2022 NAD Year-End Meeting
Meet the Presenters
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Carlos J. Craig
Carlos J. Craig, President, Southwestern Union Conference
Carlos J. Craig was born in Wichita, Kansas, on August 7, 1961. While growing up, he lived in Kansas, Florida, and Colorado. Pastor Craig graduated from Mile High Academy and completed a double-major in Theology and Education from the University of Montemorelos in Mexico.
Pastor Craig has been married to Leticia Cordoba Wade for 38 years, and they have three adult children: Danette (37), David (36), and Daphne (31); six grandchildren: Daelyn (14), Dorian (14), Bea (4), Wyles (3), Charlie (2), and Whitley (4 months old). Pastor Craig earned an MDiv from Fuller Theological Seminary and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in psychology, with an emphasis in Emotional and Behavioral Health from the University of Louisiana Monroe.
He has been in ministry for 33 years: Southern California Conference for 10 years; Texas Conference for 21 years; and Southwestern Union Conference for the last 18 months.
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Kenneth Denslow
Ken Denslow, President, Lake Union Conference
Pastor Ken Denslow is the president of the Lake Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Before assuming this position in 2021, he served as the assistant to the president of the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Pastor Denslow was instrumental in coordinating the construction of the new NAD headquarters office and the move from the GC building into the NAD building in Columbia. Prior to this role he served as president of the Illinois Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
Pastor Denslow received his bachelor’s and MDiv degrees from Andrews University and started his ministry as the Boys Dean at Cedar Lake Academy. After pastoring for a few years in the Michigan Conference, he left to serve in the Chesapeake Conference. Denslow returned to the Lake Union area to assume the role of associate director of the North American Evangelism Institute (NADEI). He then moved on to the Illinois Conference and from 1993 to 2011 he served in various roles including ministerial director, executive secretary and president of the Illinois Conference, a position he held for nine years.
Ken and his wife, Patricia, have two adult children Michael, and Kristin. They take every opportunity they can to visit their children and granddaughters in Texas and Illinois. Ken also enjoys cycling and reading.
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Paul Llewellyn
Paul Llewellyn, President, SDA Church in Canada
Paul Llewellyn is the newly elected president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada, and hails from the lovely Island of Prince Edward Island (PEI). He grew up in a military household and was thankful to see God slowly bring his whole family to know Jesus.
Pastor Llewellyn started serving the church in the field of education and then moved into teaching Bible classes and serving as a chaplain. Eventually, Llewellyn moved into pastoral ministry and then into administration. “God has always led in a most amazing way,” says Llewellyn, as he and his wife have learned to trust in His leading. “No matter where God plants us, we know that God will never leave us or give up on us.”
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Bradford C. Newton
Bradford C. Newton, President, Pacific Union Conference
In August of 2021, Pastor Newton took on the role of president of the Pacific Union Conference, which requires leadership of all church activities in a vast and diverse five-state region. Newton’s long history in church leadership in the Pacific Union makes him particularly suited to this role.
For more than 25 years, he has served in various capacities in the Union: pastor in the Southern California Conference, president for the Nevada-Utah Conference, associate director of public affairs and religious liberty for the Pacific Union, and most recently as executive secretary and ministerial director for the Pacific Union—a role he held for 13 years.
While he is a native Californian, having grown up in Arcadia, Newton attended college and graduate school at Andrews University in Michigan, earning bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in theology and ministry. He spent the first decade of his service as a pastor and conference leader in Illinois.
Newton sees the role of the Seventh-day Adventist Church as being potentially transformational during what he calls a “monumental time in earth’s history.” “The way the Lord has led us in the past, and the promise of the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit, gives us confidence for the important work that lies before us.”
He is married to Jennifer (née Christian), a certified faith-based meeting planner and consultant; they have two adult children and two granddaughters.
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Pierre Omeler
Pierre E. Omeler, President, Atlantic Union Conference
Pierre E. Omeler is a third generation Seventh-day Adventist. Currently, he serves as the president of the Atlantic Union Conference, which has six conferences and 130,000 members. He is a consensus builder and a peacemaker with a burden for cross-cultural evangelism both nationally and internationally.
In 1984, he married his college sweetheart Myra Norman. They have been married for 37 years, have three adult children, and four grandchildren. Myra works as a registered nurse (RN) who always seeks to share God’s love in the workplace.
Before going to the Union, Pastor Omeler ministered as associate pastor, senior pastor, and conference departmental director for 25 years. In 2011, he was elected vice president of the Atlantic Union Conference. In 2016, he was elected executive secretary of the Union and enjoyed serving and supporting the mission of all six conferences. On November 17, 2021, he was elected president of the Union.
Pastor Omeler is a Certified Seniors Advisor (CSA) and member of the Society of Certified Seniors Advisors. He graduated from Oakwood College (now Oakwood University) with a bachelor’s degree (BA) in Theology with a minor in Biblical Languages. He completed his Master’s degree (MDiv) from Andrews University and completed and earned his Doctor in Ministry degree (DMin) from United Theological Seminary developing a Bible-based, research-based, practical model for effective pastoral leadership transition.
Dr. Omeler has authored and published three books and many articles. He credits all his success in ministry to a life immersed in prayer, very supportive family members, and many people of good will that God has put around him.
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The Tsikirai Family
From left to right: Tino, Timothy, Tapo, Erica (mom), Jaison (dad), Tendo, Tata.
The Tsikirai Family is a vocal and instrumental group made up of five siblings. Originally from Zimbabwe in Southern Africa, they are based in the Pacific Northwest. The Tsikirai Family love to harmonize and play multiple instruments together. Although they are all pianists, they also sing together. Tino often accompanies the group and sings soprano. Tendo also sings soprano, and she plays the cello and harp. Tata sings alto, and plays the viola, harp, and piano. Tapo also sings alto, plays the violin, and harp. Timothy, the youngest member of the group, plays the violin, and trumpet.
From left to right: Tapo, Tino at the piano, Timothy in the middle with the violin, Tata and Tendo, on right.
Together with their parents, Jaison and Erica, the Tsikirai Family has been blessed to perform in various settings across the West Coast, including the Oregon Conference Camp Meeting, North Pacific Union events, hospitals, nursing homes, churches, and mission trips. They also shared their musical talents with the world church at the last two General Conference Sessions. The Tsikirai Family enjoy arranging music together and love to use their gifts to the glory of God!