Speakers Bureau

Prior to living in Germany from 2015 to 2022, Dr. Gavin Brettenny lived in South Africa. He and his wife are currently resident in Florida, USA. Their two sons are also resident in the USA. He was Head of a national K-12 Christian School in South Africa (Cambridge) and Head of an international Christian school in Germany (USA diploma). Gavin served as Vice President for ACSI Global before being promoted to Chief Strategy Officer. Gavin has extensive organizational leadership experience with Christian schools and National Associations of Christian schools. Gavin's post graduate credentials include a diploma in secondary education, an Honors degree in Education, a master's in organizational leadership, and a PhD in a study of the influence of transformational leadership behaviors on school improvement in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Contact:  gavin_brettenny@acsi.org

Constructs of Expertise:

• Integrated Worldview
• Supportive Leadership

Before joining ACSI, Cindy Dodds served 20 years in Christian school leadership as a Head of School for two Christian schools in Pennsylvania. As a school leader, Cindy was elected by her peers to the ACSI Board, Accreditation Commission, and the Northeast Regional Council. She also engaged in and continues to assist in legislative advocacy for ACSI. In 2017, Cindy was employed by ACSI, serving respectively as the NE Regional Director, Professional Development Director, Vice President of Flourishing Initiatives and currently serves as Chief of Flourishing Initiatives. Cindy is a contributing author to the ACSI Leadership for Flourishing Schools Report and the ACSI Leading Insights on Biblical Worldview and Spiritual Formation. She is most recognized professionally for her commitment to continuous school improvement and her passion for leadership development.

Contact:  cindy_dodds@acsi.org

Constructs of Expertise:

• Other: Overview of the "Flourishing Schools" research and the role of teachers in cultivating a flourishing classroom culture.

SDr Debbie MacCullough, a graduate of Christian schools and a former teacher in these institutions, has trained educators for over twenty years. She has guided undergraduate, postgraduate, and practicing teachers worldwide in exploring methods that help students develop a biblical worldview. Debbie taught at an international Christian school for five years and has travelled extensively to prepare teacher trainers. Currently, she serves as the Director of Global Core Standards for ACSI.

Contact:  debbie_maccullough@acsi.org

Constructs of Expertise:

• Holistic Teaching
• Integrated Worldview
• God's Story
• Questioning
• Spiritual Formation
• Insular Culture
• Professional Development
• Engaged Learning

Lainie Montgomery is the Director of Spiritual Formation and oversees ACSI's internal staff care through the elevation of God's Word, prayer, and community engagement. She works alongside school leaders, spiritual life directors, and teachers to develop comprehensive internal and external spiritual formation plans. As part of a wholistic Christ-centered education mindset, she is passionate about ACSI's Flourishing Families initiative which seeks to assist schools in making "family" a core value while promoting a school partnership elevating parents and guardians as the primary disciple-makers of their children.

Before joining ACSI, Lainie served for 14 years as the Director of Campus Ministry at an ACSI school system. Outside of work, Lainie serves on the Board of Directors for Sky Ranch Family Ministry and enjoys teaching a young married class at her church. Lainie is married to Chris, and they have five young adult children, four of whom have recently graduated from college, so they have one more to go!

Contact:  lainie_montgomery@acsi.org

Constructs of Expertise:

• God's Story
• Spiritual Formation
• Family Relationships
• Mentoring Students
• Christlike Teachers
• Caring Environment
• Professional Development
• Stress
• Healthy Living
• Other: Spiritual Life Director

Contact:  jerry_nelson@acsi.org

Constructs of Expertise:

• Integrated Worldview
• God's Story
• Questioning
• Spiritual Formation
• Family Relationships
• Community Engagement
• Mentoring Students
• Insular Culture
• Christlike Teachers
• Caring Environment

With over 26 years of experience in Christian education, Emily Pigott serves as the VP of Educational Resources & Student Programs at ACSI. Passionate about guiding school leaders, educators, and students worldwide, she believes today's generation has the God-given potential to impact culture for Jesus. Emily is committed to equipping educators and student leaders with strategies that resonate with today's youth, inspiring them to own their education, leadership journey, and future for God's glory.

Emily has traveled globally to train and equip others in biblical leadership, character development, and transformative education. She holds a Master of Education from Southeastern University and co-authored The School of Leadership Curriculum. Married to Gene for over 31 years, Emily is a proud mother of two sons, Joshua and Jacob, and continues to inspire Christian educators to make an eternal impact, one student at a time.

