Theology and Philosophy Program

Fr. Andy Younan, PhD

Professor of Philosophy

Father Andy received his PhD and MA in Philosophy and Theology from the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in Berkeley, CA. He received his BA in Philosophy from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit in 2001. He served as the Rector of the Seminary of Mar Abba the Great until 2016.

He granted the mandatum by Robert Brom, as an ecclesial recognition of Fr Andy's posture and commitment to teach always in communion with the Church.

He is an avid translator of Aramaic, and is the translator/editor of the Emmanuel prayer book. He is the co-author of Introductory Chaldean and Chaldean Grammar, and the author of Perpetual Jubilee: Meditations on the Chaldean Liturgical Year.

Steven Kramp

Professor of Creative Writing & Chair of Humanities & Theology

Prof. Kramp is a published poet, theologian, and musician.

He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the renowned program at University of Iowa, in addition to a Masters in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville.

He is currently concluding work on two books entitled The Lion’s Mouth, a lyrical memoir, and Holy Saturday, a large-scale poetic work based on the Triduum and the Stations of the Cross.

His diverse experience includes being an impassioned educator and mentor, a committed literary artist, a performing musician, and a youth minister and high school teacher

Fr. Ankido Sipo

Adjunct Professor of Theology

Fr. Ankido Sipo entered the Seminary of Mar Abba the Great in January of 2010 and began his studies of philosophy and theology at JPCatholic that Fall.

He received his BS Degree in Communications Media with an emphasis in New Evangelization in 2013. He also received his Master's of Arts in Biblical Theology in 2015, and was ordained a priest for the Chaldean rite Catholic Church in El Cajon, CA, on April 10th, 2015.

Currently, he is the Superior of the monastic order of the Sons of the Covenant.

Dr. Shalina Stilley, PhD

Professor of Philosophy & Theology

Dr. Stilley has an MA and PhD in Philosophy from Marquette University with a dissertation on natural law theory, a Masters in Theology from University of Dallas, and a BA in Philosophy from Northern Arizona University. In addition, she has over 10 years of international teaching experience, including at Conception Seminary College, Beltei International University, and Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia.

She converted to Catholicism during her first year in college after reading the writings of St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila and now lives a form of consecrated life — Consecrated Virginity.

Sr. Nancy Usselmann, FSP

Adjunct Professor of Theology

Sr. Nancy Usselmann, FSP is a Daughter of St Paul (#Medianuns) and the Director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies in Los Angeles, CA.

Sr. Nancy has degrees in Communications Arts, a Masters in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary and certificates in both Catechetics and Media Literacy.

She is an Executive board member of CIMA (Catholics in Media Associates) and a member of NAMLE (National Association of Media Literacy Educators), SIGNIS (World Catholic Association for Communicators) and THEOCOM (Theology and Communications in Dialogue).

Bonnie Curtis

Adjunct Professor of Theology

Prof. Curtis teaches theology and scripture at the Diocesan Institute for the Diocese of San Diego where she is involved in the academic formation of permanent deacons.

She has been a featured speaker throughout the Diocese of San Diego on various aspects of marriage and family life in addition to topics related to Biblical Theology.

She holds an MA in Biblical Theology and a Certificate in Philosophy from John Paul the Great Catholic University; and a BA with a double major in Spanish and Political Science from the University of San Diego.

Maisa Haddad

Adjunct Professor of New Evangelization

Prof. Haddad is a clinical pharmacist, theologian, public speaker and evangelist. She volunteered and worked with St. Paul Evangelization Institute as a Senior Regional Missionary since 2013 teaching at parishes, schools and doing street evangelization. Maisa has given talks on discipleship, evangelization, the Church and the Holy Spirit. She has been featured on the Jeff Cavin’s show, Gary Michuta’s show Hands on Apologetics, Teresa Tomeo’s show on Ave Maria Radio and the St. Paul Evangelization Institute podcasts.

Maisa holds a B.S in Pharmacy from Wayne State University School of Pharmacy in Detroit Mi, an MA in Systematic Theology from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, MI and is a PharmD candidate at Shenandoah University in Virginia graduating in May 2021.

Robin Murray, PhD

Adjunct Professor of Humanities

Prof. Murray is a classicist whose research focusses on Imperial Rome, early Christianity and ancient philosophy. Her dissertation analyzed the theme of death and death preparation in the Satyrica, an ancient novel by Petronius who, although a friend to the Emperor Nero, was forced to commit suicide by him in 66 A.D. More broadly, she studies the Graeco-Roman world and strives to make it relevant to people of today. She received her PhD in Classics from UC Irvine where she taught classes on the history and literature of ancient Greece and Rome and served as the assistant editor to the Classics journal TAPA (Transactions of the American Philological Society). She lives in Northern San Diego with her husband and children.

Fr. Simon Esshaki

Adjunct Professor of Theology

Fr. Simon Esshaki is a Chaldean Catholic priest of the Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle for the Western United States. He joined the Chaldean Catholic Seminary of Mar Abba the Great in 2009 and completed his studies in 2015 with a Masters degree in Biblical Theology. He was ordained a priest that same year and serves as the administrator of St. Michael’s Chaldean Catholic Church in El Cajon, CA. He is currently in the process of becoming a Canon lawyer as he is in the JCL program at the Catholic University of America.