Vibrant Faith Coaches
Meet our Coaching School Faculty
Coaching Focus: Coaching for leaders, teams, cohort groups, congregations, and non-profit organizations
About Jim: Jim LaDoux lives in Burnsville, MN and is on the Vibrant Faith leadership team since 2003. He currently oversees our coaching program. Jim has been a coach since 1992. He has a Master of Management Arts specializing in organizational development and is a certified PCC (Professional Certified Coach) in Training. Jim has been part of church staff for Lutheran, Methodist and Presbyterian congregations. In his spare time, Jim likes to travel, go hiking, and biking.
You may have read Jim’s work: Surface To Soul: Coaching Spiritual Vitality in Congregations, Vibrant Faith Coaching School Manual.
You may have seen Jim at: The Vibrant Faith Coaching School, at any Leading Well event, at all of our Vibrant Faith Staff meetings, at the 2019 Symposiums, and in anything coaching related with Vibrant Faith.
Contact Jim LaDoux
Email: jladoux@vibrantfaith.org
Or Visit: www.coachfederation.org
Coaching Focus: Organization Development, Executive, Business, Leadership, NonProfit, Life Coaching
About Brandyn: Rev. Brandyn Simmons lives in Chicago, IL. He is the Executive Director of Generations Care Partners Foundation, is the Pastor at Christ Church of Chicago, and is the owner of Generations Care Partners. Brandyn has been coaching for over 10 years. He holds the following degrees MBA, Master of Geriatrics, Master of Divinity, Doctor of Ministry in Community Organizing Candidate, and is a Professional Certified Coach, and is certified in Mindfulness and Appreciative Inquiry. Brandyn has also served on numerous adjudicatory board in the United Church of Christ, assisted in the revitalization of the Illinois Conference in the UCC, mentor coaching, and teaching in various coaching programs. In his free time, Brandyn enjoys hiking and writing.
You may have read Brandyn’s published work:
- Kindling Hope: Discovering a Life of Meaning and Igniting the World
Contact Rev. Brandyn Simmons
Email:brandyn@brandynsimmons.com
Visit his websites: www.generationscarepartners.org, www.generationscarepartners.com
Coaching Focus: Clergy Coaching, Ministry Teams Coaching, Executive Coaching, Leadership Coaching, Conflict and Change Coaching, Vision and Mission Coaching
About Rev. Dr. Felix: Felix Villanueva lives in Claremont, CA. He has been coaching for 24 years. He serves many roles in coaching as a Mentor Coach with International Coach Federation, the Director of Coaching Services with Vibrant Faith, the Director of Coaching for Latin America and the Caribbean with Coaching4Today’sLeaders, and as an Associate Coach with BetterUp Coaching. Felix has also served in ministry as a US Navy Chaplain (1982-2003), a Hospice Chaplain (2003-2005), a Senior Minister at UCC La Mesa, CA (2005-2010), and in the UCC Southern California Nevada Conference (2010-Present). In his spare time he enjoys playing the Native American flute and traveling around the world.
His certifications include:
Master Certification in Coaching (MCC), International Coaching Federation (ICF)
Harrison Assessment Debriefer
DISC Assessment Debriefer
Doctorate in Organizational Leadership (EdD), Argosy University, Los Angeles, CA
Masters Degree in Pastoral Counseling, Princeton Theological Seminary, NJ
Master Degree in Divinity, Seminario Evangelico de Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR
Bachelor Degree in Biology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR
You may have seen Felix at these Vibrant Faith activities: The Vibrant Faith Coaching School – he is the Director in charge of the certification process.
You may have seen Felix’s published works:
Thriving in the Fire: Coaching Through the Conflicts of Change
A Guide to Effective Ministry Teams: The Pastoral Dialogical Model
Keeping the Watch: Missioning and Visioning for the Church in the 21st Century, Course Workbook
Contact Rev. Dr. Felix Villanueva
Email: drfelix@discoverwonderment.com
Visit his website: https://writeitplainly.com
Coaching Focus: Leadership Coaching; Organizational Leadership; Life Coaching; Team Coaching; Leadership Team Coaching; Coaching Through Transitions — Corporate and Personal; Mentor Coaching; HR Coaching
About Nathan: Rev. Dr. Nathan Swenson-Reinhold, D.Min, lives in Fairfax, Virginia. He is the lead pastor of a multi-site congregation in Northern Virginia. A coach for nearly two decades, he holds an International Coach Federation credential as a Professional Certified Coach (PCC). He has a Doctor of Ministry in leadership, culture, and change. Nathan is a coach trainer for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Coach Coordinator for the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod, and the owner of Summit Coaching and Behavioral Consulting LLC. Nathan is an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) since 2019 through CoachNet Global and is a Certified Behavioral Consultant (DISC). He has been coaching for 18 years. Nathan also enjoys pen turning, car detailing, reading science fiction, and playing acoustic guitar.
