Our team represents a fascinating, diverse array of women. From Fortune 500 executives to knowledgeable non-profit attorneys, and from leaders from academia to megachurch executive staff, each woman has exhibited success in her respective field. And while they are all moms, wives, and professionals, their greatest commonality circles around their burning desire to see empowered professional women all coming together under the banner of Jesus Christ.
Grace A. Stephens
Chief Executive Officer
Grace's work in key leadership positions at major universities around the country, and as an executive for Kaplan, Inc. and Goldman Sachs & Co. on Wall Street prepared her for a unanimous appointment as President and now Chancellor of Generations College in Chicago, where she serves as the first African-American and first woman to hold this role, while acknowledged as one of the youngest college presidents in America. She received her B.A. from the State University of New York; an M.A. from New York University; an Ed.M. from Columbia University; an Ed.D. from the University of Pennsylvania; and she studied at the Institute for Higher Education at Harvard University. Grace is a licensed minister and holds ministry credentials at the doctoral level from seminary. She is committed to a life of service and regularly ministers to denominations as a preacher, teacher, and leader.
Kathryn Krischke
Chief Operating Officer
Kathryn has held a nominated position in the Symposium for Excellence In Teaching by the University of Illinois and the National Science Foundation. She owned two businesses prior to her work in education and has completed work in DNA sequence analysis of 16S rRNA data sets. She has 14 years of experience in education, has worked as a Program Director and Advisor for students, and currently oversees the Online and Continuing Education Program at Generations College. Kathryn has a degree in Business and Molecular Biology and was Chapter Leader of the Society of Ethnobiology. She completed her second year of the School of Kingdom Ministry, where she also volunteers at the school’s events. Kathryn is a strong believer who continuously desires to grow in her relationship with the Lord.
Nancy Hollis
Chief Financial Officer
Nancy is the Founder and CEO of MoneyWise Strategies Group, a non-profit organization focused on providing unbiased financial education workshops and seminars. Nancy began her career at Goldman, Sachs & Co. where she was a product manager for the firm’s asset allocation mutual fund products. She later assumed a role as Managing Director at Bivium Capital Partners, LLC, an investment management firm she co-founded and helped grow to over $1.3 billion in assets. Nancy received her BA in Economics from New York University and her MBA in Finance from Columbia Business School. As a firm believer in Christ, her passion for financial literacy finds her regularly educating youth and empowering them to increase their financial acumen and personal financial growth.
Claudia Castro
Chief Legal Counsel
Claudia is the Chief Legal Counsel for the newly created Illinois Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board. Prior to that, she was the General Counsel for the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault in Springfield. She began her legal career as an Assistant State’s Attorney with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in Chicago. Claudia graduated from the Western Michigan University Cooley Law School in Lansing, with a concentration in litigation. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Loyola University Chicago where she majored in Criminal Justice and earned her Associate’s degree in paralegal studies where she also taught in their paralegal and criminal justice program. Claudia was named as one of Chicago Daily Law Bulletin’s 40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch list in 2012. As a lifelong Christian, she has always worked to advocate for victims of crime and the Latino community.
Amy Edge
Chief External Relations Officer
Amy is a board member of the Medical Foundation of NC, the Boy Scouts of America Occoneechee Council, and the Step Up Ministry. She also is an active member of The Philanthropist Society, has recently joined the Red Cross’s Tiffany Circle, and sits on the Advisory Board of Union Bank. Amy co-founded Recovery Logistics, LLC (RLI), where she helped secure the National Disaster Recovery Contract for the largest cellular carrier in the world and grew to become the nationwide leader in business continuity and disaster recovery services. RLI’s Hurricane Sandy recovery effort set “the standard by which all other communication recoveries were measured.” She collaborated with top executives at Fortune 500 companies to pre-plan their storm recovery efforts. Amy received her MBA from Meredith College.
Kim Clay
Chief Communications Officer
Kim is the Director of Communications at Living Word Christian Center in Forest Park, Illinois, and all its related entities, where she has served for 15 years. She also serves as a volunteer faculty member for Joseph Business School (JBS) and teaches in the Living Word School of Ministry. She served in various communication management positions at The NutraSweet Company, and later at The Merisant Company. She received her undergraduate degree from Wellesley College, a master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Michigan, and a master’s degree in journalism from Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Kim loves the Lord and enjoys teaching and helping people grow spiritually, personally, and professionally.
Adrienne Deans-Craven
Chief Relationship and Solutions Officer
Adrienne is an award-winning real estate agent and founder of Deans Group Realty LLC located in North Carolina. Under Adrienne’s direction, and with annual sales of $30 million, Dean’s Group Realty has become one of the fastest organically growing real estate companies in the Triangle area. She worked for national and local industry notables such as Re/Max Highlander Realty; Keller Williams; Block and Associates; and Fonville Morisey. She has a degree from North Carolina State University. Adrienne’s genuine love and concern for others and her passion for helping them reflect the heart of Jesus, who is her Lord and Savior. Each day she recommits herself to being the best Christian and professional woman that she can be.