DAN BECKERING

Head of School,
Southwest Christian High School

DAN BECKERING

Head of School,
Southwest Christian High School

Dan has led Southwest Christian High School (SWCHS) through three major campus expansion projects, including the 63,000 SF main campus and athletic fields completed in 2012, the 63,843 SF performing arts auditorium and classroom addition completed in 2019, and the 53,000-square-foot athletic field house expansion completed in December 2023. Dan will share his experiences and lessons learned through these projects and how the Building God’s Way team helped his school achieve their vision.

Dan has been at SWCHS since 2001, serving in multiple roles prior to becoming the Head of School in 2009, including History Teacher, Bible Teacher, Varsity Boys Basketball Coach, and the Dean of Students. He is passionate about raising up the next generation of Christian disciples and leaders. Dan grew up on a farm in Southwestern Minnesota. He earned his degree in secondary education in history and physical education at Dordt College in Iowa and his masters degree in educational leadership at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota.

JOSH FELIX

Senior Project Architect,
Building God’s Way

JOSH FELIX

Senior Project Architect,
Building God’s Way

Josh was the lead architect and project manager for all three of the major building projects at Southwest Christian High School. He has more than two decades of project management and design development experience. As a licensed architect and Senior Project Manager, Josh leads the construction documents and administration team at BGW, overseeing 6 staff architects as well as project managers, drafters, designers and engineers. Josh has led his team in completing hundreds of construction document packages for BGW church and Christian school clients, managing the entire design integration process, from foundation consultants to acousticians.

Josh and Head of School Dan Beckering will lead a tour of the Southwest Christian High School campus and share some of the innovative methods, products and building systems that were utilized on these projects.

DON MAHONEY

Architect / President,
Building God’s Way

DON MAHONEY

Architect / President,
Building God’s Way

Don has one of the most extensive backgrounds in faith-based architecture in the U.S. He has designed prominent facilities all across the country throughout his 42-year career and has been recognized with a number of awards for innovative and creative church and school design. Don leads a team at Building God’s Way that has designed more than 1,100 facilities for churches, Christian Schools and Christian colleges nationwide.

Don will share about some key design trends and shifts that have taken place in recent years with school facility design as well as innovations in building systems and products. He will also share about a unique approach to design & construction, developed exclusively for ministry-based organizations. Beginning with the highly collaborative and cost-effective 3-day conceptual design exercise called a “charrette” and continuing through construction drawings and project completion. Learn how this approach can significantly reduce both upfront building costs and long term maintenance and operation expenses.

BRODERICK SANTIAGO

Advancement Strategist,
Generis

BRODERICK SANTIAGO

Advancement Strategist,
Generis

Broderick Santiago brings extensive church leadership experience to his role at Generis in helping ministries to close the gap between current resources and their God-inspired vision. He specializes in helping Christian Schools and universities strategize vision, discover opportunities out of obstacles, develop compelling communication for objectives, and layout a plan to accomplish their God-inspired dreams. 

Broderick is the Senior Pastor and co-founder of Mosaic Church in Mableton, Georgia, a thriving community that has made a significant impact in the lives of its members and the greater Atlanta area. Through the ARC Network, he has been actively involved in church planting, revitalization, mentoring, motivational speaking, and community activism. Broderick’s dedication to his community shines through several faith-based initiatives he has spearheaded in local schools. His professional background also includes working in both the real estate and entertainment industries. Broderick holds degrees from both Morehouse College and the Interdenominational Theological Center.

VAUGHN BAKER

President,
Strategos International

VAUGHN BAKER

President,
Strategos International

Vaughn brings a wealth of expertise as a recognized leader in the security industry, with more than 25 years of law enforcement experience, encompassing patrol, investigation, SWAT, and special operations. He has trained tens of thousands of individuals—from school and healthcare personnel to government, law enforcement, faith-based and military. He is the author of “The Church Security Handbook” and co-author of “Active Threat-Workplace 911”.

Vaughn is the President of Strategos International, a global firm specializing in security training, consulting, and executive protection services. The company has helped over 50,000+ teachers and administrators create safer learning environments while preparing for the unthinkable.

