FEATURED SPEAKERS

PASTOR SAM LEONOR

Sam Leonor is the Mission and Spiritual Care Executive for Adventist Health. He enjoys exploring the connection between spirituality and vocation through research, writing, and speaking to a wide range of audiences in church, business, and academic settings. For more than 20 years, Sam worked in higher education as a university chaplain and adjunct professor at La Sierra University. His connection with Adventist healthcare began in Central America where his parents worked to develop the denomination’s health and educational missions in Nicaragua and Guatemala. Sam’s background includes time as a pastor and teacher in North Carolina and Tennessee. He has degrees from Southern Adventist University and Andrews University.

ANN STEIMER

Ann Steimer came to the Potomac Conference in 2014. She has over 26 years of teaching experience in private and public schools. She currently teaches 1^st and 2^nd grades at Tree of Life Christian Preparatory School in Fredericksburg, VA, as well as overseeing the Pre-K and Kindergarten there. She is married to a wonderful music teacher, Jim. They are the proud parents of their 19-year-old twins, Andy and Allie. They share their home with 2 dogs and three cats. Ann has wanted to be a teacher since she can remember and feels very blessed to be a part of the Potomac Family.

ELDER CHARLES A. TAPP

Charles A. Tapp was elected President of the Potomac Conference Corporation in March 2021. Prior to taking this post, Tapp served for 13 years as senior pastor of the Sligo Seventh-day Adventist Church.

For nearly 40 years and in many scenarios, Tapp has served as a pastor, professor, administrator, writer, and radio/television host, sharing God’s love and saving grace with the world. His ministry is fueled by the message found in Zechariah 4:6: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD Almighty.” Prayer is at the center of his life and the way he leads the ministry of Sligo Church. An avid racquet sports fan and reader, he also enjoys being a lifelong student. He and his wife, Maureen, a nurse administrator, have three grown daughters.

PASTOR MARVIN WRAY

Marvin Wray is a “retired” pastor who is currently serving in his third interim pastorate in Chico, California. He served for 43 years in full-time pastoral ministry, including six years in Hong Kong and five years as the Ministerial Director at the Potomac Conference. Marvin has written three books: “First Class Male’, “Putting Up With Mr. Right,” and “Journeys.” The last was his sabbatical journey to visit 70 Adventist around the U.S. and Canada to see what was working and what wasn’t. He and his wife, Ingrid, live in Grass Valley, California. They love traveling to visit their five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

BREAKOUT PRESENTERS

DARLENE ANDERSON

Darlene Anderson has served as the school nurse at Shenandoah Valley Academy since 2014.   She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Walla Walla University.  To Darlene, caring for the health of the students encompasses physical, social, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual well-being. Darlene was featured in the North American Division Mental Health Educator Training Toolkit video series, is part of the New Market SDA Church mental health committee, and is currently completing her certification as a Sources of Strength trainer. She previously also served as a member of the Potomac Conference COVID Taskforce.  Darlene is happily married to Shane Anderson, and they have two delightful young-adult daughters.

THEREZINHA BARBALHO

Therezinha Barbalho felt called to the pastoral ministry at the age of 18. She attended the Seminary at the Adventist University of Sao Paulo. After graduation, she was called to the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Belém, São Paulo, Brazil, where she served as a Bible worker. Since she could not be a pastor in her country, she went to Law School, graduating in 1998 and becoming a licensed lawyer in Brazil.

In 2009 she accepted a call from Potomac Conference to be the pastor of the Richmond-Brazilian SDA Church. After receiving her M.Div. from Andrews University in 2017, she returned to serve as the pastor of the Silver Spring SDA Church. Therezinha has been married to Zeli Leite, a maestro pianist, and composer, for 30 years. They have a beautiful and lovely daughter, Rafaella, 22. Her hobbies include drawing, swimming, and playing basketball.

KAREN CRESS

Dr. Karen Cress holds a doctorate in Strategic Leadership and Foresight from Regent University. Her mission is to bring out the best in pastors and church leaders through coaching and consulting so they can create unique cultures that draw their communities to God. Karen and her husband, John Cress, served in the Potomac Conference office from 2011–2016. Today, Dr. Cress consults and coaches through her business, Culture Shift LLC, in southern California.

JOHN NIXON II

John Nixon, II, D.Min. is a native of Brooklyn, NY. He has been married for 21 years to his college sweetheart, the former April Mendinghall. Together they have two school-aged children; John III, a high school senior, and Julia, a sophomore, both at TA.  John is a graduate of Oakwood University (BA in Theology) and Andrews University (Master of Divinity). He earned his Doctor of Ministry degree in Leadership at Andrews University Theological Seminary in 2013. John has been a pastor for 22 years and currently serves as Lead Pastor of the Takoma Park Seventh-day Adventist Church. On December 1, he will officially assume his new role as the Associate Ministerial Director, North for Potomac Conference.

STEPHANIE POWELL

Stephanie Powell is married to her husband Andy and currently holds the position of Dean of Women at Shenandoah Valley Academy. Stephanie completed a Bachelor’s in Social Work and a Master’s in Social Work, Counseling, and Administration. A particular passion has been to create conversations and awareness that build forward momentum in the creation of mental health resources and programs in the Adventist school system. Stephanie also partnered with the North American Division to create training videos for their mental health initiative. Most prominently, Shenandoah Valley Academy was recently tasked to build on its mental health program. In response, Stephanie has been one of the staff to receive training, work towards certification as a Sources of Strength trainer, and create programming around these goals.

TODD WHITTAKER

Recognized as a leading presenter in the field of education, his message about the importance of teaching has resonated with hundreds of thousands of educators around the world. Todd is a professor of educational leadership at the University of Missouri and professor emeritus at Indiana State University. He has spent his life pursuing his love of education by researching and studying effective teachers and principals. One of the nation’s leading authorities on staff motivation, teacher leadership, and principal effectiveness, Todd has written over 60 books, including the national best seller, What Great Teachers Do Differently. Todd is married to Beth and has three children.