Contact:  emily_pigott@acsi.org

Constructs of Expertise: 

• Integrated Worldview
• God's Story
• Spiritual Formation
• Supportive Leadership
• Leadership Interdependence
• Mentoring Students
• Insular Culture
• Christlike Teachers
• Professional Development
• Culture of Improvement
• Engaged Learning

Contact:  natasha@natashacrain.com

Constructs of Expertise:

• Integrated Worldview
• Spiritual Formation
  

Gary Arnold is the President of the Little Rock Christian Academy Foundation and a partner of NextEd, an educational services platform equipped ""to empower schools to achieve their next."" From 2007 to 2023, Gary served as the Head of School of Little Rock Christian Academy. Prior to Little Rock, Gary served as a school head in Illinois and Massachusetts and as a lobbyist for the Wisconsin Council of Religious and Independent schools. Gary directs the head of school certification program for the Council for Educational Standards and Accountability. He also serves on the board of the Council for American Private Education.

Contact: gary.arnold@littlerockchristian.com

Constructs of Expertise:

• Culture of Improvement
• Leadership Interdependence
  
• Outcomes Focus
• Partnership
• Questioning
• Resilience
• Systems Thinking

Dennis Eastman has dedicated over 15 years to the field of education, serving in various capacities such as a Social Studies teacher, coach, Athletic Director, and Director of Faculty Induction. His journey led him to become the principal of Nova Academy Early College High School in Santa Ana, California, where under his leadership, the school received a Bronze Medal ranking from U.S. News and World Report for being one of the most improved schools in California.

Currently, Eastman serves as the Director of Secondary Education at Biola University, where he integrates his faith, expertise, and passion for teaching and coaching to prepare the next generation of educators. Throughout his 13-year tenure, Eastman has traveled extensively internationally, collaborating with administrators and faculty in local schools to develop inclusive, active, and effective learning strategies for all students.

As an educational architect, Eastman's research agenda is actively focused on equipping teachers in student motivation, program design, creating an environment of attempt for all learners, and preparing teachers in both domestic and international settings.

Contact: dennis.eastman@biola.edu

Constructs of Expertise:

• Behaviors for Learning
• Best Practice Orientation
• Christ-like Teachers
• Data-driven Improvement
• Engaged Learning
• Feedback
• Holistic Teaching
• Qualified Staff
• Responsiveness to Special Needs
• Supportive Leadership

Dr. Mitch Evans has over 20 years of teaching experience in Kingdom Education schools. He currently teaches Christian Apologetics at North Raleigh Christian Academy and serves as an instructor in Liberty University's School of Education Doctoral Program. He holds a degree in Microbiology and Cell Science from The University of Florida and earned his Doctor of Education from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary where he studied the relationship between biblical worldview and Christian education. Outside of the classroom, Dr. Evans and his wife of 19 years, Dawn, are raising 3 children in Wake Forest, NC. He loves cheering for his Florida Gators, especially in the sports of baseball and football. He enjoys reading and is currently working through some of the great classics of literature and current works in Christian philosophy and worldview. In addition, he loves all things guitar related and the occasional game of golf. Good coffee will never be far away, as well.  

Contact: mitchevansedd@gmail.com

Constructs of Expertise:

• Christlike Teachers
• God's Story
  
• Holistic Teaching
  
• Integrated Worldview
• Mentoring Students
• Spiritual Formation

Tia Gaines is a consultant, writer, and conference speaker who devotes herself to advocating for diversity, unity, and belonging within Christian education as well as innovation and technology. She has served in education for over 20 years, including time teaching internationally, and in both suburban and urban contexts, including her most recent role as Associate Director of Social Equity and Community and the University of Pennsylvania. Tia has created curriculum and resource material on the topic of cultural humility, as well as intercultural competency, dialogue, and reflection with a specific love and passion for urban education, community engagement, and school partnerships. Her work with school partnerships includes her role as Director of Culture and Community Engagement, a shared position between Delaware County Christian School and The City School, Philadelphia. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) and served as a Flourishing Schools Institute faculty member. Tia and her husband Joel reside in Philadelphia and have four children: Josiah, Hosanna, Eliana and Adoniah.

Contact: tiagaines@centerforunity.com

Constructs of Expertise:

• Community Engagement
  
• Insular Culture
• Partnership
• Professional Development
  

Nancy has been a licensed school counselor for 17 years and has served as a supervisor to over 25 school counselors in training. She is convinced she has the most incredible job in the world! To better serve her students and families, Nancy is continuing her education and is a Ph.D. candidate in Counselor Education from The Ohio State University. Her research interests include adolescent mental health, COVID disruptions, the effects of technology on teens, and developmental assets. She was instrumental in bringing the Mental Health & Well-Being Network to ACSI and advocates for staff and students' mental health and well-being.

