Helping leaders like you find clarity, community and confidence
For 30 years, Arrow Leadership has been helping leaders like you find clarity, community and confidence for greater Kingdom impact. We offer Jesus-centered programs, personal mentoring, organizational consulting and resources that develop you and your team to Lead Different.
We follow Jesus. He led differently, and he’s the leader of leaders. Our conviction is we have lots to learn from Jesus, and he wants to transform you to lead differently. That’s the heart of Jesus-centered leadership.
- Being led more by Jesus – experiencing freedom, peace and security from a grounded identity and vibrant relationship with Jesus
- Leading more like Jesus – as a servant leader with deeper character, greater confidence and enhanced competence
- Leading more to Jesus — equipped and empowered to share God’s love clearly, creatively and compassionately to grow God’s Kingdom
Who we are and what we value
Our Purpose
Arrow Leadership develops Christian leaders to be led more by Jesus, to lead more like Jesus and lead more to Jesus.
Our Mission
Arrow Leadership develops Christian leaders by providing transformational programs, producing exceptional leadership resources and sharpening Christian leaders globally.
Our Vision
Christian leaders equipped to influence every sphere of society, impact every nation and reach every person for Jesus.
Our Values
Kingdom First (Isaiah 49:3; Matt. 6:33; 22:37)
Arrow Leadership is committed to building God’s Kingdom for God’s glory.
Purposefully Relational (Matt. 22:39; 1 Thess. 2:8)
Arrow Leadership is committed to developing deep, intentional and long‐term relationships that lead to heart transformation.
Cultivating Trust (Exodus 18:21; Ps 78:72)
Arrow Leadership is committed to cultivating trust through integrity because trust is the currency of effective leadership.
Wholehearted Service (Eph. 6:6‐8; 2 Chron. 31:20‐21)
Arrow Leadership is committed to wholehearted service unto the Lord, overflowing with impact and excellence experienced by others.
Intentionally Collaborative (1 Cor. 12:11‐13; Eph. 4:12‐16)
Arrow Leadership is committed to serving with the broader Body of Christ in sharpening Christian leaders everywhere.
Arrow Leadership Executive Team
Mike White
Interim President
Mike brings a wealth of experience and strong track record from senior executive leadership roles in the relief and development sector with MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Agency) and World Vision as well as senior sales and marketing roles in telecommunications.
Based near Toronto, Mike has earned his MBA and Masters of Theological Studies. He is active in his local church, on the board of Hope House Community Hospice and enjoys outdoor pursuits including road cycling, running and cross country skiing.
Reflecting on his recent completion of the Arrow Leadership Program (Class 56), Mike shares: “My own Arrow experience was life changing and having sensed a growing call to build into the lives of Christian leaders, I am excited to come alongside Arrow’s very capable leadership team in this unique season.
Dr. Rick Franklin
Vice President
Innovative: Rick’s deeply held passion to develop Christian leaders has been honed and cultivated as a leader in the Arrow Leadership Program™ and throughout the course of 35 years of ministry in a variety of parachurch, church, teaching and consulting roles domestically and internationally. Rick has earned degrees from Regent University (PhD), Biola University (MDiv, ThM) and UCLA (BA).
Prior to joining Arrow Leadership, Rick served with his wife Dana in a variety of senior leadership positions with Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ) in the US, Eastern Europe and Canada.
Rick greatly enjoys hiking, backpacking, snowshoeing and fishing—basically anything outdoors. But most of all, he enjoys spending time with his high-school sweetheart Dana and family at their cabin in Colorado.
Dr. Sharon Simmonds
Vice President of Programs
Developer: Sharon’s passion for Jesus and for his people to be healthy and vibrant motivates her to be committed to relationships and activities that encourage, strengthen and develop Christian leaders and leadership groups. Her life experience includes marriage, raising four children, leading a charitable organization, pursuing education and developing ministry and people in a local church.
