Faith & Action Spring Conference

David Ambroz 

David Ambroz is an award-winning national poverty and child welfare expert and advocate and an Emmynominated and bestselling author. Growing up homeless with a mentally ill mother on the streets of New York, Ambroz and his siblings suffered the difficulties and indignities encountered by millions of homeless children in America. Instead of being in school, his family was looking for a dry place to sleep and stealing food to eat. When Ambroz enters the foster care system, he’s hopeful he’s found salvation, but instead he falls prey to abuse in every placement home except one. Seeking solace and hope, he finds support in his local libraries and at school, and through grit, determination, and the kindness of others, Ambroz earns a scholarship to Vassar College, his first significant step in escaping the cycle of poverty that threatens to trap him for life. He goes on to graduate from UCLA Law with the vision of using his degree to change the laws that affect children in poverty that have been systematically overlooked and unprotected. In his deeply personal and moving memoir, A Place Called Home (Fall 2022), Ambroz describes his journey as a vulnerable child being crushed under the weight of poverty and mental illness to his experiences with America’s broken welfare system to finding the perseverance to rise above his circumstance to create a better future. Ambroz is a highly sought-after speaker at non-profit organizations, colleges and universities, corporate philanthropic groups, and conferences around the country. In his talks, as well as his book, Ambroz provides an inspirational call to action for audiences to move from empathy to action. Former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton says, “it’s impossible to read A Place Called Home and not want to redouble your efforts to fight the systems of poverty that have plagued America for far too long…[Ambroz provides] a rousing call to make this a more humane and compassionate nation.” Recognized by President Obama as an American Champion of Change, Ambroz currently serves as the Head of Community Engagement (West) for Amazon. He previously led Corporate Social Responsibility for Walt Disney Television, and served as the President of the Los Angeles City Planning Commission, and as a California Child Welfare Councilmember. He is a foster dad and lives in Los Angeles, CA.

Kenya Anderson

Kenya Anderson is a dedicated professional with a passion for education and social reform.With eight years of teaching experience and eleven years in social work, she has significantly impacted many lives. Kenya began her career as an early education instructor after earning a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Martin University. She later excelled as an ELA educator, engaging students and fostering their growth. Transitioning to social work, Kenya focused on case management and homeless prevention and intervention for marginalized populations, developing innovative programs to address homelessness. Her empathetic nature and expertise have helped individuals and families regain stability and hope.

Joe Bowling

Joe Bowling serves as the Executive Director of Englewood Community Development Corporation. Joe has lived, worked, worshiped and raised a family in the Englewood Neighborhood on Indy’s Near Eastside since 1993. Located within Englewood Christian Church, Bowling leads a nonprofit staff of 25 focused on comprehensive and equitable grassroots community development. Englewood has created and serves approximately 400 households with affordable rental housing, while also providing pathways to economic empowerment and home ownership. Englewood has completed numerous impactful economic development projects such as the award winning $38 million revitalization of the historic P.R. Mallory property as a mixed-use campus anchored by two high performing community schools.

Pastor Darrell L. Brooks 

Pastor Darrell L. Brooks, a Columbus, Ohio native, is the pastor of New Liberty Missionary Baptist Church in Indianapolis. With a background in architecture and theology, he is pursuing a doctorate at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. A former AT&T executive, he now serves as clergy chairperson for the Black Church Coalition, 2nd Vice Moderator of the Capital City Fellowship M.B.A., and 2nd Vice President of the Indiana M.B.S.C. A gospel recording artist and dedicated leader, he also works in the MSD of Pike Township while fulfilling his pastoral and community commitments. 

