Roger H. Ford, Ph. D., is a professor and international business consultant.  He has been married to Holly Eve Ford since 1978, and they have two children, Cassandra and Ryan, who both attend college.  Roger and Holly both gave their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ while in college back in the 70’s.

From 1985-98 Roger was a tenured professor of management at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.  He also engaged in a number of entrepreneurial start-up ventures and served as a director of a number of businesses and non-profit organizations.  He also is the author of over 60 professional publications, including books, journal articles, cases, and conference papers.  Roger and Holly were both active in a local church and Christian school and led a home (cell) group for about ten years.

In 1992 Roger led the first of several student exchange tours to Vietnam.  Later he and his students founded a non profit organization with the mission of promoting healing between the USA and Vietnam.  Between 1992 and 1997 the entire Ford family (along with their church, students, and supporters) became involved with Vietnam missions by supporting Vietnamese refugees to the USA (including teaching a Bible Study in Vietnamese) and assisting orphans in Danang, Vietnam.  Cassandra and Ryan also helped by participating in fundraisers for the orphans and assisting with other Vietnam-related projects. 

In 1997 Roger and Holly were accredited as missionaries under the International Institute for Christian Studies (Cooperative Studies in creative access countries, including Vietnam).  After serving with IICS for two summer missions to Vietnam, the Fords felt that the Lord was calling them to full time missions work.   Roger resigned from JMU in 1998; they sold their house, and moved the family to Hanoi.  His official assignment and visa platform was serving as an advisor to Vietnam National University’s Hanoi School of Business.  Later he became a US Fulbright Senior Scholar and the Chief of Party of the USAID-supported Vietnam Competitiveness Initiative.  He was also worked as an international consultant for several other international donor projects and corporations under his own company (see www.southchinaseadev.com for details).

The Fords returned to the USA in 2005 and began the journey which led to the founding of Isaiah 61 Ministries.  On the side, Roger continues to devote a portion of time to consulting and teaching, and he is currently a Visiting Professor teaching in the MBA program at Eastern Mennonite University.  Cassandra recently graduated from James Madison University and is now pursuing a masters in Christian Counseling through Regent University.  Ryan is a second year student at Syracuse University.  Roger and Holly are part of New Life of the Shenandoah Valley church in Harrisonburg, Virginia.