The Faith Center Staff

Monty Burks, Ph.D., CPRS

Dr. Monty Burks is the Director at the HHS Center for Faith at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS Faith Center), where he advances faith-based and community partnerships that strengthen recovery systems, workforce pathways, and second-chance opportunities nationwide. His work focuses on integrating community-driven capacity with public systems to improve outcomes in behavioral health, reentry, prevention, and economic mobility.

Previously, Monty served as Deputy Director of the Tennessee Governor’s Faith Based and Community Initiative, where he helped lead the expansion of statewide partnerships connecting faith-based and community organizations with state agencies to address addiction, reentry, workforce development, and family stability. He played a key role in developing cross-sector initiatives, convening public-private partners, and strengthening local capacity to support justice-impacted individuals and communities across Tennessee.

Monty also served as Director of Faith-Based Initiatives for the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, where he built an innovative statewide model partnering with more than 1,000 houses of worship to support individuals and families facing addiction and mental health challenges.

Informed by lived experience, Monty brings over 20 years of leadership across behavioral health, criminal justice, workforce development, and higher education. He is a national speaker, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt instructor, and committed mentor focused on translating resilience into systems-level impact.

Ben O’Dell

Ben O’Dell is the Senior Advisor at the HHS Center for Faith at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS Faith Center). Ben is a recognized expert on facilitating partnerships between faith-based, philanthropic, and community organizations and government at all levels. Ben’s interest in strengthening local faith-based and community leaders and community engagement principles to religious, community, and government interest has led him to develop deep relationships, knowledge, and expertise on a broad range of issues from strengthening fathers and families to strategies for bringing groups together in collaborative networks. Ben has served at the Faith Center for over twenty years making him one of the longest-standing employees of any faith office across the federal government. Ben received his Master’s degree in Organizational Development and Knowledge Management in 2007 from the School of Public Policy at George Mason University. Ben resides outside of Washington, D.C., with his wife, Kristin, and implements his own personal fatherhood initiatives with their two kids.

Katherine Pacheco

Katherine Pacheco is the Special Assistant at the Center for Faith (Faith Center) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS Faith Center). In this role, Katherine provides support for the Faith Center as they address its core focus areas with a specific focus on maternal health. Prior to serving in IEA, Katherine worked at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in the Medicare Ombudsman Group where she handled inquiries from Medicare beneficiaries and their representatives involving premium direct billing issues and other Medicare related inquiries and grievances. Katherine has over 20 years of Federal government service, which includes her role as the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Administrator at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) where she also assisted efforts to address communities struggling with responding to disasters. Katherine is bi-lingual in Spanish and loves learning about its culture as well as learning about different cultures. She loves to spend time with her daughter, their two dogs, and traveling to the mountains.

John F. Tate

John F. Tate is the Senior Advisor at the HHS Center for Faith at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS Faith Center). He is a veteran political and public policy strategist with over forty years of experience, including leadership roles on five presidential campaigns, most recently the Donald J. Trump for President 2024 campaign. Over his career, John has served as President of Campaign for Liberty, Vice President at the Leadership Institute, and in senior roles at the National Right to Work Committee. He is also the Founder of JFT Consulting Inc., advising nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and political campaigns on strategy, fundraising, donor engagement, and organizational growth. A sought-after speaker and trainer, John has trained thousands of emerging leaders in all 50 states. He has also served as a guest lecturer at Christendom College, Regent University, and Liberty University. For the past decade, John has served as a middle school youth leader and volunteer in several church sports programs. He and his wife, Beth, also lead a missions team each summer to Dakar, Senegal, where they organize and run a Vacation Bible School program for local children. John holds a B.A. in History from the University of Virginia. He is the father of five and grandfather to nine grandchildren. He and his wife reside in a 1920s farmhouse, enjoying rural life with their growing flock of farm animals and rescue dogs.

Clintandra Thompson

Clintandra Thompson is the Communications Specialist at the Center for Faith at the U.S. Department and Health and Human Services (HHS Faith Center). She is a communications professional with 20 years of diverse work experience in public relations, website content management, social media management, and audio and video production impacting domestic and international audiences. Prior to joining the team at HHS, Clintandra worked at the Atlantic Council, Vietnam Veterans of America, the National Association of Realtors, and others. She was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Senegal focusing on Community Economic Development. She speaks French, Serer, and Wolof. Clintandra is a graduate of Howard University, and earned her Master of International Marketing degree from the University of Maryland, Global Campus.