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

Speakers

Paul H. Douglas

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

GENERAL CONFERENCE

Paul Douglas serves as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer for the Seventh-day Adventist Church World Headquarters located in Silver Spring, Maryland, and provides global financial leadership to the Church and its family of institutions. Paul brings to this role more than 35 years of responsibilities and results in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Australia. Previously, Paul served as the Executive Director for General Conference Auditing Service (GCAS) and led a global team of certified professionals attending to a portfolio of assurance engagements for ecclesiastical, educational, healthcare, development, banking, media, manufacturing, retail, insurance, and publishing type entities that together report multi-billion-dollar totals for global assets and revenues.

Paul holds an MBA from California State University – San Bernardino, a Certificate from the Leadership and Strategic Management Program at Cornell University and is completing his dissertation towards a PhD in Accounting from the Bayes Business School in London. He is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the states of California and Florida, Chartered Accountant in Jamaica, and a Chartered Global Management Accountant.

Ray Wahlen

UNDERTREASURER

GENERAL CONFERENCE

Ray Wahlen is the Undertreasurer of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists having been elected to that position in 2015. Prior positions at the GC include Director of Seventh-day Adventist Accounting Software (otherwise known as SunPlus) for nine years and followed by five years as Associate Treasurer and Co-Director of International Personnel Resources & Services. Ray began his church employment with the General Conference Auditing Service (four years in the USA and Singapore) followed by a total of thirteen years as Treasurer of the Guam-Micronesia Mission (FED), the Montana and Washington Conferences in the United States.

For his education, Ray graduated from Pacific Union College with a BBA in Management and Accounting and has earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland University College. In addition, he is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the State of Maryland and a Chartered Global Management Accountant.

Born to missionary parents in Seoul, Korea, he became a third-generation missionary since his mother was born to missionary parents in Kunming, China. He and his wife, Maurine, are the parents of two adult children – Jessica and Michael.

Ray has a passion to serve the Lord on the financial side of the Church by removing inefficiencies, creating integrated financial systems, and promoting collaborative teams across traditional boundaries.

Ben Thomas

IT OPERATIONS AND STRATEGY DIRECTOR

SOUTH PACIFIC DIVISION

Ben is passionate about using technology to achieve missional outcomes. He has held senior leadership roles in the corporate, tertiary education, and ecclesiastical sectors, driving outcomes through strategic alignment and collaboration. Ben is energetic and can lead organizational transformation in a positive manner. While he frequently challenges people’s thinking, he does so in a respectful and culturally sensitive manner.

Russell Woruba

CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER

THE INDEPENDENT STATE OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Russell Woruba is currently the Deputy Secretary, Digital Government and the CTO at the Government of PNG’s Department of ICT. His main role is in the delivery of digital government services and a building enabling Internet eco-system to drive digital transformation in PNG. He is a local church elder in Port Moresby, and also serves as the member of the local conference’s executive committee.

Richard T. Stephenson

ASSOCIATE TREASURER

GENERAL CONFERENCE

Richard Stephenson started working for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1998, serving as Chaplain and Campus Pastor for Madison Academy in Nashville, TN. In 2005, while still serving as chaplain, he accepted the call as Director of Technology for Madison Academy and later Director of IT for the Kentucky- Tennessee Conference.

In 2009 he accepted the call to serve at the Southern Union Conference where he worked for 10 years, first as Associate Director, and then as Director of Information Technology.

In 2018 Richard accepted the call to serve as Director of Technology for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America. And in June 2022 Richard was elected at the General Conference Session in St. Louis to serve as Associate Treasurer of the General Conference, where his portfolio includes Technology and Digital Strategy. Richard loves to integrate technology into mission, in a way that sustains and strengthens the Church.

Richard is the father of two, and husband of one. Richard loves the Lord, loves the Lord’s Church.

Dr. DP Harris

VICE PRESIDENT, INFORMATION SYSTEMS

LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY

Dr. DP Harris is a University Administrator with over 30 years of experience with IT managing and consulting. Most of his career has been spent in Higher Education. He is currently the VP/CIO of Loma Linda University. In addition to his duties at LLU, he is IT lead for Adventist Health International and country liaison for Jamaica and Ukraine. Dr. Harris has been actively involved in guiding the use of Generative AI in Adventist Education, recently receiving a Certificate of Merit for his article published in the Journal of Adventist Education “Generative AI in Adventist Education: Opportunities and Ethical Considerations” By David P. Harris and Fred Armstrong

Veronica Maszke

GROUP IT MANAGER

SOUTH PACIFIC DIVISION

Veronica is the Group IT Manager of Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing, a position she has held for the last 14 years, and has an IT career spanning over 30 years across the UK and Australia. She has held a variety of Service Management, Project Management and IT leadership positions in this time, and is focused on delivering highly available, sustainable and efficient IT solutions as enablers to strategic business outcomes.