Program Team
Financial Stability ● Ministry Management ● Emotional Wellness ● Community Leadership
Program Team Structure
Ultimate accountability for the Lead Well initiative and grant award is that of the PAW's executive board, while financial authority belongs to the grantor, Lilly Endowment and its ECFPL staff. Lead Well's advisory board serves in an advisory capacity offering to champion the work, share their expertise, and give strategic direction in the implementation of the initiative.
However, a core program team is tasked with the daily duties associated with successfully executing Lead Well. Lead Well's Executive Director, PAW First Assistant Presiding Bishop Mark Tolbert, is supported by a Program Director (profiles below). He's responsible for overseeing all
aspects of the program’s implementation and success, including fundraising, and keeping PAW’s governing board abreast.
Initial plans also include identifying team leaders for key areas that will work with the Program Director and also convene working groups.
The majority of the grant budget is allocated to grants that directly support PAW pastors in need, therefore the Program Director is the only paid staff. We'll rely on volunteers and may provide small stipends when the volume of work or expertise required to execute is beyond what can be expected of the Program Director and/or volunteers. However, there are stipends allocated for those who are participating in the program's learning content as instructor, coach, and/or service provider.
Finally, a Grants Review/Selection Committee of diverse individuals will be assembled to serve as part of the team that reviews pastoral grant applications and makes recommendations for approval.
Learn more about the core team below.
Program Team Profiles
Executive Director
First Assistant Presiding Bishop, PAW
Bishop Mark Tolbert
Bishop Mark Tolbert is the brainchild of the Lead Well partnership with Lilly Endowment and the visionary who sees this work as essential to PAW’s mission and relevance in 21st century ministry. His fundraising capabilities, reputation, and enthusiasm are evident not
only in the amount of money he has raised for the PAW but also as an entrepreneur and community leader in his hometown Kansas City, Missouri.
Having served as a high-ranking member of the PAW’s board for nearly 30 years, he is critical to the program’s success. He will continue to oversee its implementation, serving as liaison to PAW’s governing board, supervising program staff, managing Lead Well’s Advisory Board, leading fundraising efforts, and all matters related to grant distribution through the the Ministerial Excellence Fund (MEF).
He is currently the First Assistant Presiding Bishop of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World and also serves as Diocesan Bishop of the Heart of America Council of Churches. Previously he served as Diocesan Bishop of the Canada District Council and became Senior Pastor of Victorious Life Church over 35 years ago.
Bishop Tolbert is the founder and board chairman of Lee A. Tolbert Charter School; vice president of the Board of Police Commissioners (Kansas City, MO); president of Sparrow Community Development Corporation; and former president of the Concerned Clergy Coalition of Greater Kansas City, among many other endeavors.
He attended Penn Valley Community College and received his DD from Western Baptist Bible College. More at Advisory Board.
Program Director
Sister Billie Washington-Malcolm
Sis. Billie facilitated the program design and grantwriting processes and will continue to support Lead Well as its Program Director. Along with the Executive Director, she will lead the initiative’s strategy in all major bodies of work including operations,
programming, grant accountability (e.g., reporting, grant management, evaluation), leading volunteers, supporting the integration of Lead Well seamlessly within PAW culture, and setting and maintaining the initiative’s exciting culture.
She is known as a strategist who specializes in establishing and maintaining favorable public perceptions, influencing stakeholders to take action, and securing resources – and over a 30-year career she has done it across multiple sectors (corporate, government, nonprofit, small business consulting, and philanthropy). Recently, she worked as a program officer at a foundation where she distributed millions of dollars on behalf of donors to hundreds of nonprofits for nearly 8 years. Her expertise led to unprecedented grantmaking to small and/or Black-led organizations. During her corporate marketing career, she managed multi-million dollar business accounts but also consulted for churches and small businesses.
She co-founded and operated a church and within the PAW she served as IPYPU Director of Communications and State Young People's President for the Pacific Northwest District Council. Sis. Billie is very active in the Baltimore community, serving on numerous boards and assisting community leaders however she can.