You may have seen Nathan participating in these Vibrant Faith activities: C3 Culture of Calling Participant, and working in the Coaching School as a Mentor Coach Teacher/Facilitator
Contact Nathan
Email: nathan@summitcbc.com
Or visit his website: www.summitcbc.com
Meet our Vibrant Faith Coaches
Coaching Focus: Individual, congregational, and non-profit organization coaching; areas of focus include: Family Faith Formation, The Call of Parenthood, Paradigm Shifts, Leadership, Policy Governance, and Storytelling
About Denise: Denise Utter splits her time living in Chicago, IL and Union Pier, MI. She is a freelance consultant, writer, and a speaker—she’s been coaching with Vibrant Faith since 2018. She has worked in ministry and education for 30 years, and her work in parish and diocesan ministries inform her work today. She loves to inspire parish and diocesan leaders to reimagine faith formation, put families at the center of faith, and provide innovative approaches to faith formation. She invites leaders to view the formation of parents from the perspective of calling.
Denise obtained her B.S. in Secondary Education – English and Special Education (Eastern Illinois University) and her Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies (Catholic Theological Union). She enjoys traveling, hiking, kayaking, reading, and spending time with her husband and three adult children.
You may have seen Denise at these Vibrant Faith activities: 2018 Creating a Culture of Calling symposiums, 2019 Vibrant Faith Coaching School, The 2019 Seasons of Lifelong Faith Formation Course, Leading 2019 Innovation Labs: Families at the Center of Faith Formation and Faith Formation for a New Generation, and at various Vibrant Faith webinars.
You may have read Denise’s published works:
- “Letter from the President,” a column in Catechetical Leader, 2018-present
- “Friendship,” a component of The Star Family Curriculum, created for the animated movie The Star (in collaboration between Sony Entertainment Productions and leaders/writers from the National Conference for Catechetical Leaders)
- The Vision of “The Joy of Adolescent Catechesis,” Catechists Magazine
- “Living the Life! Parish Life as the Curriculum” (Catechetical Leader, January 2015)
- Online parent and family curriculum for Our Sunday Visitor’s, Alive in Christ (2013-15)
- Online catechists’ curriculum for the Archdiocese of Chicago (2017)
- Online adult faith curriculum for the Center for Ministry Development (2009-2012)
Contact Denise Utter
Email: dutter@vibrantfaith.org
Visit Her Websites: www.catholicfamilyfaith.org (she is curator/co-designer), and coming soon: www.familieslivingfaith.com
Coaching Focus: Leadership development, discernment and calling, innovation, leading change, congregational renewal, church planting, connecting cross culturally, engaging the community.
About Erik: Rev. Erik Samuelson is a leadership and transformation coach who works with individuals, teams, congregations, judicatories, non-profits, and educational institutions. His wider work is in the areas of vocational discernment, spiritual formation, organizational innovation and change, leadership development, and alternative theological education. Erik is also a long-time community organizer, and a trainer with the ELCA’s Organizing for Mission Network. He is the founder of “Come Alive Coaching” which offers coaching, workshops, practices, and resources to individuals and communities looking to deepen their engagement with vocation, spiritual formation, organizational renewal, and leadership development.
Erik holds an MDiv from PLTS, an MA in Systematic and Philosophical Theology from the Graduate Theological Union, and is in the process of being certified as a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation. He lives north of Seattle, WA where he enjoys spending time with his family (including two poodles), hiking, camping, and cycling whenever he has a spare moment.
You may have seen Erik at: Vibrant Faith Coaching School, C3 “Creating a Culture of Calling” Events, Master Classes, Webinars, or read his blog posts on Vibrant Faith Catalyst.
