Executive Leadership Team

Dave Jones

Dave and his wife, Gina, have served in ministry 40 years, with the majority of those years ministering to young people and their families in Denver. Dave has served the Lord in a variety of settings including a group home for troubled youth, a lockup facility for teens, prison ministry and inner city Denver.

In more recent years, Dave's calling has been to equip, coach and encourage ministry leaders who have a heart to serve the "least of these," as Jesus described in Mathew 25. In addition to his role with Denver Leadership Initiative, Dave leads a seven-month program called "TEAMM" that assists urban ministry leadership teams with becoming more aligned and effective in their calling.

Whether it is Christian leaders or ministry leadership teams, Dave’s passion is to help others with focus, direction and self (and team) care.

Dave and Gina have been blessed with a long marriage and they have three adult sons Nathan, Ryan and Anthony who they deeply adore. They have also been blessed with a wonderful daughter-in-law, Brenda (Nathan) and two amazing granddaughters.

Christine Martinez

Christine is ministry leader with a passion for supporting people and organizations in achieving their God given vision. In her current role as a member of the executive team with the Denver Leadership Initiative she is grateful she gets to do just that. Prior to working with Denver Leadership Initiative Christine worked in the corporate sector for 30 years.

During her time in corporate America her leadership extended beyond the corporate world into her deep commitment to the body of Christ. Christine has served in various capacities at Resilience Church, including as a key member of the management team, where she contributed to the spiritual and organizational health of the church. Christine served at His Love Fellowship Church for 26 years, demonstrating her outreach and leadership skills in various roles.

Outside of her professional and ministry roles, Christine has also committed to furthering her education and personal growth, attending leadership programs such as the Circle of Latina Leadership, Denver Leadership Initiative, and Passion2Plant Cohort 3, and the Ministry intensive at the Denver Institute of Faith and Works.

Christine loves Jesus and loves her family. She and her husband Eric have 4 beautiful daughters in the Denver Metro area

Phil Abeyta

Phil Abeyta has been called to "HELP" (Honor, Encourage, Love, and Pray) urban leaders.

God called Phil to plant a church on Denver's west side called His Love Fellowship, the part of town where he grew up. He served in the role of lead pastor for 27 years. In more recent years Phil served as Executive Pastor at Redeemer Temple Church in Arvada, primarily developing staff, preaching, counseling and leading outreach efforts.

Phil also works for the DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative (DVULI), a national leadership development program for urban youth workers in Christian organizations and institutions.

Phil is now focusing on HELPing pastors and leaders by using a strategic assessment model that focuses on personal and ministry excellence as well as coming alongside these leaders to support and encourage.

Phil has been a follower of Christ since he was a senior in Denver's North high school. He has been married to the same amazing woman for 46 years. He and Cathy have seven kids (4 married) and currently have 17 grand kids. He loves to fish, golf and spend time in San Diego whenever he can.

For Phil, serving the Lord, and helping others to do the same is his life's calling!

DLI Board

Salt Wall

Urban Youth Ministries

For the past 30 years, Salt and Marcie have lived and worked together serving as urban missionaries in Northeast Denver where Salt was raised. Salt and Marcie have three adult sons Jesse, Chris and Shawn, of whom they are very proud.

Currently, Salt and Marcie give leadership to Urban Youth Ministries and interact with many youth from the Denver and Aurora neighborhoods. Their current calling is to train and walk alongside urban leaders.

Niecy Locricchio

The Soul Care Place

Niecy is a spiritual director, retreat creator and guide, and companion to those in the prayer pilgrimage of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. She is founder of The Soul Care Place (thesoulcareplace.com), visioned to journey with others to experience greater wholeness, healing and intimacy with the God who loves us.

With over 20 years of ministry experience, Niecy is passionate about coming alongside others to tend to God’s voice in both ordinary moments and life transitions. Her practice draws upon Ignatian Spirituality, to hold space for creative experiential practices to open new avenues for connecting with God.

As a recovering perfectionist and overachiever, Niecy has found creativity, play and slowing down to be life-giving practices in her spiritual rhythm. She loves to spend time with her husband and family, especially her granddaughter. You might spot them paddleboarding, Latin dancing, or playing laser tag.

Don Dellos

iCareTeam

Founders, Don and his wife, Mary Dellos, have been caring for people in the states and overseas for the past 34 years.

They are the proud parents of 3 grown children and 3 amazing grandchildren. Their family brings them much joy.

Don and Mary are a pioneer team. They have had the opportunity to start four churches and serve as dorm parents for missionary children in Ecuador. The past 11 years they have poured their lives into employees in the workplace.

Through their own life struggles they have learned how to be present and empathically listen to others during difficult times. Don and Mary desire to help people at any stage of life and through unexpected dark times. They are gifted, trained and experienced in speaking into people’s lives. Being bilingual, they have had the privilege of caring for the Spanish speaking population in Denver.