Hale Crumley

Hale leads Prosperity Indiana’s statewide coalitions, trainings, and events to equitably increase the housing and economic opportunity of low and middle income Hoosiers. She also supports organizational relationship development and marketing & communications. With years of previous experience in community engagement, Hale demonstrates a deep commitment to the nonprofit sector and its collective mission to strengthen communities in need. Hale is a proud first generation college graduate, being the only member of her family to obtain higher education. She holds a Master of Public Affairs degree in Community & Economic Development from Indiana University, a Bachelor of Public Affairs degree in Nonprofit Management & Leadership from Indiana University, a certificate in Public Policy & Budget Models from the University of Pennsylvania, and a certificate in Storytelling for Social Change from the University of Michigan. Hale is an accomplished coalition builder and communications strategist, receiving a number of invitations to present her work at state and national conferences every year. She has also written several pieces for the IndyStar and Indianapolis Business Journal.

Grace M. Findley

Grace M. Findley, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, brings a wealth of experience to the world of philanthropy. She earned her B.A. from Kent State University before embarking on a transformative journey with the Peace Corps in Azerbaijan. It was during her service there that she met her husband, Andrew. Now settled in Indianapolis, Indiana, they share their home with two boys, two dogs, and two cats—a lively household that mirrors Grace’s vibrant approach to life.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Grace thrives in the great outdoors. When she’s not championing philanthropic causes, you’ll find her biking along scenic trails, lacing up her running shoes for a spirited jog, or tackling challenging hikes and rock-climbing routes. Her passion for pushing boundaries extends beyond the office; it’s woven into the fabric of her existence. Grace’s dedication to staying active and exploring new horizons is a testament to her unwavering commitment to breaking barriers and creating positive change; she is dedicated to breaking down barriers and transforming systems that have historically left so many behind in terms of wealth building. Grace believes that philanthropy should be a catalyst for change, ensuring equitable opportunities for all.

Pastor Reginald Fletcher

Pastor Fletcher graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration and a Master’s Degree in Special Education and is a former high school Teacher and school Administrator.  Pastor Fletcher and First Lady Vanessa have one daughter, Charlene and one granddaughter, Laila.
Living Word Baptist Church was founded 34 years ago by Pastor Fletcher with the dream to be a true community church. Our focus has been to infect those around us with the Gospel. God has afforded us the opportunity to be able to enhance the lives of people with His vision to build a people for Him. We have a three-pillar approach to sharing the gospel with the whole man. Engaging the community, Housing and the Homelessness, and Mental and health wellness. These three points of contact for God’s people drive the meaning of ministry for Living Word.

Dr. Chelsea Haring-Cozzi 

Dr. Chelsea Haring-Cozzi is a champion of collective impact, compassionate leader, lifelong learner, and advocate for equitable systems change.  She serves as the Executive Director for the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention & Prevention (CHIP), the lead agency for the Indianapolis Continuum of Care. Before joining CHIP, Chelsea worked in Community Impact at United Way of Central Indiana, focusing on issues of homelessness, mental health, and criminal justice reform. Prior to that, she was an Assistant Professor of Political & Justice Studies in Chicago, IL. Chelsea has dedicated her professional life to engaging, researching, teaching, and advocating for inclusive and fair opportunities for all individuals, with a specific focus on social justice in housing, education, and the criminal justice system. She holds a master’s degree in public administration (MPA) and a Ph.D. in public policy and political science from Michigan State University. Chelsea enjoys hiking, good coffee, live music, brunch, and traveling.

