Transforming Lives

Dr. Cy Smith is the Superintendent of Mansfield Christian School and a national leader in Christian education. He has served in key roles with ACSI and other organizations in Ohio, helping schools and school leaders strengthen their effectiveness in biblical worldview and mission.  As host of the Clearly Christian Podcast, he challenges cultural drift, highlights the importance of Christian education to turn that tide, and argues t...

Born and raised in San Jose, California, Brian Clemons grew up in a strong Christian home and attended Valley Christian Schools from kindergarten through twelfth grade.

After earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, Brian combined his passion for science and entrepreneurship by building, owning, and operating a local aquarium shop for 15 years. In 2008, he followed God’s call into education, beginning his teaching career a...

Ben Thomas and his wife, Susie, co-founded B2THEWORLD in 2017. B2THEWORLD helps develop schools in countries recovering from war. Ben and Susie’s experience of serving 10 years in Kigali, Rwanda, and leading the Kigali International Community School (KICS), Ben’s doctoral research in Global Christianity & Development, and seeing God heal Susie of an incurable brain tumor have brought the vision of B2THEWORLD to life. 

Today, B2T...

Matt Lundberg is the Director of the DeVries Institute for Global Faculty Development and Professor of Religion at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In his de Vries Institute role, he administers Calvin’s Faith & Learning Fellowship program for newer faculty members and the DeVries Postdoctoral Teaching Fellows program. 

Since 2004, Matt has taught a range of courses at Calvin in theology and Christian ethics. He is t...

Todd R. Marrah, Ph.D., is Superintendent of Tree of Life Christian Schools in Columbus, Ohio, and Executive Pastor at Rock City Church, one of the fastest growing churches in America. Todd also serves as the Executive Director of the United States Christian Education Network. He sits on the board of the Columbus Dream Center and is the recent board chair of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).

Dr. Marrah’s expe...

Principal Zac Sawyer and his family have served at Morrison Academy Taipei in Taiwan since 2012, and Zac has been the campus principal for the last five years. Morrison Academy Taipei is a Christian, K-12, college-preparatory international school with about 300 students that is focused on supporting missionary work in Taiwan. A native of Julian, California, Zac’s academic credentials include a B.A. in Management and Organizational ...

Alysia-Lara Ayonrinde is the Engagement Lead for the Racial Justice Unit in the Church of England, and Schools Project Lead for Reconciliation at Lambeth Palace. Her distinguished career in education spans over 15 years, encompassing senior leadership roles across the U.K., West Africa, and South America. 

Ayonrinde brings unique, evidence-based perspectives that supportively challenge conventional norms to enable greater interfaith...

In one way or another, Noah Brink has been immersed in Christian education his entire life. He grew up at a Christian school in Memphis, TN, where his father served as a Bible teacher, and he has spent the past twenty-three years serving in a wide range of roles within Christian schools. Currently, Noah serves as Head of School at Franklin Christian Academy in Franklin, TN. 

Noah is also the founding director of Renew Education, a n...

Dr. Jeff Mattner has been in the ministry of Christian school education since 1982. He was a Christian school administrator for 26 of those years in the states of New Jersey, Indiana, and Illinois. Dr. Mattner became Regional Director of ACSI Mid-America in July 2011 and Senior Director of the Central Division of ACSI in 2017. He considers it a privilege to partner with Christian schools, assisting his brothers and sisters working ...

Steve Blom has served as the Executive Director of Bright Promise in Chicago since July 2019. Bright Promise is committed to Christ-centered education that counters fear and isolation, fostering hospitality and humility. Steve has over two decades in church and nonprofit leadership. In the past decade, he focused on expanding Christian education access for historically excluded families due to socio-economic, religious, or financia...

Dr. Joey Morecraft has been in Christian education since kindergarten. He continued that Christian education through high school and into a Christian liberal arts college: King University in Bristol, TN. Upon graduation, Dr. Morecraft spent the next 15 years in Christian schools in and around metro-Atlanta, accumulating an MA and PhD from Georgia State University in the process. 

Currently, Dr. Morecraft serves as the Chief Academic...

Erik Ellefsen serves as the Director of Networks and Improvement at Baylor University’s Center for School Leadership and as a Senior Fellow with both Cardus and CACE. He also hosts the Digical Education podcast and is a lead collaborator of the Mindshift project. With nearly three decades of experience as a teacher, coach, dean, counselor, principal, and board member, his work centers on strengthening school leadership, cultivating...

Marc Popovici is the Head of School at Shaumburg Christian School in Shaumburg, IL. Schaumburg Christian School is accredited by Cognia, AACS, and the Illinois Association of Christian Schools. 

Prior to his current role, Marc was a Technology Specialist at John Hersey High School. He also served as the Boys Water Polo Head Coach at Township High School. Marc taught History and Social Studies at Wheaton North High School and Gage Pa...

Curtis and Tabatha are parents of three Covenant Christian High School alumni—Sydney, Aubrey, and Nolan— who also attended Kingsway Christian School (now Indianapolis Christian Schools) through 8th grade. Upon graduating from Covenant Christian High School, all three also attended Purdue University.

Curtis, born in Texas near Galveston Island, met Tabatha during a summer between his college years. He transferred from Abilene Christi...

Dr. Nicholas Piotrowski is the President of ITS. Before this position, he worked with juvenile offenders and taught on the faculty at Crossroads Bible College and the Washington Christian Academy, a K-12 Christ-centered school in Olney, Maryland. 

Dr. Piotrowski earned his PhD from Wheaton College in 2013. He has been part of ITS's leadership since its inception in 2015. He spearheads fundraising, leads the staff, and teaches G...

A dual citizen of the United States and Canada, Jen Pollock Michel is an award-winning author and speaker living in Cincinnati with her family. Her most recent book is In Good Time: Eight Habits for Reimagining Productivity, Resisting Hurry, and Practicing Peace. In September 2026, she will release her next book, tentatively titled A Rule for the Rest of Us. 

Jen holds a B.A. in French from Wheaton College, an M.A. in Literature fro...

Estuardo “Stuart” Salazar is a Guatemalan Christian educator and ministry leader, serving as the Director for ACSI Latin America since 1990. A former prodigal turned Bible teacher, he transformed after years of rebellion, addiction, and jail. Restored by God’s grace, he returned to the Christian school that expelled him, this time as a teacher. 

He graduated from seminary, earned a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Regent Univ...

Mark Hamstra, Superintendent of Chicago Christian Schools, leads a three-campus system serving nearly 900 students across Chicago’s Southland. A husband, father, veteran, coach, and educator, he is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of leaders.  

He graduated from Wheaton College with a degree in history, where he played football and participated in Army ROTC. Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, Mark has over ...

Steve Carr has been married to Lisa for 27 years, and they have 4 wonderful, mostly grown children together. Originally from Columbus, Indiana, Steve holds a BA from Taylor University, an MBA from Loyola University - Chicago, and the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. He is a principal and portfolio manager at Peloton Capital Management in Indianapolis and hosts the Generous Investor Podcast. Steve admits to being a nat...