Campus Minister
Rev. Dr. Diane Bales (she/her/hers) is an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and has been working in campus ministry since 2006. She is a member of the Georgia Open & Affirming Team of the Discples LGBTQ+ Alliance and a member of the Georgia Disciples Region’s mental health initiative. She is also the Youth and Families Minister at First Christian Church in Lawrenceville, GA.
Diane grew up in Ashland, Kentucky and went to college and graduate school in Minnesota. She is a full-time professor at UGA and has lived in Athens for more than 24 years. She and her husband, James Gibson, enjoy the antics of their two cats. In her free time, Diane throws pottery on a wheel.
Campus Ministry Intern
Ethan Walden(he/him), is a recent graduate from UGA and a long-time member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He grew up attending a Disciples church in Valdosta, Georgia before moving to Athens in pursuit of a degree in Biology. He has been an active member in the Disciples on Campus group since freshman year. Now, having graduated in December of 2022, he hopes to continue into dental school and currently works part-time in a dental office between volunteering and performing internship duties for Disciples on Campus. While not working internship tasks involving public and school outreach, Wednesday night planning, and other church group gatherings, Ethan uses his free time to cook, bake, and travel regionally.