About CACE

The Center for the Advancement of Christian Education (CACE) is a vision of the Sid & Carol Verdoorn Foundation, Dordt University, and Christian school thought leaders from around the world. Our reason for being is to walk alongside Christian schools who are committed to teaching from a Biblical perspective. We exist for the sustainability, improvement, innovation, advocacy, and promotion of Christian education at all levels of learning.

Among the rural villages of central Africa, there is a proverb that states, “You can go faster alone but farther together.” CACE believes that this piece of wisdom is critical for Christian education to flourish throughout the world. Just as the African villagers picked up new wisdom and innovative ideas as they traveled through the region, Christian educators can do the same. CACE is dedicated to facilitating this process of sharing best practices in Christian education – collaborating with Christian school thought leaders, innovative practitioners, and Christian education supporters of all shapes and sizes to promote, innovate, advocate, improve, and sustain Christian education at all levels.

Senior Fellows

Dan Beerens is an educational consultant, author, international speaker, and educational leader. Before starting DB Consulting in May 2010, he served as Vice President of Learning Services and Director of Instructional Improvement at Christian Schools International.

Chad Dirkse has served in Christian education for 25 years in roles that include, math and science teacher, coach, athletic director, principal, head of school and board member. He is currently the President of Chattanooga Christian School where he serves more 1,100 students and 130 faculty and staff.

Erik Ellefsen has served in education for seventeen years as a teacher, coach, consultant, Grievance Chairman for the American Federation of Teachers, Dean of Academics at Boston Trinity Academy, and as Principal at Chicago Christian High School.

Steven Levy is an educational consultant, working independently and with EL Education. After 28 years teaching in classrooms K-12, he now guides teachers in designing service-based curriculum, engaging instructional practices, student owned assessments, and character development.

Paul T. Neal is Sr. Vice President for Marketing and Enrollment at Cairn University and co-founder of Charter Oak Research where he serves as Principal and Chief Research Officer.

David Urban is co-founder of Charter Oak Research and its Chief Operating Officer. David also leads Charter Oak’s educational practice. Previously he served as Chief Advancement Officer at Charlotte Christian School, Vice President of Client Service at Olson Research Group, and Vice President of Enrollment at Eastern University.

Who We Are

Dr. Tim Van Soelen

Executive Director

Tim Van Soelen serves as the executive director of CACE and personifies CACE’s passion for developing school leaders, networking faith-based schools and sharing innovative educational practices. Prior to starting CACE, Tim served as a math teacher and assistant administrator at Redlands Christian School and as the head of school at Calvin Christian School. Tim also holds faculty status at Dordt University where he has served as the department chair of the graduate and undergraduate education program, teaching courses in school leadership, philosophy of education, and educational psychology. Tim has served on numerous local and national boards, including the Council for American Private Education, the Iowa Association of Christian Schools, and Unity Christian High School. His wife, Jill, is an instructional coach at Sioux Center Christian and they have three children. Matthew is a middle school socials studies teacher, Madison is an occupational therapist, and Mikaela is a communications director. Tim earned his B.A. at Dordt University and advanced degrees from Azusa Pacific University and the University of South Dakota.

Paul T. Neal

Director of operations, Senior Fellow

Paul T. Neal serves as the Director of Operations at CACE. Paul brings years of experience in marketing research and enrollment management expertise to the team. Paul has presented and been published on the use of normative data in analysis, respondent motives, trends in education and online communities, and respondent quality. Paul joined the team after serving as Senior Vice President for Advancement and Communications at Cairn University. Prior to founding research firm Charter Oak Research (now part of CACE), Paul was a Principal at Olson Research Group for 15 years as well as serving as the Associate Director of the Center for the Study of Federalism at Temple University responsible for qualitative research on political culture and U.S. Public Policy. Paul has served as an adjunct faculty member at several Philadelphia area universities. Paul is a graduate of Eastern (B.A.) and Villanova (M.A.) Universities and attended Temple University for further graduate study.

Ed Starkenburg

Administrative Assistant

Ed Starkenburg serves as the CACE office administrator, assisting CACE personnel and communicating with schools in the CACE network. For 17 years Ed served as an education professor at Dordt University. Prior to that position, he chaired and taught in the Education Department at Northwestern College in Orange City, IA. His experience also includes teaching third and fourth graders for 12 years in Northwest Iowa. Ed earned a B.A. from Dordt University, an M.Ed. in elementary education from the University of Sioux Falls (1987), and an Ed.D. from the University of Northern Iowa (1999), specializing in curriculum and instruction.

Josh Bowar

Director of School Relations

Josh is a graduate of Dordt University and holds a doctorate degree in educational leadership from the University of South Dakota. He has decades of experience in Christian schools from the elementary to college level, serving as a teacher, a school leader, a graduate professor, and a consultant. He most recently served as the Head of School at Sioux Center Christian School. Josh has also served as the board president of the Iowa Association of Christian Schools and is passionate about coaching leaders, walking alongside schools through the improvement process, helping schools meet the needs of all learners, strategic planning, effective board governance, and encouraging further expansion of Christian schools across the country. He is active in many circles in advocating for Christian education.

Darryl DeBoer

Director of teaching for transformation, Senior fellow

Darryl DeBoer is the K-12 Director of Learning for Surrey Christian School in Surrey, British Columbia, a co-creator of Teaching for Transformation, and the Director of Teaching for Transformation for CACE. Darryl has also been a science teacher, outdoor educator, and administrator in Switzerland, India, and numerous Canadian Christian schools. He is passionate about students, staff, and schools exploring their calling in God’s story.