Senior Leadership
I am inspired by the faith, courage, and reverence for God by Christian educators around the world! It reminds me of the story recounted in I Samuel 17 about David defeating Goliath. In verse 29, David’s response to the inaction of his
elder brothers and the Israelites especially encourages me. He boldly and nobly answers the call to action by asking, "Is there not a cause?”
I can think of no greater cause than to partner with you as you advance Kingdom education. We fully believe that authentic devotion to the Christian faith and academic excellence are mutually reinforcing. There are not two or three forms of excellence, but rather an ethos that is cultivated throughout every facet of our schools. Faith is not separated from learning but rather integrated intentionally, resulting in a distinctive Christian worldview.
Scholarship and learning become an integral component to the maturation process known as discipleship. Thus, becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ, the ultimate objective of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:16-20), is the prize for which we strive; it is the highest form of excellence! It is certainly conceivable that we could produce students with the spiritual depth needed to enter our pluralistic society and not fall prey to empty philosophies. Rather, they would be equipped to saturate the marketplace to which God has called them with confidence, purpose, and an eternal perspective.
ACSI’s ongoing mission is to strengthen Christian schools and equip Christian educators worldwide as they prepare students academically and inspire them to become devoted followers of Jesus Christ. We want to serve you as you continue to cultivate and sustain a flourishing school. Please let us know if there is anything we can do for you—thank you for your obedience to God’s call on your life—you are indeed making a difference.
Dr. Larry Taylor, President & CEO, ACSI
larry_taylor@acsi.org
719-867-0200
ACSI Senior Leadership
Dr. David Balik
Vice President of USA
Dr. Gavin Brettenny
Chief Strategy Officer
Kevin Buelke
Chief Finance Officer
Cindy Dodds
Chief of Flourishing Initiatives
Michael Epp
Senior Vice President of Global
Brett Henry, J.D.
Chief Executive Officer, Sevenstar
Vice President, Educational Resources
John Klingstedt
Chief Operating Officer
Christi Lynn
Vice President, Communications & Engagement
Chris Loncar
Vice President, Human Resources
Jerry Nelson
Chief Ministry Officer
Philip Scott, J.D.
Vice President for Legal Affairs
P. George Tryfiates
Vice President for Public Policy and Legal Affairs
Susan Verheul
Vice President, Executive Initiatives
Dr. Cecil Swetland
Vice President for Development
News and Press Releases
ACSI Announces Establishment of New Strategic Incubator
Colorado Springs, Colo., Feb. 22, 2021– ACSI is pleased to announce the establishment of a new Strategic Incubator designed to better serve 21st century Christian schools.
This enterprise is a research and development unit that will spur on mission-focused business development at the association. The incubator will position the organization to respond nimbly in meeting the needs of Christian schools through creative business strategies.
Through this initiative, ACSI will invest in the production of biblically based and educationally rigorous digital content for Christian schools in both professional development offerings as well as Purposeful Design Publications materials. In addition, the organization will incubate sustainability initiatives and offerings that will enable Christian schools to be missionally nimble, innovative, and collaborative in the current and future market.
“This is an exciting time at ACSI. The Strategic Incubator will allow us to move forward in developing certain areas that I believe will be crucial to the success of ACSI and our Christian schools well into the future,” said ACSI President, Dr. Larry Taylor.
The first project emerging from this effort is the establishment of a new learning management system offering quality digital content for educators. The guiding distinctives framing content selection include: a foundation of a biblical worldview; contributions from top-level experts and practitioners; personalized learning experiences; and availability to Christian school students around the globe.
Dr. Lynn Swaner, ACSI’s Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, commented on the importance of this advancement. “This incubator will enable ACSI to take important steps to lead and partner with our 25,000 Christian schools worldwide in meeting their current and future needs in innovative ways,” Swaner said. “There has never been a more opportunity-filled moment for Christian schools, and this new incubator will help schools as they rise to the challenge.”
The incubator—which is aligned with ACSI’s Strategic Plan and has been funded by a generous grant from a private family foundation—will help position ACSI to meet the needs of Christian schools well into the future. Taylor looks forward to seeing the Kingdom return on investment from this grant.
“We serve a sovereign God who already has the funding plan for what He deems strategic for ACSI,” he said. “We move forward with anticipation as we witness His plan unfold.”
To learn more about ACSI Thought Leadership, visit ACSI.org/thought-leadership or contact the ACSI Care Team by calling (800) 367-0798 or by emailing careteam@acsi.org.
About ACSI:
Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., ACSI exists to strengthen Christian schools and equip Christian educators worldwide as they prepare students academically and inspire them to become devoted followers of Jesus Christ. ACSI advances excellence in Christian schools by enhancing the professional and personal development of Christian educators and providing vital support functions for Christian schools through multiple services including teacher and administrator certification, school accreditation, legal/legislative assistance, and curriculum publishing. Serving more than 25,000 schools in 108 countries, ACSI helps more than 5.5 million students worldwide connect to Christian education.
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