Staff

Bill Beattie, Chairman

Bill Beattie is founder and chairman of Jericho Partnership. Raised by his mother in North Philadelphia, he was an at-risk city kid mentored by his youth pastor and his high school chemistry teacher. He accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord at 16.

Bill majored in metallurgical engineering at Lehigh University, and was awarded an M.B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh. He worked for Union Carbide Corp. in various marketing and management positions in the United States and South Africa until 1986, when he formed and became chief executive officer of Strategic Minerals Corp., a privately-owned mining and metals company headquartered in Danbury, Conn. He sold his interests in the company in 2006 to the Evraz Group, a Russian steel producer.

Following a profound personal experience in 1996, he sensed a calling to serve God among the at-risk youth of his community. He founded Pathways Danbury, which enlists men from several metro-Danbury urban and suburban churches to mentor at-risk boys (www.pathwaysdanbury.org). Currently, 50 boys are in the program. Since the founding of Pathways Danbury, about 80 percent of the boys have graduated from high school, and 80 percent of those have gone on to college.

In 2005, Bill felt called to assist other Christian agencies serving the Danbury community, and founded Jericho Partnership. Jericho is a collaboration of church partners, ministry partners and foundation partners. It contributes nearly $3 million in grants to ministry partners and mobilizes more than 2,000 volunteers in support of the Jericho mission to mobilize word-and-deed ministries and transform lives in the city of Danbury. Seventy percent of Jericho funding is for youth ministry in Danbury; the balance goes to services to at-risk adults and the homeless. 

Bill and his wife, Kathie, have been married for more than 50 years. They have three children and seven grandchildren. He is a member of the Walnut Hill Community Church in Bethel, Conn., where he serves on the elder board.

Carrie Amos, Executive Director

Carrie Amos joined Jericho Partnership in 2007 as director of operations, and was appointed to the newly-created position of executive director in 2009. Her responsibilities include leading the Jericho staff team, maintaining contact with its ministry and congregation partners, and implementing the Jericho strategic plan.

Carrie has more than 20 years of experience in the not-for-profit sector, and has extensive experience in management, grant writing and in clinical work with individuals and groups. She was formerly director of community services at Putnam Associated Resource Center in Putnam County, N.Y.

She has a degree in behavioral science from Manhattanville College in Purchase, N.Y., a masters degree in social work from Fordham University, and is an adjunct faculty member at Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Services.

Michael Ronan, Stewardship Director

Michael P. Ronan joined Jericho Partnership in 2008 and serves as Stewardship Director and Secretary. A parishioner at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church in Newtown, he has a long record of service in his church and on the boards of several area charities. He advises several nonprofit organizations on a range of topics including start-up, tax exemption, governance, funding and generosity.

He is a founding director and led the organization and state certification of Kevin’s Community Center, a free medical clinic serving adults in Newtown. Michael’s diverse career in business and the law includes consulting for Fortune 500 companies, contract negotiation, administration and claims settlement for Perkin-Elmer (now Goodrich) on the NASA Hubble Space Telescope program, and sales and management for nationally-awarded golf club fitters, Performance ClubWorks.

Crystal Perkins, Director Of Operations

Crystal Perkins joined Jericho Partnership in 2008 as manager of accounting and finances, and was named to the position of operations manager in 2009. She was promoted to Director of Operations in 2011. Her primary responsibilities include supporting the Jericho volunteer department, overseeing compassionate care events, and supporting the executive director.

Before joining Jericho, Crystal was an executive assistant at New Hope Baptist Church in Danbury, a compliance analyst at MxEnergy Inc., and an investment management administrator/compliance analyst at Enterprise Social Investment.

She has a bachelor of arts degree in political science from Hampton University, an M.B.A. in management from Strayer University, and is a licensed real estate agent in Connecticut.

Ruth Chuvala, Communications Manager

Ruth Chuvala joined Jericho in February 2007 as executive assistant to Bill Beattie, and was named to the newly-created position of communications manager in 2009.

Her responsibilities include overseeing electronic and print communications, supervising the Jericho Samaritan Center at 13 Rose St. in Danbury, and several office-management tasks.

She has a bachelor of arts degree in sociology from Augustana College in Illinois, and the Master of Arts in Secondary English Education from Western Connecticut State University in Danbury. Prior to her position at Jericho, she taught in Danbury public schools and was director of support services at a local church.

Harry Pugner, Facilities Manager

Harry Pugner has served with Jericho since 2003, bringing experience in building construction, property http://w.mawebcenters.com/admin/editormanagement and community associations. He manages all matters pertaining to the facilities owned or leased by the Jericho Partnership. 

He is men’s director of the Southern New England District of his denomination and has led church construction teams in the United States and overseas.

Harry graduated from Henry Abbott Regional Technical School in Danbury and attended DeVrey Institute of Electronics, Western Connecticut State University, and Berean College.

Jim Wiley, Ministry Coordinator

Jim was named to the newly-created position of Ministry Coordinator this Fall to manage and coordinate our seasonal homeless shelter opertions and our renewal efforts along Spring Street in Danbury.

Jim left MetroNorth Railroad in 2008 after 32 years there, most recently in facility maintenance and managing operational and administrative functions relating to stations, shops and yards. He began volunteering at Jericho a few months later.

He has a bachelor of arts degree in business administration from Western Connecticut State University. Jim and his wife, Maureen, have three daughters ranging in age from 17 to 21.

Lori Vickers, Bookkeeper

Lori Vickers joined Jericho as part-time bookkeeper this year, replacing an interim bookkeeper Jericho had on loan from a local accounting firm.

Lori has an extensive bookkeeping and accounting background and will provide accounts-payable and other accounting support for Jericho.

She has a bachelor of science degree in social work from Bowling Green State University, has taken accounting courses at Norwalk Community College, and received her bookkeeping certification from the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers.