Are you looking to cultivate healthy and impactful organizations within your community?
Organizations dedicated to Christian Community Development share a common goal of wanting to see our communities flourish. At CCDA, we’re here to support and enhance that vision.
Join us for our “Strengthening Your Organization” series, designed to equip you with the tools and knowledge needed to foster a healthy and relevant organization. This series is tailored to educate and equip leaders with the latest in organizational development practices. We provide valuable insights, practical tools, and a supportive community to help your church, non-profit, or for-profit organization reach its fullest potential.
Together, let’s see our communities flourish.
2025 Strengthening Your Organization Sponsor
Thank you to our 2025 Strengthening Your Organization sponsor, World Impact! Click here to learn more about World Impact.
Check out the Series
Schedule
Click on a class to learn more and register.
Renewed for the Journey: Planning, Experiencing, and Re-entry of a Sabbatical
June 11, 2025 | 1 pm ET
Strategic Planning for Transformative Engagement: A Roadmap for Sustainable Community Impact
July 23, 2025 | 1 pm ET
Meet the Speakers
Alyssa Vasquez
Alyssa Vasquez is the president and CEO of Cultured Enuf, a consulting firm to bring further alignment in Organizational Culture. Cultured Enuf is a product of lived experiences, research,
and understanding the importance of culture in the workplace. Since becoming a business in June 2016, one of Cultured Enuf’s core values is to empower and build up leaders to lead teams
naturally and authentically. Vasquez holds a Master of Science in Organizational Development and Leadership from Saint Joseph’s
University, and a BA in International Relations and Economics from American University.
Leonard Dow
As Vice President of Community and Church Development at
Everence®, Leonard M. Dow leads the organization’s strategic
efforts to engage and empower emerging, diverse communities and churches that have historically been underserved. He is passionate about fostering connections that drive lasting impact, ensuring these communities thrive in both spiritual and social dimensions. Leonard also serves as President of Everence Community Investments, LLC, where he oversees community-focused initiatives and investment strategies.
Randy Nyce, CAP
Randy is the Managing Director for the Souderton, Pennsylvania office. He serves families, businesses, nonprofits and congregations in the eastern Pennsylvania region with stewardship and charitable gift planning. He draws from his experience as an educator, non-profit director, and church lay leader. Randy is a graduate of Eastern Mennonite University and has a certificate in Urban Studies from The School for Urban Mission, Washington, DC. He holds The Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®) designation from The American College.
Rev. Dr. Jason Leininger
Jason has served congregations in the Methodist tradition for most of his 30+ years career. His pastoral work has had many seasons, the last decade has included a lot of community development work. He is a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University and Asbury Theological Seminary (MA – Theology ’97; Doctor of Ministry – Beeson – 2016). He is currently the Executive Pastor at Schweitzer Church in Springfield, Missouri.
Jena Kitchen
Jena Kitchen is the founder of Radiate Social Impact, a consulting firm that partners with social impact organizations and their leaders through strategic change initiatives such as executive transitions or strategic planning, as well as leadership program design. Adept at facilitating within complex conflict dynamics, she brings her experience in peacebuilding and a systems change perspective to guide leaders and their boards to identify action steps to improve their organizational functioning and staff wellbeing amidst burnout.
Leo Hylton
Leo Hylton is a Restorative Justice & Leadership Consultant with Radiate Social Impact, where he helps organizational leaders build deeper trust, accountability, and community within their teams and trains them to design and implement conflict transformation pathways from a restorative justice ethos. He is a PhD student at George Mason University’s Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, leading healing-centered research at the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation. Leo is currently incarcerated in Maine State Prison. His education and work are based in trauma-informed, healing-centered Restorative Justice (RJ) practices, with a vision toward an abolitionist future.
Michael Sickles
Michael Sickles is our Youth Advocacy Manager and has been on staff with Back2Back Cincinnati since October 2018. The part of his role that excites him the most is creating new and innovative ways to connect with the community to better advocate for youth and families. Michael is passionate about creatively and adaptively fostering connection and resilience in communities. In his free time, Michael enjoys practicing Aikido, Kendo, and practicing with a bokken.
