Emily spent over a decade in senior positions in communications and development in both the private and non-profit sectors before joining Telos as a Program Advisor. Most recently, she served as Chief Development Officer for a counter-human trafficking organization, where she helped more than double the organization’s size and impact. Emily is especially interested in solving complex problems that inhibit human flourishing. Emily began her career as a high school math teacher in Richmond, CA through Teach For America after graduating from Wake Forest University with a degree in Economics. She lives in Fairfax County, Virginia with her husband and three children.

Frances grew up in Montgomery Alabama where she first realized her passion for community involvement through impactful and transformational relationships. She is a graduate of the University of Mississippi, where she studied Human Resource Management and Entrepreneurship. She is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Public Administration specializing in Nonprofit Leadership at the University of New Orleans. Frances hopes to use her degree to better recognize social injustices and take steps towards remedies in her community to create a caring environment that instills acceptance, leadership, and a just peace. In her spare time, she enjoys interning at a local nonprofit, Son of a Saint, an organization focused on transforming the lives of fatherless boys through mentorship and emotional support, as well as teaching swim lessons and spreading the importance of water safety and lifeguarding.

Dave is a husband, father, author, wanderer, and the founder of The Ashland Group, a strategic consulting firm designed to help churches, not for profits and corporations. Before joining Telos, Dave served at Parkview Community Church in Glen Ellyn, IL since 2009 – first as Executive Pastor and then as Lead Pastor – and prior to that as Executive Pastor at River Pointe Church in Sugar Land, TX for nearly 10 years. His mission is to help individuals and organizations move closer to their God given path. In addition to his pastoral and strategic work, he serves as the Chicago Metro Director for Living Water International.

Todd spent sixteen years in senior positions in the legislative and executive branches of the U.S. government before co-founding the Telos Group. From 2005 to 2009, he was Chief of Staff in the Secretary of State’s Office of Policy Planning at the U.S. State Department. He also spent two years as Senior Advisor in the Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom, where he specialized in religious freedom in the Middle East. Todd worked for a decade in the U.S. Congress, including six years as Chief of Staff to Senator Tim Hutchinson. He is a native Arkansan and a graduate of the University of Arkansas. He began his career as an educator. He and his family live in Fairfax County, Virginia.

DeSean brings over 15 years of experience in education and leadership, dedicated to supporting communities that have been historically underserved and marginalized. In his previous roles as assistant professor and special assistant to the President at Mississippi College, and as founding Head of School at The Redeemer’s School in Jackson, Mississippi, DeSean has focused on shaping the next generation of educators, promoting equity and inclusion within institutions, and cultivating environments centered on academic excellence and holistic development that support students and families.

DeSean holds a B.A. in History from Belhaven University with a minor in Political Science and an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Mississippi College, and a PhD in Higher Education Administration from Jackson State University. DeSean lives in Jackson, Mississippi, with his wife and their three children.

Before founding the Telos Group, Greg lived in Ramallah, the West Bank, where he advised the Palestinian leadership on peace negotiations with Israel. Although Greg was born and raised in San Diego, California, much of his extended family still lives in Beit Sahour, a predominantly Palestinian Christian town near Bethlehem. He has lectured widely on the Middle East and has been published by The Review of Faith & International Affairs and The New York Times. Greg is also a founding member and the Chair of the Board of Directors for Narrative 4, a global non-profit that cultivates empathic leadership through story exchange. And he is an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Greg is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles and Yale Law School.

Marion integrates research, strategy, and creativity to amplify stories of transformation and shape public narratives around conflict and belonging. Storytelling—through words, visuals, and lived experience—has been a consistent thread in all of her work. With more than a decade of experience in marketing, brand development, and communications strategy, she brings a passion for connecting people through narrative and a deep commitment to purpose-driven work.

She holds a Master’s in International Relations from Harvard University, where she focused on peacebuilding and resilience in conflict-affected regions, and a BFA in Illustration and Design from the Academy of Art University. Her career has spanned startups, nonprofits, and government organizations, and she has lived and worked in France, Mexico, Nepal, and the Middle East.

Ryan is passionate about connecting others, bridging differences, transformative learning experiences, and exploring more expansive conceptions of vocation. A Pacific Northwest native, Ryan’s career has spanned communications, ministry, and higher education. As Minister for University Engagement in Berkeley, California from 2015 to 2020, he led learning trips to Latin America to better understand the causes of global immigration and how Christians are supporting those most affected by restrictive immigration policies and beliefs.

He holds master’s degrees in theology from Duke Divinity School and Oxford University, where he co-founded the Oxford Open Forum, an interreligious dialogue group. Ryan makes his home in the Pacific Northwest, where he is a candidate for ordained ministry in the PC (USA) denomination. He enjoys reading, running, cooking, and cheering on his two children.

Eli is a Jerusalem based activist and community organizer. Prior to joining Telos, Eli worked as campaigning manager for an Israeli human rights organization, and was involved in local grassroots movements working towards an end to occupation.

Eli grew up in Israel, and later moved to Philadelphia with his family. Eli graduated from Brandeis University with a degree in Islamic and Middle Eastern studies, and has recently earned a Master’s degree in Urban Design from Bezalel University in Jerusalem. Outside of work and activism, Eli is an avid birder and hiker.

Rebecca recently graduated from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem with a master’s degree in Nonprofit Management and holds a bachelor’s degree in Politics and International Relations from the University of Aberdeen. She grew up in the California Bay Area but is originally from, and now lives in, Scotland. She is also an associate member of the Iona Community, an international ecumenical Christian peace and justice organization. Rebecca’s dedication to inner and outer peacemaking stems from her time living and studying in Israel-Palestine, her experiences with trauma-informed mental health advocacy, and her family’s experiences during the Northern Irish Troubles. She is passionate about the intersection of peacemaking, feminism, Christian pacifism, and liberation theology. In addition, Rebecca enjoys reading, and reclaiming ancestral handicrafts such as weaving and needlework.

Mary Joy graduated from Portland State University with a degree in business management and leadership and a minor in Mandarin Chinese. She also holds a master’s degree in Social Justice from Kilns College (now called the Voices School for Liberation and Transformation). She is passionate about justice, equity, and environmental stewardship and seeks to prioritize learning from people with different backgrounds and life experiences than her own. In her free time, Mary Joy enjoys dancing salsa and bachata, reading, and gardening.