Our Team.
Meet the Heart of Our Mission.
At Edna Martin Christian Center, our team is dedicated to empowering individuals and strengthening the Martindale-Brightwood community. From program coordinators to support staff, every member brings a unique passion and expertise to their role, working tirelessly to create opportunities and provide essential resources. Together, we’re committed to transforming lives, fostering growth, and building a brighter future for all.
Our Board Members.
Richard Bray • President, Community Partnership Manager, IUPUI
Crystal Hart • Vice President, Business Administrator, New Era Church
Zach Kubly • Treasurer, Director, Katz, Sapper & Miller
Rodney Burns • Secretary, Director of Youth Ministries, Grace Memorial Missionary Baptist Church
Thakena Hogue • Attorney, The Magi Group
Vickie Franklin • EMCC Senior Angel
Malcolm Orton • Retired Supervisory Accountant
Andrew Seibert • Executive Director, Kipp Indy Public Schools
Vincent Ash • Chief of Staff, Indiana Economic Development Corporation
Cindy Brumbarger • Interim Chief External Affairs Officer and HealthNet Foundation Executive Director
Bernice Valentine-Watts • QA Consultant/Auditor, Eli Lilly and Company
Robert Weyreter • Corporate Compliance & Regulatory Officer, Precinmac (Major Tool & Machine)
Rev. Lisa Harris-Lee • Director of Healing and Transforming Communities, American Baptist Home Mission Societies
Mark Thompson • Exec. Minister, ABC of Indiana/Kentucky
Jean Langdon • President, ABW Women’s Ministries
Barato Britt • Executive Director, EMCC
Rev. Dr. Michael Friday • Executive Minister, ABCGI
Jay Geshay • CHORUS, Inc.

Meet our President
and CEO, Barato Britt.
Barato Britt became the sixth President/CEO of Edna Martin Christian Center on January 1, 2020. Prior to his directorship, he was our deputy executive director, leading the Leadership and Legacy Campus (our intergenerational hub for youth and seniors) where he oversaw day-to-day operations, and also led the Center’s Campus capital development strategies.
Prior to joining EMCC in April, 2009, Mr. Britt worked as a Site Manager for The Princeton Review, a Supplemental Education Service tutoring agency, where he managed programs serving over 300 youth in Indianapolis Public Schools. Mr. Britt also formerly served as the Executive Director for the Indiana Chapter of the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO) and as Communications Coordinator for the Greater Educational Opportunities (GEO) Foundation from 2000-2004. His roots in Martindale Brightwood were planted in 1995, when he served as a beat writer, section editor covering the Indianapolis Colts for the Indianapolis Recorder.
Mr. Britt is also a Board Director for KIPP Indy Public Schools, a network of three K-12 public schools serving over a thousand students. Prior to joining the KIPP Indy Board, Mr. Britt served for 12 years as a member of the Board of Directors for the Irvington Community School Corporation, which also operates three charter schools in Indianapolis. A former member or the 100 Black Men of America and the Indianapolis Chapter, Mr. Britt also served the national organization as its Charter Schools Sub-committee chair. He served finally as a Director for Recycle Force, an organization whose mission is to provide transitional employment opportunities for the City’s hardest to serve former offenders from 2003-2015.



The Administration.
At Edna Martin Christian Center, our administration is the driving force behind our mission to empower and uplift the Martindale-Brightwood community. Guided by a vision of resilience, opportunity, and faith, our leadership ensures that every program and initiative aligns with the goal of building a stronger neighborhood.
Current Leadership Team:
- Barato Britt, President & CEO
- Maggie Goeglein, Chief Operating Officer
A Legacy of Leadership:
- Tysha Hardy-Sellers, 2008–2019
- Rev. Lawrence Lindley, 1989–2008
- Rev. Richard K. Padrick, 1980–1988
- Rev. Frank Alexander, 1974–1979
- Mrs. Edna Barnes Martin, Founder, 1941–1974
This legacy of committed leadership has shaped the EMCC into a cornerstone of support and transformation for the Martindale-Brightwood community. We honor the contributions of past leaders while striving to carry forward their mission of hope and empowerment.
Donate today!
Edna Martin Christian Center began in 1941 when Edna Martin, a 43-year-old trailblazer, rented a one-room apartment and started a daycare to support families. She fed children, taught them about Jesus, helped parents with life skills, and inspired others to give back. The Center grew under the American Baptist Churches in 1945, and Edna continued uplifting the community until her passing in 1974.
Today, we continue her mission in Martindale-Brightwood. We rely on generous supporters like you—please consider donating to help us carry on this important work. Thank you!