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.
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.
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.
Chad Dirkse
Senior Fellow
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. Prior to his current position he served as the Superintendent at Westminster Christian School in Elgin, Illinois. Chad has an undergraduate degree in education from Covenant College and an MBA with a specialization in school leadership from LeTourneau University. Chad speaks regularly to groups about the school sustainability and the importance of consistency in the process and content of Christian schooling.
Erik Ellefsen
Senior Fellow
Erik Ellefsen is the Director of Networks and Improvement at the Baylor University Center for School Leadership. He also serves as Senior Fellow for Cardus, hosts Digical Education (a podcast providing engaging conversations with some of the most innovative education leaders), and is a leading collaborator and author of the Mindshift project. Formerly he served as an academic and college counselor at Valley Christian High School (San Jose, CA), He has served in education for more than two decades as a teacher, coach, consultant, Grievance Chairman for the American Federation of Teachers, Dean of Academics at Boston Trinity Academy, and Principal at Chicago Christian High School.
Tia Gaines
Senior Fellow
Tia Gaines is the Executive Director of UnifiEd a Center for Hope and Unity. She also works at the University of Pennsylvania where she created and leads the Equity in Action Visiting Scholars program. She serves on the Board of Trustees for the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) and on the Board of Trustees for B2THEWORLD, an organization that aims to serve students impacted by war. Tia is a consultant, writer, and conference speaker who devotes herself to advocating for diversity, unity, and belonging within Christian education. Tia and her husband Joel reside in Philadelphia where they raise four children.
David Urban
Senior Fellow
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. David was the North American Coalition for Christian Admissions Professionals (NACCAP) Admissions Officer of the Year in 2010. Dave is a graduate of Eastern University (B.S., M.B.A.).