Alumni of the Year

Mishima is a recognized leader in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries who brings over 25 years of global regulatory expertise and experience leading cross-functional global teams across multiple therapeutic areas.   She has extensive regulatory knowledge of US, EU, Canada, Asia, China, Japan, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa markets.   She has been globally based, living in the following countries:  United Kingdom, Japan, Malaysia, and France as well as multiple states across the US.   

Mishima is known for her global expertise and her ability to establish, grow, and lead regulatory and quality organizations of both small and large scale in the industry.    Her passion to bring medicines to patients has been driven by her desire to understand drug development and regulations around the globe.   Her career journey has led her to be a well-rounded regulatory professional with expertise in multiple therapeutic and disease areas as well as a true global expert with a deep understanding of each country’s drug regulations which she gained by living abroad and traveling to the majority of Health Agencies with her local teams across the world.   She continues to enjoy learning the different cultural aspects of drug development, business environments, and establishing relationships with key opinion leaders worldwide. 

Mishima was the Chief Regulatory Officer and Head of Quality at Taysha Gene Therapies, Vice President and Head of Regulatory Affairs across multiple regions at Sanofi, Head of Regulatory at Genzyme and held regulatory positions of increasing seniority at AbbVie, Reata Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer/ Wyeth, AstraZeneca, and Wyeth.  She joined Pliant in 2023 as Chief Regulatory Officer and Head of Quality.  

Mishima received a M.S. in Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs from Temple University and a B.S. from Kutztown University majoring in biology and minoring in chemistry.  

Mishima grew up as a member of Zion Mennonite Church.

Matthew Zook graduated from Eastern Mennonite University followed by Jefferson Medical College and Thomas Jefferson University College of Graduate Studies with his MD/PhD degree in 2005. He completed his Dermatology training at Jefferson Dermatology Associates in 2009 and joined the staff of Fox Chase Cancer Center as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at Temple University.  While there he served as the Director of the Melanoma Risk Assessment Program where he screened and counseled patients at high risk for the development of skin cancer.  In 2012 he relocated to the Tampa Bay, Fl region where he has been a medical provider with Academic Alliance in Dermatology of which he is a shareholder.  

Professionally he has authored book chapters, is a speaker for several pharmaceutical companies and has been the primary investigator on over 100 clinical trials as well as seeing medical Dermatology patients and performing Mohs surgery.  He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, a member of the Florida Medical Association and the Florida Dermatology Society and an Assistant Professor at the University of South Florida.

Personally, he and his wife Kelly stay busy with their family of 10 children.  They are active with local adoption agencies and have fostered over 40 children in their home. They have traveled on medical mission / volunteer trips to Honduras, Ghana, and the Caribbean islands.  He is the owner of Beneath His Wings, a transportation company based in Florida, and together they both are in the process of opening a Functional Medicine clinic.  In their free time they try to take advantage of what Florida has to offer by being out on the water in the Gulf or at their cabin in the woods of north Florida. 

Directors of Bethany Birches Camp, Vermont. Brandon is the Executive Director of Bethany Birches Camp (BBC) in Plymouth, Vermont. Since taking leadership in late 2004, Brandon led a turnaround and expansion of the ministry. Under his leadership, camp attendance and revenue have grown fivefold, a year-round program was established, and many faithful supporters have contributed more than $10 million which has supported facility overhauls, upgrades, and access for all. 

Brandon participates in the broader camping world, serving organizations like the Christian Camp and Conference Association (CCCA) and the Vermont Camp Association. Even in challenging times, Brandon has helped BBC thrive. For example, the camp was among the 12% of camps nationally that opened in summer 2020 during the global pandemic, with zero illness all summer.  He graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Psychology from Eastern Mennonite University, holds certificates in Principles and Techniques of Fundraising, Emotional Intelligence, and Effective Financial Controllership. He will complete his MBA at Eastern University next year.  He was the project manager for the Vermont Camp Association website rebuild. Brandon loves to ski and for a season of life, was a certified ski instructor.  He also enjoys traveling the world, mountain biking, and music. 

He is passionate about the mission of helping young people grow in their relationship with God through Christ-centered experiences rooted in nature, community, and fun. Brandon is grateful for the team around him—the many talented young people who have made their own mark at Bethany Birches, the dedicated year-round staff, and the broader community of supporters who help make the mission possible. He is also deeply thankful for his family—his wife Amber and their three thriving children.

Amber is the Associate Director of Bethany Birches Camp, where she has played a pivotal role in shaping the camp's programs and culture for over a decade. After graduating summa cum laude from Eastern University with a degree in Biokinetics, Amber earned her MSEd in Athletic Training from Old Dominion University. She worked professionally in athletic training before spending summers as Program Director at BBC—a role that eventually became year-round when the camp expanded its programming.

Amber is known for her creativity, leadership, and ability to develop meaningful, fun, and faith-centered experiences for campers. She has been instrumental in designing programs, training summer staff, and supporting the camp’s growth in partnership with her husband, Brandon. While her role has evolved over time as their family has grown, Amber continues to bring deep experience, steady support, and a joyful spirit to camp life.

In addition to her work at BBC, Amber has taught at regional colleges and is active in her local church. She finds joy in skiing, cooking, and adventuring with Brandon and their three children—Susie, Simon, and Sydney. Amber first came to camp for the chance to “play games and talk about God,” and she still finds deep purpose in seeing lives transformed through nature, community, fun, and faith.

After graduating from Dock, Brooke took a Gap Year in Guatemala through Eastern Mennonite Missions at an orphanage for one year. She came back to the states and attended a college in Nashville for one year. She then went back to Guatemala where she and her now husband, Jesús, sensed a strong calling from the Lord to start Amar a la Comunidad, a ministry dedicated to spreading the love of Jesus Christ through creating safe spaces for kids and nurturing the family unit. This is the first ministry to come to this community and Brooke quickly learned that there is a great need for spiritual guidance, mentorship, and economic support. Between all their programs, 60-70 children attend on a weekly basis, with numbers continuing to grow. Their ministry has now completed the purchase of several connected plots of land with the help of fundraising to have a more permanent home for the non-profit located in La Gomera, Escuintla, a small town near the southern coast of Guatemala.

Randy started his own business, NRG Mechanicals, in 2019 before he turned 30. It started as a dream, but he invested the time and energy into working many late nights to establish the foundation for his very own HVAC company. Now six years later, he has a handful of employees and continues to invest back into and grow his business. Randy is a mentor and has hired youth through Upper Bucks Tech School and has trained and guided them in their own career growth and development. Randy is a committed husband, father of two, and always has time for his church community whether it's volunteering or serving as a deacon. Randy is a true disciple of God and will take any opportunity to share his faith with you. He's proved that hard work, dedication, and commitment can help you achieve your dreams and by walking hand in hand with the Lord, anything is possible.