We are Vision Mentors* who mentor women into their vision. Our passion, our calling, and our commitment —

• We are women who are passionate about investing in the personal and spiritual growth
  of women.
• We are women called to nurture inner faith and its external life expression.
• We are women committed to providing gathering spaces for women to be supported and nurtured as they explore their pathways of faith, womanhood, and vision.

Linda Leitch-Alford

Linda’s childhood church was the Salvation Army, so having a vision for the poor and disenfranchised was just a part of everyday life. She was introduced to Jesus early in life and embraced the Christian faith as a child. Linda has been blessed in her faith development through her involvement in youth activities, studies at bible college, working to found and develop a one-on-one discipleship ministry (founded as Personal Ministries and now known as Leadership Resources International), living life in the role of a pastor’s wife and then serving as Intervarsity staff with her husband. Linda’s training at the master’s and doctoral level is in counselor education and supervision. Although she does not directly use her professional counseling skills in the context of Pathways4Women events, Linda brings to Pathways her 25 years of professional experience. For a quarter of a century and in a number of forums, all of her training and professional work experience has at some level involved woman’s issues intermingled with faith struggles.

Linda has been in private practice for nearly 25 years, and has worked as adjunct and full-time faculty training master’s level students in the field of professional counseling. Linda is currently an adjunct in the Ph.D in Counselor Education and Supervision program at Regent University.

Linda has been married to Tom since 1973, and has two adult daughters – one a writer and the other a music composer.

Paula Tipton

Paula Tipton is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Illinois. Her spiritual journey began in the Evangelical Covenant Church of America where she grew up listening to missionary stories and captured their vision early on. After a rebellious period in late high school, she came to understand the Lordship of Christ and the importance of spiritual growth through the ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ staff members her first year in college. Upon graduation she joined Campus Crusade and went to Swaziland, Africa for 3 years. Then she spent the next 15 years in Czechoslovakia, where she began a grassroots ministry of evangelism and discipleship. After the “Velvet Revolution,” when the iron curtain came down, she worked with Biblical Education by Extension (BEE), an inter-mission organization, and brought theological training to women leaders in the church and pastors. Helping people to know Christ and deepen their walks with Him has been her passion for years. Helping women who know Christ find their voice and use their gifts and vision is a natural extension of that passion.

After years of living life fully as a single, Paula married Don and has discovered a new challenge and adventure . . . possibly the most challenging yet! And she has inherited 3 grandchildren in the process.

Katie KEISTER

Katie began her life and her spiritual journey in a small Baptist congregation in the Midwest. Family, community, and faith were interwoven in the rich tapestry that represented her childhood. Her understanding and acceptance of the Christian faith developed and deepened as she studied and worked with Dr. Francis Schaeffer and L’abri Fellowship in Switzerland, and then pursued her undergraduate degree that reflected the integration of human biology, psychology and faith.

Katie has been a lifelong learner in the fiber arts, expressive arts, and all things creative. She has taught math, science, and art at the elementary and middle school level. Her recent graduate studies have focused on the integration of Interpersonal Neurobiology, creativity and faith. She has developed and lead workshops on creativity based exploration and expression with her church, with women, and with children. She has joined Paula and Linda in their dream for Pathwyas4Women as an opportunity to share her passion in the ability of creativity to explore vision and faith.

Katie is a creativity director in Northern Virginia.

Katie has been married to Brad since 1976, and has three adult daughters—a political scientist, a physicist and a graphic designer.