Our Staff Team

Craig Babb is our staff member focusing on pastors and Christian workers in the Midwest Region. He has been in pastoral ministry for over 25 years. Craig is founder of Rhythm of Grace, a Christian community which seeks to provide relationships and the tools to encourage Christian spiritual formation. Craig has his M.Div. from Denver Theological Seminary. his Ed.D. with an emphasis in adult spiritual formation from the Graduate Theological Foundation and is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

Jon Ciccarelli serves as senior pastor at the Calimesa Seventh-Day Adventist Church. Jon is a singer/songwriter and speaks on the subjects of spiritual formation/life transformation, worship, mentoring, and leadership. He has a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies from Azusa Pacific University. He has been a member of the Leadership Institute Faculty since 1995. With his wife, Lisa, Jon leads Sacred Hearts, a retreat ministry for married couples, deepening their intimacy with one another through deepened intimacy with God.

Gem Fadling is co-founder of Streams of Grace along with her husband, Alan. Streams of Grace retreats provide, protect and mentor unhurried time to listen to God, to our own hearts and to others in community. Gem has fifteen years experience in church ministry, serving youth, young adults, families and women.  She has facilitated church-based group spiritual direction processes for women.  In her blog, gem helen • the search for authentic connection, she shares experiences from her family life, spiritual journey, and photography. Gem is a Spiritual Director and meets with women in one-to-one appointments. She has a Certificate of Spiritual Direction from the Monastery of the Risen Christ in San Luis Obispo, CA and a Certificate in Spiritual Formation, Direction and Leadership from The Leadership Institute.

Wil Hernandez graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary with a Ph.D. in Practical Theology (with an emphasis in Spirituality). A trained counselor and spiritual director, Wil serves as Director of the Southern California Postmodern Mission Project, developing a regional network of people, churches and organizations fostering spiritual formation through a partnership between The Leadership Institute and the Spiritual Formation Alliance. He teaches a course on the spirituality of Henri Nouwen as an adjunct professor at Fuller Seminary, Azusa Pacific University and Loyola Marymount University. Wil is the author of Henri Nouwen: A Spirituality of Imperfection (Paulist Press, 2006) and Henri Nouwen and Soul Care: A Ministry of Integration (Paulist Press, 2008). For more information on Nouwen events and resources, go to his Nouwen Legacy website.

David Montzingo is the vicar of Holy Spirit Anglican Church, a new congregation in the College Area of San Diego, California. He has spent 35 years in parish ministry at churches in Boston and San Diego. He is a graduate of Harvard University (1971) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (1975), and a doctoral candidate at Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry in the Pittsburgh area. He is an adjunct professor for Anglican Studies at Bethel Seminary San Diego, a chaplain in Order of St. Luke the Physician (OSL), and a spiritual director to clergy and laity. He and his wife Ruth have four adult children and one grandchild.

Joy Mosbarger is an Adjunct Faculty member at Talbot School of Theology. For twelve years she was on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ working in Campus Ministry and with the Church Dynamics Ministry. She currently ministers with students at Whittier College in California. She is also a Ph.D. student in Old Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Chris Murphy serves as a chaplain and spiritual director with The Leadership Institute. He is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church USA and works in partnership with the Office of Presbyterian Ministries at Fuller Theological Seminary. Chris enjoys leading prayer retreats and providing spiritual direction for seminary students, college students, ministers, and other Christian leaders. He is a graduate of the Master of Divinity program at Fuller and received a certificate in Spiritual Direction from Christian Formation and Direction Ministries. Chris has worked in ministry for the last 15 years, specializing in the areas of spiritual formation, campus ministry, and urban mission. (Blog)

David Costillo is a spiritual director for The Leadership Institute and has recently started a marriage ministry with his wife Jennifer.  David is also working with others across the country to form a multi-organizational service for member care that would assist missionaries and missions organizations to proactively focus on spiritual development in their day-to-day activities.  David has an M.A. in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care (Talbot School of Theology).  He also posts regularly to his devotional blog, “Enjoying the Surface.”