She received a BA degree in Communications/Public Relations from the University of Washington (Seattle). More at Advisory Board.
Ministerial Excellence Fund Lead
Suffragan Bishop Jon Slaughter
Suffragan Bishop Slaughter was a key member of the think tank, bringing his knowledge of PAW's financial systems along with his professional career experience. As Director of Treasury Operations for the PAW, he oversees and manages financial
activities including cash management, liquidity planning, risk assessment, and investment strategies to optimize the organization's financial position and ensure regulatory compliance.
Professionally, he has a successful track record of profitable sales, finance, and process management experience. Currently, he is the department leader in the operations division of Michigan's Office of Retirement Services where he is responsible for planning and directing a complex retirement program covering 400,000 active employees with pension payments totaling over $1.5 billion annually. Previously, he served as a financial analyst in the automotive-manufacturing sector where he developed the annual profit plan and quarterly forecast review to meet financial goals of executive management.
As MEF Lead for Lead Well, he will serve as a key liaison for the activities related to the establishing, managing and monitoring of the Ministerial Excellence Fund grant fund and any other related activities. Having a champion who is both deeply knowledgeable of Lead Well and the financial infrastructure of PAW is critical to the success of the program, especially when it comes to protecting funds and expediting grant payments.
He earned a Master of Business Administration degree and has been pastoring for over 16 years. More at Advisory Board.
Program Lead
Evangelist Freda Morrison
As a member of the original think tank, Evang. Freda Morrison brought deep insights and innovative ideas to the discussions that shaped the direction of Lead Well. She's been working to address the growing needs of pastors within the PAW through her
work as co-director of the Pastors’ Empowerment Network ("P.E.N.," formerly known as the "Pastor's Track") and will continue to serve Lead Well as an advisory board member and Program Lead.
In her role as Program Lead, she will help to develop, implement, and lead all programmatic aspects of the initiative, ensuring a high-quality program delivery for pastors and other participants.
While she's been focused on pastor empowerment of late, Evang. Freda is mostly known for making history as the first female to be elected president of the PAW's young people's department (IPYPU). Preceding this accomplishment, she prolifically served in elected and appointed roles both in the IPYPU and within the Greater Pennsylvania State Council.
Additionally, she is an accomplished musician and singer and has traveled the world evangelizing diverse communities. Evang. Freda has over 15 years of project management experience within the religious sector and over 20 years providing care management services within the healthcare insurance industry.
She is an active member of the church her mother, Suffragan Bishop Brenda Cuthbertson, pastors. Currently she is completing a Business Administration degree and Project Management certificate. More at Advisory Board.
Pastoral Learning Lead
Sister Regina Fowler
Sis. Regina is a certified public accountant (CPA) with over 40 years of experience in accounting, finance, and business. Now retired, she serves as a personal financial counselor, facilitator, and coach in various capacities. She has an extensive history of
helping churches and nonprofit organizations succeed in the areas of financial literacy, financial and administrative system support, and financial consulting.
God has blessed her with a keen understanding of finances that she will use to shape the work of Lead Well, serving as a pastoral learning lead for the Financial Stability module and portions of the Ministry Management module.
Not only is she the author of "Simply Grateful: Testimonies of God’s Blessings and Intervention" and founder of the nonprofit, C-HOPE (Christians Helping Others with Professional Expertise), she is a Dave Ramsey certified personal financial counselor and coach and taught accounting as an adjunct instructor for two universities. She is an established presenter within the PAW but first served as the assistant treasurer and treasurer of the Midwestern District Council, as well as young people's president. For over 20 years, she also humbly served as accountant for her father’s church in St. Louis, Missouri. Sis. Regina currently worships at Greater Pentecostal Church of God in St. Louis.
Her professional career spans from auditor at Ernst and Young to chief financial officer for a multi-municipal commission. She earned a MBA with an emphasis in Human Resources and Accounting.