Madison Walter
Madison Walter is one of our Coaches and TCC Affiliate Trainers and has been on staff with Back2Back Cincinnati since September 2022, the part of her role that excites her the most is advocating for teens and empowering them to use their voice. Madison is passionate about empowering the next generation to lead change for their communities, breaking generational cycles, and building strong foundations by using their voice. In her free time, Madison enjoys being outdoors, reading, and going to the thrift store.
Michelle Ferrigno Warren, MPA
Michelle Ferrigno Warren is the President of Virago Strategies, a consulting group which provides strategic engagement and project management support for churches and non-profits stepping more deeply into the work of public justice. She has been working in Christian community development for over 30 years utilizing her skills as an educator, worship leader, non-profit manager, public policy specialist & faith-rooted organizer & activist. She is an adjunct professor at Denver Seminary and a Senior Fellow with The Dietrich Bonhoeffer Institute. She is a fierce advocate for justice and has shared much of her journey toward civic engagement and activism in her books, The Power of Proximity, Moving Beyond Awareness to Action, IVP 2017, and Join the Resistance, Step Into the Good Work of Kingdom Justice, IVP, 2022.
Sonja Schappert Howden
Sonja Schappert Howden has 20 years of experience in faith-based, urban ministry. She studied Christian Education & Intercultural Studies at Biola University & Nonprofit Administration at the University of San Francisco. Her formative years were in African American and Asian ministries. Greatly influenced by CCDA, she lived in South Central for years practicing relocation and reconciliation. Sonja is a former small business owner and now serves as the Director of Operations at Because Justice Matters. She is a seasoned traveler, purplekayakgirl, and “Aunty Awesome” to her nieces and nephews. Sonja runs Rooted.to, a consultancy committed to the ministry of Operations.
Dr. Valerie Stokes, LISW
Dr. Stokes earned a Ph.D. in human development & educational psychology at the University of South Dakota in 2008, and is a licensed independent social worker. She serves serves as the Clinical Behavioral Health Supervisor for Promise Community Health Center, a federally qualified health clinic, for their mental health therapy providers. All of her work in the community keeps her teaching current in the latest practice theories and conversant in their applications
Chanda Epps
Chanda J. Epps is a passionate advocate for family and community engagement, leadership development, and creative empowerment. As the founder of Chanda J. Epps Consulting, LLC, she partners with schools, districts, and organizations to cultivate culturally responsive and sustainable engagement practices that center community voice and foster meaningful connection.
Learn more at chandajepps.com.
Adam Vanderwell
Adam Vanderwell is the Director of Grand Rapids Bridge Year and serves on his church’s anti-racism team. He practices the 3 R’s of CCDA, living intentionally in the communities he serves. He also brings his own vulnerable story of struggles, wounds, and failures along with the Lord’s healing, wholeness, and restoration. He is passionate about the intersection of Spiritual Formation and Justice work.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
How do I register for classes?
Click on a class to register or visit ccda.org/events for our current series offerings. Classes are FREE for CCDA Members – grab your FREE REGISTRATIONS and become a CCDA Member today!
What is included in this series?
- 1.5-hour sessions for deeper learning and engagement
- Opportunity to learn and engage directly with the speaker during each session and ask questions specific to your situation
- Speaker resources from class are provided via email following each class
Who is this professional development course for?
Anyone looking to strengthen their ministry, organization, or community through a Christian Community Development specific context.
More Ways to Engage
-
Purpose-Driven Programs: Embracing Change and Innovation to Design Programs for Maximum Impact -
Transformational Relationships: Reframing Organizational Impact, Part 2 -
Transformational Relationships: Reframing Organizational Impact – Part 1 -
Everybody is a Leader: A System of Staff Development -
Transformative Leadership: Creating a Culture that Changes You and Others -
Forming a New Nonprofit Ministry -
Dignified Storytelling -
Building The Sustainable Organization
Not a member? Join the CCDA Family
Membership has always been a way for us to accomplish our mission and vision. We want you to succeed in your work, so we created a structure that will sustain our work of strengthening individuals and organizations just like you. We are constantly striving to update and scale the resources available to our members so that you have the tools you need to complete the good work to which God has called you.