Contact: ngillespie@grovecitychristian.org

Constructs of Expertise: 

• Caring Environment
• Behaviors for Learning
• Stress
• Healthy Living
• Resilience

Dr. Milton Louis Gonzalez is a distinguished educator with an impressive 29-year tenure, leading educational institutions in both Mexico and The United States. Currently serving as the CEO at Covenant Christian Academy in South Texas, Milton's expertise spans diverse areas of specialization.
With a strong background in the Multiple Intelligence Theory, Differentiated Learning, and the Early Detection of Childhood Depression, Milton's knowledge and dedication to education are second to none. Beyond the realm of academia, he is a multi-talented professional, serving as a podcaster, life coach, psychotherapist, and an international motivational teacher affiliated with the esteemed John C. Maxwell team.
Milton's academic journey includes an undergrad in Clinical Psychology, a Master's in Counseling and Life Coaching, and a doctorate in traumatology from Liberty University. His doctoral research, titled "A Phenomenological Study of Adult Patients with Auto-Immune Disease and Their Exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences," aims to understand the impact of adverse childhood experiences on individuals diagnosed with autoimmune diseases, providing invaluable insights for support and treatment.
As a highly sought-after keynote speaker and TEDx presenter, Milton's captivating 12-minute talk "You Are What You Think" garnered global recognition, with over 125k rebroadcasts. With an extraordinary digital presence, Milton has amassed close to 500k followers on combined social media platforms, amplifying his impact and message worldwide.
He has shared the stage with acclaimed speakers such as Dr. John C. Maxwell, Les Brown, and Nick Vujicic while also making valuable contributions to Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo León and the PanAmerican School of Monterrey.
Milton's influence extends to other notable organizations and institutions, as he has worked as a consultant for DHR Health, Tropical Texas Behavioral Health, Lone Star National Bank, Region One, South Texas College, UT Austin, The City of Pharr, Brownsville, and Cameron County.
Committed to developing leaders of excellence and integrity, Milton provides unparalleled resources and training for personal and professional growth. Outside of his professional pursuits, he finds joy in his role as a devoted husband to Elena and a proud father to two sons, David and Daniel, along with two cherished grandchildren, Ezra and Emery. In addition to his accomplishments in the educational realm, Milton is an accomplished marathon runner, conquering races in New York City, Chicago, Houston, and San Antonio.
With an unwavering dedication to inspiring others, Milton Louis Gonzalez embodies the essence of a true motivational leader, profoundly impacting individuals and communities alike.

Contact: mrg@ccamcallen.com

Constructs of Expertise: 

• Holistic Teaching
• Spiritual Formation
• Supportive Leadership
• Leadership Interdependence
• Family Relationships
• Community Engagement
• Systems Thinking
• Culture of Improvement
• Stress
• Healthy Living
• Resilience

Matt Kwiatkowski, Head of Schools at Delmarva Christian Schools (ELC-12) in Georgetown and Milton, DE, has spent 29 years in both public and private education teaching and leading in elementary, middle, and high schools in Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. Matt is passionate about the learning process and professional development initiatives for both the child and adult learner. 

Contact: mkwiatkowski@delmarvachristian.com

Constructs of Expertise:

• Engaged Learning
• Individualized Instruction
• Mentoring Students
• Outcomes Focus
• Professional Development
• Questioning
  

Schuyler Lehman created Mission Advancement with the objective of helping nonprofit organizations develop the capacity for relationship-based major and principal gifts. Throughout his career spanning nearly four decades, his unwavering focus on serving the passions, interests, and needs of the donor has helped to redefine institutional fundraising. Schuyler has authored three books outlining his unique philosophy and approach, and he is also a frequent speaker and presenter at regional, national, and international conferences.

Schuyler has helped raise more than $6 billion for a wide variety of nonprofit organizations (educational, social service, youth, community, etc. - most of which have a Christian faith focus). He has provided consultation and advice to more than 1,000 nonprofits throughout the U.S. and Canada for major capital and endowment campaigns, annual funds, and general development activities.

Residing in the Dallas-Fort Worth area since 1992, he lives with his wife Jennifer in McKinney, Texas.

Contact: slehman@missionadvancement.com

Constructs of Expertise:

• Community Engagement
• Resources
• Resource Constraints
• Resource Planning
• Supportive Leadership

For more than 30 years, Wendy Mattner has poured into the lives of others in the fields of education and counseling. Wendy is a certified teacher with extensive experience in Christian schools. She has earned a Master of Arts degree in Christian counseling in addition to obtaining advanced training and certification in biblical counseling. These qualifications have awarded her the opportunity to be a teacher and guidance counselor in four different Christian schools while also ministering as a biblical counselor.

