ABOUT US

Leadership

Jack Cowley

 National Director

Jack retired with 30 years of service from the State of Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Most of his career with the state was as a prison warden where he served in that capacity at three facilities. Upon retirement in 1996 he joined the staff of Prison Fellowship Ministries where he served as National Director of Operations for the InnerChange Freedom Initiative establishing reentry programs in Iowa, Kansas and Minnesota. Through IFI a model was established which vastly reduces the rate that inmates released from prison re-offend. As the National Director for Prisons & Reentry with Alpha USA since 2004 his primary function is to link Faithbased and community organizations with correctional facilities to reduce recidivism and thereby increase public safety.

Jack consults nationally and internationally regarding criminal justice issues to include testifying before Congress and was previously appointed to an 8-year term by the US Attorney General to the Advisory Board of the National Institute of Corrections. He earned his Bachelors of Science from Oklahoma State University in Sociology as well as a Masters of Science in Correctional Administration. He completed his course work toward his Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma in Organizational Leadership.

Jack and his wife Mel live in Wichita Falls, Texas and are thoroughly enjoying life.

Bruce Paulus

National Deputy Director

Through his six-year appointment as Vice-Chairman of Prison Fellowship’s Justice Fellowship National Leadership Advisory Council he worked with the Missouri “Jobs for Missouri” Committee, which specifically addressed Prison Industry legislation. During this time Bruce developed a strong interest in the criminal justice system. He has also served on the Restorative Justice Council of the National Diocese Association of St Louis and was a presenter at the National Community Sentencing Guidelines Association of Chicago. As a result of his contributions to this work he was hired by Prison Fellowship as the Program Manager of the Iowa “InnerChange Freedom Initiative”, which is an intensive prison pre and post release program for inmates. For two years he served as the Director of Prison Ministries for “Child Evangelism Fellowship”, developing resources and programs for the highest at risk population in the world, the child of a parent in prison.

Bruce is primarily responsible for developing local church communities to invest in prisoners through not only the delivery of the Alpha Course but also for assisting in their transition back into the community through partnering with local prisons and jails through the establishment of the Alpha USA model of prisoner reintegration.

Contact Us

Jack Cowley

National Director

Bruce Paulus

Deputy Director

  • Please provide a general location so we may connect you with one of our local staff.

