Meet the Team
Jeff Keaton
Founder, President & CEO
A successful pastor, church and school planter and ministry entrepreneur, Jeff
Keaton has spent his adult life believing that through Christ anything is possible.
As the founder and CEO of Renewanation, Jeff now works across the United States and
Canada to help awaken the church to the great need to give every child a
biblical worldview. Jeff is the author of The Life of Radical Faith. He has been
married to his high school sweetheart, Michele, for 35 years, has two married
daughters, Julianna and Heidi, and three grandchildren.
Ron Gordon
Executive Vice President
Ron brings strong education and corporate executive experience to the cause of RenewaNation. He leads our Christian Education Division and is a co-founder of iLumenEd Academy. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering and an MBA from Virginia Tech. Ron spent 22 years in the corporate world, leading manufacturing organizations, managing numerous multi-million dollar projects, and building cross-functional teams. He currently leads our Christian School Division, while also shepherding overall operations. Ron and his wife, Tonya, live in Roanoke, VA and are blessed with 3 children.
Dr. Josh Mulvihill
Executive Director of
Church & Family Ministry
Dr. Josh Mulvihill is the Executive Director of Church and Family Ministry at RenewaNation. Josh served as a pastor for nearly 20 years, has a PhD in Family Ministry, serves on the board of Awana, is the Assistant Editor for The Review Magazine, and is the author or editor of ten books on parenting and grandparenting including Biblical Grandparenting, Biblical Worldview, and 50 Things Every Child Needs to Know Before Leaving Home. He is married to Jen, they homeschool their five children, and live in Minnesota on a farm where they raise KuneKune pigs, heritage breed chickens, and their black lab Liberty. Josh blogs at GospelShapedFamily.com, enjoys camping with friends, reading a great book next to a crackling fire, and catching fish in Minnesota lakes.
Chuck Robb
Director of Ministry Partnerships
Chuck joined RenewaNation in March 2019 and adds a diverse ministry and business background of 20+ years. During his time as an executive pastor of a multi-thousand member church, Chuck was responsible for construction projects, programming for a human trafficking safe house, city wide events, leadership development and preaching. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Southeastern Louisiana University. With Renewanation, Chuck works in developing ministry partnerships so that thousands of children will begin the process of developing a biblical worldview each new year.
Curtis Cornell
Chief Operating Officer,
Director of Scholarship Development
Curtis joined the RenewaNation team May 2017 with more than 20 years experience in the healthcare and sales industry. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Radford University and a Master of Science degree from Jefferson College of Health Sciences. Curtis brings a demonstrated ability to successfully establish operational strategies and expertise in leadership, department management and new business development. Curtis and his wife, Brandi, live in Roanoke, VA with their daughter, Ashtyn.
Judy Ralph
Executive Administrator
Judy came to RenewaNation in 2014 after spending 25 years in the corporate world where she served in various leading administrative roles. She also brought 30 plus years of ministry experience and is sold out to claiming the next generation for Christ. She serves with a sense of joy, professionalism, and passion. Judy and her husband, Tom, live in Vinton, VA and are greatly enjoying their 9 grandchildren.
Elisabeth "Beth" Blair
Administrative Assistant
Audrey Tuck
Financial Administrator
Audrey joined the RenewaNation team in the fall of 2022; she hails from W. Sussex, England and relocated to the USA in 1989. Raised in post-WW2 Europe against a wholly secular backdrop Audrey was introduced in VA (through the guidance of her husband, Gary, and the wonderful Tuck family) to the extraordinary gift of grace offered by Jesus and was baptized in 2016. Audrey considers herself blessed every day that one small part of God’s plan for RenewaNation includes her skillset of book-keeping and customer service honed over many years working in commercial property management.
Great is His Faithfulness!
After 35 years as a pastor’s wife, with extensive experience in office management, fiscal management, church administration, and education, Beth came to RenewaNation in January 2022. She holds a BA degree in Education from Allegheny Wesleyan College. Her combination of ministry experiences and organizational skills provides the needed expertise to efficiently serve the administrative and events departments of RenewaNation as a remote assistant. As the mother of 4 grown children with whom she spent 24 years as a homeschool educator, Beth is passionate about the need for children to have the foundation of a biblical worldview. She and her husband, Bill, make their home in Zanesville, Ohio, where they cherish time spent with their children and grandchildren.
