Ministry Leadership Summit

Suzanne Allison-Davis has served as President at Greenville University for the past six years following her appointment as Executive Vice President. Suzanne attended the University of Illinois for both her Masters in Business Administration and Juris Doctorate degrees after graduating from Greenville University with degrees in Philosophy and Political Science.  Prior to returning to her alma mater, Suzanne practiced law at Lemna, Moore and Carroll and taught business law at Eastern Illinois University.  Suzanne currently serves on the board of Brotherhood Mutual Insurance and has served on various non-profit boards including most recently HSHS Holy Family Hospital.  She is also the Vice Chair of the NCAA Division III President’s Council where she leads Strategic Budgeting and Planning for Division III for the NCAA Board of Governors.

Gary Friesen has spent his career at the intersection of law, peacemaking, and the global Church — and the journey has taken him to more than 30 countries. After years in private legal practice in Oregon, Gary felt called to serve more directly in the Kingdom, leading him to Peacemaker Ministries and ultimately to his current role as Vice President and General Counsel for The Christian and Missionary Alliance, where he has served since 2014. With degrees from George Fox University and Willamette University College of Law, and a PhD in corporate conflict resolution, Gary brings rare depth to the complex challenges Christian organizations face. He is a trusted voice for leaders navigating the places where faith, law, and organizational health meet.

Rick Garris is Assistant Vice President of Human Resources at Colorado Christian University, where he has led the HR team for the past 19 years. With 44 years of HR experience spanning both for-profit and nonprofit sectors, he also serves as affiliate faculty in CCU’s College of Adult and Graduate Studies School of Business and Technology. Rick holds an M.S. in Human Resource Management from Chapman University and senior professional certifications from SHRM and HRCI. He is a past president of the Colorado Springs Human Resource Association and former board member at Cadence International. Outside of work, Rick has been married to Donita for 42 years and enjoys golf, hunting, and time with his family.

Jennifer Holloran serves as President and CEO of American Bible Society, sharing decades of experience in the global movement to expand Bible access and engagement. Prior to joining ABS, she served Wycliffe Bible Translators USA for more than 22 years, most recently as Chief Operating Officer. She holds a doctorate in strategic leadership from Regent University as well as a Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Human Resources from University of Central Florida. Jennifer and her husband, Tim, live in Philadelphia, PA.

David Nammo has served as executive director then president and CEO of Christian Legal Society since 2012.

He is the former executive vice president of the Leadership Project for America. He also served as the executive director of the Family Research Council Action, the 501(c)(4) arm of the Family Research Council. He also started the first PAC for the Family Research Council and engaged in the 2008 election cycle.

David consulted and worked for a variety of employers over several years, including Gammon & Grange, a Virginia law firm; defense consultants for the Defense Intelligence Agency, and as a sole practitioner practicing trademark and business contracts law. His prior employment at Christian Legal Society was as the director of attorney and law student ministries. 

David is co-owner of a record label out of Southern California. He and Laura, his wife, have six children.

Matt Shandera is a founding team member, leading growth, at Gamaliel.ai, where he works to build Biblical AI tools without compromising theological integrity. His career spans nonprofit and mission leadership — including the Director of Marketing at CURE International and as a Campus Pastor at LCBC Church — alongside senior roles in enterprise software at New Relic and Confluent, where he led hands-on AI implementation supporting a billion-dollar global business. That combination of mission-world fluency and enterprise technology experience is what brought him here. He believes mission leaders should be shaping the AI conversation, not just reacting to it.