Contact Erik Samuelson:
Email: esamuelson@vibrantfaith.org
Visit His Websites: www.ErikSamuelson.com
www.ComeAliveCoaching.org
Coaching Focus: Individual Coaching, Congregational Coaching, Non-Profit Coaching, and Leader Coaching.
About Fred: Fred Oduyoye lives in Cincinnati Ohio and is the Founder of Reachable Reconciliation, Inc, an organization and national movement designed to help people integrate into unfamiliar spaces of conversation and relationship. He has been working with and coaching leaders since 2007. He was a National Urban Training Director at Urban Youth Workers Institute for 9 years. Fred has also worked as the National Director of Partnerships/Networking for Youth Specialities for 4 years and is an Advisory Committee Member of the National Network of Youth Ministries. A hobby that Fred enjoys is training and coaching soccer players.
You may have seen Fred at: our Webinar on Reachable Reconciliation (the presenter) and at past Board meetings as he was a Member of our Vibrant Faith Board!
Contact Fred Oduyoye
Email: foduyoye@vibrantfaith.org
Visit his organization: www.reachablereconciliation.com
Coaching Focus: Coaching individuals for empowerment and confidence, who desire to move into the future with purpose. Mark specializes in the area of worship, spiritual formation, and leadership. He is also positioned to work with churches trying to discern a new vision or values, cultivate new ways to worship, or grow and inspire their congregations as Christ followers.
About Mark: Dr. Slaughter serves as the Minister of Worship Arts at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Burnsville, MN. Before moving to Minnesota, he served as the Minister of Music and Worship at First Baptist Church in Owensboro, Kentucky. He has also served in churches in Virginia and Tennessee. In addition to his 35+ years of ministry, he received a Doctor of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary, Master of Divinity and Church Music from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Bachelor of Music from Belmont University. Mark identifies himself as a calculated adventurist that loves to have his eyes wide open and his mind filled with new experiences. Mary Jo (Jody) Slaughter has been his partner in most of these ventures and his wife for 29 years. They have two young adult children, Wesley and Mary Katherine.
You may have seen Mark in this Vibrant Faith activity: Coaching through Vibrant Faith
Contact Mark Slaughter: Please email hello@vibrantfaith.org or markslaughter65@gmail.com to connect with Dr. Slaughter.
Coaching Focus: Individual or Group Coaching, Intergenerational Ministry Coaching, Congregational Coaching
About Melissa: Rev. Melissa Cooper lives in Orlando, Florida. She has been coaching since 2017 and is the Minister of Worship and Arts at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Orlando. Melissa is an ordained Deacon in the United Methodist Church and attended Boston University for seminary. She is a member of ICF, has completed all coach certification trainings and is working toward her PCC (Professional Certified Coach) credential. She has also previously worked for 8 years in camp and retreat ministry. In her spare time, Melissa likes to spend time at Disney World.
You may have seen Melissa active in these Vibrant Faith activities: Coaching, Intergenerational Cohort Coaching, and using Visual Faith cards in her ministry
Contact Melissa Cooper:
Email: mcooper@vibrantfaith.org or revmelissacooper@gmail.com
Or visit her website: www.revmelissacooper.com
Coaching Focus: Congregational Coaching, Individual Coaching
About Michael: Rev. Michael W. Droege lives in New Jersey. He has worked with Vibrant Faith for two years. Michael is ordained through the International Council Community Churches and is an adjunct professor at Drew Theological School. He obtained his MA in Theology from Drew University and is a Certified Facilitator in Dependable Strengths Articulation Process and a PhD Candidate University of Pretoria. Michael has participated in the international intergenerational roundtable at Westminster Abbey In London and taught the first-ever course in intergenerational faith formation at Drew University. In his spare time, he enjoys jazz, StarTrek, and shows.
You may have seen Michael at these Vibrant Faith activities: Coaching, Keep Connected, Thriving Congregations, Cohort Coaching, and on Vibrant Faith online courses
You may have seen Michael’s published works:
Droege, Michael. “Grow Together – the U.S. Church and the Witness of the Global South”. The Generative Church. Ed Cory Seibel. Wipf and Stock. 2019.
Droege, Michael. “Grow Together – a Practical Theology of Generational Inclusion”. Intergenerate 2nd Edition. Ed. Holly Allen, Cory Seibel. ACU Press 2020.
