Gerald Duran

Founder | Managing Partner

Gerald Duran is the founder and managing partner of CanaGlobal, the world’s first faith-driven venture studio and startup incubator.

A six-time entrepreneur and lifelong operator, Gerald helps founders stop guessing by installing clear GTM and RevOps systems that produce customers, profit, and durable growth.

His leadership is grounded in a simple doctrine:

Customers first.
Capital second.
Faith as an operating system — not a performance.

Through CanaGlobal, Gerald is building a global builder ecosystem — forming founders, restoring communities, and advancing a Kingdom economy rooted in clarity, discipline, and endurance.

Oak trees, not unicorns.

Christian Sisson

Operating Partner, Founder Formation (NEWMEFY)

Christian Sisson is Operating Partner of Founder Formation at CanaGlobal and founder of NEWMEFY, a reinvention pathway for purpose-driven builders.

A three-time entrepreneur with 20+ years in innovation and venture development, Christian focuses on the internal formation required to sustain external success — helping founders align identity, calling, and discipline before scale.

At CanaGlobal, he leads the formation pillar of the ecosystem, equipping builders to integrate faith and execution without performance and to grow businesses that endure.

Old Self is the ceiling.
New You requires alignment.

Nancy Kay Coy

Venture Partner

Nancy Coy is a Venture Partner at CanaGlobal, bringing seasoned leadership, deal-making expertise, and a discerning eye for high-potential ventures.

Nancy’s ability to spot opportunity, assess risk, and navigate complex challenges makes her instrumental to CanaGlobal’s strategic expansion. In addition to supporting founders, she leads fundraising efforts for CanaGlobal’s upcoming digital media platform, advancing its mission to inspire and equip entrepreneurs worldwide.

Leslie Duran

Chair, Leadership Development Advisory Board

Leslie Duran serves as Chair of CanaGlobal’s Leadership Development Advisory Board. With over three decades of experience, she has dedicated her career to helping organizations navigate complex leadership challenges, build high-performing teams, and develop effective leadership strategies.

Her extensive background includes advising some of the world’s largest corporations on leadership development, executive coaching, and culture transformation—equipping leaders to thrive with purpose, integrity, and impact.

Gentry Gevers

Venture Partner

Gentry Gevers is a Venture Partner at CanaGlobal, a digital strategist, and an influencer-marketing leader focused on turning attention into scalable media assets. He drives growth at the intersection of culture, content, and capitalism, building media infrastructure that empowers creators and amplifies movements.

With an audience of more than 400 K followers, Gentry has built one of the most engaged political communities online—known for converting viral attention into measurable economic impact and bridging influence with purpose.

He has led influencer partnerships and brand strategy for national campaigns reaching billions. A firm believer in faith, freedom, and ownership, Gentry is committed to building media ventures that move both markets and minds.

Trevor Mann

Venture Partner

Trevor Mann is a Venture Partner at CanaGlobal and an operator, founder, and media strategist with a global perspective on capital and influence. As General Partner at Pacific Gateway Equity, a U.S.–Japan consulting firm and emerging fund, he brings deep expertise in venture capital, international business, and high-net-worth investment strategy.

His venture capital experience makes him a key advisor to CanaGlobal’s leadership and media division, helping integrate capital strategy, storytelling, and global reach into the movement of faith-driven media. Trevor is committed to stewarding influence faithfully—transforming media, business, and culture for the Kingdom.

Julie Standard

Venture Partner

Julie Standard is a Venture Partner at CanaGlobal and a nationally recognized real estate expert and influencer with decades of experience. Known for her market insight and bold leadership, Julie brings a trusted, seasoned voice to CanaGlobal’s Global News Media Team.

As a key contributor shaping the future of faith-driven media, she helps deliver bold, balanced, and truth-centered content for entrepreneurs, leaders, and culture shapers worldwide—infusing every story with clarity, conviction, and purpose.

Christiaan Heymann

Venture Partner

Christiaan Heymann is a Venture Partner at CanaGlobal and a purpose-driven entrepreneur with a global perspective on capital, operations, and Kingdom impact. Based in South Africa, he brings deep experience in wealth strategy, business services, and entrepreneurial ecosystems across Africa.

As founder of Heymann Wealth Holdings and Chief Operating Officer of the Fio Group, Christiaan focuses on building scalable, faith-centered platforms through strategic growth and M&A. On CanaGlobal’s media team, he helps align storytelling, capital, and mission to equip entrepreneurs, steward influence, and advance generational Kingdom impact.

Jason Whaling

Venture Partner

Jason Whaling is a Venture Partner at CanaGlobal, a well-known startup influencer, and the CEO of a successful marketing company. With over a decade of experience in growth strategy and content creation, he brings both creative and operational expertise to CanaGlobal’s media division.

