Lesa was born in Hannibal, MO, and grew up in the small town of Palmyra, MO. Following high school, Lesa studied at Hannibal-LaGrange College and then entered the College for Officer Training in 1983. Commissioned in 1985, she served in corps appointments in South Dakota, Nebraska and Wisconsin before being appointed to National Headquarters as youth editor in 1991. She also served as War Cry features editor during her time at NHQ. Lesa married her husband Brian in 1993. They are the parents of two young adult children, Emma and Josiah. Together, the Davises have served as corps officers in Fond du Lac, WI; St. Louis (Maplewood), MO; Lansing, MI; and at Norridge Citadel in the Chicago area. They were also appointed to the College for Officer Training as staff officers from 2002-2005, and again as training leaders from 2017-2022. Lesa was also appointed to the territorial headquarters staff as Secretary for Spiritual Life Development from 2019-2022. As an officer, Lesa completed her undergraduate degree at Olivet Nazarene University and a Master’s in Spiritual Formation from Asbury Seminary. – Lt. Colonel Lesa Davis: Editor-in-Chief

Born and raised in Michigan, Andrea attended Michigan State University where she earned a degree in journalism, with a focus in design and broadcast. After graduation, she moved to New York where she began her professional career at Macy’s. While in the Big Apple, Andrea met her future husband and ultimately moved to Virginia in 2013 where she found a family at the next step in her professional development at The Salvation Army. – Andrea Martin: Art Director

Gloria has worked at The Salvation Army for 20+ years. As the Operations & Circulation Manager, she wears many hats in the Publications department including database management pertaining to all circulation matters. When she’s not in the office, she likes trying new recipes, going on long walks with her dog, Biggie, as well as watching movies. – Gloria Hull: Operations & Circulation Manager

Originally from Rhode Island, Elizabeth attended Pepperdine University where she earned a BA in Creative Writing and a minor in Multimedia Design. While at Pepperdine, Elizabeth spent an academic year abroad in Italy. After graduation, Elizabeth moved to D.C. to pursue her career in the creative arts. Elizabeth is the lead for developing and implementing of digital communications strategies for the web and social media for The War Cry. In her free time, she enjoys playing miniature golf and being enthusiastic about “Survivor.” – Elizabeth Hanley: Media & Marketing Manager

David is a born and raised Salvationist and lifelong writer. He graduated from the University of Washington in 2020 and joined The War Cry team in 2021 where he writes articles, reviews submissions and travels for stories and photos. He currently lives in the Seattle area with his fantastic wife and is a faithful soldier at the Seattle Temple corps. Some favorite pastimes include watching movies, playing board and video games, reading and wandering the forested roads of his home. – David Reardon: Journalist/ Copy Editor

Raised in the DMV area her entire life, Maryam attended the University of Maryland, College Park, where she converted to Christianity and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English Language & Literature. During her time in school, she also minored in Creative Writing with a focus in African American studies, and wrote for several collegiate publications. In 2022, Maryam joined The Salvation Army National Publications team as an Editorial Assistant, where she assists in copy editing, graphic layout, and print production coordination. In her free time, Maryam loves cooking her favorite dishes, watching silly movies with her nerd of a husband, and collecting tons of books that it’ll take her approximately a year and a half to even crack open. – Maryam Outlaw: Editorial Assistant