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 Begins Key Missional Partnerships with American Association of Christian Counselors and Focus on the Family
Colorado Springs, CO- The Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) is pleased to announce two key missional partnerships with the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) and Focus on the Family. The partnerships are designed to elevate student, faculty, and family well-being and spiritual development within Christian schools globally.
In collaboration with the American Association of Christian Counselors, the world’s premier and largest faith-based mental health organization, ACSI will provide added resources, conferences, and credentialing opportunities. These comprehensive mental health resources and training modules will be hosted on ACSI PD, ACSI’s Learning Management System (LMS). The enhanced credentialing initiatives will include a new credential for school counselors, integrating expertise from both organizations to elevate professional standards.
ACSI’s partnership with Focus on the Family initially centers around the launch of ACSI’s Flourishing Families Program. This program will help Christian schools, homeschool co-ops, and churches establish parent and guardian training initiatives in their God-given role to disciple their children. This strategic alliance will provide ACSI members with exclusive access to Focus on the Family’s comprehensive content through a newly developed landing page.
ACSI President & CEO Larry Taylor emphasized the significance of these collaborations as they align with ACSI Vision 2030 new growth initiatives.
“These partnerships elevate two of the most influential factors impacting the spiritual and cognitive development of children—the home and school environment. The strength of a school begins with the strength of its families. We believe that strong families are the foundation of thriving communities, and the well-being of the school’s teachers and staff is a vital link to the family, he said. “These partnerships will provide the support and resources needed to nurture those relationships.”
Focus on the Family is committed to helping families thrive in Christ and is providing time-tested marriage and parenting resources and research-based assessments along with practical tools to understand and disciple spiritual formation at any age.
These strategic alliances exemplify ACSI’s ongoing commitment to fostering a supportive community for students, educators, and families. By leveraging the expertise of AACC and Focus on the Family, ACSI will equip and support the healthy development of its member school communities.