Rev. Dr. Don Nations
Don is the founder of DNA Coaching. Supported by specialists in education, research, statistics, and analysis, he coordinates the work of DNA Coaching and serves as its President and Lead Coach. His work is primarily focused on education, coaching, and business growth. His current areas of emphasis are helping universities increase enrollment and revenue, providing coaching and supervision services, and working in the business startup ecosystem.
He is a graduate of Florida Southern College (B.S.), Asbury Theological Seminary (M.Div.), Western New Mexico University (M.A.), Quantic School of Business and Technology (EMBA) and Columbia Theological Seminary (D. Min.). Don has extensive training in business, change management, church consulting, church planting, assessment, psychology, safety/security, and coaching leaders. He transitioned to serving as a full-time coach and consultant in January 2006 after 17 years of local church ministry, during which he planted a church and led successful transformation efforts in several churches.
Don holds the Professional Certified Coaching (PCC) credential from the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and the Senior Practitioner credential from the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC). He holds the Psychiatric Technician 4 national certification as well as the Board Certified, Human Services Professional credential. He is an ordained minister, licensed pilot, and Adjunct Professor at Southeastern University.
Don is married to Susan, and they have four sons and a daughter. Susan is an elementary school principal, literacy coach, author, speaker, and national consultant in the field of early childhood literacy and reading instruction. She was also named “Teacher of the Year” for her school system in 2004.
Don is available to support and expand the work of universities, foster partnerships among educational providers and consultants, provide coaching and supervision and training in those areas, work with churches, coach pastors, assess ministry candidates, lead workshops, conduct self-understanding and team-building events and work with judicatories, districts, associations and denominations.
Rev. Dr. Rick Nations
Rick is a certified Transitional Pastor. He has served as Transitional Senior Pastor in churches (in different denominations) facing pressing challenges in transitioning from a traditional, inward focused church to a more outward focusing church seeking to meet the unique needs of entirely different demographic areas.
Rick has consulted with staff and members of churches in different denominations, as well as with school systems, in one or more of the following areas; effective leadership and administration, program/staff training and evaluation, spiritual gifts discernment and utilization, fiscal planning and responsibility, data review and analyses, and crisis management. He has worked ex-tensively in the area of Discipleship and the training/ nurturing/coaching of Search Teams. Rick is a trained Coach (by Bob Logan, CoachNet.org), an Associate with DNA Coaching, a Natural Church Development Coach (Florida United Methodist Conference), and the Founder of Christian Professional Services (established 1984 to provide evaluation, management, professional development, and leadership consulting services in a variety of educational and other non-profit settings).
He has been the Field Supervisor (and Adjunct) for the Doctor of Ministry program at Southeastern Baptist
Theological Seminary. Credentialed to the Graduate Faculty at the University of South Florida (Tampa, FL) he
taught graduate courses for more than 20 years in measurement, assessment, evaluation, and research methods.
He also has taught doctoral students for the last 10 years at Argosy University (Sarasota Campus) in the areas
of Comprehensive Planning & Implementation, Program Evaluation Methods, and in Qualitative Research and Evaluation. He continues to serve on multiple doctoral committees, including as Chair. And, he has served the School Board of Sarasota County (FL) as a Mentor to new Administrators.
Rick’s educational background includes A.A., B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees as well as additional education in various fields including work at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He has been ordained for 16 years.
Rick is married to Betty, who collaborates with him and provides various kinds of support in the ministry and secular work previously mentioned. Their 50+ year marriage has produced two sons who have gone on to marry and provide Rick and Betty with the world’s 9 best grandchildren!
Rick is available to consult with, mentor and/or coach pastors, church staff, church member teams, and groups of churches (e.g., districts, associations, presbyteries, conferences, conventions) seeking assistance with issues related to servant leadership, administration, management, assessment/evaluation of programs/staff, and resolution of conflict/crisis, as well as lead workshops/seminars in a variety of areas (e.g., transi-tioning a church, conflict/crisis resolution, team building, branding, calling pastoral staff, comprehensive planning).
Mr. David Nations
David Nations provides statistical analysis and support for DNA Coaching. Since receiving his Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering and his Master’s in Statistics (both from the University of Florida), he has lived and worked in Florida, North Carolina, and Arizona. David has held a variety of jobs in Quality Management, Engineering, and Process Improvement for battery, automotive, aerospace, and defense companies.
David and his wife Heather have four children and reside in Gainesville, FL.