Our Leadership

Tim Barley | Chairman & Co-Founder

As broker at Barley and Barley, Tim believes in the power of place — from land and buildings to blocks and alleys. It’s the tradition in which he was raised in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where his family has been ever since the Funk deed was issued by William Penn’s sons, Richard and Thomas. And it’s a passion he first pursued with the purchase and management of 12 apartments. Real estate investment became a side project when he moved to DC in 2003, then eventually a full-time career in residential real estate brokerage in 2010.

Tim has been involved in over 800 real estate transactions in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. His energy, enthusiasm, and love for people make him a guide for buyers and sellers who offers rich vision and deep wisdom.

He enjoys raising his three boys with Erin on Capitol Hill.

Elizabeth Laird | Co-Founder, Board Member

As co-founder and past executive director of Sacred Spaces, Liz catalyzed the organization’s mission through research, advocacy, education, and outreach.

Liz developed Sacred Spaces’ Counting the Cost curriculum and has delivered it to numerous congregations in the Washington, D.C., area. Her work has been featured in the Washington Post, The Economist, World magazine, Fox Business and other major outlets.

Liz is also founder of WanderWell Travelers, a family travel consultancy. She lives in Washington with her husband and three children.

Kristy Riedel | Board Member

Kristy joined the board of directors of Sacred Spaces Conservancy in June 2023. She was introduced to Sacred Spaces through its Counting the Cost curriculum at her church on Capitol Hill, and the organization's passion for maintaining and preserving sacred spaces drew her toward deeper participation in its mission.

Kristy has over 45 years of experience in the housing and building industry. She began in the real estate appraisal field before moving to mortgage banking. For more than two decades, she served as the Chicago district manager for U.S. Bank, managing dozens of loan officers. During her tenure, she also built and helped launch a Builder Division, where she hired and trained experienced loan officers to become experts in home construction and lending. She also co-wrote lending guidelines and training material for the corporation and served on several task forces.

In addition to corporate life, Kristy has been engaged in faith-based financial literacy workshops, coaching and counseling since 2000. Kristy and her husband currently live in Sarasota, Florida. She enjoys gardening, rescuing monarch butterflies, kayaking, hiking and biking.

Evan Sparks | Board Member, Treasurer

Evan joined the Sacred Spaces Conservancy board in January 2023 and serves as treasurer. He has been involved in church life in Washington, D.C., for nearly two decades and co-chaired the space search and capital campaign for the Church of the Advent. Working with Sacred Spaces combines his passions for historic architecture and healthy churches.

Evan is senior vice president for member communications at the American Bankers Association and editor-in-chief of the association’s flagship magazine, the ABA Banking Journal. Prior to joining ABA in 2013, Evan was managing editor of Philanthropy magazine.

In addition to volunteering with Sacred Spaces and his church, Evan has served in several leadership roles in the association sector and is a frequent speaker at events. His writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, The Weekly Standard, Slate, the Washington Times, Commentary, Forbes.com and other outlets. He lives in Washington’s Petworth neighborhood with his wife and three children.