State Contacts


Alaska

Kirk Petersen KirkPetersen@alphausa.org

David Arestad   david.arestad@alaska.gov

Arizona

Tedi McClain Tedimcc@gmail.com

Kevin Carson   kecarsaz1@aol.com

Scott Bagshaw scottbagshaw@alphausa.org     

California – North

Linda Miller   
Lindaleemiller11@gmail.com 


California – South

Melinda Williams  
melindawilliams@alphausa.org

Colorado

Jen Ortmann jjortmann@comcast.net

Connecticut

Larry Mayer    LarryPMayer@yahoo.com

Florida

David Juliano jdavidjuliano@gmail.com


Illinois

Kim Gates Kbg128@aol.com

Gabe Lerma GabrilLerma@alphausa.org

Iowa

Scott Hanson
smhanson2009@live.com

Amy Thorson AmyThorson@alphausa.org

Kansas

Gene Ronsick   
ronsickej@aol.com

Nathan Paulus
nathanpaulus@gmail.com


Kentucky

Gregg & Keene Howard 
greghoward@twc.com

Minnesota

Brittany Williams brittanywilliams@alphausa.org

Missouri

Bruce Paulus bruce.paulus@gmail.com

Lou Ronna Richardson  
louronnarichardson@alphausa.org


Nebraska

Jodi Meyer jodimeyer@alphausa.org

New Jersey

Linda Tiner lintinpeoples@gmail.com

New York

Peter Johnson pkjohnsonpm@aol.com

Nada Pottinger NadaPottinger@alphausa.org

New Mexico

Bruce Paulus Bpaulus@alphausa.org

North Carolina

Linda Davis lgd919@me.com


North Carolina – West

Susan Garland spg60@hotmail.com

Ohio

Jessica Gatton JessicaGatton@alphausa.org

Matt Rankin mattrankin@alphausa.org

Alan Starr AStarr@tabuilding.com

Michael Swiger micswig@sbcglobal.net

Oklahoma

Jack Cowley JackCowley@alphausa.org

Oregon

Kirk Petersen KirkPetersen@alphausa.org

Juliana Helwig juliana.helwig@gmail.com

Susan Triplett Triplett.S@comcast.net


Pennsylvania

Jacki Tase JackiTase@alphausa.org

Rhode Island

Willard Cook WillardCook@alphausa.org

South Carolina

Margaret Cotton   
margaretcotton@alphausa.org

Tennessee

Denise Santella DeniseSantella@alphausa.org

Texas

Casey Miner caseyminer@suddenlink.net

Terry Strom   Terjean@mac.com

Texas – Dallas

Harden Wiedemann hardwied@sbcglobal.net

Texas – Houston

Gregg Bergersen  gwbergersen@gmail.com

Texas – Weatherford

Jeff Wagner wagner7376@sbcglobal.net


Utah

Gayla Totaro GaylaTotaro@alphausa.org

Vermont

Lisa Oelerich LisaOelerich@alphausa.org

Virginia

Rebecca Dorn RebeccaDorn@alphausa.org

Washington

Christian Downs ChristianDowns@alphausa.org

Wisconsin

Dave Deshazer Dave.Deshazer5@gmail.com

Wyoming

Kirk Petersen KirkPetersen@alphausa.org


Endorsements

Charles W. Colson

“I know of many people whose lives have been transformed through the Alpha course.  I rejoice at how God is using it so powerfully to renew many churches both inside and outside prison walls.”

Charles W. Colson
Prison Fellowship Ministries

Reverend John C. James

“I commend the Alpha course because I know that many hundreds of our Baptist churches are finding it very helpful in reaching rank outsiders to the local church.”

Reverend John C. James
President of the Baptist Union

Reverend Gordon Scruton

“God is using the Alpha program to transform the lives of churched and unchurched people in parishes across our diocese.  We need this kind of basic evangelistic and formation process to build healthy Christians and congregations.”

The Right Reverend Gordon Scruton
Bishop of Western Massachusetts, Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts

Español

Si eres un hablante principal de español, ¡estamos muy contentos de que estés aquí! ¡Hemos diseñado esta pista especialmente para ti!

Talleres en este Track

¿Cómo desarrollar la creatividad pastoral en tu equipo parroquial?

Speakers: Liliana Nariño, Directora Nacional, Alpha Colombia, and María Fernanda Acosta, Líder Regional, Alpha Ados

Presentaremos algunas nuevas técnicas que nos ayudan a crear una cultura de acogida y encuentro en la Parroquia.

¿Cómo alcanzar a la Generación Z Latina?

Speakers: Diego Profita, Regional Marketing And Digital Director Latin America at Alpha International, and Julian Avellaneda, Regional Alpha Youth Leader, Alpha Ados

Descubriremos algunas de las principales características de esta Generación más Abierta y trabajaremos en herramientas y estrategias para ser más efectivos en presentarles a Jesús.

¿Cómo construir una cultura invitacional en tu Iglesia?

Speakers: Diego Profita, Regional Marketing And Digital Director Latin America at Alpha International

Descubramos juntos como crear y fomentar en nuestras comunidades una cultura de invitación abordando

– Maneras en que la Iglesia puede fomentar la importancia de la invitación

– Maneras de cómo podemos guiar a nuestros equipos para que lo vivan

– Maneras de cómo poder identificar a las personas con mayor probabilidad de asistir

BEYOND THE WALLS

Inspiring and practical, learn how to bring the gospel everywhere you go and how to activate your church communities to see gospel opportunities beyond the walls of the church building. Hear stories of innovation and creativity, ecumenical and city-wide movements, and learn about what God is doing in unique contexts like prisons. With many workshops in this track, some are best suited for pastors and senior leaders, while others apply to anyone.

Workshops in this Track

Alpha in Criminal Justice System

Speakers: Audrey Hayes, Director of Volunteer Network, Alpha USA, and Benny Lopez, Prisons Coordinator, Alpha USA

There is an overlooked mission field in our own backyard, one full of people desperate for help, healing, and wholeness. It’s a place much of our society tends to dismiss, filled with people who believe they have been cast aside, and forgotten.

Alpha has been run in 630 prisons in 41 U.S. states. This course is brought to prisons and jails by dedicated churches and organizations who have run Alpha at their local church or parish and want to extend their reach even further. These volunteers tangibly show the love of Jesus to men and women that society had tossed away and labeled as unworthy, broken, dangerous, or beyond help. Through Alpha, prisoners are reminded that God does not label them—he loves them.

Join us in this workshop to hear stories and learn how to get started. You will be matched with a coach who will offer you support based on where you are in your prison ministry journey.

