Founder 

Following his internship at Lakewood Church, David Soliman tapped into his calling for evangelism and outreach. His vision has always been to build bridges in our communities that connect and extend Jesus Christ’s hope, love, and grace to all.

Born and raised in Egypt at a Pastor home, David’s own journey has empowered and equipped him to contribute greatly to developing genuine relationships, wholly leaning on Jesus’ commission for His church to become a reflection of Him. Bridging the Gap and its programs help Christians to understand and better connect with the Muslim world (John 3:16).

David Soliman began his architectural and engineering career in Boston, Massachusetts, before moving to Houston in 1998. As an entrepreneur, he has spent the last two decades in the automotive industry, where he’s had a unique opportunity to become an ambassador for Christ in the business arena. Through Bridging the Gap, he partners with organizations, churches, and individuals around the country who seek to stand in the gap for “the least among us.”

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Country: Egypt, United States
Church: Lakewood Church 
Ministry Focus: Global Outreach, Discipleship

Co-Founder

Mila Soliman was born and raised in Venezuela, with much of her formative years serving people in her local communities. She graduated with a Business Administration and Management degree and has since pursued her professional career in corporate management and administration. Mila worked in various functional roles in multinational corporations and later worked as an Internal Corporate Auditor for a leading financial institution, American Express. She is the comptroller of Autoequation Automobile Company.

Mila found her turning point in ministry when she began serving the Lord as a staff member at Lakewood Church. Over a period of 5 years, she was actively involved in hands-on ministry work, supporting the church’s message of hope and grace to the Houston community and also to many more across the United States and the world. Her passion is to, through Christ’s help, do everything she can to please the heart of her Heavenly Father.

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Country: Venezuela, United States
Church: Lakewood Church 
Ministry Focus: Global Outreach, Discipleship

Advisory Board
 

Co-Founder of Connect2Serve. Operations, Logistics and Continuous Improvement. Retired from ExxonMobil with 39 years’ service in various Oil & Gas Production facilities located Onshore and Offshore in the US and Africa. Ministry focus; helping join needs to resources serving on the ground.

Goal: Boldly follow Christ wherever he leads.

Advisory Board

Strategic planning, business, risk and finance management. Co-founder of Connect2Serve. 30+ years business and insurance management for employers. Former VP Insurance Operations, Anderson, Greenwood & Co./AG Insurance. Ministry interests include missions, missions management, mentoring, leadership, and collaborating with local ministries and churches in Texas, Alaska and beyond.
Goal: Expanding the gospel together; seeing the impossible become possible.

Advisory Board
 

Dr. Eric Obeng-Amoako Edmonds is a researcher, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. His career spans roles in the energy, consulting, and broadcast media industries, starting with Global Product Development for the Associated Press in New York. He earned both his undergraduate and MBA degrees at the University of Houston and a doctorate at the University of Southern California (USC). He is a partner at Woochase Group, working directly with management teams in all aspects of commercial operations, financial analysis/reporting, mergers and acquisitions, risk management, and implementing internal controls and organizational systems. His research focus is organizational change and leadership.

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Country: Ghana
Church: Lakewood Church 
Ministry Focus: Global Outreach, Medical Missions, Children's Ministry

Advisory Board

Connie Hillman is a mother and grandmother to 3 adult children and 3 grandchildren.
She is a former bookkeeper with an accounting background. Her most recent positions include working with a 501c ministry, a home rebuilding company, as well as working in the automotive and medical industries. She has a heart to serve and has been honored to serve with many great volunteers locally and around the world.

Advisory Board

In 2006 Luis Martinez left corporate America to join Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church as a Pastor and Director of Volunteer Development, overseeing 5,000+ volunteers. As part of Lakewood’s leadership team, Luis was invited as part of the team that put together 89 “Night of Hope” stadium events across the US. In 2018 Luis found a new assignment as a church consultant traveling all over Latin America helping churches, ministries, and NGO’s in the areas of volunteer management, logistics, and church operations.

He is currently writing an upcoming book called "The 5 Laws of Volunteer Management" and he is a Senior Advisor for organizations like Livingwater International, World Prays, Solutions For Ministry, Bridging the Gap, Pueblos’ Church among others. In 2021 Luis accepted the invitation to join World Prays’ to build a Global Chief Operations Officer role to manage continental teams and operations. He is currently a member of it’s advisory board and leads special global projects.

As Senior Advisor for Woodsedge International, Luis is leading the vision of opening 100 hispanic churches in Texas by 2028. Luis is married to Claudia and they live in Houston, Texas. They have two children, Kristofer and Diego

Advisory Board
 

Marlin Soliman, founder of Act Right, a non-profit organization focused on humanitarian issues, envisions building inclusive and harmonious communities worldwide through education and the arts. Act Right's mission is to empower vulnerable populations through self-development and artistic expression.

As a dedicated life coach, Marlin specializes in tailored communication and emotional intelligence courses, guiding individuals and organizations towards fulfillment and growth.

Program Manager

Brenda Gieseke has a passion for serving and helping people. She served on the staff of one of the largest churches in America for 28 years and was involved with children’s ministry in preschool. She developed programs in the ministry and used her gifts and talents in writing curriculum and developing teams. 

Brenda continues to serve in Bridging the Gap by helping to develop programs as well as manage the CARS Ministry Shop and the clients that it brings. Brenda serves with grace and joy,giving hope and help to people in our communities. 

Advisory Board

Joseph Rios, a devoted husband to the beautiful Riqisha Rios, is the proud father of four incredible world-changers—Amaiah, Atalia, Zion and Judah. As the passionate pastor of Generations Church in Houston, Texas, he guides and inspires his congregation with unwavering dedication to be disciples and make disciples of Jesus Christ. Joseph extends his impact beyond borders as an international bilingual speaker, sharing his wisdom and inspiration with diverse audiences worldwide. His commitment to family, faith, and fostering positive change defines his remarkable journey.