Scott Hagan

Scott Hagan, M.A., is the seventh president of North Central University. He began this role in June 2017, following a highly successful career as a church planter and pastor. He is author of six books and more than 60 articles on leadership, influence, and biblical application. Hagan is currently completing his Ph.D. in Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife, Karen. The Hagans have four married children and six grandchildren.

Scot Welch

Skot is the Principal/Founder of Global Bridgebuilders (GBB). A firm focusing on Organizational Development, Cultural Transformation and Inclusion; Global Bridge builders is an international team providing services to enterprises across the globe. Prior to the launch of Global Bridgebuilders, Skot served as Vice President of Business Development and Benchmarking Services for DiversityInc magazine in New Jersey, where he worked with many of the Fortune 500’s biggest global brands across a broad range of industries. Skot is the Author of 101 Ways to Enjoy The Mosaic: Creating a Diverse Community Right in Your Own Backyard. Skot received his Bachelor’s Degree (B.A.) from Albion College and His Masters in Management and International Marketing (M.M.) from Aquinas College. Skot and the love of his life, Barbara reside in Michigan and have two children.

Troy Jackson

Troy Jackson is the State Strategies Director for Faith in Action (formerly PICO National Network), a position he started in March 2018. Jackson works with a set of states to build power organizations that can engage faith leaders and directly impacted communities in successful campaigns for racial and economic justice. From 2014-2018, Jackson served as the executive director of the AMOS Project, a faith-based organizing effort that regularly engages more than 50 congregations in Greater Cincinnati to work for racial and economic justice.

Jackson served on staff of University Christian Church (UCC) in Cincinnati for nearly 19 years, and served as the congregation’s Lead Pastor from 1996-2013Troy is a co-author of Forgive Us: Confessions of a Compromised Faith (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014), which explores the historic sins of the American Church. Troy earned his M.Div. at Princeton Theological Seminary and received a Ph.D. in United States history from the University of Kentucky. Troy lives in Columbus with his wife Amanda and their three children, Jacob, Emma and Ellie.

Oneya Okuwobi

Oneya Fennell Okuwobi is a Ph.D. candidate in Sociology studying race and religion at The Ohio State University. Along with her husband, Oladele, Oneya is founding elder of 21st Century, a church plant in Cincinnati, OH. She is co-author of Multiethnic Conversations: An Eight-Week Journey toward Unity in Your Church. It is the first personal devotional and small group study on multiethnic life and church designed for people in the pews. Oneya is a graduate of the University of Virginia (B.A. – Economics) and Regent University (M. Div. Practical Theology). You can find Oneya @Ookuwobi or Transcendculture.com.

Ray McMillian

Ray McMillian is the founder and president of Race to Unity. For 22 years, he has worked with other pastors and ministry leaders to unify the Body of Christ according to Christ’s prayer in John 17:21-23.

In Ray’s own words:
Unity is my passion, because unity is Jesus’ passion. Unity is where our power lies, as the Church. Jesus tells us, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” And Satan will continue to taunt and triumph over the Church, as long as we are divided. When we are unified, we will be supernaturally empowered to stand against the enemy and defeat him.

Ray is also married to the beautiful singer/songwriter Diann McMillian, and has four wonderful adult daughters. By God’s grace, Ray and Diann have led The Oasis congregation for over 30 years.

Pastor Chris Beard

Chris Beard has served as Lead Pastor of Peoples Church in Cincinnati since 2001. After a short assignment in international missions, God directed him to Peoples Church with the challenge of building church like heaven on earth. Inspired by John 17:20 – 23 and Revelation 7:9, the deacon board and staff united in support of this vision God placed in Chris’ heart: becoming a “Racially reconciling, generational rich, life-giving church, flourishing in the heart of Cincinnati.”

Peoples Church currently represents over 35 nations and provides worship, discipleship and missional opportunities as a one new humanity body ranging from early childhood to senior adults. Since 1996, Peoples Church has assisted in the planting of more than twenty churches, eight of which have ethnic and generational compositions similar to Peoples Church.

Robin McMillian

Robin McMillian is a worship leader, songwriter, a gifted speaker, teacher, writer, and poet.

She strongly believes that the “Millennials” can and should be reached for Jesus Christ, because Millennials are strategically positioned to influence a great change in the Church and in America.