Wesley Stafford (Communication '75) is the president and CEO of Compassion International.

Personal Life

Wesley K. Stafford grew up as a missionary kid. He lived as a village child, watched over by the "extended family" West African community. Moving to the United States later, he spent his teen years both at public high school in the Southwest and at Wheaton Academy.

He currently lives on a ranch near Colorado Springs with his wife Donna and daughters Kenny and Katie.http://www.compassion.com/about/executives/wessstafford.htm

Education

Wess Stafford graduated magna cum laude at Biola University in 1975. He also attended Moody Bible Institute and served in the U.S. Army for four years as a linguist in military intelligence. He went on to earn Ph.D.'s from both Michigan State University and Wheaton College. In addition, he has honorary doctorates from Colorado Christian University and Biola University.

Career

Stafford spent four years in Haiti with relief and development agencies. He joined Compassion International, a Christian relief and child sponsorship organization, in 1977 and has been its President and CEO since 1993. He is the author of _Too Small to Ignore: Why the Least of These Matters Most._http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307550439 He is on the Board of Directors of National Religious Broadcasters.

In 2008, Stafford received the Clyde Cook Missions Award from Biola University.http://www.biola.edu/news/articles/2008/080222_alumniawards_recap.cfm He has recently spoken out on the impact of the recession on developing countries.http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/stories/2008/10/30/stafforded_1030.html

References

reflist

(1) http://www.compassion.com/about/executives/wessstafford.htm

(2) http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307550439

(3) http://www.biola.edu/news/articles/2008/080222_alumniawards_recap.cfm

(4) http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/stories/2008/10/30/stafforded_1030.html