Executive Director & Founder
Chris Elisara, Ph.D.
A visionary educator, social entrepreneur, and filmmaker, Dr. Chris Elisara and his wife Tricia founded CCSP in 2002. A native New Zealander, Dr. Elisara earned a B.A. from the University of Auckland, an M.B.A. from Eastern University, and a Ph.D. in cross-cultural education from Biola University, CA. More recently he founded the Center for Environmental Leadership in Buffalo, NY, and in late 2011 Dr. Elisara became the inaugural chair of the World Evangelical Alliance's creation care task force. Closer to home Dr. Elisara is a board member of the Volcan Mountain Foundation, a conservation organization which has preserved over 17,000 acres of critical habitat in San Diego County.
New Zealand Staff
Courtnay Wilson, M.T.S. - Program Director
Courtnay hails from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and has served as Program Director for CCSP New Zealand since 2008. Prior to that, she completed a Masters in Theological Studies at McMaster Divinity College, taught English in Japan for a few years, and worked as the Cross Cultural Engagement Coordinator for CCSP Belize. Courtnay loves Kaikoura, especially kayaking with the acrobatic dusky dolphins! She is an ordained priest in the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia and serves as part of the Bishop’s Ministry Team as the Care of Creation enabler. In this role, Courtnay equips churches in the Nelson Diocese to highlight creation care in all aspects of church life. Courtnay is also training to become a Spiritual Director and enjoys pointing people towards the creation itself as the original “soul friend”.