School Safety Training & Facility Risk Assessments: Protecting Your Students & Teachers – Vaughn will share about a specialized intruder response curriculum and on-site facility risk assessments for schools and churches.

TOM GORDON

Founder,
Cornerstone Funding Consultants

TOM GORDON

Founder,
Cornerstone Funding Consultants

Tom began his career in the financing group of General Electric, where he provided financing for corporate clients of GE for ten years. He then took this skill set into the banking environment where he provided financing for some of the largest companies in the United States, providing long-range debt planning and comparative analysis of financing alternatives. In 2018, Tom left corporate banking to serve the body of Christ full time by assisting churches and Christian schools in facility financing. He founded Cornerstone Funding Consultants with the purpose of providing financial clarity for Christian-based organizations desiring to move from their current status to a preferred future.

Understanding Your Financing Options – Whether you’re building a new school, renovating an existing facility, or simply looking to refinance your current loan, learn how an experienced Christian funding consultant can help you sort through the myriad of borrowing options, assess your funding capacity and obtain the best rate and terms possible.

MATT PACE

Industry Practice Leader,
FMX

MATT PACE

Industry Practice Leader,
FMX

Matt brings more than a decade of previous K-12 facilities management experience to FMX. His expertise spans facilities management software implementation, best practices, energy management, and creating district-wide standards for productivity and efficiency. FMX is a computerized maintenance management system that allows facilities leaders to streamline their maintenance processes, increase asset productivity, and track, manage, and improve the metrics that matter most to them. The solution has helped over 1,000 organizations optimize their operations and reach their facilities and maintenance goals.

Maintaining & Optimizing Modern School Facilities in the Digital Age – Many of the new school buildings today have advanced HVAC systems, sophisticated building controls, and state-of-the-art technology. Matt will share how you can master these advancements to create better learning environments, optimize building operations and build your expertise. Learn about the innovative computerized maintenance management system available through FMX that allows school facility leaders to streamline their maintenance processes, increase asset productivity, and track, manage, and improve the metrics that matter most to them.

MATT ROBERTS

Sr. Pastor of the Genesis Project
& BGW Strategy Consultant

MATT ROBERTS

Sr. Pastor of the Genesis Project
& BGW Strategy Consultant

Our emcee for the day, Matt is the Founder and Lead Pastor of The Genesis Project, a church based in Ogden, Utah that has grown into a multi-side movement in 6 communities across the nation reaching thousands every week. He is also the co-author of the book “The God of New Beginnings”. Matt began his ministry as a youth pastor in the inner cities of Tampa, FL, and Portland, OR.

In addition to his present ministry in Utah, Matt serves as a strategy consultant with Building God’s Way, coming alongside faith-based organizations all across the country and supporting them in establishing a clear and vibrant missional identity. Matt and his leadership team are certified in facilitating the StratOp Strategic Planning System and are uniquely equipped to help your leadership team bring clarity out of uncertainty and help facilitate meaningful growth.

Matt specializes in helping faith-based organizations to think strategically and determine the feasibility of integrating financially sustainable pre-K and childcare models in their facilities, which have become a hallmark of BGW projects in recent years.

JEFF MATHIS

Founder,
Performance Technology Group

JEFF MATHIS

Founder,
Performance Technology Group

Jeff leads a full staff of audio, video, and lighting (A/V/L) designers, installation technicians, and project managers that works closely with the architectural team at BGW to serve faith-based clients all across the country. As a 30+ year veteran of the industry, Jeff has a wealth of experience in all aspects of the A/V/L business, including sales, installation, management, and design. Jeff and his team at PTG deliver cutting-edge performing arts technology with a focus on stewardship of ministry resources, a key element of the BGW program. They also have a proven track record of delivering fully integrated and cost-effective systems for large stage productions, performing arts, and professional events and concerts.

Innovations in Performing Arts Facilities- Research consistently shows that young people who experience an arts-rich education are likely to do better in school, be more employable and become more active, engaged citizens. Learn about recent innovations in the design and construction of performing arts centers, including cost-effective audio, video, and lighting systems and turn-key services that can create a one-of-a-kind experience for your students.