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Bill Frisby / Strengthening Leaders L3C
Bill founded Strengthening Leaders in 2007 and leads the firm as CEO. The firm continues to grow in influence, impacting leaders and organizations in the private sector as well as non-profits, including faith-based, performing arts, and healthcare organizations. As Bill strengthens our clients he draws from over 30 years of international non-profit and corporate leadership experience. He provides executive coaching, organizational consulting, and training to leaders. He has worked with leaders at Operation Mobilization, SIL, Word of Life Fellowship, The Gideons International, WorldVenture, ECFA, Columbia International University, Chick-fil-A and many other organizations. Bill helps leaders build healthy teams and achieve first-rate organizational performance and results. He has served as the Principle of a Bible College in the FIJI Islands, US Coordinator and Board Member at AFCI, VP of Public Ministry at OM USA, led Training and Development onboard OM’s ship MV Logos II, and led a multi-national team in the Italian Alps while pastoring a local church. For more than 25 years, Bill has been a conference speaker (leadership, management, missions, and more) in the USA and Internationally.
Bill earned a BA Degree in Business Administration/Marketing from the University of Kentucky and went on to be a high performer in Sales and Marketing with Cities Service Company in the petro-chemical business and with InterfaceFLOR in the specialty high-tech floor covering industry. Bill did his graduate studies at Talbot Theological Seminary and Biola University, majoring in Inter-Cultural Studies and Pastoral Ministry.
In 1989, Bill was ordained at First Baptist Church of Atlanta, Georgia by Dr. Charles Stanley, Andy Stanley, and the rest of the FBA pastoral staff. He successfully completed Bobb Biehl’s Consulting Institute and a unique one-year intensive mentorship with Bobb, a master consultant and executive mentor. Bill is an active member of the Association for Talent Development (ATD).
Bruce Deel / City of Refuge, Inc.
Bruce Deel is bold, relentless and unyielding in the fight against poverty and the consequences it has in Atlanta, GA. Bruce is the Senior Pastor of The Mission Church and founder and Chief Executive Officer of City of Refuge. He founded the organization in 1997 with a mission to help the broken, assist the at-risk and prevent future crises. For the past 17 years, his mission has been to bring light, hope and transformation to the last, lost and least of Atlanta’s inner-city with passion and excellence and lead others to do the same with integrity and sincerity.
Located in one of Georgia’s toughest neighborhoods, City of Refuge provides housing, medical and mental health care, educational training, vocational training, case management and a host of other services to the disenfranchised and homeless of the city. A 210,000 square foot warehouse serves as the base of operations and Bruce believes that collaboration is essential to positive life-change. Thus, partners in childcare, medical services, and vocational training have offices and staff on the City of Refuge campus.
Bruce is a graduate of Lee University in Cleveland, TN, married for 28 years to his beautiful wife, Rhonda, and proud father of 5 daughters. As a result of his experience and success in positively impacting those in crisis, Bruce is a sought after speaker and serves as a consultant to numerous non-profits around the country.
As a credit to his successful leadership at City of Refuge, Bruce has received numerous awards and recognitions, including being honored by the Governor’s Office, being named a Pathfinder by TBS, receiving the Bridge Builder Award given by the Georgia Coalition Against Homelessness, and being honored by the Atlanta Braves and People Magazine as a national “All-Star Among Us.” Most recently Bruce was presented the Epoch Award based on his positive impact on the city of Atlanta over the past 17 years.
Michele Rickett / She is Safe
Michele Rickett has led international outreach for over 20 years. Her life mission was born out of experiences living and working in Africa as a young missionary, where she learned that girls were often kept home to work, marry or be sold. She established SIS to share Christ and equip women and girls to build new lives in the highest-risk and least-reached places. She began by creating partnerships with local women leaders across the globe, while researching, publishing and speaking to raise a Christ-centered response to the abuse and slavery of women and girls. Under her leadership, She Is Safe has assembled a highly effective team and forged effective strategies to equip oppressed women and girls to break the cycles of abuse and slavery as they learn about and live for Christ. “Our work won’t be complete until every one of the 600 million girls in the developing world has her fair opportunity to consider Christ, and become the woman He created her to be.”
Michele is a published author and engaging speaker. She has co-authored three books, among them is InterVarsity Press bestseller Forgotten Girls, co-authored with Kay Marshall Strom. The new Expanded Edition includes the latest statistics, and a discussion guide with scripture for use in bible study groups and book clubs.