Sharon is an Arrow Leader and studied at Wheaton College (MA) and Tyndale Seminary (DMin). Sharon authored the award-winning devotional Who Am I? and is a co-author of Great Mentoring.
Sharon and her husband Gord find it life-giving to spend time with their family and friends, provide hospitality and travel. In addition, Sharon thrives by creating space for solitude through walking, reading, playing the piano and journaling.
Tarra Wellings
Vice President of Operations
Equipper: Tarra has been a part of the Arrow team since July 2003. She specializes in people and culture, project management, information management, and communications. She is deeply committed to leadership development and loves to use her gifts to equip and empower others to reach their full potential for God’s glory.
Tarra focused on “Building Leadership Trust in the Context of Teams” in her MBA through Edinburgh Napier University and she completed the Arrow Leadership Program™, Executive Stream with Class 56.
Tarra and her husband Butch enjoy spending time with their family, especially their grandchildren. They love to golf and kayak and explore God’s beauty through nature.
Dr. Taylor Williams
Vice President of Engagement And Development
Dreamer: Taylor seeks to walk alongside leaders and organizations to see Jesus-centered leadership transformation. He builds trust through his pastoring heart and inspires others to trust God for growth through his inspiring ideas.
Taylor is an alumnus of the Arrow Leadership Program™ and focused on “Resiliency in Church Leaders” in his Doctor of Ministry degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He served for fifteen years in pastoral ministry and has a deep love for the local church.
Taylor is married to the love of his life, Joanna, and they are busy raising three amazing children.
Board Members
Miller Alloway
Miller leverages decades of experience as a consultant, lawyer, board member, leader developer and foundation leader to his role as chair of the Arrow board.
Aklilu Mulat
As a Chartered Management Accountant with decades of experience in nonprofit and business, Aklilu provides a keen financial eye as vice chair and member of the Finance and Audit Committee.
Keith Anderson
With decades of experience in senior leadership in the healthcare sector and expertise related to board governance, Keith helps the Arrow board continue to grow in good governance practices.
Heather Cova
Heather brings frontline experience with her background as an executive director of an urban-based nonprofit, an equipper of nonprofit leaders and a local pastor in a mega-church context.
Sam Chaise
Sam brings a unique perspective to the board through his work with refugees, international missions and local church ministry.
Janet Johnson
With senior philanthropy and marketing roles for some of Canada’s largest charities, Janet’s skillset strengthens the fundraising and marketing efforts of the ministry.
Peter Huizinga
Peter’s high-tech background combined with his expertise as a coach, consultant and trained governance practitioner speak into Arrow governance, technology and strategy issues.
Jay R. Lee
From his work on Wall Street to pastoral ministry, Jay brings his sharp mind and heart for people to his role on the board and HR Committee.
Gregg Becker
Gregg’s experience leading a broad range of private companies, along with his current work in guiding businesses and their owners through successful transitions, brings valuable insight to the board.
Gretchen S. Englund
Having years of experience in nonprofit leadership development and in Christian growth, Gretchen brings an informed heart and mind to the board as it discerns its path forward.
Our History
After several decades serving with The Billy Graham Association alongside his brother-in-law Billy Graham, Leighton Ford had a growing concern that his generation had spent so much time doing ministry that they hadn’t developed the next generation. This realization, combined with the sudden loss of Leighton’s 21-year-old son Sandy, inspired Leighton to launch the Arrow Leadership Program™ to develop the next generation of Jesus-centered leaders in 1991.
In 1998, Dr. Carson Pue, author of the best-selling Mentoring Leaders, became President of Arrow Leadership and helped expand the ministry globally.
After serving for seven years as program director and later vice president, Dr. Steve Brown was appointed president in 2011.
Now with more than 2,000 Arrow leaders globally and 10 nationally-led Arrow programs, Steve’s heartfelt conviction is that Jesus-centered leadership changes everything and is key for revival in the Church and furthering God’s purposes globally.