Contact Michael Droege
Email: mdroege@vibrantfaith.org
Coaching Focus: Individuals and Institutions Coaching. Her specialities include Clergy and Congregational Team Coaching, particularly for senior/lead/executive pastors and congregational teams engaged in justice-making in the movements for Black and Black LGBTQ+ communities. Additionally, she provides cultural competency and leadership coaching for people committed to anti-racist, organizational change, and personal performance-enhancing work.
About Shonda: Rev. Shonda Nicole Gladden lives in Indianapolis, IN. She is a Coach Consultant for Vibrant Faith, the CEO of Good to the SOUL, and the Associate Pastor at Crossroads AME Church. Shonda has been coaching since 2017, shortly after she joined the Vibrant Faith team as a Coach for the C3 Project. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Morgan State University, a Master of Divinity from Wesley Theological Seminary, a Master of Theological Studies from Wesley Theological Seminary, and holds 100 GPSS Leadership Coach Training Student Hours and Mentor Coaching Hours in progress.
Shonda is a mother, a scholar, and a dedicated social entrepreneur who has served as a coach, community advocate, state ambassador, clinician and speaker throughout the world; she is one of the tri-chairs of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival in Indiana. Rev. Gladden has received numerous awards and recognitions, including a Reflective Leadership Grant from Leadership Education at Duke Divinity (2018), a Do Good X Fellowship from The Forum for Theological Exploration (2017) and The Wabash Pastoral Leadership Award from Lilly Endowment, Inc. (2014). She is currently an American Studies PhD Student at Indiana University (IUPUI). In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, singing, reading, writing, and playing an occasional internet-based game of logic.
You may have read Shonda’s work: Becoming: Maximizing Failures and Living into My Best Self
You may have seen Shonda participating in these Vibrant Faith activities: C3 Creating a Culture of Calling, Vibrant Faith webinars and various trainings.
Contact Rev. Shonda Nicole Gladden
Email: sgladden@vibrantfaith.org
Visit Her Website: www.shondanicolegladden.com
Coaching Focus: Tammy is a whole person coach focusing on health, healing and wholeness (of body, mind and spirit)
About Tammy: Deacon Tammy Devine lives in Minnesota and is passionate about health, healing and wholeness. She is currently the ELCA Coaching Coordinator for Stewardship and Discipleship. In 2018, she established Devine Coaching. Devine served as the Wellness Manager for the Evangelical Church in America, for 14 years, serving the church through Portico Benefit Services.
Tammy is a strategic and systemic whole person promoter of well-being, through education and inspiration throughout the ELCA and full communion partners. Devine collaborates with thought leaders to facilitate and motivate whole person lifestyle choices and serves as an external wellness consultant and coach to integrate well-being to support a healthier culture.
Devine is a registered nurse, (BA, Augustana University, Sioux Falls), a Master’s in leadership from Luther Seminary. She is a parish nurse/coordinator. Completed the two year program: Grace Institute for Spiritual Formation. Completed coach training through Auburn Theological Seminary, became ICF certified in May 2016 and serves as a coach for health, healing and wholeness.
You may have seen Tammy participating in these Vibrant Faith activities: Tammy has attended Leading Well events as one of the Leading Well Retreat leaders and facilitators.
Contact Tammy Devine
Email: Tdevine59@gmail.com or tammy@tammydevine.com
Visit her website: www.tammydevine.com
Coaching Focus: Coaching for Individuals, Leaders, Congregations, and Relational coaching.
About Tanya: Rev. Dr. Tanya Eustace Campen lives in San Antonio, Texas. She is the Director of Intergenerational Discipleship in the Rio Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church and has been a teacher, trainer, consultant, and ministry leader for 12 years. She obtained her Doctorate of Philosophy from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in Christian Education and Congregational Studies and her Master of Divinity from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. She also holds United Methodist Certifications in Music Ministry, Christian Education, Youth Ministry, and Children’s Ministry. Tanya’s research focus is children’s spirituality. She has 20 years of ministry experience including previous appointments in the local church and at Discipleship Ministries (a global agency of the UMC). Tanya writes, teaches, and trains leaders regularly on issues concerning children, families, and intergenerational ministry and likes to fit in her hobby of running in her spare time.
You may have seen Tanya participating in these Vibrant Faith activities: the 2019 Symposiums, Visual Faith, and online courses. She has also taught courses for Vibrant Faith Institute.
