Ben joined PLI as the Global Executive Director in 2024.  Prior Ben served as Associate Provost and Associate Professor of Practical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.  He also served as the pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Boca Raton, FL and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Gainesville, GA.  A few of Ben’s interests are the history of the New Testament and the early church pre-Constantine, the intersection of church and society, and pastoral/congregational leadership.  Ben and his wife Celina, who works in elementary education, have two sons and make their home in St, Louis, MO.

As Director of Donor Engagement, Rika Beckley connects with donors who share PLI’s mission of training and investing in multiplying missional leaders. With a masters in nonprofit management from Indiana University’s Lilly School of Philanthropy, Rika has spent most of her 30-year career in university advancement. Rika lives with her husband Ike in Wheaton, Illinois. They also share their properties (just outside Rika’s hometown of St. Louis in rural Illinois) as vacation rentals. Rika and Ike enjoy international travel, bicycling, skiing, hiking, walking their Wheaten Terrier Maggie, and spending time with their children and grandchildren.

Jennifer is passionate about creating spaces that empower others to live courageously in Jesus. She has been a coach for PLI since 2015 and joined the PLI team in 2016. Whether checking in with alumni to hear their stories and pray together; inviting the PLI family to partner with a financial gift; or coaching and teaching in Leadership Essentials, she loves helping people take intentional next steps as they follow Jesus. Jennifer lives with her husband Matt and their 4 children near Flint, MI. When not asking people thought-provoking questions, she can be found homeschooling and shuttling her little crew, knitting, reading, or looking for ways to engage in meaningful dialogue.

Rev. Rony Marquardt was a participant in PLI from 2008 to 2012. Since 2013, he has provided leadership and introduced the PLI movement in Brazil and throughout the Lutheran Churches in Latin America. He has been a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brazil (IELB) since 1984 and was General Secretary and Vice-President of Theological Education on IELB’s National Board. Among his values, commitment and hard work are the most present. Rony lives in Brazil with his wife Anica. He has four children and three granddaughters. Rony loves to travel, make new relationships and work with texts, including writing, revising, and translating books and Christian messages.

Sarah puts her marketing experience and organizational skills to amazing use for her various roles at PLI. Since joining the team in 2014, she has helped with administration, connections, marketing and so much more. She and her husband, Jon, both grew up four miles from their current home and enjoy being surrounded by friends and family. They’re blessed with three children. She is also quite the tennis player.

Raechel connects people and teams from around the U.S., and sometimes the globe, into the right PLI leadership learning community. In this role, she is delighted by how God has woven together her education and experiences in community and church leadership with her love of people, cultures, the body of Christ and the sweet grace of Jesus. Raechel considers it an honor to invite people into a PLI space and marvels at the hope and courage and movement she has witnessed emerging as a result of the PLI experience. Having spent her childhood in Latin America, Raechel and her husband now call the western suburbs of Chicago home. She loves gathering lots of chairs around a big table so their three young adult children and family and friends and neighbors can enjoy the goodness of sharing a meal and long dinner conversation.

Lori has been the Women’s Director of PLI International since 2011, and enjoys encouraging and blessing the women of PLI as they partner with their spouses and faithfully lead. Lori passes on her passion and love of learning to those she works with. Seeing families, and especially children, grow in knowledge is the real joy of the job! She has served in the education field for over 30 years in various roles including preschool and primary school teacher, director of children’s ministries, and teacher and Vice Principal at Buena Vista Concordia International School in Shenzhen, China. In her free time, Lori loves most to be with her children and grandchildren, enjoys outdoor activities, and relaxes with craft projects at home.

Beth and her husband Paul have served on our international team as trainers since 2015 and Assistant Regional Leaders since 2019. Her current role leads Beth to areas of Africa including Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Ghana, Burundi, and South Africa. Beth has had the joy of launching many missional communities of 8-12 people, as well as smaller connect groups of 3-4 people. In 2016, they moved with their six children from the Midwest to the California Bay Area. Beth’s richest blessing from God comes in the form of being a wife and mother, and grandma! She has a passion for worship, music, and teaching. She loves to explore the beautiful coast of California, taking as many pictures as her iPhone can possibly hold!

Rev. Paul Schult and his wife Beth joined PLI as trainers in 2015 and as Assistant Regional Leaders in 2019. He is honored to share the life-giving ministry of PLI in Africa. His personal values of humility, leadership, faith, and discipleship have been profoundly affected and strengthened by PLI. Paul grew up in Indiana which influenced his initial career path of being a high school basketball coach and English teacher. After attending seminary, he served as a pastor in Council Bluffs, Iowa, St. Charles, Missouri and now in Redwood City, California. He loves being outdoors with Beth, traveling, reading, and most of all, spending time with their children and their families — especially their grandchildren!

After several years of coaching and teaching for PLI’s Discipleship to Missional Community track, Erin joined the PLI team to bring out the best of D2MC coaching and content. She wants all people to know Christ, to love those God has placed in her path, and to be continually molded and shaped by the Spirit. She is honored to walk alongside others as they recognize God’s movement in their lives and respond in big and small ways that result in wins for the kingdom. Walking into the West family home is like walking into a musical, as her husband Brian and their two daughters are never without a song. Whether it’s backyard barbecues or evenings around a firepit, the West family enjoys inviting friends and neighbors into their own personal crazy. It’s about families coming together, growing together and sharing both the joys and sorrows of life.