Gretchen Pike
iLumenEd Administrator
Gretchen joined RenewaNation in July of 2021 after 25 years in the classroom and as an Administrator in faith-based schools. Her passion for seeing children around the world approach learning and life with a biblical worldview formed early in her own life, causing her to pursue undergraduate and graduate studies at Cedarville University and Columbia International University, from which she received degrees in Education, Teaching English as a Foreign Language, and Intercultural Communication. Gretchen considers every classroom a mission field on which children may receive excellent academic instruction rooted in sound biblical principles while being loved with the love of Christ.
Wendy Tavenner
iLumenEd Administrative Assistant & Educationalist
Wendy Tavenner has spent the last twenty years in education, first as a homeschooling parent of two, then as an English literature instructor at the secondary level. In addition, she served as the administrator of Arlington Christian School in Arlington, Washington. She received her undergraduate degree in English and education from Rice University in Houston, Texas, and has obtained a Master of Arts in English with a Focus on Education from Grand Canyon University.
An Air Force wife and mother of two adult children, she now resides in western Washington. Because God chose the written word as His primary means of communication with humanity, she believes literature is one of the great methods of sharing in God’s creativity. Discerning reading, careful composing, and eloquent speech enable us to communicate God’s love and redemption to a needy world. They are truly an act of worship.
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Tonya Gordon
Director of RenewaNation's Educator Advancement Program (REAP)
With over 26 years of combined experience in public, private, and homeschool education, Tonya is blessed with an extensive and unique perspective on pedagogy. She has served in various educational roles, including teacher, state SOL auditor, assistant principal, academic dean, and homeschool tutor/educator. With a deep passion for providing children with a biblical worldview and supporting Christian educators, Tonya serves as the Director of RenewaNation’s Educator Advancement Program (REAP) and, as one of iLumenEd's co-founders, she is also the Curriculum and Instruction Advisor. Tonya and her husband, Ron, live in Roanoke, Virginia, and are blessed with three amazing children, Caleb, Jacob, and Gracie Kate.
Brian C. Mashburn, PhD
Director of Online Services
Brian is the Director of Online Services for RenewaNation and serves as Technology Director after co-founding iLumenEd Academy. With experience as a collegiate faculty member in both traditional and virtual institutions, it was during the decade as Technology Director at a Christian K-12 system where God gripped Brian’s heart for international missions. Brian’s passion is developing opportunities for people around the world to receive a biblical worldview education and faith growing experiences through technology and digital content. Brian holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Arkansas and resides in Little Rock, AR with his wife, April, and three children.
Jay Shacklett
Business Systems Administrator
Jay brings an education and technology background to service as the Systems (SAAS) Admin for RenewaNation where he primarily supports the technology needs of students, families and faculty of iLumenEd Academy. With experience in K-12 technology, teaching and counseling as well as university counseling, and having studied philosophy in his earlier days, Jay has been passionate about Biblical worldview for many years. Joining the team in 2022, he is excited to contribute to the building of a Biblical worldview in young people as a foundation for living lives devoted to Christ. He holds masters degrees in religion and business, enjoys music and savors coffee grown on the hillsides of the country of Panama where he resides with his wife and children.
Amber Pike
Church and Family Ministry Coordinator,
The RenewaNation ReviewMagazine Editor
Amber has almost two decades of service in the church as a children’s and family ministry director. She is the author of several books, Exploring the Bible Through History, The Family Cookbook Devotional, and Top 50 Ordinary People in God’s Extraordinary Plan. In addition to authoring and contributing to multiple books, Amber has created resources for the home and church. Over the last decade, because of her passion for seeing boys and girls loving the Word of God and walking with Him, Amber has worked with numerous ministries, creating content and curriculum, including Answers in Genesis, David C Cook, EPIC Ministries, and more.
Amber has spoken at national conferences for children’s ministry leaders, taught online trainings, and served as the former Dean of Kidmin Academy (an online training course for children’s ministers). Find episodes of her podcast, The Kidmin Huddle, as well as several articles and training videos at her website, AmberPike.org.
Though Amber keeps herself busy writing and creating (and, according to her, loving every minute of it), her favorite role in life is caring for the family God has blessed her with. Amber and her husband Ron have two children whom she homeschools.
Dave Sekura
Executive Director of Manderley Christian Camp
and Conference Center
Dave has been the Executive Director of Manderley Christian Camp and Conference Center (MC4) since January 2022. He came to MC4 after serving for 30 years in camping and sports ministries. Dave is married to Stephanie who serves alongside him and they enjoy one daughter, Allison, who participates with the program staff during summer camps.
