ACSI Podcasts
PODCAST EPISODE
Grafted Together Ep 65: From Belonging to Unity, with Tia Gaines
June 23, 2026
True unity is not forced uniformity, but a Christ-centered commitment to relationship & shared purpose. Tia Gaines, Executive Director of UnifiEd, shares how Christian education can move beyond surface-level diversity efforts toward genuine biblical unity.
Tia Gaines is the Executive Director of UnifiEd: A Center for Hope and Unity, and she also serves as Associate Director in the Office of Social Equity and Community, part of the President’s Center, at the University of Pennsylvania. A seasoned consultant, writer, and conference speaker, Tia is passionate about advancing kingdom diversity, unity, and belonging within Christian education. Tia sits on the Board of Trustees for the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).
Center for Unity website https://centerforunity.com/
LLU Global 2026 Highlight Reel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5PK2prZ_aE
Dr. Pamela Larde (referenced during episode): https://andersonuniversity.edu/dr-pamela-larde-the-relentless-pursuit
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Grafted Together
Grafted Together with ACSI Chief Ministry Officer Jerry Nelson examines how biblical worldview and spiritual formation should integrate in everyday Christian education. Jerry Nelson joined the ACSI family in 2020 as the Special Assistant to the President and currently serves as ACSI's Chief Ministry Officer. He previously spent 11 years as the Head of School at Northwest Christian Academy in Florida. While there, Nelson created a Teacher Development Program, a Student Leadership Development Program, and Parent Education Program, and wrote three books. He earned his master's degree in Educational Leadership from St. Thomas University.