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 Reaches Highest Tier Attainable in the Best Christian Workplaces Survey, Earning “Flourishing Status”
The Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) is proud to announce that it has once again earned “Flourishing Status” through the Best Christian Workplaces Survey.
In a multi-year trend upward, ACSI employees ranked the organization as being the highest tier attainable in the Best Christian Workplaces Survey—a thorough employee engagement survey assessing organizational culture.
The association’s score this year lands in the 83rd percentile, which is 20% higher than in 2023, with areas of strength including high commitment to excellence and effective teamwork. One of the organization’s largest jumps in improvement was helping each other with healthy work/life integration.
ACSI President & CEO Dr. Larry Taylor is thrilled by this great accomplishment.
“At ACSI, our dedication to excellence in serving our communities and partners stems from an unwavering commitment for Jesus Christ,” he said. “This recognition highlights our significant progress in areas where we’ve previously sought improvement, actively incorporating employee feedback into our decision-making processes, and fostering a culture of innovation and exploration. We are enthusiastic about continuing to develop and nurture a thriving workplace environment that exemplifies what it means to be a dynamic and flourishing organization.”
Best Christian Workplaces Consulting Director Cary Humphries is excited about the survey results and is honored to serve as ACSI’s engagement partner.
“ACSI has demonstrated a commitment to regularly measure the health of their workplace culture,” he said. “This year’s actions and survey progress display excellence and the increased opportunity for full engagement of the ACSI team.”
The organization conducted this anonymous survey to all employees in May of 2024 and analyzed the data in June.
ACSI Vice President of Human Resources Chris Loncar looks forward to implementing strategies to address the data specifically regarding areas that present opportunities for growth.
“In recent years, we have targeted lower scoring areas that are representative of where we can improve. We continue to see progress in several of those areas as we make efforts post survey to address areas of employee concern. By doing this, we will continue to affirm our commitment to improving our culture at ACSI,” he shared.
Taylor believes the future of Christian education is bright.
“We deeply appreciate our team’s dedication to ACSI's mission and vision,” he stated. “Their commitment empowers us to shape future leaders who will advance our goals and make a significant impact globally, furthering the reach and influence of Christian education.”
To learn more about the Best Christian Workplaces Certified Workplaces, visit the website at https://workplaces.org/certification. To learn more about ACSI, visit the website at https://www.acsi.org/.
About ACSI:
Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, 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.
About Best Christian Workplaces:
Best Christian Workplaces exists to equip and inspire Christian leaders to create an engaged, flourishing workplace. Since 2003, the ministry has surveyed over 1,000 churches, nonprofits, businesses, and educators. Their vision is that Christian-led workplaces set the standard as the best, most effective places to work in the world.