Walker Leadership Institute

Insights is a series of conversations on topics related to missional leadership. In each conversation Walker Leadership founding director Steve Lawler interviews subject matter experts as they share insights from their work that will strengthen the practice of missional leadership. Register here to watch the guest speakers listed below.

Michelle Barton
Professor Michelle Barton, visiting professor at Bentley University in Boston, talks about team resilience and managing when faced with the unexpected.

Rabbi Elan Babchuck
Rabbi Elan Babchuck a rabbi and an entrepreneur is the Founding Director of Glean Network, an incubator, and network for entrepreneurs who are building new models of faith in action and Director of Innovation at Clal, a think-tank focused on the future of faith in America.

Virgil Tipton
Virgil Tipton is the Executive Director, Integrated Marketing; Branding, Medical Public Affairs at Washington University School of Medicine. His experience as an award-winning journalist, extensive background in organizational change, technology, and electronic media informs his insights on how to communicate and connect with one’s audience in this time of social distancing.

Kyle Tallman
Kyle Tallman, is a film and video editor, a musician, and Director of Youth Ministry for the Episcopal Church of St. Michael and St. George, in St. Louis. His work in advertising led him through roles as production manager, creative director, chief operating officer, and eventually director of global marketing for an international manufacturing firm.  His vast creative experience and current work give him a deep and rich understanding of how churches can use the video toolkit to keep members engaged.

Reverend Charles Norris
Reverend Charles Norris has been an ordained Minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church since August of 2008. In November 2016, Rev. Norris became the 37th Pastor of St. James AME Church in the Historic Ville neighborhood.

Prior to full time ministry, Reverend Norris was employed in various technical, management, and leadership capacities including with University of Illinois – Chicago, Motorola, Corporate Computer Services, and All Saints Episcopal Day School. Reverend Norris led Arizona Episcopal Schools Foundation, Public Policy Director for Phoenix Black Chamber of Commerce, Board member and Secretary for United African American Ministerial Alliance (UAAMAC) of San Diego CA, Executive Board Member of Kiwanis Club in La Jolla, CA, and currently serves as 2nd Vice President for St. Louis Clergy Coalition.

In addition to theological training at Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, Fuller Theological Seminary. Reverend Norris has earned a Master of Business Administration, Masters Certificate in Project Management, and a Global Leadership Certificate.

Fr. Chris Collins SJ
Father Chris Collins, S.J., is the assistant to the president for mission and identity at Saint Louis University, where his research and teaching are in the areas of systematic theology and spirituality. He is the author of Three Moments of the Day and The Word Made Love. He received both his MDiv and his STL in sacred theology from the Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and his PhD from Boston College. He served as a parish priest on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

The Rev. Dr. Ben Sanders III
The Rev. Dr. Ben Sanders III, assistant professor of theological ethics at Eden Seminary, is a Baptist minister, teacher and social activist. He received his M.Div. from Union Theological Seminary and his Ph.D. from a joint program of the University of Denver and the Iliff School of Theology. He is a member of the Steering Committee of the Black Theology Group, American Academy of Religion, and a board member of the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America. He has also been invited to give numerous lectures on topics such as faith-based activism and racism.