His Grace Bishop NICHOLAS
Bishop of the Antiochian Diocese of Miami and the Southeast
Bishop Nicholas was born in Damascus, Syria, in January 1963 to an Antiochian Orthodox family. He attended the French Lycée Laïque elementary and middle school, and the Omia High School. For the first 18 years of his life, he attended the Antiochian Orthodox Patriarchal Cathedral of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary in Damascus. Bishop Nicholas worked for nearly 20 years as a Computer Engineer at several companies in the Electronics Design Automation industry, such as ViewLogic Systems and Synopsys Co. Bishop Nicholas was ordained to the Holy Diaconate by His Eminence Metropolitan Philip on April 23, 2004, and to the Holy Priesthood by His Grace Bishop Antoun on January 9, 2005. He was consecrated to the bishopric as the Bishop of Brooklyn on December 11, 2011.
Fr. Hans Jacobse
Spiritual Advisor
Fr. Hans is a native of Holland and has been a priest for almost 30 years serving various parishes and positions. His received his BA in History from the University of Minnesota, an M.Div from St. Vladimir’s Seminary and studied the Greek Language at Aristotle University in Thessaloniki, Greece. He serves St. Peter the Apostle Orthodox Mission in Bonita Springs, FL. He is married with one daughter.
Michael Baclig
President
Michael Baclig is a Sales Executive, with over 20 years of experience in sales and account management. Michael earned his Bachelors of Science degree in Business Administration from the Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas. He is the Parish Council Chairman at St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church in Springdale, AR and President of the Antiochian Men Chapter at that church. He has also served on the Diocesan Ministry Council in DOMSE for the last 5 years. Michael is married to Elizabeth Baclig and he has 3 teenage children, Andrew, James, and Katherine.
Eric Beard
Vice President
Eric Beard is a Sales Executive with 35 years of experience in the aerospace industry. He studied at Middle Tennessee State University and Belmont University in Nashville. A dedicated Orthodox Christian for 40 years, Eric currently serves as President of the SIOC AMEN Chapter and is a member of the Parish Council at St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Franklin, TN. He has been happily married to Patty Beard for 29 years, and together they have raised four children.
Elias AbuGhazaleh
Treasurer
Elias AbuGhazaleh is a technology professional (software/hardware/security). Elias earned his Bachelors of Science degree in Computer Science from California Lutheran University. He is also the DOMSE DMC Treasurer, as well as serves on the Camp St. Thekla finance committee, manages the DOMSE Facebook page as well as DOMSE communications. Elias is married to Kimberlee AbuGhazaleh and has 2 children (twins), Jessica and Samantha, and attends Holy Cross Orthodox Church in Ormond Beach, FL.
Neal Pohl
Secretary
Neal Pohl and his wife Mary are members of St. Stephen Orthodox Church in Hiram, GA. They have been married for 16 years and they have 4 children. He is a middle school Sunday school teacher, choir member and President of his home parish’s AMEN chapter. He graduated from Point University in 2005 with a degree in Biblical Studies, and then attended seminary for 3 semesters at Emanuel School of Religion. He is the owner of Courtyard Pools, a pool maintenance and pool repair company, and he has 27 years of experience in the swimming pool industry.
M
att Bianco
Social Media Director
Matthew Bianco is a subdeacon at Christ the Good Shepherd Mission in Concord, NC. He and his wife, Patricia, have three adult children and three grandchildren. He, his wife, and his children all came into the Orthodox Church together at All Saints Antiochian Orthodox Church in Raleigh, NC in 2014, just after the Feast of the Dormition.
