George J. Barnes, known to many as Pastor GJ Barnes, is a Harvard-educated acclaimed business leader, executive, and educator. As the co-founder of the Elevate Business Community, Barnes has played a pivotal role in assisting over a thousand individuals in launching and scaling their businesses and nonprofits. With his entrepreneurial drive, he founded and serves as the CEO of several multi-million-dollar organizations, garnering recognition from media outlets like Fox, CBS, ABC, and MPT. He's also the force behind Preachify, an online sermon preparation platform, and Purpose University, a unique institution focused on real-world education.

An accomplished author, his national-selling book "The Growth Principle: How Ordinary People do Extraordinary Things" has resonated with a broad audience. His contributions extend to various national reports and articles, highlighting his insights into addressing the U.S. Black-White academic achievement gap.

In terms of his academic background, Barnes' credentials are both diverse and impressive. He holds a postgraduate certificate from Harvard Business School in Business Innovation, completed doctoral studies in leadership at Vanderbilt University, earned a Master's from Georgetown University, another Master's from Washington Theological Union Seminary, undertook a post-graduate assistantship at Johns Hopkins University, and holds a Bachelor’s from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Above all, Barnes values his roles as a husband to Lady Junetta Barnes and as a father to his three children: Taja, Todd, and Caleb. His dedication to his faith remains central to his life and mission.