Guidance for The Orthodox Project is provided by a board of advisors, each of whom are Orthodox. This board meets on a quarterly basis to provide guidance and direction to the effort. Current members include:
Fr. John Gunn
Fr. John Gunn has served as the principal of New Directions Academy, a K-12 alternative school and a GED program in Charlotte, TN since July of 1998. Fr. John holds a masters in Special Education and recently completed Doctoral work in Educational Administration. Fr. John is married to Rachel where they live in Dickson, TN with their four sons and one daughter.
Deacon Michael Hyatt
Deacon Michael Hyatt is the Chief Executive Officer of Thomas Nelson Publishers, the largest Christian publishing company in the world and the ninth largest publishing company of any kind.
Deacon Michael began his publishing career at Word Publishing while a student at Baylor University. He later started a publishing company which was acquired in 1992 by Word. He has served as Vice President of Marketing for Thomas Nelson and has been a successful literary agent as well.
He is the author of four books, one of which was on the New York Times bestseller list for seven months. He and his wife Gail have been married for twenty-six years and have five daughters and one granddaughter. Deacon Michael serves as a Deacon at Saint Ignatius Orthodox Church in Franklin, TN.
Howard Paul Finley
H. Paul Finley has served in the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America in numerous capacities including former director of Antiochian Village Camp and former pastor of St. Andrew Orthodox Church, Riverside, California. He is a graduate of Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee and holds a Master of Sacred Theology from St. Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology. Paul presently server as High School church school teacher, SOYO director, and as a chanter at St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Franklin, Tennessee. Also, he is acting director of Camp St. Thekla, the Southeast regional youth camp for the Antiochian Archdiocese. Paul resides in Franklin with his family and is a design consultant for Betterliving Patio Rooms of Nashville.
Bill Glenn
Bill spent his early career as a touring musician. Since moving to Nashville in 1999, he has been involved in the recording industry as President of an independent record label, music publishing, and worked in customer service for a fulfillment printing operation serving the gospel and contemporary Christian music industry. Bill also serves as a business consultant to several Nashville artists.
Cathy Parsons
Cathy is the Church School director for St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Franklin, TN. She and her husband, Jack have been married for 27 years and have three children. The Parson’s came to Orthodox in December l989 and have been members of St. Ignatius for the last 9 1/2 years. Not only has Cathy has taught Church school for the past 7 years and served on the Parish council, she also home schooled their three children.
Ann Baumgartner
Ann holds her BA in Physics from Vanderbilt University as well as a Masters in education. She taught in the public school system for five years, taught another five years in Brentwood Academy private school and home schooled her three children for another 19 years.
For the past 6 years Ann has been tutoring students in high school mathematics, physics, and chemistry. Ann has been married to her husband Bill for 36 years. Bill and Ann attend St. Ignatius where they are actively involved in parish life.
John Maddex
John is the Manager of Broadcast Stations at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago providing oversight for their 35 owned and operated radio stations. He is also Chairman of the Board for the Fellowship of St. James, the publishers of Touchstone Magazine and a brand new magazine for younger adults called CRUX. John worked for 3 years at Focus on the Family as the Administrative Director of Broadcasting and while there served on the Leadership Cabinet with Dr. James Dobson. He is married to Tonya and has 2 children and 4 grandchildren. John and Tonya came to Orthodoxy in 1999.
Phil Baquie
Phil and wife Roxann Baquie (pronounced buh-kwee) were Chrismated into the Orthodox faith in September of 2004. By profession Phil is a recording artist. A native Australian and musically trained since age six, his music and journey into Orthodoxy speak to the never failing grace of God. Phil recently released his debut album on the SHELTERecords label.
Phil is co-founder of Missions Awakening a missions organization and also works with Mission of Mercy, a Christian humanitarian group which ministers to the “poorest of the poor” in over 23 third world countries. Phil and Roxann have been married for 5 years and reside in Franklin, TN.
