Executive Leadership Peer Coaching Circle

Connect with leaders who understand the unique challenges of CCD

Receive advising and peer coaching from other executive leaders

Gain practical and actionable insights to enhance your leadership

Chanda J. Epps

Chanda J. Epps is a passionate advocate for family and community engagement, leadership development, and creative empowerment. She is the owner of Chanda J. Epps Consulting, LLC, where she helps schools, districts, and organizations build strong cultures of engagement through innovative strategies. With 17 years of experience leading an award-winning, nationally recognized Title I family engagement program, Chanda specializes in fostering authentic connections between families, schools, and communities.

As a Family Engagement Coach, consultant, and speaker, she provides tailored professional learning experiences, helping organizations create sustainable, impactful engagement programs. Her expertise spans community engagement, leadership development, communications, and event planning, and she is known for her dynamic, hands-on approach to training and facilitation.

Chanda is also SWaM Certified in Virginia, ensuring her consulting services are accessible to a broad range of organizations.

To learn more, visit chandajepps.com.

Danny Brister, Jr.

Danny Brister Jr. serves as Founder and President of Forged: Birmingham Leadership Foundation, a gospel-centered, city-centric organization that disciples, develops, and deploys leaders for Kingdom transformation. He also serves as Interim Pastor at Grace Church Birmingham.

With over 16 years of experience spanning municipal, church, and nonprofit leadership, Danny has dedicated his career to developing urban leaders and strengthening communities. He previously planted a church through the Acts 29 Church Planting Network, served as Executive Director of Elevate Birmingham, and was honored as Elevate USA’s Executive Director of the Year. He was also a founding team member of i3 Academy, Alabama’s largest charter school, and held senior leadership positions with the City of Birmingham Mayor’s Office Division of Youth Services.

Danny is a writer whose work explores themes of justice, mercy, and leadership through his Substack, “Act Justly Love Mercy.” He is passionate about equipping leaders to navigate the intersection of faith and community transformation.

Fred Liggin

Fred is a follower of Jesus, the husband to Alison, father to Ian, a multi-vocational pastor with Williamsburg Christian Church, founder of 3e Restoration Inc., Clinical Trauma Professional, STAR (strategies for trauma awareness & resilience) Practitioner, co-owner of Philoxenia Culture LLC, ethnographer, published writer, and TEDx alum. Prior to his 23 years in vocational ministry, Fred was a business executive in the technology industry and economics sector. For 25 years Fred has walked closely and personally with those living through social displacement. He has authored one book (Racialized Cultural Systems, Social Displacement, and Christian Hospitality) and several curriculum offerings trauma responsive care and practice and poverty alleviation, all of which were born from hands-on experience, practice, and evidence-based research.

Fred received his Bachelor of Science in Ministry/Bible at Amridge University and his Master of Religious Education in Missional Leadership (MREML) from Rochester College. Currently, he is a candidate for a Doctorate of Ministry in Contextual Theology at Northern Seminary in Chicago. His thesis poses the question, Hospitality as Trauma-Responsive Liberation: How a Theology of Hospitality in a Racialized Culture of Collective Trauma Forms the Witness of Williamsburg Christian Church?

Fred was one of two leaders (with Laura Hill) who initiated and organized the City of Williamsburg’s historic Truth & Reconciliation Committee. He is a founding member of the board of directors of the Virginia Racial Healing Institute and serves on the leadership board for Coming to the Table-Williamsburg Chapter. He is also an Advisory Board member for both Let Freedom Ring Foundation and Sentara Williamsburg Regional Hospital, and serves on the Greater Williamsburg’s Housing Collaborative.