NBA Staff

Our Staff

Meet the Team

The NBA staff is committed and called to create communities of compassion and care in collaborative partnerships with Disciples health and social service ministries.

Mark D. Anderson

President & CEO

Rev. Dani Loving Cartwright

Vice President of Operations

Rev. Tamara Chestnut

Associate Vice President of Development

Rev. Tiffany Curtis*

Peer Learning & Wellness Group Specialist

Dr. Tene Davis

Director of Young Adult Leadership Development

Jerell DeCaille

Health & Social Service Partner Program Coordinator

Rev. Darnell Fennell

Director of Social Entrepreneurship

Rev. Bere Gil Soto*

Peer Learning & Wellness Group Convener

Rev. Rebecca Hale

Executive Vice President

Cindy Kim Hengst*

Peer Learning & Wellness Group Convener

Rev. Héctor J. Hernández Marcial

Director of Community Engagement

Amy Johns

Chief Financial Officer

Rev. Monica Wedlock Kilpatrick

Vice President of Organizational & Leadership Development

L. Christie Koetting

Associate Vice President of Accounting

Rev. Virzola Law*

Mission Specialist, NBA XPLOR

Rev. April Lewton

Vice President of Development & Marketing

Rev. Ashley Mayham

Social Entrepreneurship Program Coordinator

Lauren Nunn

Accounting Associate

C. Mark Palmer*

Peer Learning & Wellness Group Convener

Rebecca Rea

Development Associate

Rev. Angel Luis Rivera-Agosto

Community Engagement Senior Coordinator, Justice Initiatives

Jasmine Sanchez

Administrative Associate

Joselyn Spence

Director of Me​ntal Health & Wellness Initiative

Reginald Warren

Administrative Associate, Event Support

Kara Whitehouse

Operations & Grants Management Coordinator

* denotes independent contractor


Staff Stories & News

NBA Board of Trustees Fall 2022 Meeting Centered on Partnerships

Learn More

NBA Welcomes New Staff to Development and Operations Teams

We’ve got some new faces on staff! Get to know them.

Learn More

NBA Trustees Meet Virtually to Deepen Equity Work, Celebrate Outgoing Trustees

In June, NBA Trustees met virtually to deepen their equity work with the organization, review program updates, and celebrate outgoing trustees.

Learn More

NBA Announces Spring 2022 Mission & Ministry Grants

We are pleased to announce our Spring 2022 Mission & Ministry Grantees! Our grant program granted a total of $203,000 to 28 Disciples projects working with older adults, children, and youth.

Learn More

NBA Virtual Board Meeting Focuses on Community Engagement and Equity

Learn More

NBA Celebrates Rev. Monica Wedlock Kilpatrick’s New Leadership Role

We are so proud to announce Rev. Monica Wedlock Kilpatrick’s new role as the Vice President of Organizational & Leadership Development.

Learn More

Reflections Following the White Co-Conspirator Summit

Rev. Foster shares learnings from her experience at the Scarritt Bennett Center White Co-Conspirators Conference.

Learn More

NBA Honors Rev. Margie Pride of Memorial Boulevard Christian Church

The National Benevolent Association celebrates the ministry of and congratulates Rev. Margie Pride on her recent retirement from more than 30 years of ministry as pastor of Memorial Boulevard Christian Church in St. Louis, Missouri.

Learn More

The SENT Seminar Confirmed That I’m on the Right Path

Attending the 2020 SENT Seminar was the confirmation Amie Vanderford needed to keep shaping her new social enterprise Project Least.

Learn More

NBA Board of Trustees Fall 2020 Meeting A Spirit of Collective Care and Gratitude

NBA Board of Trustees met to discuss and approve the 2021 budget and to hear updates on NBA's work related to organizational and leadership development, social entrepreneur efforts, and community engagement advocacy.

Learn More

Virtual Community Organizing: AMOS Institute of Public Life Holds Digital Workforce Summit

Learn More

Introducing NBA’s 2020-2022 Multilingual Latin@ Pastors and Leaders Peer Group

Introducing NBA's newest Peer Learning and Wellness Group for Advocacy and Activism.

