Two new directors are now serving at the WELS Center for Mission and Ministry in Waukesha, Wis.: Mark Maurice as executive director of WELS Investment Funds and WELS Foundation and Carolyn Barsch as director of communications.

Maurice succeeds James Holm, who retired after 30 years of serving in Christian giving ministries for WELS. Maurice brings more than 30 years of experience in Christian stewardship, charitable gift planning, and endowment development to these roles. “I look forward to serving God’s people by helping them reach their stewardship goals in supporting ministries they love, both now and down the road, through solid gift planning,” he says. “In addition, I greatly want to support congregations and ministries as they look ahead by having additional financial resources to enhance sharing the gospel and serving their communities.”

WELS Investment Funds, a self-supporting subsidiary of WELS, provides cost-effective, professionally managed investment portfolios for more than 270 WELS ministries, affiliated organizations, and congregations. WELS Foundation offers planned giving support to WELS donors through WELS Christian giving counselors and facilitates various giving opportunities, including charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, donor advised funds, and endowments. “We want to help members support the ministries they care about through thoughtful gift planning, enabling them to create a lasting gospel impact for future generations,” says Maurice.

Before joining WELS Foundation and WELS Investment Funds, Maurice served for four years as vice president for mission advancement at Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minn. He also served as a philanthropic adviser with the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. He holds a master’s degree in business administration with a finance concentration. He and his wife, Mary-Jane, are members at St. John, Wauwatosa, Wis.

Carolyn Barsch started as the new director of Communication Services in June, replacing Dan Nommensen, who took a call as a Christian giving counselor for the WELS Ministry of Christian Giving.

Communication Services serves under the Conference of Presidents, assisting in clearly and consistently communicating the synod’s mission to the members of the synod and those outside its fellowship. The team supports the synod’s national office and areas of ministry by providing strategic communication; exploring and implementing innovative media usage; and ensuring that synodical communications are accurate, coordinated, and aligned with WELS’ shared mission. It oversees the creation, editing, and distribution of content for print, digital, video, and social media platforms, including Forward in Christ, WELS Connection, the Together e-newsletter, and the WELS website.

“While communication might seem like separate pieces, we are working to build a broader communication strategy that’s designed to keep people informed and engaged,” says Barsch. “My goal is to continue to strengthen the communication our members know and love and also consider new ways to share WELS ministry stories.”

Barsch isn’t a stranger to working at the synod’s central office. “About 20 years ago, I started my career at WELS administration as an administrative assistant. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to build experiences in mission advancement, communications, marketing, and public relations, with WELS ministry at the heart of each role,” she says. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to bring those experiences back to a ministry that helped shape my career and to use the talents I’ve been blessed with in service of its mission.”

Barsch graduated in 2004 from Wisconsin Lutheran College, Milwaukee, Wis., with a bachelor of arts degree, specializing in graphic design. She received a master’s degree in strategic communications from Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich. She worked 12 years as communications director for Wisconsin Lutheran High School, Milwaukee. She and her husband, Tony, are members at Crown of Life, Hubertus, Wis.

Learn more(opens in new tab) about WELS Foundation and WELS Investment Funds.

Volume 113, Number 09
Issue: September 2026