Lifeway Leadership
Ben Mandrell
President and Chief Executive Officer
Ben Mandrell was elected the 10th president of Lifeway Christian Resources on June 28, 2019. As president and CEO, Mandrell provides vision and strategic leadership to the nonprofit organization headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee.
Prior to joining Lifeway, he pastored churches in Colorado and Tennessee. A native of Tampico, Illinois, Mandrell graduated from Anderson (Indiana) University in 1998. He also holds a Master of Divinity degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Union University in Jackson, Tennessee.
Mandrell and his wife, Lynley, have been married since 2001. The couple has four children: Ava, Max, Miles and Jack.
Joe Walker
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Joe Walker is senior vice president and chief financial officer of Lifeway. Prior to serving in this role, Walker served as corporate controller for 12 years. He has held various financial positions at Lifeway since 1986. As senior vice president, he gives oversight to several shared services within Lifeway, including distribution services, procurement services, investment services, facility management services, and corporate finance.
Walker is a CPA and holds a bachelor’s degree with a major in accounting from the University of Tennessee, Martin. He lives in Hendersonville, Tennessee, with his wife, Lisa, and has two adult children who are both married. He enjoys playing golf and tennis with friends and spending time with his family, especially his four grandchildren Kinsley, Lainey, Molly Kate, and Whit.
Cynthia Phillips
Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer
Cynthia Phillips is an impact-focused, values-driven leader who guides the vision, strategy, planning, measurement, and optimization of all marketing, research and communications for Lifeway. She leads a team of marketing and communications pros responsible for bringing Lifeway’s story to its stakeholders.
Philips has more than 25 years of experience working with emerging technology and high-growth companies to achieve maximum profitability, target revenues, grow brand recognition and expand market share. A veteran of over 50 acquisitions, her experience encompasses companies ranging from start-ups to large global corporations. She also acts in several Advisory roles.
Phillips graduated Cum Laude from the University of Notre Dame earning a bachelors degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Management.
Chris Knight
Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer
Chris Knight is senior vice president and chief legal officer. Knight joined Lifeway in 2018 as vice president and general counsel, overseeing Lifeway's legal department.
Knight came to Lifeway from the Pilot Flying J Corporation, where he served as the chief compliance officer since 2015. Prior to Pilot Flying J, Knight worked for the McDonald’s Corporation as senior counsel and director of Compliance and Privacy.
A native of Ohio, Knight earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Public Relations at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and a Master of Science in Sports/Business Administration at Ohio University. He graduated cum laude from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago.
Knight and his wife, Michelle have three children—Jack, Carter, and Campbell.
Becky Loyd
Vice President, Go-to-Market Strategy and Women's Leadership Development
Becky serves as an advocate for women in the local church through her work at Lifeway, where she has served since 2001. During her tenure, she has served in many different roles, including leading marketing and business strategy in both Kids' Ministry and Women's Ministry.
Becky holds a bachelor's in marketing and a master's in business administration from Louisiana State University. Although her education centers on business and marketing, her call to ministry led her to Lifeway, where she is able to use her calling and her gifts to serve the local church.