Across three decades at Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes, including the last 13 years as CEO, Rod Marshall has witnessed streams of miracles.
He recalls a young man who grew up in foster care and now works as a pharmacist. Another is pursuing a doctorate in physical therapy. He thinks of many others who are raising families of their own—determined to break the cycle of childhood trauma they endured.
“The risk of working here is you see miracles so often that you stop realizing they’re miraculous, but they are,” Marshall said. “God is favoring this ministry. God has created protection over this ministry. It's just a humbling, remarkable privilege to be able to serve here.”
Marshall leads the state’s largest private foster care provider, serving about 500 children each year through 300 licensed foster homes. The ministry operates family care homes for mothers and children, an adoption and reunification program, and a college care initiative that has produced a 93% graduation rate among youth in its care—compared to a 4% average statewide.
The youngest of five children, Marshall grew up in a home where attending college wasn’t assumed. When church mentors encouraged him to consider Samford University, a scholarship opened the door. He studied religion and human relations, led campus ministries, and served as a youth minister in Birmingham. He frequently encountered people coming to him for advice about heavy decisions, leading Marshall to consider the counseling path rather than a traditional pastoral role. Instead of entering seminary, he pursued a master’s in counseling at UAB and became licensed.
That path led him to Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes, which was looking to launch a counseling ministry in 1995. He was the lone employee his initial year, before building the program into the state’s largest faith-based counseling network, with 26 full-time counselors serving in 30 locations.
When visionary CEO Paul Miller announced plans to retire in 2011, the ABCH board asked Marshall to take the helm. Today, he continues leading the impactful nonprofit that nurtures and protects children—a career that represents a calling.
“I can’t imagine what my life would be like if I had not had the opportunity to come serve at the children's home,” Marshall said. “Our employees and foster parents aren’t just doing a job—they’re shepherding. They’re responding to something bigger than themselves. That’s why miraculous things happen here every day.”
Humanitarian of the Year
Rod Marshall ’87
Position: CEO of Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries
Noteworthy: Marshall recently taught an introduction to counseling theories course at Beeson Divinity School. … His wife Leslie ‘89 and daughter Anna Leigh Marshall Moncrief ‘13 also are Samford grads.
Quote: “My kids were young when I came to work at the Children's Homes, so they don't ever remember a time when this wasn't part of our family and just part of who we are.”
