Dr. Calvin L. Brown, Sr. -
Executive Director
Calvin brings more than three decades of ministry, entrepreneurial, community programming, and people development experience to The Edge. His role as Executive Director (ED) not only leverages his diverse experience, it also captures his core passions. Calvin is a visionary leader that thrives in team. He considers his lifework to be helping launch people and enterprises that make a kingdom difference in the world.
Calvin earned a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Cleveland State University and a Master’s degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. His Master’s thesis centered on the role of the Church in the broader society. He also graduated from the Arrow Leadership Program (www.arrowleadership.org) and now serves on the Arrow leadership team as a leadership partner (mentor) and trainer. Arrow’s mission is to develop leaders that are led more by Jesus, lead more like Jesus and lead more to Jesus. Calvin earned a Doctor of Ministry at the Alliance Theological Seminary in Nyack, NY. His doctoral dissertation was on the practice of shared leadership.
In addition to his ED role with The Edge, Calvin serves as a co-pastor at Destiny Church, an intentionally multi-ethnic church in Twinsburg, Ohio. He is married to Robin and they have two boys: Calvin, Jr. and Maxwell and both play soccer for the U.S. Soccer Development Academy in Cleveland.
Mario Houston -
Director of Sports Academy
Mario is a USSF "C" Licensed Coach and NSCAA Level 1 & 2 certified Goalkeeper Coach. He is currently an Ambassadors Football Club Coach and Club Goalkeeper Coach. Additionally, he is the High School, Varsity Soccer Head Coach and Assistant Track Coach/ Jumps at Laurel School in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Prior to Laurel School, Mario was the Girls Head Soccer Coach at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio and the Assistant Coach/ Goalkeeper Coach at Aurora High School, in Aurora, Ohio. In 2016, Mario was named Private School Soccer Coach of the Year by the Greater Akron Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association.
Mario studied Anthropology at Arizona State University and Cleveland State University, and was commissioned as an U.S. Army 2nd Lieutenant, New Mexico Military Institute. He recently resigned his position at Verizon Wireless as the Midwest Regional Sales Trainer to pursue his calling to serve in sports ministry full-time. Mario is a recent graduate of the Christian and Missionary Alliance’s ministerial preparation program called Lead (www.seochurchplanting.org).
Mario is married to Dr. Candis Platt-Houston and they have two children - Myles and Camryn.