HILLSBORO, Kan. – Tabor College is excited to announce that Michael Spinelli has been named the new Director of Development – West Coast. The majority of his responsibilities will include networking with Tabor alumni and donors on the West Coast, while nurturing and developing donor relationships.
Vice president of advancement, Ron Braun, is excited to have someone as connected as Spinelli take over this role for Tabor.
“We are excited about Mike joining the Tabor team,” Braun said. “He enjoys meeting people and that will serve him well as he learns to know the more than 1,400 Tabor alumni on the West Coast.”
Spinelli says he’s excited to join Tabor’s advancement staff.
“I am thrilled to join the Tabor family and help reconnect the West Coast alumni and friends to their Tabor roots in real and personal ways,” Spinelli said.
“I am a person who enjoys being with people, listening to their dreams and helping point out the threads in their dreams that might lead to service that benefits the kingdom of God,” he added.
President of Tabor College, Jules Glanzer, said that it is extremely important for Tabor to have someone on the West Coast to keep in touch with constituents.
“We want to connect with them, serve them and keep them informed about what is happening at their alma mater,” Glanzer said.
Spinelli received his bachelor of arts degree in contemporary ministries and business administration from Fresno Pacific College, Fresno, Calif., in May 1986 and a master of divinity, with emphasis in church and family ministry, from Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, Fresno, Calif., in May 1995. He went on to earn a doctor of ministry degree in pastoral leadership in May 2009 from Western Seminary, Portland, Ore.
While in seminary, Spinelli realized his spiritual gifts.
“I attended a church where my gifts for ministry were affirmed and where I grew in both ministry and personal skills,” Spinelli said. “The outcome of that growth was evident in subsequent ministry assignments and I continue to grow in the areas of personal relationships with people and service and humility before God. I have been affirmed in the gifts of preaching, teaching, administration and leadership.”
He was ordained for ministry with the Pacific District Conference of the Mennonite Brethren Churches and the Northwest Conservative Baptist Association.
Spinelli served as pastor for North Park Community Church in Eugene, Ore., from 2007-2010. He’s also held two positions with Twin Rivers Baptist Church in Springfield, Ore. He was a teaching pastor from 2003-2007 and served as pastor of adult and family ministry from 2000-2003. Upon graduating from seminary in 1995, Spinelli became the pastor of Christian formation at Lincoln Glen Church in San Jose, Calif.,—a position he held until 2000.
Recently, Spinelli has been involved with Rick Bartlett, director of theological education for Tabor College in Wichita, Kan., helping him develop courses for the master of arts in entrepreneurial ministry leadership degree. He will begin teaching an online class in project management for the EML degree in April. The class is designed to explore the many issues surrounding the successful start and completion of a project, not just creating to-do lists.
Spinelli has been married to his wife Cheryl for 24 years. They have two daughters, Lindsey, 18, who is a freshman at Tabor and Ashley, 19, who is a sophomore at Fresno Pacific University.
Spinelli started with Tabor on Jan. 5.