Learn More

NBA Welcomes Second Incubate Partner of 2020, Good Life Care Resource Center

The National Benevolent Association is welcoming another faith-rooted social enterprise as a new Incubate partner. Good Life Care Resource Center is NBA’s twelfth Incubate partner.

Learn More

NBA Encourages Civic Action on Election Day Nov. 3

In partnership with the Office of General Minister and President and other Disciples of Christ general ministries, the NBA will use Tuesday, November 3, and the weeks leading up as a time for action, advocacy, and activism as it relates to voting rights in the United States.

Learn More

NBA Announces New Incubate Partner, StoryWagen

The National Benevolent Association welcomes StoryWagen as a new Incubate partner and affiliate that is committed to innovative approaches to health and social service ministry.

Learn More

Meet our SENT 2020 Presenters

NBA has adapted its traditional SENT model and moved the seminar to online-only this year. We are grateful to our lineup of esteemed presenters who will share their knowledge with our SENT participants. Get to know them!

Learn More

How Two NBA Staffers Spent the Weeklong Pause

After NBA's weeklong pause, staff members Brittany King and Rebecca Hale came together to discuss the week of rest, what it meant to them individually, and offered some perspective on how other organizations considering a similar pause could do the same.

Learn More

NBA XPLOR Announces Hiatus for 2020-21 Program Year

After considerable discernment, the National Benevolent Association (NBA) has made the difficult decision to place our young adult residential program, NBA XPLOR, on hiatus for the 2020-21 program year.

Learn More

NBA Board of Trustees Meets Virtually, Reflects on Racial Justice, Coronavirus

Members of the Board of Trustees for the National Benevolent Association of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) met June 4–5, 2020, for their Spring meeting.

Learn More

NBA Pauses Operations for Week of Reflection and Care, June 15 – 19

During the week of June 15–19, the National Benevolent Association will pause all staff operations and programs. For this week, the NBA will not be hosting any events nor will we be meeting with leaders of peer groups and various ministry partner organizations. Our staff will refrain from responding to emails and we will be silent on our NBA social media accounts.

Learn More

XPLOR Responds to Coronavirus with “Virtual” Residency Model

NBA XPLOR has been a nexus of change and transformation for young adult Residents and local communities since it began in 2004. This spring, COVID-19 brought changes to our program, here's what we're doing.

Learn More

A Letter from our President & CEO Regarding COVID-19

Let us acknowledge that it has been stressful as we all have responded to concerns related to Coronavirus.

Learn More

NBA Announces Staffing Updates, Winter 2020

The National Benevolent Association of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is grateful for the ongoing commitment of our staff and is excited to announce recent staff updates and celebrations this season.

Learn More

Snapshots from 2019

A look back at the wonderful year NBA has had!

Learn More

Announcing the 2019 Mission & Ministry Grant Recipients

For the third year of the Mission & Ministry Grants Program, NBA is granting a total of $166,200.

Learn More

In a Spirit of Thanksgiving and Preparation, NBA Board of Trustees Meets in Pomona

As an annual practice, the NBA board meets once a year at or near the location of an NBA partner. With that, the NBA staff and board were excited to meet on the campus of Urban Mission Community Partners (UMCP) in Pomona, California. Read about our time spent with Incubate partners and our board.

Learn More

Honoring Those Who Served Before Us

In honor of All Saints Day, we give thanks for the legacy left by those who have come before. We're thankful for their service and impact they've left on the National Benevolent Association!

Learn More

In Memoriam: Richard D. Savage

The National Benevolent Association of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) shares our sincere condolences and prayers of peace with the family of Richard D. Savage, former NBA Development staff member who died on September 30, 2019.

Learn More

Meet the 2019-20 NBA XPLOR Residents

Meet the sixth cohort of NBA XPLOR Residents, beginning the 2019-20 XPLOR program year!

Learn More

NBA Announces New Incubate Partner, Broken Mended and Restored

The National Benevolent Association adds a tenth Incubate partner, Broken Mended and Restored.

Learn More