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 USA / Director for North America
Dr. Gavin Brettenny
Chief Strategy Officer
Kevin Buelke
Chief Finance Officer
Roger Cressey
Chief Information & Technology Officer
Stephen Deck
Vice President of Education Standards
Laci Demeter
Director of Europe
Cindy Dodds
Chief School Improvement Officer
Michael Epp
Senior Vice President of Global Development
Chuck Gilliam
Vice President of Membership and Strategic Alliances,
Senior Director, Eastern Division
Brett Henry, J.D.
Chief Operating Officer
John Klingstedt
Chief of Staff
Peter Lee
Director of East Asia
Chris Loncar
Vice President, Human Resources
Christi Lynn
Vice President, Communications & Engagement
Dr. Sosthene Maletoungou
Director of Africa
Jerry Nelson
Chief Ministry Officer
Dr. Angela Patterson
Director for International Schools
Emily Pigott
Vice President of Educational Resources & Student Programs
Stuart Salazar
Director of Latin America
Philip Scott, J.D.
Vice President for Legal Affairs
Rajeev Shaw
Vice President of Sales
Dr. Agus Susanto
Director of Asia Pacific
Dr. Cecil Swetland
Vice President for Development
Dr. Mark T
Director of South Asia
P. George Tryfiates
Vice President for Public Policy and Legal Affairs
Susan Verheul
Vice President, Executive Initiatives
News and Press Releases
ACSI Announces Key Promotions in IT Department
ACSI is pleased to announce two senior promotions in the IT Department, including the appointment of Beth English as Vice President of Business Systems & Master Data and John Shook as Senior Director of Information Technology Infrastructure. Both assumed their positions July 1.
Beth is looking forward to her new role as the Vice President of Business Systems & Master Data.
“I am excited about this new role and the opportunity to collaborate with our teams across ACSI,” she said. “I look forward to strengthening our business systems and master data, helping to create solutions that impact our teams and schools globally.”
She has been with ACSI in the Information Technology Department for four years, where she has focused on managing corporate business systems, third-party software integrations, and system enhancements to support organizational operations.
Roger Cressey, ACSI Chief Information and Technology Officer, reflected on why he is confident Beth is well-suited for this role.
“Beth has an innate capability to translate business requirements and processes into technical solutions. She will continue to own business systems within ACSI but will also take on responsibility for developing and maintaining a global master data program for ACSI. This will entail the alignment of all systems used by ACSI to one version of truth in respect of metadata and data needed throughout the organization."
John Shook’s relationship with ACSI spans more than 26 years, including 14 years on staff as Systems Administrator, Senior Systems Administrator, and Director of IT Infrastructure, preceded by 12 years as an IT consultant running his own business.
In his new role, John will provide strategic leadership for ACSI's enterprise infrastructure, overseeing infrastructure operations, technical risk management, and the organization's technology foundation. As he leads the infrastructure team, he will ensure secure, reliable, and scalable IT systems while supporting ACSI's global technology strategy.
John reflected on the opportunity to serve in this position.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to continue serving ACSI in this new capacity,” he said. “As our organization continues to navigate change, I remain committed to supporting our mission, serving our people well, and building on the work of those who have contributed so much to ACSI over the years."
Roger shared that John has a unique skillset that fits this position.
“John Shook has been a foundational member of ACSI’s IT team, bringing natural attention to detail and extensive knowledge of our technology systems and their growth over the years. His deep expertise and well-rounded skill set make him an outstanding choice for the role of Senior Director of Information Technology Infrastructure.”