Staff

CMJ USA Leadership

The Most Rev. FOLEY BEACH

Patron


A message from our patron: "It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you all what may be one of the best kept secrets in our Church, the Church’s Ministry among Jewish People (CMJ). CMJ is the third oldest Anglican missionary society and was founded in 1809. It is now headquartered at Christ Church in Jerusalem, which is the oldest Protestant Church in the Middle East.

For over 200 years CMJ has sought to encourage us in the Anglican Communion to stand against antisemitism, to understand the Jewish roots of our Christian Faith, to welcome Jewish believers in Jesus, and to sensitively share the Good News of the Jewish Messiah with his Jewish brothers and sisters."

The Most Reverend Doctor Foley Beach was elected the Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America on June 22, 2014. He is also the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the South. In June of 2018, he was elected by Archbishops from around the world to Chair the Primates Council of the Global Anglican Future Conference, a renewal movement within the Anglican Communion.

Archbishop Foley has led several Shoresh Study Tours to Israel and recently discovered his own family's Jewish roots.

The Rt. Rev. NEIL LEBHAR

Chairman of the Board of Directors


The Right Reverend Neil G. Lebhar was elected chairman of the board in September 2022 after serving on the board for several years. Neil was consecrated in 2010 as the first bishop of the Gulf Atlantic Diocese of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) and retired in 2022.

Before his election, Bishop Lebhar served as rector of Church of the Redeemer in Jacksonville, Florida, beginning in 1988. Before coming to Florida, he served as Assistant Rector at Truro Church in Fairfax, Virginia.

He and his wife Marcia were married in 1971. They have two daughters and a son, and nine grandchildren. They also have a foster daughter who has three children.

Neil and Marcia have led dozens of groups to study in the land of Israel. Marcia served as the director of then Shoresh USA from 1994-2001.

The Rev. CARIÑO CASAS

Executive Director


The Rev. Deacon Cariño Casas has been the executive director since January 2023. She is passionate to stir up the American church to build bridges with our Jewish neighbors, speak out against rising antisemitism, and proclaim Yeshua the Messiah to all the nations.

Cariño was privileged to be raised in a Christian home, reading the Scriptures since a child. In her early 30s, she discovered The Complete Jewish Bible and the companion Jewish New Testament Commentary by David H. Stern. It was like reading the Gospels for the first time and meeting Jewish Jesus afresh. God used the work of David Stern to birth in Cariño a deep love for the Jewish people, the keepers of the Scriptures and the physical siblings of Yeshua of Nazareth.

Cariño joined CMJ USA in January 2020 as the administrative assistant and was appointed Director of Communications in 2021. Cariño joined the CMJ family in 2014 as the media coordinator at Christ Church Jerusalem.

Cariño is a vocational deacon in the Anglican Church of North America, serving at Grace Anglican Church in Edgeworth, PA. She received a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies from Trinity School for Ministry (2020) and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Texas A&M University (1999).

The Team

Dr. Theresa Newell

Founder/Board Member Emeritus

Theresa founded CMJ USA in 1982 and served as the national coordinator for two years. She continues to represent CMJ in eastern Pennsylvania and beyond.

Ron First

Central Texas Coordinator

Ron is excited to tell anyone how he met the risen Messiah. Ron is a retired professional musician and educator. He owns Christian Insurance Services and lives with his wife Journeth in New Braunfels, Texas.

Rev. Philip Bottomley

Executive Director Emeritus

Philip served as the first Executive Director of CMJ USA from 1984-1991. After retiring from parish ministry, Philip returned to CMJ USA as Executive Director in 2020 and Director of Ministry Partnerships from 2021-2023. He serves CMJ as a teacher and mentor.

Marcia Lebhar

Executive Director Emeritus

Marcia served as the Executive Director of CMJ USA from 1994-2001. The wife of the Gulf Atlantic Diocese's first bishop, Neil Lebhar, Marcia has been actively involved in lay ministry since her college years.

Krystal Hustead

Administrator

Krystal is a candidate in the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh. She serves, with her husband, the Rev. Michael Hustead, at Grace Anglican Church near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Jeff Roberts

Director of Fundraising & Partnerships

Jeff joined CMJ USA in 2023 after forming several faith-based companies and helping clients like IBM, Oracle, and Motorola generate sales. Jeff is half of the Messianic group Voice of the Shepherd.

Barbara Costa

Intercessor Coordinator

Barbara served CMJ USA as an administrative assistant for several years until 2020. She most recently was the Community Liason at Trinity School for Ministry until July 2023. Barbara is a retired nurse and nursing professor.

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