Dr. Winterbourne Harrison-Jones 

A fifth-generation minister, Dr. Winterbourne Harrison-Jones is widely sought after as a preacher, workshop facilitator, and philanthropic consultant. Holding degrees and professional development credits from Fisk University, Colgate Rochester Crozier Divinity School, the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin Germany, and the Estudio Sampere Spanish Language School in Salamanca Spain, Dr. Harrison-Jones is a highly creative and results-driven ecclesial leader and non-profit management professional with entrepreneurial passion and unparalleled vision. With nearly a decade of experience in pastoral leadership, faith-based community development, fundraising, educational resource design, and proven leadership in civic and community engagement, Dr. Harrison-Jones has a proven ability to effectively build coalitions across both racial and organizational barriers while excelling at analyzing systems and procedures in order to improve efficiency and program quality. He is the esteemed Senior Pastor of the Historic Witherspoon Presbyterian Church of Indianapolis, Indiana — considered by many to be “the Abyssinian and Ebenezer of Indianapolis.” Dr. Harrison-Jones is married to Dr. Jillian Ardelia Harrison-Jones, the former Richard Wesp Assistant Conductor of the Cincinnati Children’s Choir, who now serves as the founding Associate Artistic Director for the Delaware Academy of Vocal Arts.

Matt Impink

Matthew Impink is the Director of Housing and Economic Security for the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office. Impink works with service providers to offer housing supports for participants in the Quality of Life program and advises MCPO leadership on housing issues in the justice system. He previously served as the Founding Executive Director of Indy Achieves and Vice President of Postsecondary at EmployIndy. He currently serves as an Associate Faculty Member at the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IU Indianapolis. A proud Indianapolis native, Impink lives with his wife Allissa and their three daughters in Fletcher Place.

Melody Johnson 

2.5 years ago Mel was a client at Outreach who slept in their parking lot, next to the trash can every night looking forward to 9am on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays- when Outreach opened. She had many relatives but felt that she had no true family, until Outreach came in the picture.

Aside from consistent and truly unconditional love and support- Outreach staff allowed Mel to produce the audio for their first Transform Dinner/Fundraiser. This single handedly jumpstarted Mel’s career as an artist. Mel is now a multidisciplinary musician & artist primary working at Cornerstone Lutheran Church as a Relations Specialist, specializing in music production while maintaining community connections and interactions with youth and Young Adults that utilize Outreach Resources. She recently received A Creative Entrepreneurship grant from the Indy Arts Council and she is planning to use the funds continue giving back to the community that she came from.

Rabbi Brett Krichiver

Rabbi Brett Krichiver is known within the Indy Jewish community, and by and through many of his interfaith efforts, as a caring teacher of Jewish texts, a compassionate leader for social justice, and a strong community builder.  He in the Senior Rabbi at the historic Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation, where he has led for over a decade, and serves as past chair of the Indiana Board of Rabbis.

Rabbi Brett has made social justice one of the key pillars of IHC’s programming and engagement, through partnerships with the Interfaith Hunger Initiative, the Center for Interfaith Cooperation, the grassroots Group Faith in Indiana, the Multi-faith Neighbors Network, and most recently the Greater Indianapolis Multi-faith Alliance.

He has served on CTS’s Faith and Action advisory committee since it’s inception in … bringing an important faith perspective into our work together.

Another great passion in our senior rabbi’s professional life is the cultural arts. He has produced multiple theatrical performances, and brings his own dramatic writings and Iyyunim (liturgical poems) into our community each Shabbat. Rabbi Krichiver seeks to engage and inspire through creative expressions of Judaism – music, visual art, and especially theater. He is a Wexner Fellow and a Bronfman Alum. He is a founding clergy member of IndyCAN, a community organizing group partnering with religious institutions city-wide. He also serves as a Board Member at Second Helpings and Planned Parenthood. He participates in the Northside Clergy Group, creating interfaith programming throughout Indianapolis, and serves on the Advisory Committee for Goldman Union Camp Institute, his childhood camp. He is past chair of the Indiana Board of Rabbis.

Rev. Nicole D. McDonald, PhD

The Reverend Dr. Nicole McDonald is a recent graduate of the Ph.D. program in African American Preaching and Sacred Rhetoric at Christian Theological Seminary. She is an adjunct professor who teaches Queer Womanist Preaching at Chicago Theological Seminary. Currently, Dr. McDonald serves as the Interim Senior Pastor of Central Christian Church in Indianapolis. Prior to entering the pastorate, she served over 14 years as a healthcare chaplain in hospice and level-one trauma centers. Pastor Nicole has a heart for God’s people. As a queer, womanist practitioner-scholar, she strives to build justice-oriented communities of radical inclusivity where all feel welcomed.

