Faculty and Staff Profiles

	Richard Neitzel Holzapfel Title: Publications Director of the RSC Office: 167 HGB Phone: 801-422-2332 Email: Send Message

Dr. Holzapfel attended BYU, Hebrew Union College, and the University of California, Irvine (BA, MA, and PhD), emphasizing ancient history and American history. He married Jeni Broberg in 1978, and they are parents of five children and one grandson. Dr. Holzapfel came to BYU as an assistant professor in 1993, teaching in the Honors, Church History, Ancient Scripture, and History departments. He taught at the BYU Jerusalem Center from 1997 through 1998.

He currently serves as the publications director of the Religious Studies Center (RSC) and as the editor of the Religious Educator and the BYU Religious Education Review magazine, both publications of the RSC.

Dr. Holzapfel’s primary responsibility is as a faculty member, with his teaching, research, and other long-term academic responsibilities taking precedence over his assignment as the publications director of the RSC. However, Dr. Holzapfel has oversight on all aspects of the RSC, including solicitation of articles and manuscripts, submissions, reviewing each submission, assigning reviewers, and communicating with authors on the status of projects before any editorial work begins.

Joan Pinegar
Title:Administrative Assistant
Office: 167 HGB
Phone: 801-422-6975
Email: Send Message

Joany is originally from Minnesota. She graduated from BYU with a degree in elementary education. She taught first grade for a time and loved teaching elementary children. She also traveled across the U.S., training library personnel to use library automation software. Joany likes to read, hike, travel, and go camping. She also loves to spend time with her seven beautiful children and three incredibly adorable grandbabies!

In her duties for the RSC, Joany works closely with the publications director, executive editor, production manager, and 20 great student employees with all RSC publications. She also assists with travel, budgeting, media relations, special projects, and other office management responsibilities. Joany could also be called communications director since all communication addressed to the RSC goes through Joany to be recorded and processed. Anything sent any other way or through any other person runs the risk of being undocumented and lost. Submissions, return for edits, and reviews come to Joany and then are sent to Richard Holzapfel for his processing.

R. Devan Jensen
Title: Executive Editor
Office: 167A HGB
Phone: 801-422-9304
Email: Send Message

After growing up in California and Idaho, Devan came to BYU in 1990. With a BA and MA in English from BYU, Devan earned his spurs at Deseret Book, the Church Curriculum Department, and the Ensign magazine. He and his wife, Patty, have four children and live in Orem, Utah. He is the compiler of Best-Loved Poems of the LDS People and Poems That Lift the Soul: A Treasury of Faith and Inspiration. His current research focuses on Church history in Micronesia and the Bahamas. As the executive editor, after a manuscript or article has been officially accepted, Devan begins his duties of leading the material through the editing process. He supervises the student editors and works with authors to get the material ready to hand over to Brent (see below). Devan supervises a talented team of editors who hone their skills working on RSC books, the Religious Educator, and the BYU Religious Education Review.

Brent Nordgren
Title: Production Manager
Office: 167B HGB
Phone: 801-422-3293
Email: Send Message

Brent received his BS from Brigham Young University and is currently pursuing an MBA from Utah State University. Brent enjoys reading, participating in several sports, and traveling. He and his wife, Annette, live in Provo, Utah, and have four children and four grandchildren. He has an entrepreneurial spirit and has owned and operated a number of businesses throughout his career. Brent is the production manager for the RSC. As such, he leads the RSC efforts in design and production, including printing, distribution, advertising, and publicity. He oversees strategic designing and marketing of the numerous RSC publications. He is also involved in generating awareness for the RSC.

167 Heber J. Grant Building Provo, Utah 84602 (801) 422-6975 Send Message