Board of Directors
The ITeams USA Board of Directors provides spiritual and organizational guidance for ITeams USA. This group of Christian leaders is passionate about the transforming power of Jesus Christ. They believe by faith that ITeams is a part of God's Kingdom and that God is in control. Therefore, as leaders they submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and seek His will in all matters.
Board Member Biographies:
Dr. Alford H. Ottley - Board Chair
Al serves as Vice President for Global Initiatives of Northwestern College in St. Paul, MN. Prior to his current role, he served as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affiars at Northwestern College. Prior to coming to St. Paul, he has held a number of administrative and faculty positons in higher education, corporate and government. Al has graduate degrees in chemistry and a PhD in leadership. He also holds a master's degrees in finance and has focused on skills in executive leadership in an academic environment. He is passionate about personal ministry and local church outreach and is committed to world missions and carries an infectious humor and kindness that make him welcome in every setting. Al and his family live in West Virginia and serve in leadership at their local church.
Dr. Don Bray
Don brings extensive experience in missiology, organizational development, and board governance to the ITeams USA Board of Directors. Since entering full-time ministry in 1965, Don has served as a pastor in two states, lived in Papua New Guinea as a tribal evangelist and church planting missionary, and held multiple leadership positions within The Wesleyan Church, including 15 years as general director of Global Partners, The Wesleyan Church's mission arm. Under his leadership Global Partners experienced rapid growth in hard-to-reach areas such as Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Burma, Pakistan, and Eastern European nations. At present Don serves as Garden Campus Pastor at Christ Fellowship in West Palm Beach, Florida. He also serves on the boards of directors for World Relief and World Hope International. Don earned bachelor's and master's degrees in religion from Marion College and Olivet Nazarene University, respectively. Don is married to Joy and has three children and nine grandchildren.
Reverend Catherine Gilliard
Catherine was appointed to the Board of Directors in May, 2004. Married to Derric, with three children Adam, Dominicue, and Veronica, she holds a MDiv degree and serves as a multi-cultural church planter. Her heart is for training, education, and prayer.
Shino G. John
Educated through the New York City public school system, Shino holds a Bachelors degree in Psychology and World Religions from Rutgers University and a Master of Divinity degree from the Alliance Theological Seminary. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in Education. He has served professionally in higher education for over a decade, in roles including Associate Director of IS for Advancement, Assistant to the President for Development, Vice President for Development, Director of Development, and more recently as Assistant Dean for Advancement at Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations. As VP of Development for Nyack College, Shino gave oversight to all areas of Public Relations, Alumni Relations and Development. Shino currently serves as the Assistant Dean for Advancement at the School of Management and Labor Relations of Rutgers University. The school is seen as the preeminent source of expertise on managing and representing workers, designing effective organizations, and building strong employment relationships. Shino’s passion is to build sustainable institutions of higher education that will have a transformative positive impact on the lives their students and the communities in which they live.
Tim Obendorf
Tim brings over 20 years of corporate finance and financial services industry experience to ITeams USA. Tim is currently Managing Director at Evanston Advisors, an independent wealth management firm, where he leads the marketing and new business development functions. Previously he served as Vice President and Assistant Treasurer at The ServiceMaster Company, where he played an integral role in the company’s strategic financial planning, directed capital markets transactions, and managed the company’s captive insurance and trademark licensing companies. Prior to ServiceMaster, Tim spent 12 years in commercial and investment banking roles at Bank One and its predecessor banks. Tim is a graduate of Wheaton College, where he earned his BA in economics and business, and of Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management. Tim resides in Glen Ellyn, IL with his wife Becky and their two daughters. Tim and his family are active in their local church, and Tim serves on the steering committee for the Chicago chapter of The Barnabas Group, a ministry focused on engaging business leaders to use their marketplace skills serving Christian organizations.
Silas Shadid
Silas grew up in a Lebanese missionary family in the Middle East. Educated in Germany and later completing a Masters in International Business and Chemical Engineering, Silas has devoted himself to building global missions partnerships. Silas operates a real estate investment and management company in the Chicago, Illinois area. He and wife Arti are leaders in the international ministries of Willow Creek Church.
Joyce Fisher
With five children and 14 grandchildren of her own, Joyce has a real heart for issues affecting women and children. She has a passion for women’s ministry, and has spent many years ministering to women and coaching them through life’s ups and downs. She has also served as co-coordinator for a Chicago-area conference attended by 16,000 women, and has been an integral part of a networking and support group for women in ministry. Joyce has also helped resettle refugee families as they have begun a new life in the Chicago area. On an international level, she has been involved in helping women and children in crisis, including AIDS orphans in Africa, as well as in training pastors around the world in discipleship. “Through International Teams, I feel God has opened a door to serve Him in a new way,” Joyce shares, “and I am responding to His leading. If I can’t be the missionary, then what better way to bring hope and healing to the oppressed than by serving on the US home team.”
