Dr. Dan Reinhardt is the Founder and President of the CREST Leadership Program. From an early age, Dan watched his missionary parents train leaders in India. After completing a Bachelor in Bible degree he traveled to Jerusalem where he earned a Masters in the History and Geography of Ancient Israel. Dr. Reinhardt honed his leadership skill over 22 years of pastoral ministry and later earned a Doctor of Ministry in Leadership and Preaching from Asbury Seminary. His doctoral thesis became the foundation for launching the CREST Leadership Program.
Dr. Reinhardt is a founding Director for Home School Legal Defense Association of Canada which defends the right of parents to educate their own children. After 13 years he still serves on this board, which he chaired for several years. Dan has also served as a Director for The Leadership Centre / Willow Creek Canada, a ministry to equip the church in Canada for leadership. Dan lives north of Calgary, Alberta with his wife, Anne. They have four grown children.
Larry Thiessen joined the CREST Leadership Centre as an associate in 2009. For almost thirty years he was the President and General Manager of Christian Publications Ltd, a chain of Christian retail bookstores. His leadership role included mentoring store managers as well as leading a national marketing group. He currently assists organizations in strategy and business development as well as engaging in group facilitation and executive coaching.
Larry graduated from the University of Calgary with a B. Comm. He is married to Jeannie and they have three grown children. He is an avid reader and long distance runner.
Dr. Terry Young is presently a member of the Crest Leadership Board and serves as a Facilitator for the Masters in Christian Leadership. He has previously held pastoral leadership positions, most recently at First Alliance Church in Calgary and Fort McMurray Alliance Church. Terry is currently Adjunct Professor of Leadership at Ambrose University. Having completed doctoral research at Gonzaga University on holding environments for leaders in 2004, his desire is to encourage, inspire, and equip leaders who find themselves on the complex front-line of leadership. He is presently researching, writing, and presenting on The Front Porch Effect™ which explores the vital role of reflection in personal and organizational leadership.
Terry is married to Debbie and they reside in Calgary. They have 2 married sons, who are both engaged in ministry and international work, and four grandchildren.
Cathie Ostapchuk, a graduate of the CREST program, has served on the leadership team of NextLEVEL Leadership and facilitates leadership development nationally and internationally, most recently at World Vision, and in Ghana. Cathie recently created the ACTS Initiative – a coalition of local faith, political and social service leaders in Ontario. Her strengths include facilitating collaborative conversations, and seeing people grow in their God-given strengths. Cathie is currently completing her Masters in Organizational Leadership.
Dallas Bidell is a recent CREST graduate and has been the lead pastor of Whitecourt Family Worship Centre since 2003. He has been in ministry for 20 years, during which time he has served in several different ministry environments from an overseas church plant through to a mega church. Leadership development has been a passion for Dallas throughout his time in ministry and he has coached over 200 leaders. His heart is to see people become all that God created them to be. He is also highly engaged in community issues and was named a Pillar of the Community in Whitecourt in 2008. His biggest hobby is taking courses from thegreatcourses.com.
Dallas is married to Shelley, an elementary school teacher, and they have three children.
John Pritchard graduated from CREST with a Masters of Christian Leadership in 2006, one of the first CREST graduates. He is also one of the original members of the CREST Board of Directors. John served as pastor of several churches around Alberta for 25 years and is currently on staff at Centre Street Church in Calgary as Lead Pastor of East Edge Home Churches. He has served as interim CEO of Seed of Hope Community Development in South Africa, and has lead several mission teams to serve there.
John is married to Trish and they have a daughter, two sons, two daughters-in-law, and two grandsons.
Shawna Lepp joined the CREST Leadership Centre as the administrator in July 2007. Before making the decision to home educate her children, Shawna was a Production/Revenue Accountant in the oil industry. During the fourteen years of home schooling she also served on the Board of the Alberta Home Education Association and was Speaker/Convention Coordinator for the annual convention of the Association. Shawna has also held a variety of volunteer positions at her church.
Shawna and her husband, Rick, live northwest of Calgary, Alberta. They have two grown daughters.
The CREST Team
Dr. Reinhardt is a founding Director for Home School Legal Defense Association of Canada which defends the right of parents to educate their own children. After 13 years he still serves on this board, which he chaired for several years. Dan has also served as a Director for The Leadership Centre / Willow Creek Canada, a ministry to equip the church in Canada for leadership. Dan lives north of Calgary, Alberta with his wife, Anne. They have four grown children.
Larry graduated from the University of Calgary with a B. Comm. He is married to Jeannie and they have three grown children. He is an avid reader and long distance runner.
Terry is married to Debbie and they reside in Calgary. They have 2 married sons, who are both engaged in ministry and international work, and four grandchildren.
Cathie Ostapchuk, a graduate of the CREST program, has served on the leadership team of NextLEVEL Leadership and facilitates leadership development nationally and internationally, most recently at World Vision, and in Ghana. Cathie recently created the ACTS Initiative – a coalition of local faith, political and social service leaders in Ontario. Her strengths include facilitating collaborative conversations, and seeing people grow in their God-given strengths. Cathie is currently completing her Masters in Organizational Leadership.
Dallas Bidell is a recent CREST graduate and has been the lead pastor of Whitecourt Family Worship Centre since 2003. He has been in ministry for 20 years, during which time he has served in several different ministry environments from an overseas church plant through to a mega church. Leadership development has been a passion for Dallas throughout his time in ministry and he has coached over 200 leaders. His heart is to see people become all that God created them to be. He is also highly engaged in community issues and was named a Pillar of the Community in Whitecourt in 2008. His biggest hobby is taking courses from thegreatcourses.com.
Dallas is married to Shelley, an elementary school teacher, and they have three children.
John Pritchard graduated from CREST with a Masters of Christian Leadership in 2006, one of the first CREST graduates. He is also one of the original members of the CREST Board of Directors. John served as pastor of several churches around Alberta for 25 years and is currently on staff at Centre Street Church in Calgary as Lead Pastor of East Edge Home Churches. He has served as interim CEO of Seed of Hope Community Development in South Africa, and has lead several mission teams to serve there.
John is married to Trish and they have a daughter, two sons, two daughters-in-law, and two grandsons.
Shawna and her husband, Rick, live northwest of Calgary, Alberta. They have two grown daughters.