Wendy is currently serving as a counselor at Twelve Stones Counseling Ministries in Morgantown, Indiana. Additionally, she is the founder and lead consultant of Wendy Mattner Ministries where she coaches and mentors educators and care leaders to fearlessly influence the hearts of those they lead.

Contact: wendymattner@gmail.com

Constructs of Expertise:

• Holistic Teaching
• Supportive Leadership
• Family Relationships
• Community Engagement
• Mentoring Students
• Christlike Teachers
• Caring Environment
• Collaboration
• Professional Development
• Culture of Improvement
• Stress
• Healthy Living
• Resilience

Mia Mbroh's warm, yet no-nonsense style of speaking creates truthful conversations for participants seeking to navigate the twists and turns of life. Her grace and empathy serve as guiding points with individuals and groups of all sizes looking for reflection and mediation in relationships and reconciliation. Mia is gifted in working with youth, adults, parents, places of faith, schools , organizations, and corporations seeking an open ear for life's conversations that are sometimes the most difficult. "A force of love and compassion who seeks to nudge that same force of love and compassion from others ..."

Mia's dedication to helping others has built her career through countless conversations dealing with social and emotional health. In each encounter, she seeks to help individuals establish their own narrative in order to move toward their full potential. By creating a safe space for dialogue, Mia helps each individual feel comfortable by showing her own transparency while displaying her ability to listen and facilitate conversation from others. A licensed professional counselor for over 25 years, Mia is a certified parent educator and a trained facilitator for the Anti-Defamation League. Mia facilitates healthy conversations in regard to the topics of relational health, mental and emotional wellness, diversity, faith, awareness, and self-improvement. Mia holds a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Family Psychology with a minor in Education and Communication. She is also a published author and has recently written "A Sticky Story" - a children's book about navigating emotions

Contact: mia@miambroh.com

Constructs of Expertise:

• Caring Environment
• Christlike Teachers
• Family Relationships
• Professional Development
• Resilience
• Spiritual Formation
  
• Stress

Dr. Dave currently serves as Professor of Education at Dordt University, where he teaches courses in educational foundations, STEM education, and educational technology, and chairs the Education department. He cohosts the Hallway Conversations podcast and provides professional development experiences for educators in schools across North America. Dr. Dave is a learner and a thinker and has a wide variety of interests both within and outside of education. He is a voracious reader, an avid cyclist, a mediocre guitarist, a scholar of educational technology, an amateur geographer, and a self-described sci-fi geek. Topics of recent professional development workshops he has presented 

include:
- Teaching Christianly
- The Role of A.I. in Education
- Teaching for Wonder
- Assessment Beliefs and Practices
- Inviting Playfulness into your Teaching Practice
- Tiny Teaching Tweaks that Have a Big Impact
- Promising Practices in STEM Education
- My Story Inside God's Story - The Role of Story for Teaching and Learning

Contact: david.mulder@dordt.edu

Dr. Dean Ridder serves as the Head of School of Isaac Newton Christian Academy in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Dr. Ridder has served as a teacher and administrator at Christian schools throughout his career in education. He has a strong interest in helping Christian schools grow in spiritual formation and biblical worldview integration. Dean has been married to his wife, Jolene, for 31 years. They have three children, all of whom attended Christian schools. Dr. Ridder earned a Bachelors degree in business administration from Trinity Christian College, a Masters degree in Education Leadership from Purdue University, and a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from Liberty University.

Contact: dridder@incaonline.org

Constructs of Expertise: 

• Integrated Worldview
• Spiritual Formation

Joy Roberts is on a mission to teach God's design for Friendship to the next generation of leaders. Hailing from a small town of just 200, Joy's entrepreneurial spirit led her to Co-found Friendzy, a Non-profit serving schools internationally since 2014 with Scripturally based social, emotional and character development programming. Joy has served as an organizational visionary, curriculum designer, author, teacher, mental well-being advocate and platform speaker as Friendzy has grown to serve well over 250,000 students. Joy has an extensive career in business marketing and development and holds a Bachelors of Science in Business Management, Masters in Biblical Theology, and is in the process of completing her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Marymount University. All of these experiences have undoubtedly prepared her for the role of Friendzy co-founder. Joy will tell you the courage and tenacity needed to propel the vision of Friendzy and the learned skills of resilience after hardship all came through God's grace. Outside of Friendzy, Joy spends time with her husband of thirty years, two adult sons, friends, and the most recent family additions of two Golden Doodles, Jelly and Bean.