Adam Mueller 

Adam Mueller is an attorney and the founding executive director of the Indiana Justice Project (IJP), a non-profit law and policy organization that advocates for systems change in Indiana—specifically in the areas of housing and health justice. Prior to starting IJP, Mueller spent sixteen years as an attorney at Indiana Legal Services, and for the last eight, served as the director of advocacy.

Pastor Anthony Murdock 

Anthony Murdock is responsible for implementing the strategic vision of Eastern Star Church as Executive Pastor.   Murdock has operated in various areas of responsibility in ministry over the past 30 years. Prior to working in full-time ministry, he worked in development as a manager, executive and business owner. He received his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Purdue University. He has also attended seminary.  He is a licensed and ordained minister and has been connected to Eastern Star Church in various areas of responsibility over the past 25 years.  He is happily married with three children.

Bianca W. Phillips

Bianca Phillips currently serves as the Director of Family Services at the Indianapolis Urban League. She has more than 15 years of experience in training, establishing productive partnerships, networking, recruiting, project management, and non-profit/collaboration with Community Based Organizations. A Bloomington, Indiana native, Ms. Phillips is a strong advocate for those who need a “Second Chance,” or have been impacted by the justice system, especially when finding suitable employment providing livable wages and suitable housing.

Ms. Phillips briefly worked at IndyGo on a grant from the Lilly Endowment and the National Urban League as the Community Recruitment Manager. In that role, she quickly realized that having decent, safe, and affordable housing before obtaining a job was pertinent to the quality of life for a newly hired employee, as well as higher retention at the company.

Bianca currently sits on the Board of Directors for Count US Indiana, is the team lead for the Housing department with The Validus Movement, an active member of the Marion County Reentry Coalition (MCRC) and is a Trusted Mentor. In her free time Ms. Phillips likes traveling, listening to live music, and spending time with family.

Matt Rayburn

Coming Soon!

Dr. Mike Simmons 

Government, nonprofits, faith based organizations and educational institutions are central to the health and prosperity of every community. Dr. Mike Simmons and the team at Bridge Builder Strategies work alongside these organizations with the express purpose of helping them deliver on their mission, accelerate and amplify their impact and attract greater investment. Our approach is deeply collaborative, with a focus on practical, action-oriented strategies.
Before launching Bridge Builder Strategies in 2018, Dr. Simmons worked for 30 years at Eli Lilly and Company where he held roles in sales, marketing, and corporate affairs. Throughout his career, he has distinguished himself through his ability to effectively connect and convene stakeholders and then help foster collaboration and guide data-informed program design and implementation.
Dr. Simmons holds a B.A. in English from Wabash College, an MBA from Butler University’s Lacy School of Business, and a DBA in Marketing from Kennesaw State University. He is currently on the faculty of Butler University where he teaches New Product Development and directs the MBA Board Fellows Program. He has previously taught a range of courses including product management, brand management, and biotech marketing in MBA programs at Babson College and San Francisco State University. He also serves as an advisor to start-ups as well as a variety of non-profits. He has also lent his talents to a number of community organizations and non-profits as a volunteer and board member.

Rabbi Dr. Aaron Spiegel

The Greater Indianapolis Multifaith Alliance gathers faith leaders representing diverse religious traditions into a sacred friendship, in order to collaborate on civic projects that serve the common good of greater Indianapolis, making our city a more equitable place.
Aaron was a founding director of the Center for Congregations, and architect and director of the Congregational Resource Guide. As a trans-denominational rabbi, his focus is helping congregations, nonprofits, and socially minded businesses implement high availability strategic plans and make positive social change.
After acting as Interim Executive Director for the Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), he accepted the role of inaugural director of GIMA. Aaron is also the President of the Synagogue Studies Institute, collecting and interpreting data about synagogues for the American congregational landscape.
Aaron is an experienced leader and strategic planner in IT, nonprofit management, and digital marketing, as well as a consultant, published author, and seasoned public speaker.

