books and articles on the Bible, contributed as a script consultant and author for The Chosen television series and related projects, and is an ordained minister in the Evangelical Free Church of America.