Northwest Indiana

Rose Villarruel is the administrative assistant for the Northwest Center for Congregations.  Her administrative background is in tax sales and includes work with the Office of the Lake County Auditor.  For more than 10 years, Rose has volunteered to coach grade school volleyball for the Northwest Indiana Catholic Youth Organization.  Rose attends St. Mary Catholic Church in Crown Point, where she is actively involved in the distribution process for Gods Groceries Food Pantry.

A Baptist minister, McKenzie Scott Lewis’ faith experience ranges from Methodist, Church of God in Christ, Charismatic to Baptist. He has taught at IUPUI, served as corporate diversity director at Wellpoint Inc, coordinated diversity and inclusion efforts at Clarian Health Partners and served as CEO and chief cultural strategist for The MSL Group. He brings energy and experience to engage listeners from all walks of life.

A graduate of DePauw University, McKenzie has written extensively in his area of expertise, including the articles “Building Boardroom Trust” from the July 2009 Leadership Ventures Newsletter; “Editorial on Diversity” in the November 2008 Indiana Business Journal (IBJ); “Clarian Health Partners: United We Thrive” in the April 2007 issue of DiversityInc, Magazine; and “Helping Diversity to Grow Up” in New York Voice/Harlem USA October 1997 edition.

Formerly the director of the Center’s Northwest office in Crown Point, McKenzie Scott Lewis is the director of a new Center for Congregations project: Congregations with Communities.

Terrance Bridges is the director of the Center’s Northwest office in Crown Point and serves congregations in the Northwest portion of the state.  He is licensed with subsequent ordination from Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith. An ordained elder, Terrance combines his parish ministry with adjunct professor work for Grace College, New Horizons Christian University, and guest lecturing at colleges and universities. His consulting practice includes work in the areas of program development, evaluation, congregational strategic planning and intergenerational ministry.

Terrance has a bachelor’s degree from Taylor University in Upland, a master’s from Ball State University, Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies and Doctoral Studies from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He is working on his culminating doctoral project in education at Northcentral University in Prescott, Arizona. He has served in ministry at Eastern Star Church, Indianapolis, and Union Baptist Church in Muncie. He continues his ministry service at Mt. Zion Apostolic Church, Indianapolis, through the ministerial alliance, leadership council, preaching and teaching ministries.