Contact: joy@friendzy.co

Constructs of Expertise:

• Behaviors for Learning
• Best Practice Orientation
• Caring Environment
• Engaged Learning
• Family Relationships
• Holistic Teaching
• Prosocial Orientation
• Resilience
• Spiritual Formation
• Stress
  

Over the past thirty-eight years, Scott Rodin has helped hundreds of organizations improve their effectiveness in leadership, fund development, strategic planning, and board development. His work has impacted individuals, ministries, and churches in the U.S., Canada, the Middle East, Great Britain, China, the Philippines, and Australia. 

Dr. Rodin is Senior Consultant/Chief Strategy Officer for The Focus Group and is the Founder/Content Expert for the Center for Steward Leader Studies. He currently serves as a Senior Fellow of the Association of Biblical Higher Education and as board chair for ChinaSource. In addition, Dr. Rodin is past president of Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, the Christian Stewardship Association, and Rodin Consulting, Inc., and he owns and operates Kingdom Life Publishing. He is a trainer and coach for the Board Training programs at Youth for Christ and the Gianforte Family Foundation.

Dr. Rodin holds Master of Theology and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Systematic Theology from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland.  He's written seventeen books including The Third Conversion, The Steward Leader, and The Four Gifts of the King. He speaks regularly at conferences, retreats, and professional development events. 

Contact: scott@rodinconsultinginc.com

Constructs of Expertise:

• Leadership Interdependence
  
• Outcomes Focus
• Professional Development
• Resources
• Systems Thinking

Ken Schuetz is the CEO and Founder of Aligned Influence Consulting which is headquartered in Longmont, Colorado. Ken is also adjunct faculty at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado at Boulder where he teaches business philosophy and corporate governance. Ken is a life-long Christian, serving as teacher and Elder at each church he has attended. Ken's latest book, Aligned Influence: Beyond Governance, was released in March 2021 and reflects the theoretical foundation of the Aligned Influence model.

Contact:  ken.schuetz@alignedinfluence.com

Constructs of Expertise: 

• Other
• School Governance
• Church Governance
• Aligned Leadership
  

Derek C. Schuurman worked as an electrical engineer for several years and later completed a Ph.D. at McMaster University in the area of robotics and computer vision using machine learning. He is currently professor of computer science at Calvin University, a fellow of the American Scientific Affiliation, and an advisor for AI&Faith. He has written about faith and technology issues in a variety of publications including monthly columns in Christian Courier and regular contributions to the Christian Scholar's Review blog. He is the author of the book Shaping a Digital World: Faith, Culture and Computer Technology and co-author of A Christian Field Guide to Technology for Engineers and Designers, both published by InterVarsity Academic Press.

Contact: derek.schuurman@calvin.edu

Constructs of Expertise: 

• Integrated Worldview
• God's Story

With a background in teaching in Christian education, Stefan is committed to equipping educators to shape the worldview of their students and peers. He holds a Masters in biblical communication from Phoenix Seminary and is a PhD candidate at Midwestern Seminary. Stefan's research in holistic belief formation has equipped him to speak practically into the formation of worldview, as well as provide coaching and support to Christian schools nationwide. 

Contact: swilson@harvestbiblechurch.com

Constructs of Expertise: 

• Christlike Teachers
• God's Story
• Holistic Teaching
• Insular Culture
• Integrated Worldview
• Outcomes Focus
• Professional Development
• Qualified Staff
• Questioning
• Responsibility
• Spiritual Formation
  

Julie Widman has learned that fueled by prayer, coffee and energizing music, anything is possible. She leads with her heart and passionately teaches, equips, and writes about the power of Scripturally-based social emotional character development. Julie's heartbeat is to help others foster authentic, genuine relationships. She co-founded Friendzy, a comprehensive social emotional character development program for schools PreK-12th grade. She thrives when working in partnership with schools to provide direct support in fostering a positive campus climate and culture through Friendzy. Julie believes that teaching the biblical pillars of friendship will give students tools that will benefit them for a lifetime. Julie holds a Masters in Science, is certified in SECD Leadership, and is currently working on her Doctorate in Educational Leadership. Outside of leading Friendzy, Julie is an enthusiastic mother of two children, Shelby and Dan, wife to Travis, keeper of a mini zoo of two energetic dogs, and an avid leader and volunteer of her local National Charity League chapter.  

Contact: julie@friendzy.co

Constructs of Expertise:

• Behaviors for Learning
• Best Practice Orientation
• Caring Environment
• Engaged Learning
• Family Relationships
• Professional Development
• Resilience
• Spiritual Formation
• Stress
• Supportive Leadership