Stephanie Sekura
Executive Assistant of Manderley Christian Camp
and Conference Center
Stephanie has been the Executive Assistant at Manderley Christian Camp and Conference Center (MC4) since February 2022. She has over 30 years of experience in camping and sports ministries and serves alongside her husband, Dave. Stephanie is also the choir director of her church and the pianist on the praise team. She and Dave enjoy one daughter, Allison, who participates in the program staff for summer camps.
Andrew Mast
Manderley Farms
Andrew Mast was born and raised on the mission field in Argentina. He graduated from Kentucky Mountain Bible College with a bachelor’s degree in biblical studies with an emphasis on youth discipleship.
Elson Mast
Manderely Farms
Al Gainey
Education Consultant
Al Gainey joined the RenewaNation coaching team in 2019, bringing with him a wealth of business and Christian school experience. Beginning his career in the commercial banking arena for over two decades he began a 19 year sprint of starting and managing multiple successful businesses. Al has been involved with Christian education for over 30 years. As a board Chair, he led the unification of a traditional Christian school and a university model school in 2016 and became its founding President. Al's financial, marketing and fundraising gifts have enabled Lanier Christian Academy to accomplish sustainability for the future, to which he gives all glory to God. He and his wife Ann have been blessed with two wonderful children and two incredible grandchildren.
Meet the Board of Directors
Jeff Keaton
Chairman & CEO
Formerly a pastor, church and school planter, and ministry entrepreneur, Jeff Keaton has spent his adult life believing that through Christ anything is possible. As President and CEO of RenewaNation, he works across America challenging Christians to reach the world for Christ and to get involved in the great cause of giving children a biblical worldview. He is the author of The Life of Radical Faith.
Dr. Larry Daugherty
Secretary
Larry Daugherty earned his Ed.D. in private school administration at the University of San Francisco. Larry has served as secondary principal, superintendent, and interim superintendent at various Christian schools. He co-founded the Great Plains Alliance of Christian Schools in KS and served on the board of ACSI for 10 years. Larry volunteers with House of Hope Kansas City as board chairman and with the Shawnee Rotary Club.
Greg King
After 20 years in the nation’s capital, Greg and his wife, Kim, moved to southwest Virginia to steward C12 Business Forums in Virginia’s Blue Ridge mountains. Prior to a business career in a global, high-technology company, he served as an officer in the U.S. Army for over 25 years. His personal mission is to encourage and equip Christian business owners to lead well and steward their businesses according to timeless Biblical principles. Greg’s passion is to see others succeed in their families, businesses and in their relationship with Jesus. Greg and Kim have been married for over 37 years. Their daughter Sarah and her husband live in Charleston, SC.
Nina Gillespie
Treasurer
Nina graduated from Millersville University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Secondary Education-Mathematics. Nina was Director of Customer Service at Carlisle SynTec Systems. She worked at Merrill Lynch as a Financial Advisor and Resident Director. Before her retirement in 2015, she held the title of Sr. Resident Director, Vice President, Wealth Management Advisor with designations of Certified Financial Manager and Certified Retirement Planning Consultant, a designation earned from the College for Financial Planning, Denver, CO.
Nina served as the United Way campaign chair for 2010/2011.
Bruce Smith
Bruce Smith earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Youngstown State University. During a 43-year professional career, Bruce spent time in the Office of the Vice President, stationed at the White House, Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and The Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) as the assistant for interagency and international affairs. Bruce also has a strong ministry background. He was an elder, trustee, and treasurer of the National Presbyterian Church and The National Presbyterian School in Washington, D.C. Bruce then spent more than a decade at McLean Bible Church. He is currently involved in ministry as an elder at EastLake Community Church in Moneta, Virginia. Bruce and his wife, Darby, are both passionate Christians and Renewanation partners. They have been married 40 years and have three children and two granddaughters.
Stephen Edwards
Vice-Chairman
Stephen Edwards is a University of Kentucky alumnus, and self-employed entrepreneur who is active in the local business community. He is partnered with various companies, one of which holds 2 US patents, of which Stephen is the co-inventor. Recently, Stephen was a policy board member for Cornerstone Christian Academy located in Shelbyville, KY.
Stephen has been an active member of Southeast Christian Church for over 20 years.
He has been a resident of Oldham County, KY for over 20 years. Stephen and his wife Sandy have four children. He is an avid outdoorsman, and one will most likely find him at the farm fishing or hunting with one of his 3 sons or daughter.