Prior to coming to The Upper Room in July of 2010, Johnny spent 12 years at Lexmark International. While his professional life was in the corporate world, his personal search for a deeper connection to God carried him on a pilgrimage into the world of prayer and spiritual formation. One of the significant gifts of that journey was attending Academy #25 in Alabama in 2006-2007. He continued to be a part of the Academy ministry by serving on the leadership teams for the 25th Anniversary celebration in Alabama and the River Deep and Wide conference in 2009. He currently leads occasional retreats near the Abbey of Gethsemani for the Merton Institute for Contemplative Living. Before moving to Nashville, he served as an ordained Deacon, staff youth minister, Sunday School teacher, retreat leader, and spiritual director in his local Baptist church. Johnny and his lovely wife Becky are proud parents of two sons that bring them great joy. 

Claire hails from the dry plains of West Texas, and though she’s lived in Washington, D.C., Austin, TX, Louisiana, and now Nashville since 2013, she still claims Texas as her home. A graduate of Baylor University with a degree in English and Professional Writing, Claire began her career working at Sojourners magazine on Jim Wallis’ New York Times bestselling book tour for God’s Politics. From there, Claire worked in the nonprofit sustainable food world in Austin, Texas, and then made her way to Vanderbilt Divinity School where she earned a Master of Divinity degree and was ordained Alliance of Baptists clergy in 2011. Claire first experienced The Academy model through a Writing as Spiritual Practice clergy program in 2012 — an offshoot of The Academy, funded by a grant given to The Upper Room from the Lilly Endowment — and knew her soul had found a place to call home. In 2013, Claire began working with The Academy in the areas of interpretation, development, and communications, learning more deeply its mission of helping people connect with God, self, others, and creation for the sake of the world. As a pastor, spiritual leader, writer, teacher, poet, mother, spouse, certified yoga, dance, and movement instructor, and birth and postpartum doula, Claire turns to The Academy’s model of listening, learning, worshiping, and praying daily and is thankful for the sacred space it offers for rest and renewal, listening and love.

Since April 2008, Donna has filled an administrative role of the Academy office, assisting applicants and leadership teams for Two-Year and Five-Day Academies with the tools and information they need. A native Nashvillian, she offers a gracious welcome to everyone she encounters. Donna and her husband, Randy, have two daughters, a son-in-law, four granddaughters, and a grandson, all living locally.