The Orthodox Christian Leadership Initiative exists to nurture and empower Orthodox Christian servant leadership. It is a national initiative to increase generosity, servant leadership, and social outreach by clergy and laity of all jurisdictions working together nationally, regionally, and locally. 

Originating from the Orthodox Vision Foundation and its annual Orthodox Advanced Leadership Conferences beginning in 2017, the Orthodox Christian Leadership Initiative was established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in October, 2018.  

Representative of many jurisdictions and vocational backgrounds, the Board of Directors is committed to supporting leadership development in service to God and neighbor.  We affirm what our youngest board member states below, "Just as Orthodoxy takes practice and work, cultivating and inspiring leadership in the Church should be an ongoing exercise."

We are hiring!

The Orthodox Christian Leadership Initiative is seeking an energetic, highly motivated, and experienced individual with a proven track record to serve as a Major Gift Officer. The part-time position will report to the Executive Director and will work closely with the Board of Directors' Generosity Committee in cultivating and soliciting gifts from donors and prospects to support increased engagement with the pan-Orthodox community and to become the prominent resource in leadership development for Orthodox Christians.  

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

​​DR. JOHN MARK REYNOLDS

Board Chair

John Mark N. Reynolds is President of The Saint Constantine School, a kindergarten through college program. He was provost at HBU and the founder of the Torrey Honors Institute at Biola University. READ MORE

​Dr. Andrew Geleris

Vice Chair
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Dr. Andrew Geleris is a neurologist in Southern California. He also serves on the board of FOCUS North America.

​Pdn. Peter Danilchick

Vice Chair

Protodeacon Peter M Danilchick has served domestic and overseas parishes and missions of the Orthodox Church for almost forty-five years, READ MORE

​Emily Kasradze

​Vice Chair

Emily Kasradze is the CFO of The Saint Constantine School in Houston, Texas, where she also teaches math. READ MORE

​Claire Nobles

Secretary Treasurer
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Claire Sophia Nobles: Third-term President, former Treasurer, and 20-year member of St.Nicholas Primatial Cathedral & War Memorial Shrine, Orthodox Church in America, Washington, DC. READ MORE

Fr. Theodore dorrance

Fr. Theodore was ordained in 1991. He served the Ascension Cathedral in Oakland, CA for two years as an assistant priest, St. Katherine in Redondo Beach, CA as proistamenos READ MORE

​Jessika Nebrat

Jessika Nebrat is an analyst at the Long Term Strategy Group in Washington, DC. Having earned a degree in Government and a language citation in Russian from Harvard University, READ MORE

dean harbry

Dean Harbry, PCC, serves as President & Chief Operating Officer for Brightworth. Dean has a long history of work assignments in the financial services arena. After a long stint overseas, he began his corporate career at the Bank of Ireland, READ MORE 

​Dan Abraham

Dan Abraham has served on the Board of Trustees for the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese for over 20 years and has formerly served as Chairperson for the Order of St. Ignatius.  READ MORE

Hollie Benton

Executive Director
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Hollie Benton has served as Executive Director since September, 2019. Formerly an employee of Ecolab, she has led in multiple IT roles as Project Manager, Product Owner, and Operations Manager of a large team in the Commercial Solutions division. READ MORE

ADVISORY BOARD

​CHARLES R. AJALAT, FOUNDER

Fr. CHAD HATFIELD

Fr. Chad Hatfield serves as President of St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in Crestwood, New York.
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​Brandon Hull

Brandon is a 30 year veteran investor in Venture Capital and Private Equity, specializing in emerging technology in healthcare.  READ MORE

​Lynette Hull

When an early foray as a small business owner was interrupted by parenting, Lynette applied her entrepreneurial energies to eighteen years of adaptive homeschooling her three children.
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Frank cerra, m.d.

​Dr. Frank Cerra is an Emeritus Professor of Surgery, Head of the Department of Surgery, Dean of the Medical School and former Senior Vice President of the University of Minnesota.  
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REBECCA PAGANI

Rebecca Pagani is an experienced business litigator and information security lawyer. READ MORE