CRSC | Board of Directors

CORPORATE OFFICERS

Paul E. Krizek, Esq.
Vice President/General Counsel

Bieu Do

Chief Financial Officer

Nhi Ho Cao

Secretary

Frank L. Stitely, CPA
Mr. Stitely is a partner at Stitely & Karstetter, CPA. He graduated summa cum laude from Clarion University of Pennsylvania and received the Elijah Watt Sells certificate in recognition of his performance on the CPA Exam. Mr. Stitely serves small businesses and individuals in the areas of taxation, financial reporting and software support services. He is a certified accounting software consultant and trainer working primarily with Sage Software products. He formerly served as an officer for the Dulles Area Chamber of Commerce.

James J. O´Brien, Esq., Chairman
Mr. O´Brien is founding partner of O´Brien Law, LLC, a Washington, D.C. Law firm specializing in employment law and business immigration. He graduated in 1987 from Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America. He is a member of the Bar of the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia, the Court of Appeals of Maryland, and the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. He has run his firm for 13 years and says that the best part of running a small business is that he has, “given employment to many people, thus helping each of them in different ways along their own career paths.”

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Christian Relief Services Charities Board of Directors is comprised of diverse volunteers that share a passion for the Christian Relief Services Charities mission and vision.

James J. O´Brien, Esq., Chairman Mr. O´Brien is founding partner of O´Brien Law, LLC, a Washington, D.C. Law firm specializing in employment law and business immigration. He graduated in 1987 from Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America. He is a member of the Bar of the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia, the Court of Appeals of Maryland, and the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. He has run his firm for 13 years and says that the best part of running a small business is that he has, “given employment to many people, thus helping each of them in different ways along their own career paths.”

The Right Rev. Ketlen A. Solak
Rev. Dr. Solak graduated from the Virginia Theological Seminary in May 2005 and was ordained in the Diocese of Virginia in June of that year. She served as Associate Rector at St. Luke's Episcopal Church from August 2005 to November 2014. During her tenure at St. Luke's, Rev. Solak was active in the Alexandria, Virginia area non-profit community and joined the Christian Relief Services Charities Board of Directors in 2014. She is currently serving as the Covenant Rector of three Episcopal churches in Wilmington, Delaware.

Connecting those in need

with those who care!

Thomas (Tom) M. O´Brien, Treasurer
Thomas M. O´Brien is principally a private investor, and founder of a closely-held real estate company and a business engaged in youth sports training and fitness, both in northern Ohio. He held various executive roles at The RMR Group and its public company clients from 1996, and was the Chief Executive Officer and President of TravelCenters of America LLC, from 2007, until his retirement from those positions in 2017. Mr. O´Brien serves on the board of directors of VirnetX Holding Corporation, a public company engaged in the development of an extensive software patent portfolio concerned principally with internet communications security. Mr. O´Brien joined the Christian Relief Services Charities Board of Directors in 2008.(back to top)

Bryan L. Krizek, President/CEO

ASHLEY LOYONS

Ashley Lyons is Wolf Clan and of the Mohawk Nation who currently resides in Kahnawa:ke Mohawk Territory, located in Quebec, Canada. Being a young Native woman, Ashley is familiar with the realities faced by American Indian youth and became involved with Running Strong to take part in its effort to promote the self-sustainability and empowerment of Native communities.

In March 2022, Christian Relief Services Charities President and CEO Bryan Krizek was recognized for his 30 years of service by the Board of Directors for his service to the nonprofit organization, which began on October 1, 1991.
The board resolved “To express its deep and abiding appreciation for Bryan Lad Krizek’s leadership, foresight

Rear Admiral Eric C. Jones

Admiral Jones serves as the U.S. Coast Guard’s Deputy for Personnel Readiness, directing all aspects of hiring, developing, and supporting the Service’s 57,000+ military and civilian personnel workforce. He also oversees the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and serves as the Chair of the Coast Guard Academy Board of Trustees. Admiral Jones is a 1987 graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and holds a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Marine Engineering, a Master of Science in Applied Mathematics from Brown University, and a Master of Business Administration from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan Fellows Program in Innovation and Global Leadership. He is also a graduate of the Naval War College. Admiral Jones joined the Christian Relief Services Charities Board of Directors in 2014.

Robert J. Hisel, Jr.
Robert Joseph Hisel, Jr. is the founder and former chief executive officer of Preferred Systems Solutions, Inc. (PSS) as an Information Technology and engineering services firm specializing in the commercial marketplace. Mr. Hisel serves on several business councils and is active with several youth sports organizations, non-profit organizations and other philanthropic activities including the National Defense Transportation Association, the Northern Virginia Technology Council, and the Vanguard Group. He has been a member of the Christian Relief Services Charities Board of Directors since June 2007.

ELAYNE SILVERSMITH

Elayne Silversmith is the Librarian at the Vine Deloria, Jr. Library with the National Museum of the American Indian’s Cultural Resources Center (NMAI, CRC) in Suitland, Maryland. The Cultural Resources Center is the home for the museum, library and archives collections and serves as a place for respectful learning, understanding, and sharing of Native knowledge and lifeways. She feels fortunate to be in a place where the Native worldview guides the mission for the museum and library. To her, this is one meaning of Indian Self-Determination

LORETTA AFRAID OF BEAR COOK

An enrolled member of the Oglala Lakota Nation of the Pine Ridge Reservation, SD, Loretta is an elder and Medicine Carrier for her tiospaye (extended family).

John F. Williams, COL, USA (Ret)
John works with the Veterans Administration (VA) as a Management and Program Analyst with the Veteran Experience Office focused on leading programs to improve the Veteran’s customer experience. After retiring from active duty and prior to joining the VA, John worked with the Coca-Cola company as a global project manager, supporting the development of a corporate-wide system economics tool, which provided improved efficiencies for the Coca-Cola system value chain. While on active duty, he was instrumental in the development and implementation of the revised Blended Retirement System as a part of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Additionally, he is a member of the Economic Development Authority board of the City of Douglasville, Georgia. John earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology (GA Tech) and a Master of Business Administration degree from Capital University.. (back to top)