Unified City Alpha Initiative

Speakers: Seth Bazacas, Strategic City Director, New York, Alpha USA, and Shauna Pilgreen, Strategic City Director, Northern California, Alpha USA

What does it take to pull off a unified citywide Alpha launch? Join Strategic City Directors and Pastors Seth Bazacas (Wellspring Church NYC) and Shauna Pilgreen (Epic Church San Francisco) as they share their experiences of bringing a diverse group of churches into a shared vision, prayer night, weekly gatherings, and an overnight Alpha retreat. Hear stories of what worked and didn’t work and how both cities are gearing up for an even stronger launch in 2024!

Translating Jesus--A Crash Course for Sharing Your Faith Daily

Speakers: Shauna Pilgreen, Strategic City Director, Northern California, Alpha USA, and Ben Pilgreen, Lead Pastor, Epic Church San Francisco

As pastors and church leaders, we expect our attenders to share their faith. But do they? Come and imagine how your faith conversations can fuel an evangelism movement in your church.

Author and storyteller Shauna Pilgreen offers us a new way of evangelism using her latest book, Translating Jesus. She gets practical fast, teaching us two languages that lead to double-listening. Chances are high you’ll become bilingual in this workshop!

Shauna is joined by her husband Ben Pilgreen, pastor of Epic Church in San Francisco. Come, learn how a church can be winsome with culture without neglecting the gospel.

Fueling Creativity and Innovation in Evangelism

Speakers: Audrey Hayes, Director of Volunteer Network, Alpha USA, and Madison Campbell, Alpha Launch Director, Alpha USA

For innovative leaders who want their creativity to be fueled by the Spirit and to flood into their churches and communities. This will be a time of storytelling and dreaming about what God can do through creativity in our churches and Alpha courses. Come dream with us!

TRAINING LABS

These practical training workshops will help you learn how to run Alpha and how to make it the best it can be. Join us to experience the Alpha best practices of listening, radical hospitality, and dependence on the Holy Spirit. Select the workshops best suited for your stage of the Alpha journey to get the most from this track.

Workshops in this Track

Run Alpha--From a Course to a Culture (Mandarin interpretation available)

Speaker: Christian Downs, National Training Director, Alpha USA

Running Alpha is so much more than just a course, it is an opportunity to create space within your community and your church where people can belong before they believe. Run Alpha will help you see how this course is unique by focusing on the values of invitation, hospitality, listening, and dependence on the Holy Spirit.

Grow Alpha--Expand, Enhance, Empower (Mandarin interpretation available)

Speaker: Christian Downs, National Training Director, Alpha USA

This workshop will help you expand the culture, enhance your Alpha course with best practice insights, and empower your team. A common takeaway from this workshop is how Alpha can be more than a course and start to impact the rest of the church.

Creating a Culture Where Everyone is Invited to Alpha (Mandarin interpretation available)

Speaker: Christian Downs, National Training Director, Alpha USA

How do we get more guests on our Alpha? This is the question that comes up most often. In this workshop, we will explore what it looks like to bring the good news of Jesus to everyone… including those cast aside, neglected, or overlooked by society. We will name the fears that limit us, ways the church can help, and practical tips that everyone can put into practice to lead an invitational lifestyle.

Join our Global Director of Prayer, our National Director of Training, and special guests at this combined workshop to help more people receive an invite to explore the life-changing impact of the gospel.

CATHOLIC

Designed with our Catholic guests in mind, we will unpack the missional call of the Eucharistic Revitalization, sacred listening, and how to care for your soul in the ministry journey. This track could also benefit any Protestant ministry leaders in liturgical contexts.

Workshops in this Track

Nourishment for the Soul in the Journey of Ministry

Speakers: Sarah Kaczmarek, Director of Pastoral Ministry, Encounter Ministries, and Monica Martinez, National Director for Catholic Context, Alpha USA

How can we ensure we’re growing personally so that we are operating out of Christ’s strength and not our own?

Reviving Eucharistic Culture

Speaker: Monica Martinez, National Director for Catholic Context, Alpha USA

A time for meaningful reflection, conversation, and prayer around our missional call, awakened by the Eucharist. Together, we will unpack the meaning of the Eucharist as our source and summit of living our intentional discipleship.

Translating the Sacred

Speaker: Rick Grinstead, Director of Alpha Youth, Catholic Context

How do we fill the large gap once people have heard the gospel but have not yet acclimatized to parish life? How do we prepare the parish community to make space and build bridges, and how do we prepare guests who will be transitioning from Alpha to mass to sacramental formation? 

ENCOUNTER

This track is full of amazing main-stage speakers who will showcase the power of prayer in every generation, equip you to live a naturally supernatural life and train you to heal as Jesus did. Senior pastors, church leaders, non-profit leaders, this track is you!