Contact Tanya Campen
Email: tcampen@riotexas.org
Coaching Focus: Coaching for Educators, Clergy/Pastors, Faith FormationLeaders, Congregational Leaders, and for those leading from the “Second Chair”. Von also offers coaching for leading in unchartered territory, dealing with staff challenges, undergoing transitions, exploring calling and more.
About Von: Rev. Dr. Von Clemans lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is honorably retired from his position as a PC (USA) Pastor/Educator and has been coaching for two years. He obtained a B.A. in Physics from VW Institute of Technology in West Virginia, an M.Div from Union Seminary (Virginia), an M.A. from Presbyterian School of Christian Education (Virginia) and a D.Ed. Min from Columbia Theological Seminary in Georgia. He is trained as a Healthy Congregations facilitator (2001), and trained through a Post Graduate Seminar in Family Emotional Process (2003/4) and Clergy Clinic in Family Emotional Process (2019). He is an Associate Certified Coach (ICF) having completed Vibrant Faith’s ICF Accredited Coach Training Program. Von has also served as President of the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators (2016), a member of the Religious Education Association, and a participant in the Mt. Zion Archeological Dig in Jerusalem (2014/17). In his spare time, Von enjoys photography, computer technology, reading, and traveling – especially to the Holy Land and to Greece/Turkey.
You may have read Von’s work: Making Disciples, Making Leaders – a Manual for Church Officer Development, Second Edition, co-author with Steven P. Eason, Westminster John Knox Press, (2016)
You may have seen Von participating in these Vibrant Faith activities: the 2016 Engaging Adults Workshop, 2017, 2018, and 2019 Vibrant Faith Coaches Trainings, and the 2019 Symposium.
Contact Von
Email: evclemans@vibrantfaith.org
Coaching Focus:
Leadership coaching for individuals, teams or cohort groups.
About Shana:
Shana lives in Elkhart, Indiana, and holds the ACC certification from ICF. She loves to meet with individuals, teams or cohorts to clarify purpose, maximize existing strengths, and encourage the heart. Shana listens with empathy for your ideal future and helps you build a bridge from where you are now to the future you envision, identifying action steps that are aligned with your most deeply held values. Shana has been mentoring pastors and lay formation leaders for more than 20 years in Mennonite Church USA, first as a conference minister then as a denominational minister. Now, she is the owner of Wisdom Calls Coaching. Her training in intercultural competence and spiritual direction are evident in her coaching. She is a member of ICF and has taken the PCC training.
You may have seen Shana at these Vibrant Faith activities: Coaching Trainings, Master Classes
Contact Shana Boshart:
Email: shanaboshart@gmail.com
Visit her website: shanaboshart.com
Coaching Focus: Challenge leaders to look at their work from a different perspective and guide them in improving or (re)inventing their approach in leadership.
Coaching individuals to embrace their gifts and talents and empowering them to use those gifts in their ministry settings or through any transition in life.
About Janny [yani]: Janny was born and raised in The Netherlands and worked in settings where she could use her strengths: observing and analyzing challenging parenting and work situations and advising parents and professionals on how to improve their ability to work and raise children and youth with special needs.
Education is a big passion of Janny. She loves to help professionals improve and re-imagine their work and/or life and is convinced life is always in transition – the choices we make along the way make us grow (or not 😉).
She has used her gifts in different settings while living in the U.S.A. In 2007, Janny was hired to improve a Dutch School in Southern California in order to prevent the loss of funding. In 2012, she started working at a Lutheran church to grow their Children Ministries and worked there in the Youth Ministry as well. She served on the church council as vice & co-president in 2017-2018. Janny’s latest job in a church setting was as Congregational Life Director where her focus was to guide the congregation in the transition of becoming an official Reconciling in Christ church.
Janny is passionate about bringing improvement to organizations and leading others through change, towards a desired future. Her best work is done through one-on-one coaching relationships.
Janny has a Dutch Masters’ degree in Educational Sciences, a Bachelor’s in Pedagogy and has completed training to lead a Dutch Elementary school in a foreign country. She is proud of having her own coaching business as of 2021, http://franknsense.co/ and being an ICF – Associate Certified Coach.
You may have seen Janny at Vibrant Faith’s Certification School, Leading Well retreat in AZ, and Coaching School 2020.Contact: franknsense50@gmail.com
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