Meet the Staff
Rev. Jenn Graffius, DMin
Executive Director
- Email: jgraffius@apu.edu
Jenn oversees Vocāre, a 5-Year BA to MA in Pastoral Studies, and ministry-focused mentoring for undergraduates and Vocāre seminarians. She also works with CVM women-in-ministry initiatives, and she is the chaplain to Azusa Pacific Seminary students. Jenn is an ordained minister, an alum of APU (BA ’00), and an adjunct faculty member in the APU School of Theology’s School of Theology. She has pastoral leadership experience in church ministry and campus ministry, including seminary chaplaincy. Jenn has a Masters of Divinity from Princeton Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry from Duke University. Her dissertation is titled “Transformational Mentoring for Ministry.” She is a frequent guest preacher and retreat speaker.
Rev. Freddy Rivas, MDiv
Director of Mentoring and Formation
- Email: frivas@apu.edu
Freddy leads in the Vocāre program and serves as a mentor to APU undergraduate students who are discerning a call to vocational ministry. Freddy oversees the internship program of Vocāre which focuses on developing emerging leaders for flourishing in ministry. He holds a BA in Biblical Studies from Azusa Pacific University and a MDiv from Princeton Theological Seminary. Freddy has been in pastoral ministry for 18 years. He is an ordained pastor with Evangelical Friends Church Southwest and the lead pastor of a church he planted, Living Hope Church, in Temple City, CA.
Andrew Harootian, MDiv ’18
Pastor-Mentor
- Email: aharootian@apu.edu
Andrew Harootian, MDiv ’18, is the assistant director for the Christian Workers Initiative. Andrew had the honor of pastoring in three local churches in various capacities over the span of a dozen years before joining the CVM team. He is a two-time APU alum, having earned a Bachelor of Arts in Youth Ministry in 2013 before completing his MDiv. Andrew has a heart for care and empowerment that is inspired by God’s love. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Elyssa, and his two sons, Henri and Asher, as well as reading, hiking, TV shows, and all things superheroes.
Lisa Keesler, MDiv ’22
Department Coordinator - School of Theology
- Email: lkeesler@apu.edu
Lisa Keesler, M.Div. is the Department Coordinator for Azusa Pacific University’s School of Theology and Center for Vocational Ministry. After earning her B.A. in Biblical Studies and Master of Divinity as a first-generation, Vocāre student, Lisa joined CVM as a Pastor-Mentor and now works closely with all Center for Vocational Ministry programs. Lisa serves as a worship leader at her local church — alongside being a pastor, writer, and discipleship mentor. She hopes to embody “loving thy neighbor” in every area of life and is passionate about the church being the hands and feet of Jesus.
Annelyse Thomas
Pastor-Mentor
- Email: athomas@apu.edu
Annelyse was born and raised in Sydney, Australia. After completing her Bachelors in Philosophy and Government & International Relations, she moved to the U.S. to pursue a Masters of Divinity at Fuller Theological Seminary. Annelyse has spent over 12 years in church ministry. For the last 5 years, Annelyse was the youth pastor at a church in Pasadena, CA. Her favorite part of ministry is helping each individual discover who they are, whose they are, and where they belong. She lives in Pasadena, CA with her husband, Ryan, and her baby boy, Levi. She likes to run, play video games, bake sweet treats and spends way too much time trying to find the best places for good coffee and good food.
Hannah “Gibs” Gibson, BA
Graduate Intern, Youth Leadership Initiative
- Email: hgibson16@apu.edu
Gibs works under the supervision of Freddy Rivas for the Youth Leadership Initiative. As an undergraduate, she has experience working with various church ministries and student leadership roles. Gibs is also in her second year of pursuing her Master’s in Divinity at Azusa Pacific Seminary where she will graduate in the spring of 2024. Her goals include supporting students in discovering their vocational call through building a deeper relationship with Christ.