About Us

Trisha Welstad

(Executive Director)

Trisha began the Leadership Center coaching and consulting organization in 2012. She received a doctorate in Leadership from Portland Seminary in 2020 and is an ordained pastor and coach with over twenty years of experience. Trisha’s background in leadership includes facilitating staff teams as the lead executive, serving as the director for leadership development in organizations in Oregon and Los Angeles, teaching at the collegiate, graduate, and doctoral level in practical leadership, and facilitating the Institute for Pastoral and Congregational Thriving at Portland Seminary as a grant writer and Executive Director, as well as volunteering locally with her family.

Trisha’s vision for the world is for all people to activate their unique identity and calling, welcoming one another to play and work together in mutually honorable, hospitable and generous ways that create healthy and sustainable relationships with God, self, others, and the planet.

Hannah Souter

(Project Manager)

Hannah Souter is our Project Manager for the Leadership Center. She has a masters in Ministry Leadership from Portland Seminary and thrives in helping people grow in personal and organizational wellness. From spreadsheets to strategy, Hannah brings a unique combination of the administrative and the strategic to our team. She has worked in church leadership, community development, and higher education. Hannah is an experienced curator—passionate about creating joyful, formative experiences and brings that focus to her work with Leadership Center clients. Hannah and her dog, Teva, like to play outside and have dinner parties with friends.

Kayin Griffith

(Strategy and Business Development)

Kayin brings a unique blend of marketing, project management and change management to the Leadership Center team. With a keen eye for person-centered design, she always strives to develop and execute innovative business strategies that empower and celebrate the aspirations of those around her. Equipped with a Bachelor's in Design and an MBA, Kayin combines her experience with her desire to champion the strengths of her colleagues. She brings  experience from multiple industries including non-profits, education, corporate consulting, and utilities and technology. When she's not working, Kayin devotes her time to parenting her two amazing children (Amalea and Anaya) with her partner, Cary.

Deborah Loyd

(Coach & Facilitator)

Dr. Loyd brings a lifetime of experience to Leadership Center. By helping clients discern purpose, passion, and establish their legacy, she supports those seeking greater impact and stability in this changing world. As an experienced church planter, pastor and serial entrepreneur, Dr. Loyd brings strategic and creative gifts to help clients find their way forward. She has a Bachelors in Business, a Masters in Theology, and a Doctorate in Leadership. Dr. Loyd has taught at Portland Seminary since 2009. She authored Your Vocational Credo, Practical Steps to Discover Your Unique Purpose and co-authored Dynamic Adventure, A Guide to Starting and Shaping Missional Churches. Her fervent desire is to inspire clients to develop their own stories and live into them so they can effectively change their world. Dr. Loyd is married to Ken and lives in Portland, Oregon.

Carlos Fernandez

(Coach & Facilitator)

Jenny Elsey

(Cultural Development Lead and Coach)

Dr. Jenny Lei Elsey identifies as a 1.5 generation Taiwanese-American. She has worked in higher education for twenty years and has gained experience in community, non-profit, and organizational leadership development. She holds a B.A. in Communication Studies and a M.Ed. in College Student Affairs from Azusa Pacific University, as well as an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from George Fox University. Her personal and professional motto is to create environments where people can do their best work. 

Vanilda Reyes de Noyes

(Coach)

Vanilda Reyes de Noyes is a Licensed Independent Social Worker in the state of Ohio and ordained minister. Through her work in a variety of settings including community mental health centers, hospitals, and churches, Vanilda has seen the need to create an environment where people can experience support and healing. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts (Social Work and Psychology) from Greenville University and a Master of Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis. She was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in NYC and Cleveland, Ohio and is passionate about creating multiethnic and multigenerational spaces where everyone can thrive. Vanilda lives in Cleveland, Ohio with her husband Topher, 3 children and their dog Roxie.

Paul LeFeber

(Coach & Facilitator)

Paul LeFeber has worked in the nonprofit sector for over twenty years. After playing music professionally, Paul began his nonprofit career working for local faith communities, particularly in the areas of arts and team development. Recently, the nonprofits he has worked with focus on individuals and families experiencing homelessness, food insecurity, refugee resettlement, immigration, HIV/AIDS, and ecumenism. He works as a freelance consultant, helping organizations with development, communications, strategic planning, and management. Paul loves to be at the intersection of creativity, operational excellence, and personal development. He is a father to Adah and Junia and is married to Mariah, a professional counselor. 

Gaby Viesca

(Coach & Facilitator)

Gaby hails from a desert-like city in northern Mexico called Torreón. She has a degree in International Business (Universidad de las Américas) and a master’s degree in Biblical Studies (Regent University). In addition to coaching with Leadership Center, Gaby works as the Director of Strategy & Partnerships at Missio Alliance.

Gaby has designed global strategies for General Electric, worked as junior business consultant in southern Mexico, and promoted several start-ups with young entrepreneurs in the city of Puebla. She also worked as a pastor in Portland and as the Director of Masters Programs at Portland Seminary. She lives in Portland, OR with her husband, Daniel. 

Jamie Noling-Auth

(Coach & Facilitator)

Dr. Jamie Noling-Auth is an experienced educator and ordained minister.  She has been a leader in five different universities, in roles such as Dean for Spiritual Life, Inclusion, and Leadership; University Chaplain, and as a professor for courses in Leadership, Communication, and Theology. Jamie's doctoral research focus as well as her publications are related to women in leadership.

Chris Lee

(Intercultural Development Coach)

Chris (he/him) is a Certified Diversity Professional and Qualified Administrator/Coach for the Intercultural Development Inventory. Chris is a leader in strategy and change management, using his skillset and equity mindset to create sustainable change and progress within organizations. After spending 7 years working in higher education, Chris now works as a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Consultant at Providence Health Services. Chris holds a BA in Christian Ministries from George Fox University, a MA in Higher Education from Geneva College, and is a PhD candidate at Indiana State University in Educational Administration - Leadership in Higher Education. Chris lives in Sherwood, Oregon with his wife Shannon and their dog Kona. 

Ashley Bell

(Grant Director & Account Lead)

Ashley holds an M.Ed in Educational Leadership and has been certified through the Cultural Intelligence Center as CQ Facilitator. She has an MA in Pastoral Studies from Multnomah University and serves as a pastor in the greater Portland area. Ashley adores her family and friends.