Jan, Compassion Corps’ President, serves as a passionate advocate for those who are suffering in some of the most volatile, harsh, and impoverished regions of Africa. Having traveled more than 35 times to northern Africa over the past 17 years to discern and address the enormous needs, Jan, along with former teaching colleague, Beth McMillen, and a growing coalition of concerned supporters, founded Compassion Corps, intent on alleviating suffering and advancing economic development. Along with her advocacy efforts, Jan strives to activate others in North America to become wholeheartedly involved through commitment of their talents and resources. Jan’s gifts of leadership, administration, and teaching, along with her skills in research and language fluency were put to use for 12 years as she served as Executive Director of Compassion Corps. She now serves on CC’s Board and works part-time as a development consultant and public relations representative.
Jan holds a BA in French from American University, and a Master’s in Nonprofit Management from Eastern University. She has always been keenly interested in international peoples and affairs, particularly committed to helping to extend God’s love in tangible ways. Her diverse career includes campus and community ministry, home schooling and co-op developer/director; foreign language teacher and curriculum specialist; short-term trips coordinator. Serving in church ministry alongside her husband during his twenty-year pastorate, Jan developed women’s discipleship curricula and left a legacy of ongoing transformational ministry. After the tragedy of September 11, 2001, Jan acquired training in Islamic studies and began to prepare for humanitarian aid work in the Muslim world in an effort to build bridges of peace and reconciliation. Opportunities quickly arose for her to gain invaluable field experience in community development and to learn more about possibilities for desperately-needed holistic programs in northern Africa. She immediately began to recruit others to help, seeking to awaken North Americans to current realities of urgent need in Africa, and then to harness their compassion into action. Jan has devoted herself particularly to the concerns of oppressed women and children; her advocacy efforts have raised awareness and inspired action. She especially enjoys teaching the Community Development segment of the U.S. Center’s Perspectives classes throughout the Eastern U.S. Region each year. For the past 5 years she has also worked for UrbanPromise Ministries, first serving as Executive Assistant to the President of UrbanPromise International and managing a pilot social enterprise, and now as Executive Director of the UP Community Development Corporation.
Jan is married to Rev. Craig Bean, who serves locally as a wedding officiant, a pastor to the grieving, and as a hospice chaplain. They have four sons, two daughters, and six grandchildren. It is in the context of this rich background of life, ministry, foreign service, and academic experience that Jan has been pursuing expansion of Compassion Corps’ capacity and impact through development of social enterprise.
Mrs. Janine (Jan) Bean P.O.Box 103, Chester Heights, PA 19017 610-574-7188 [email protected]
