Get to know our board members and staff!
Katie White
Dr. James Hatcher
Alan Ostrzycki
Katie and her husband Britt have served in student ministry for over a decade. Katie has been an interim student minister, girls ministry director, middle school teacher and high school teacher here in the North Alabama area. During her time teaching middle school, Katie served as a First Priority teacher sponsor and then later as a Firs
Katie and her husband Britt have served in student ministry for over a decade. Katie has been an interim student minister, girls ministry director, middle school teacher and high school teacher here in the North Alabama area. During her time teaching middle school, Katie served as a First Priority teacher sponsor and then later as a First Priority campus coach at Liberty Middle School. Today, Katie enjoys using her talents to speak at First Priority clubs and youth events all over the state. She is the Connections Director at Lindsay Lane Baptist Church and mom to her son, Parker.
Alan Ostrzycki
Dr. James Hatcher
Alan Ostrzycki
Alan has been involved with First Priority pretty much his entire life. Lon Ostrzycki, Alan’s father, started the very first FP club in North Alabama at Hazel Green High School over 27 years ago. Alan got involved with First Priority when he was in middle school in 2000. As a student, he led in clubs at Meridianville Middle School and
Alan has been involved with First Priority pretty much his entire life. Lon Ostrzycki, Alan’s father, started the very first FP club in North Alabama at Hazel Green High School over 27 years ago. Alan got involved with First Priority when he was in middle school in 2000. As a student, he led in clubs at Meridianville Middle School and Hazel Green High School in Madison County, and as a student pastor, he helped to start clubs at schools like Athens Middle and Athens High School in Limestone County. In 2011, Alan helped to establish First Priority of North Alabama as it exists today and has served in various positions throughout the organization. Currently, Alan lives in Elkmont, AL with his wife, Rebecca of 14 years, and their 3 kids Cooper, Hudson, and Maddy. Alan serves as the Campus Pastor at Lindsay Lane North Church in Elkmont and leads a Priority Kids club at Elkmont Elementary School.
.jpg/:/cr=t:0%25,l:0%25,w:100%25,h:66.67%25/rs=w:365,h:365,cg:true)
Dr. James Hatcher
Dr. James Hatcher
Dr. James Hatcher
Jim's Bio is coming soon!
.jpg/:/cr=t:11.54%25,l:0.19%25,w:99.61%25,h:76.92%25/rs=w:365,h:365,cg:true,m)
Mark Allen Pyle
Dr. James Hatcher
Dr. James Hatcher
Mark's Bio is coming soon!
Phil Springer
Phil's Bio is coming soon!
Meet our Executive Director:
Ashley Bell
Ashley Bell is passionate about reaching students for Christ. Ashley's story perfectly captures the blessing of the First Priority strategy as her own testimony starts with a student inviting her to church!
" I grew up in a non-religious home where we did not go to church or even own a bible. My only exposure to Christianity was a negative example of what it means to follow Christ, so I was very turned off to Christianity as a whole. I really struggled throughout my later elementary - high school years, I had a void in my heart that I desperately wanted filled but had no understanding of what would fill it. When I was 16, a classmate invited me to go to church with him. Given my experience with Christianity I said no, I was not interested in that! He asked me every single week for WEEKS to go to his Wednesday night youth program and finally I gave him a yes (mostly to get him to stop asking).
Well, that Wednesday night program was a really sweet introduction to church life, I felt welcomed and a sense of belonging, and that led to me attending a Sunday morning youth group. Once worship started, this absolute stirring of my soul overcame me and that feeling of pure joy, you surely know what feeling I'm talking about, filled every part of my being and that void in my heart felt so full! I was overwhelmed and had to know more about this Jesus and this youth group. I started attending Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings, and on February 17th 2002 I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and was baptized in front of a loving and supportive congregation.
God used that one kid with enough chutzpah to invite a total stranger to church and it saved my life. Students discipling students WORKS. I am proof of this! I would not have received it from an adult. And because of that student's obedience, my children know the Lord, and God willing their children will too. One student made a generational change that started with just an invitation to church."
Students in Action!
See how our First Priority North Alabama students are making an impact on their community!