Columbia Union Delegates Re-Elect All Five Vice Presidents to 2026-2031 Term

Story by Ricardo Bacchus

At the 29th Columbia Union Conference Constituency Meeting on May 17, delegates re-elected all five vice presidents—Kelly Butler Coe (right), Donovan Ross, José D. Espósito, Lisa Saveikis Burrow and José L. Vázquez—to serve another five-year term in their respective roles.

A Committed Communicator

Kelly Butler Coe joined the Columbia Union in 2000 as a graphic designer and assistant director for the Communication Department, and has since served in various leadership and creative roles, including associate director; communication director; and art director, editor and publisher of the Visitor magazine. 

Since September 2023, she has served as vice president for Communication. In this capacity, she manages the day-to-day operations of the department, represents the union at events and in collaborative leadership settings, and helps shape the organization’s editorial voice and strategic messaging. She also provides crisis communication leadership for the union and its 13 entities and offers strategic communication leadership, resources and support. Through training, consulting and collaboration, Coe and her team equip conferences, churches and members to communicate effectively and further share the mission.

Using an integrated mix of print, video, social media, web and live presentations, the department keeps members informed, connected, engaged and inspired with news, resources and ideas for effective ministry.

A graduate of Andrews University (Mich.), Coe earned a bachelor’s degree in Digital Media in 1998.

Continuing Education

Donovan Ross, vice president for Education, has more than 30 years of teaching and administrative experience, including 21 years in the Columbia Union. He served as vice principal at Spring Valley Academy in Centerville, Ohio, and the former Garden State Academy in Tranquility, N.J. Ross has also taught at the college and elementary levels at various schools across the United States and in Jamaica.

The Office of Education is committed to advancing the cause of Seventh-day Adventist education throughout the union. They assist in the formation of system policies and provide mission-driven strategic consultations in areas such as program development, school accreditation, professional growth and teacher certification.

Ross holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Northern Caribbean University (Jamaica), a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Atlantic Union College (Mass.), and a Ph.D. in Philosophy, Educational Administration and Supervision from Andrews University.

Sharing God’s Love, One Person at a Time

José D. Espósito serves as vice president for Multilingual Ministries and Evangelism at the Columbia Union. From 1997–2006, he served in the Potomac Conference as a district pastor and evangelist. In 2007, he was elected as Hispanic Ministries director and Ministerial associate director for Potomac, serving in that capacity for 15 years. 

Espósito served as assistant to the president for Evangelism since January 2022. In March 2026, he was voted as vice president for Evangelism and Multilingual Ministries.

This department has experienced significant growth, reflected in measurable outcomes, a renewed missionary spirit across churches within the territory and strategic initiatives, including the Garments of Faith initiative. After receiving a baptismal garment, members commit to praying, mentoring and spiritually nurturing specific individuals toward baptism, after which those newly baptized members are encouraged to continue the cycle with someone else on their heart. To date, more than 6,000 garments have been distributed.

Another key initiative was Pentecost 2025, resulting in a historic record of 7,097 baptisms last year—the highest number ever recorded in the union. Throughout the last quinquennium, a total of 27,158 individuals were baptized, in part, thanks to the leadership of the Evangelism and Multilingual departments.

Espósito has a bachelor’s degree in Theology from the Adventist University of Plata in Argentina. He also holds a master’s degree in Public Health from the Adventist University of Chile through Loma Linda University (Calif.) and a Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Ministry from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary (Mich.) His doctoral thesis was based on home churches/small groups as a healthy growth model for the church—reaching one person at a time.

Keeping Us in Check

Lisa Saveikis Burrow worked with the General Conference legal team for 17 years—providing legal advice to all levels of the church structure.

In 2019, Burrow was hired as an assistant to the general counsel at the Columbia Union. In this role, she supported the union by interpreting laws, rules, regulations and precedent, and formulated strategies in corporate, constitutional, employment and contract law.

As vice president and general counsel since 2021, she serves as chief legal officer to the various ministries within the union, providing counsel and advice to union and conference officers, as well as the various entities within the union territory in their day-to-day administrative functions. Burrow advises on best practices and manages risk; assists union organizations, both proactively and as requested; and participates in administrative processes, policy, drafting and management. The general counsel’s office is involved substantively with the operation of Planned Giving & Trust Services and Public Affairs & Religious Liberty (PARL) and liaises with the General Conference, the North American Division, and conference personnel to carry out the work of these departments. 

Burrow has a bachelor’s in English and a minor in Computer Science, with a Pre-Law concentration from Washington Adventist University in Takoma, Park, Md. She later graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law in Baltimore.

Reaching Upward and Outward

At the Columbia Union executive committee meeting in November 2025, José L. Vázquez was elected to be the new vice president for Ministries Development. Prior to that, he served as the vice president of Administration for the Potomac Conference for six years. 

Among his responsibilities, Vázquez will continue partnering with the union’s local conferences in developing and supporting outreach ministries designed to transform and evangelize the communities within the union’s territory. He will also continue working to secure and process funding for homeland mission projects and initiatives, including church plants.

Vázquez serves as the union ministerial director, representing the union at division-wide ministerial meetings and partnering with conference ministerial directors to plan the union’s quinquennial ministerial training event.

Vázquez graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Theology from Oakwood University (Ala.) and earned a Master of Divinity from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary.

V. Michelle Bernard contributed to the reporting of this article.