At CanaGlobal, Jason focuses on talent development, content strategy, and building a world-class team of podcasters and creators—driving the platform’s mission to inspire and equip faith-driven entrepreneurs worldwide.

Dr. April Jones

Venture Partner

Dr. April Jones is a Venture Partner at CanaGlobal and a healthcare executive and faith-driven leader with more than 20 years of experience across healthcare leadership and employer-focused solutions. Nationally recognized for her work, she has advised Fortune 100 employers and helped design patient-first, whole-person health strategies across the healthcare landscape.

As CEO of Storehouse Wellness and WholeBio Insights, she builds faith-infused wellness platforms that integrate clinical expertise, technology, and purpose. On CanaGlobal’s Global News Media Team, she brings a bold, biblical lens to healthcare, leadership, and culture—cutting through noise to reveal truth, not narratives.

Preston Zeller

Venture Partner

Preston Zeller is a Venture Partner at CanaGlobal and a faith-tech founder and growth executive working at the intersection of faith, technology, and culture. As the founder of Psalmlog, he is building an AI-powered biblical guidance platform that helps believers apply Scripture to real-world decisions.

With 15+ years of experience scaling companies from $25M to $300M ARR, Preston has led go-to-market and growth teams as Chief Growth Officer at BatchService and previously drove growth at A Cloud Guru (acquired by Pluralsight) and ZoomInfo (IPO). On CanaGlobal’s Global News Media Team, he brings a bold, faith-forward lens to technology and culture—cutting through noise to reveal what matters.

Brian Mangels

Venture Partner

Brian Mangels is a Venture Partner at CanaGlobal and a faith-driven founder leading the Small Town Startup Communities initiative. As CEO of a successful home restoration company, he brings hands-on expertise in renewal and revival—both practical and spiritual.

Brian’s work embodies CanaGlobal’s mission to rejuvenate small-town America by empowering founders to build thriving businesses, restore local economies, and create lasting community impact.

Wayne Smith

Venture Partner

Bob Smith

Venture Partner

Bob Smith is a Venture Partner at CanaGlobal whose engineering roots are driven by an insatiable curiosity about how things work—and how they can be made better. That same curiosity led him to a deeper calling: serving others, working with the poor, and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

As a social entrepreneur, Bob has learned how to leverage the resources of business to transform communities, cities, and nations. At CanaGlobal, he plays a vital role in the Small Town Startup Communities project, where his passion for innovation and service is helping revitalize small towns across America.

Eddie Dunn

Venture Partner

Eddie Dunn is a Venture Partner at CanaGlobal, serving as the bridge to the military-connected community for the Small Town Startup Communities initiative. A national thought leader and subject-matter expert on veteran employment, Eddie brings invaluable insight and credibility to the team.

His innovative, strategic approach leverages the unique skills, discipline, and leadership of the military community to accelerate the growth of this initiative and drive the revitalization of small towns across America.

Carel van Heerden

Venture Partner

Carel van Heerden is a Venture Partner at CanaGlobal and a visionary in sustainable agriculture, blending engineering precision with a passion for creating harmonious ecosystems. His work focuses on developing innovative systems that produce high-quality food, functional crops, and stunning ornamentals—all rooted in sustainability and stewardship.

At CanaGlobal, Carel leads sustainable food initiatives within the Small Town Startup Communities project, applying his technical expertise and forward-thinking approach to advance agricultural innovation and help build thriving, self-sustaining communities.

Pastor Mike Thomas

Venture Partner

Pastor Mike Thomas is a Venture Partner at CanaGlobal, contributing to the Small Town Startup Communities project across America and abroad. Alongside his impactful ministry work, he brings more than three decades of experience in renewable energy, real estate development, and investment.

His unique combination of spiritual leadership and technical expertise in sustainable energy makes him a key voice in advancing CanaGlobal’s mission to revitalize communities through innovative, faith-driven, and sustainable solutions.

James Gorrie

Venture Partner

James Gorrie serves as Editor-in-Chief of CanaGlobal’s upcoming Digital News Platform. With a deep background in finance, economics, political science, entrepreneurship, and entertainment, he brings rare perspective to today’s global and economic affairs.

A published author and former contributor to The Epoch Times, James is recognized as an authority on China’s political economy. His analytical insight and public speaking—at institutions such as UC Berkeley—underscore the depth of expertise he brings to shaping CanaGlobal’s faith-driven media voice.

Tyler Dreher

Venture Partner

Tyler Dreher is a serial entrepreneur and proven product leader passionate about crafting technology solutions that empower people and businesses. As the founder of multiple SaaS companies, he’s been at the forefront of the AI revolution, developing intelligent products for clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 enterprises.

With deep expertise in product development and technical leadership, Tyler specializes in transforming unsolved problems and unproven ideas into impactful software solutions that drive innovation and growth.