Hoyt Stafford

Hoyt Stafford recently came onto the team full-time after graduating Magna Cum Laude from Wabash College in May 2024. He is originally from Auburn, IN where he attended DeKalb High School.  Hoyt worked as a 2023 summer project management intern for Bridge Builder Strategies. He initially worked with Bridge Builder Strategies through Wabash College’s CIBE program in 2022 and moved into the CIBE Manager role in 2023. Hoyt has built relationship and self-sufficiency models, built corporate responsibility rubrics, and managed multiple projects across our three focus areas. Hoyt’s strong research and critical thinking skills have led him to successfully managing many of Bridge Builder Strategies strategic planning projects.

Ben Tapper

Storyteller | Advocate | Equity Builder

Benjamin Tapper is a passionate speaker who helps audiences explore race, identity, justice, and community change in a way that feels both personal and powerful. As the first Chief Diversity & Equity Officer for Indianapolis, he’s led efforts to make city policies more inclusive and create real opportunities for marginalized communities.

With a background in faith, advocacy, and public policy, Benjamin weaves together stories and strategies that inspire action. He’s worked with students, nonprofits, and community leaders to challenge inequity, rethink leadership, and build collective power.

His talks invite students to reflect, engage, and leave with a deeper understanding of how they can create change—right where they are.

Sara VanSlambrook

Sara VanSlambrook is the Chief Impact Officer at United Way of Central Indiana. As a member of the executive team, VanSlambrook is responsible for evolving and executing impact initiatives that are designed to move struggling families toward self-sufficiency, support the basic needs of the community’s most vulnerable individuals, and spur innovation in social services. She leads United Way’s community impact, strategic information, and public policy teams.

Under her leadership, United Way transformed its grantmaking to a results-focused impact strategy. She established a framework for United Way’s work in the community that guides implementation and has led the organization through multiple strategic plans to focus efforts and achieve greater impact. Most recently, VanSlambrook led the administration of the COVID-19 Community Economic Relief Fund (C-CERF) to bring more than $23 million in grants to 200 organizations serving people impacted by COVID in a little more than 100 days in the midst of the pandemic.

VanSlambrook joined United Way of Central Indiana in 2016 as Director of Great Families 2020, the initiative aimed at integrating education and employment services to help stabilize and improve the lives of struggling families in five Indianapolis neighborhoods. In 2017, she was promoted to Senior Director of Community Impact and led United Way’s planning process for its new strategic framework. VanSlambrook was subsequently promoted to Vice President of Community Impact before taking on her current role. Prior to her time at United Way, VanSlambrook worked as a Senior Program Officer at Local Initiatives Support Corporation where she led the Great Indy Neighborhoods initiative – engaging community stakeholders in neighborhood development and transforming community planning citywide – and the follow-up project Great Places 2020.

VanSlambrook has 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector with expertise in program development, community engagement, fundraising, evaluation, and financial management. She is an advisory board member for the Blueprint Council to End Homelessness, the Faith and Action Project, Indy Chamber Education Council, Indy Inclusive Growth Collaborative, and the Indiana Nonprofits Project. She also serves on the board for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Indianapolis. Over time, her leadership has been developed through opportunities as a 2018 Tobias Fellow, 2014 Plan 2020 Fellow, and a graduate of the Stanley K. Lacy Executive Leadership Series Class XLI. She was named an Indianapolis Business Journal Woman of Influence in 2020.

VanSlambrook earned her Bachelor of Arts in Social Justice at Saint Mary’s College and her Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University. Additionally, she holds a certificate in fundraising management from Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

She lives in the Midtown area of Indianapolis with her husband and four children.