Christian Union
Matt Bennett
Founder and CEO
Matt Bennett is founder and CEO of Christian Union, a Christian leadership development organization with the mission to bring sweeping spiritual and cultural transformation to our nation and the world by developing and networking Christian leaders to make an impact for Christ. Christian Union focuses its activity on America's most influential universities and on professionals in the nation's key cities.A native of Houston, Texas, Matt earned BS and MBA degrees from Cornell University and holds a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He worked for Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru) at Princeton University for 12 years, and developed the ministry into one of the largest in the history of the Ivy League. In 2002, he founded Christian Union. The ministry has been featured in The New York Times, PBS, NPR, Christianity Today, and World Magazine. Matt currently resides in New York City.
Follow Matt Bennett on Twitter: @MattWadeBennett.
Michael E. Lee
Chief Operating Officer
Michael is the Chief Operating Officer of Christian Union, overseeing operations, finance, and human resources, as well as various cross-functional initiatives. He came to CU from the technology sector, where he served as COO/CFO of Ladders, Inc. and CFO of Wyng.com. Michael also has extensive leadership experience from Amazon.com, Citigroup, Kraft and Morgan Stanley.Michael holds an AB from Harvard University and an MBA from Cornell University. He attends Vision Church NYC, where he and his wife have served since 1999. They live in Manhattan with their three daughters.
Sonya Dawes
Director of Human Resources
Sonya is the first Director of Human Resources for Christian Union. Her career path has specifically lead to this role, as she has served a number of years in non-profit and for-profit environments that range from higher education, legal, human services and other pertinent areas in the profession.Originally from Staten Island, New York, Sonya attended SUNY-University at Albany where she earned a BA in English Literature. She later received her MPA from CUNY-Bernard M. Baruch College in Public Management. Prior to joining Christian Union, Sonya proudly served as the Director of Human Resources for the largest comprehensive human services agency in central New Jersey.
She and her husband, Franklin, currently live in New Brunswick, NJ and continue to faithfully serve at their church in both the Music and Youth Ministries. They also enjoy traveling and exploring new things with their two beautiful children--Nathaniel and Naomi.
Patrick Dennis
Vice President of Communications
From 1999 to 2009, he served as the president and creative director of a brand strategy and commmunciation design firm that he co-founded in Northern Virginia. During that time, he had the opportunity to consult with and serve a wide range of national ministries, as well as organizations ranging from well-funded startups to Fortune 500 companies. Upon selling his share of the firm in 2009, he began consulting with a very select handful of clients across America. Over the last several years, he has invested a growing majority of his time in serving with Christian Union.
He and Karey live in Northern Virginia and have three children. They enjoy skiing and diving together, and Patrick has been known to be found on the golf course occasionally.
David Farrow
Associate Vice President, Christian Union Universities
David is a retired Air Force Colonel who left the Air Force and immediately went to the mission field in sub-Saharan Africa. He later birthed a non-profit organization to equip former military members to serve in Great Commission organizations. While in the Air Force, David represented the U.S. Air Force in over 60 different countries during his 24-year career. As the Base Commander of a coalition airbase that directly supported combat operations in Afghanistan, David was awarded the Bronze Star for his meritorious service operating an airbase that flew unmanned systems, rotary wing, fixed wing, and tilt-rotor aircraft. David has extensive Washington, DC experience from his time on the Joint Staff in the Pentagon from 2009 to 2011 where he served as the Chief of the Legislative and Interagency Division (Afghanistan-Pakistan) responsible for communicating the Department of Defense’s Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy to Congress.
David holds a Master of Science degree in National Security Strategy from the National War College in Washington, DC. He also holds a Master of Arts degree in Ministerial Studies / Leadership from Berean University.
After 15 military moves during 24 years of marriage, David and Camille and their two sons are finally ready to plant deep roots in one location and that location is Princeton, New Jersey.
Christine Foster
Vice President, Alumni Engagement
Christine was raised as an Episcopalian and renewed her faith as a young adult by participating in the Alpha Program at St. Bartholomew's in New York City. A native Californian, she earned a BA in history from the University of Pennsylvania. Christine's first career was as a newspaper and magazine reporter, including stints at Stanford's alumni magazine, Forbes, and The Philadelphia Inquirer. She most recently served as Director of Development for The William F. Buckley, Jr. Program at Yale and has also worked in development and alumni relations at two private schools in Connecticut.
Christine lives in Connecticut with her husband and three children.
Cheryl Ennis Self, ACFRE
Vice President of Development
Cheryl Ennis Self, ACFRE was the Founder and Chief Development Officer of the consultancy Funding for Change (FFC). Since 2016, FFC has provided expert guidance to both nonprofit and for profit corporations in the areas of creative visioning, innovative strategic planning, excellence in resource generation, and sustainable attainment of stated goals.Prior to serving as a Business Consultant, Ms. Self was the Executive Director of Global Social Partnerships at World Vision (WV). Her prior roles at World Vision over 16 years included leadership of major donor, corporate and foundation development officers, while personally stewarding a strong portfolio of donor relationships.
Her previous experience includes service as National Director of Advancement at Prison Fellowship Ministries, Washington, DC, and Interim Director of Development at The Stony Brook School, Long Island, NY. She began her early career as a teacher, then sales and sales management in Manhattan before moving into the nonprofit sector.
In 2013, The Association of Fundraising Professionals, the largest community of professional fundraisers in the world, awarded its highest professional certification, the Advanced Certified Fundraising Executive (ACFRE) to Ms. Self. Available only to senior-level fundraisers who have worked in the profession for 10 or more years, the ACFRE is a distinguished achievement earned by only 104 professionals since the inception of the program in 1992.
Ms. Self holds a BA in French Language from Gettysburg College, PA, where she graduated cum laude. She and her husband of 30 years, Jim, live in Northern Virginia.
Quincy "Wolfgang" Watkins
Vice President of Spiritual Formation
Quincy earned a BS in Economics from Temple University and an MBA in Marketing and Organizational Development from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He has held numerous executive-level, corporate positions and is a gifted business strategist. In addition, Quincy is a sought after preacher, lecturer, and prophetic minister with more than two decades of ministry experience. A bishop with One Accord Assemblies, he has overseen five congregations. Quincy joined Christian Union in 2008, bringing a dynamic blend of corporate and ministerial experience to his roles, including five years as a ministry fellow. As VP of Spiritual Formation, Quincy ministers to Christian Union faculty, staff, and students, helping develop and deepen lifestyles of seeking God wholeheartedly.Quincy's lifelong mission is to provide health and balance to the Body of Christ through holistic preaching, teaching, and deliverance. As a bi-vocational minister, he continues to serve as lead pastor of The Neighborhood Church in Darby, Pennsylvania, and Wilmington, Delaware. A native of Chicago, Quincy is happily married to Fay.