Workshops in this Track

Learnings from Asbury on the Power of Prayer

Speaker: Angela Chadwick, Global Director of Prayer, Alpha USA

Alpha’s Global Director of Prayer will interview some of the spiritual leaders involved in the Asbury revival where a chapel worship service caught the attention of our country. You’ll hear stories of how the students were deeply moved by God through the simplest forms of worship and how the leaders made sure the only celebrity on stage was Jesus. You’ll also be amazed by the powerful breakthroughs in young people’s lives through the gentlest of prayers.

Additionally, we will explore how the resurgence of faith in one small American town is relevant to every person in the Church and how it shapes how we share the good news in a good way with this generation.

How to Facilitate Eternal Connections with Jesus

Speaker: Danielle Strickland, Spiritual Leader, Justice Advocate, Communicator, Peacemaker

Encounter is God’s favorite way to spiritual revelation. Why do we emphasize information-formation as our primary means of discipleship? What if we put more time, energy, and effort into facilitating more encounters? Be prepared to discuss together how cultivating curiosity becomes a means to do just that. We will talk techniques, experiences, and new ideas.

Everyday Miracles

Speakers: Dr. Chloe Swart, Associate National Director for Alpha UK, and Dr. Russo Swart, New Wine Cymru Prophetic and Healing Team

This workshop will look at how to heal the sick as a part of our everyday missional lives. Following Chloe’s PhD studying healing miracles in Wales, Chloe found that Christians in Wales were praying for their friends, family, and colleagues, in the gym, in the supermarket, at work; wherever they found themselves, as well as in church services, and Alpha courses. Healing is a missional tool that points toward Jesus. Unpack the theology of healing, while also hearing very practical teaching and demonstration of how to heal the sick in an everyday way.

YOUTH

If you are a student, work with middle or high school students, or just love young people and want their voices to shape the future of the Church, this track is for you! We’ll talk about empowering a generation to lead and will equip you to draw out the leadership of a generation to reach their peers through the new Alpha Youth Series and beyond.

Workshops in this Track

Navigating the New Alpha Youth Series

Speakers: Jordan Biere, National Director of Alpha Youth, Alpha USA, and Josh Penwell, National Associate Director of Alpha Youth, Alpha USA

Explore the the new Alpha Youth Series, discover the adjustments we’ve made to better reach Gen Z/Gen Alpha, and how to use this new series best to help young people discover and develop a relationship with Jesus.

Helping Young People Walk Naturally Supernatural

Speakers: Jordan Biere, National Director of Alpha Youth, Alpha USA, and Josh Penwell, National Associate Director of Alpha Youth, Alpha USA

Learn how to help young people operate in the power and authority of the Holy Spirit in a way that seems natural (not super weird) yet clearly supernatural. Help them discern the voice of the Lord, pray for healing, and grow in the prophetic voice.

From Guests to Leaders, Activating the Leadership Potential of Young People

Speakers: Jordan Biere, National Director of Alpha Youth, Alpha USA, and Josh Penwell, National Associate Director of Alpha Youth, Alpha USA

A practical guide on creating space for activating young people toward leadership to become bold, Spirit-filled witnesses. Learn how to empower young people to lead their own Alpha for their friends and how you can champion Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

FAITH AND JUSTICE

How should the Church respond in the face of injustice? What about in an election year? Could we show up to a polarized political world with the goodness of God like never before? If you are interested in learning how to navigate these complex issues, this track could help!

Workshops in this Track

Navigating the Waters of Faith and Politics

Speakers: John Wentz, Executive Director, Alpha USA, and Josh Williams, Associate National Director of Evangelism and Justice, Vineyard USA

This election year is ramping up to be as polarized as ever. Equip yourself and your teams to navigate the choppy waters of faith and politics during an election cycle. We have a massive opportunity to bring the goodness of God into these conversations or to leave people feeling alienated. Learn five top tips to help your conversations be filled with grace and truth and leave people feeling heard and honored.

Lessons in Evangelism from MLK’s nonviolent Movement

Speaker: Josh Williams, Associate National Director of Evangelism and Justice, Vineyard USA

How should the Church respond in the face of injustice? Hear how lessons from Martin Luther King Jr.’s nonviolent movement provide tools to speak out against injustice while presenting a compelling case for the gospel. Josh Williams, associate national director for evangelism and justice for Vineyard USA will host this workshop where you will hear stories and learn tangible practices for engaging injustice while extending the invitation for people to encounter Jesus.

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