Serving as president and chief executive officer of Insight for Living Ministries, Cynthia Swindoll provides hands-on, positive encouragement among the ministry’s growing, competent staff. Her role is crucial. She reads every line of every manuscript; together these manuscripts form the basis for all the ministry’s broadcasts and podcasts. A model of inspirational leadership among all who serve at our local headquarters in Frisco, Texas, as well as at our growing number of locations around the world, Cynthia creatively and strategically oversees all the events that rally the public’s interest and involvement, all while promoting a standard of excellence that has become state-of-the-art among media ministries.
Cynthia has served on the Insight for Ministries Board of Directors since July 1979, the Board of Directors for National Religious Broadcasters since 1988, the NRB President’s Council since 2005, and the Wycliffe Bible Translators President’s Council since 2011—a role that has had tremendous impact in her strategic plans for Insight for Living Ministries’ Vision 195. In everything she does, Cynthia strongly supports Chuck’s practical, applicable Bible teaching. Without hesitation, Chuck says of Cynthia, “She is the wind beneath my wings.”
Chuck and Cynthia live in Frisco, Texas. They have four adult kids, ten grandchildren, four step-grandchildren, and seven great-grandkids.
Bill Gemaehlich has 24 years of executive leadership and business operations experience with nonprofit organizations and an additional 10 years of experience in the for-profit corporate world. Bill began his career at the age of 15 when he started his own business, The Back Porch—a men’s clothing store and art gallery. At only 15, Bill became the youngest member of the Jacksonville, Oregon Chamber of Commerce.
Bill holds a bachelor-of-science degree in Organizational Leadership from Biola University in La Mirada, California. He has served at Insight for Living Ministries for 20 years and is responsible for leading and managing operations at the international headquarters in Frisco, Texas. Additionally, Bill serves on the ministry’s boards of directors in Canada, the United Kingdom, Poland, Australia, Romania and Brazil.
In addition to his work at Insight for Living Ministries, Bill pastors a country church located near Weston, Texas. Bill and his family are actively involved in short-term missions to Africa, Central and South America, Mexico, and Eastern Europe. Bill’s passion for ministry revolves around mentoring and helping people grow in the grace and knowledge of God through expositional study of the Bible, as well as encouraging them to love God with all their hearts and to love others as themselves.
Bill serves on the boards of directors for other local charities and nonprofits. Bill is married to Nancy and lives in the country near their daughter, and two grandchildren. His son and daughter-in-law live in Brooklyn, New York. Bill enjoys travel, restoring antique buildings, and riding horses.
In more than 20 years of ministry, Tom has focused on sharing the gospel with those who have not yet heard. Whether in student ministry, church consultation, or missions work, Pastor Tom’s heart to mobilize the church has been evident.
Tom holds a B.A. in Christian Ministry with an emphasis in missions from Southwest Baptist University, a M.A. in Cross-Cultural Ministry from Dallas Theological Seminary, and earned a Doctorate of Ministry in Executive Leadership from Denver Seminary. Before joining the staff at Insight for Living Ministries, Tom spent two decades in ministry, most recently serving for many years as the pastor of Missions and Community Impact at Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas, where Chuck Swindoll is the senior pastor-teacher. In this role, Tom managed ministry relationships that covered 14 countries as well as mobilized and equipped church members to pursue the mission of God with their own lives.
As executive vice president of International Ministries, Tom ministers to the global church as it proclaims the truths of Scripture in multiple languages and cultures. His heart is to serve the pastor/translators who work at the Insight for Living Ministries’ regional offices around the world, translating and contextualizing Insight for Living messages, Chuck’s books, and other ministry resources to make them accessible to all individuals in their heart languages. Currently, Insight for Living Ministries broadcasts in eight languages in more than seventy countries and is developing more as part of Insight for Living Ministries Vision 195.
The Bible teaches us that the world is ripe for the harvest. Tom’s passion aligns with Insight for Living Ministries’ hope to broadcast the simple yet life-changing message of the Bible in every language of the world. Tom and his International Ministries team also aim to equip local pastors to study Scripture and deliver the timeless, relevant, and applicable Word of God in their own communities through our Searching the Scriptures training series.
Tom previously served since 2010 on the Insight for Living Ministries Board of Directors and currently serves on the board of the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) and two global mission organizations—WorldVenture and Mission GO.
Tom and his wife, Katie, were married in 2001 and have walked side by side through the incredible journey of life together in Christ. They both love to travel, and Tom has travelled to and ministered in more than 40 countries. Tom and Katie make their home in Texas, where they are constantly entertained by their two young sons.
Charissa began serving Insight for Living Ministries as a teenager. She was one of the first employees to staple together our study guides and stamp each envelope for the daily mailings—all from a folding table in one-third of Chuck and Cynthia’s garage! I guess you could say that garage was Insight’s first home.
When Insight for Living relocated from Fullerton, California to Texas, Charissa and her two children moved here as well. She trained eighteen new Customer Service representatives and off we went. As IFL grew, Charissa went on to manage the Customer Service Department, and soon became a Vice President over Marketing, Communications, the Fulfillment Center, and Donor Development.
After a number of years, Charissa felt called to leave Insight for Living to serve other ministries and gain broader understanding of how non-profits function and how fundraising is carried out within those ministries. She served as a Major Gift Officer at Wycliffe Bible Translators as well as at Compassion International.
Because of Charissa’s numerous international ministry experiences, Chuck and Cynthia have the utmost confidence in her serving as the Executive Vice President of Advancement and Ministry Events at Insight for Living Ministries.
Charissa has been blessed to travel around the world, and enjoys public speaking, but her favorite activity is connecting with people on a personal level. She is married to Mark Gaither. Together they have four children and love being grandparents. They reside in the Dallas area.