Coming to Arizona is like coming home for Kent Sharpe, the newly-elected Arizona Conference treasurer. Kent, second child of David and Grace Sharpe, attended Thunderbird Adventist Academy while his parents pastored the Phoenix Central and Paradise Valley churches from 1980 until 1997. Kent graduated from TAA in 1983.

Kent was born in Kirksville, Mo., in 1963. He graduated from Southern Adventist University in 1988 and was earned his CPA in Ohio in 1990 and an MBA from the University of Baltimore in 1998.

Kent began his professional career as treasurer of the Home Study Institute in Washington, D.C. He then worked for the Ohio Conference as auditor and assistant treasurer, then business manager of Mount Vernon Academy. From there he moved back to Washington, D.C., where he was controller at Adventist Risk Management.

For the past four years, Kent has been the treasurer of the Arkansas-Louisiana Conference in Shreveport, La., and was invited to the Arizona Conference after treasurer Keith Heinrich accepted a call to be associate treasurer of the Southern Asia Pacific Division in the Philippines.

Lisa will work full-time as secretary to Arizona Conference President Duane McKey. McKey’s former secretary, Sandi Pate, is now working part-time for Executive Secretary Tony Anobile, and for the television ministry of her husband, Don.

Lisa was born in Algiers, a section of New Orleans, La. She is a graduate of Highland View Academy and Southern Adventist University. Her work history includes stops at the Office of Youth Ministries at the North American Division, the Ohio Conference, Atholton Adventist School, and the Arkansas-Louisiana Conference.

On a personal note, Kent and Lisa met in 1986 at Southern Adventist University and were married in 1988, the day after graduation. The Sharpes have two children, Allyssa, who will be in eighth grade, and Zachary, who will be in sixth grade at Thunderbird Christian School this fall.

"We enjoy seeing the roads God leads us down and what adventure is around each bend," says Kent. "Each move is a blessing and an exciting time for our family as we look forward to serving God wherever He leads us."