BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Marlis Norton
Board of Directors
Board Member | Chair

Dr. Johnnie Driessner
Board of Directors
Board Member | Vice Chair

Rev. Dr. Wayne Braun
Board of Directors
Board Member | Secretary

Ed Lamb
Board of Directors
Board Member | Treasurer

Deaconess Sonja Baumeister
Board of Directors
Board Member

Rev. Dr. Marin Cerchez
Board of Directors
Board Member

Robin Domeier
Board of Directors
Board Member

Rev. Dr. Peter Meier
Board of Directors
Board Member

Rev. Dr. Paul Mueller
Board of Directors
Board Member

Nickie Wilson
Board of Directors
Board Member

ABOUT MARLIS NORTON
Previously worked in Information Technology project management in the marketing and media arenas; retired and serving in numerous capacities at church and elsewhere.

ABOUT NICKIE WILSON
USAF Lieutenant Colonel, retired; varied international and domestic mission experience.

ABOUT DR. WAYNE BRAUN
Senior Pastor at Fishers of Men Lutheran Church in Sugar Land, TX, former missionary to Germany.

ABOUT ED LAMB
Retired IT Executive. Currently an Executive Advisor/Life Coach and Owner of Fruitful Connections. Board Secretary at Christ Greenfield Church in Gilbert, AZ.

ABOUT DR. PETER MEIER
Serves the Florida-Georgia District, LCMS, as Executive Director of Missions and Outreach. Prior to the FLGA District, Peter served as Executive Director of the Center for United States Missions, Concordia University Irvine from 2013 to 2019. He is a Senior Master Trainer for Dynamic Church Planting International, Oceanside, CA. Peter is a Director on the Mission Haiti Board and serves as Chairman of the Board of Project Video, which proclaims the Gospel through locally produced video in Southeast Asia. Peter served the Minnesota South District, LCMS, as Executive Assistant to the President (2005-2006), and Assistant to the President for Missions (2005-2013). He served as Senior Pastor of Zion Lutheran Church and School in Mayer, MN from 1982-2005.

ABOUT DR. PAUL MUELLER
Now retired, served as the Executive Director of the Center for Applied Lutheran Leadership and Director of the Mission Training Center, Concordia University, Portland; Regional Director – Africa and Evangelistic Missionary in Liberia for LCMS World Mission; and full professor teaching mission and outreach courses at Concordia in St. Paul, MN and Portland, OR. He is the secretary for the North American Mission Executives group.

ABOUT DR. JOHNNIE DRIESSNER
Doctoral Faculty and Dissertation Chair (Part-Time), University of Phoenix; previously served in a variety of faculty and administrative posts at Concordia University Portland, including Chief Operating Officer, Executive Vice President, and Interim President; previously deployed to the Concordia University Educational Network (CUEnet) as Director of Academic Programming.

ABOUT DEA. SONJA BAUMEISTER
Program Coordinator for Mission Training Center which helps lay leaders learn to engage in God’s mission in their own communities.

ABOUT ROBIN DOMEIER
Owner and operator of Nibbles Personal Chef and an associate with Project Outpour, a mobile-shower service for the homeless.; former journalist, and a student with the Lutheran Diaconal Association.

ABOUT DR. MARIN CERCHEZ
Pastor of Calvary Lutheran Church, Charleston, SC; former LCMS U @ GVSU Director; former Ratio Christi Michigan Area Director, former LWML Grand Rapids Zone Pastoral Counselor; born under the Soviets (Moldavia), grew up as an atheist and worked as a medical doctor and a university professor in Moldova; became a Christian in the 1990s.
INTERNATIONAL OFFICES STAFF

Rev. Dr. Rich Rudowske
Executive
Executive Director + CEO

Paul Federwitz
Field Programs
Director for Field Programs

Seth Hinz
Marketing
Director for Brand + Marketing

Rev. Dr. Tilahun Mendedo
Executive
Associate Executive Director

Alyssa Petty
Development
Director for Development

Angela Tayloe
Operations
Director of Operations + CFO

Jessica Albers
Marketing
Social Media + Content Coordinator

Charlotte Brandt
Operations
Gift Records Coordinator

Serena Derricks
Field Programs
Regional Director Assistant

Sarah Esala
Field Programs
Regional Director | Southern & East Africa + Pacific

Ali Federwitz
Member Care
Member Care Coordinator

Rev. David Federwitz
Field Programs
Regional Director | West Africa

Valerie Federwitz
Member Care
Nutrition & Wellness Consultant

Katie Hogan
Field Programs
Program Data Coordinator

Calvin Inman
Operations
IT Coordinator

Jill Inman
Marketing
Marketing Assistant

Kathy Knipmeyer
Operations
Gift Records

Jennifer Kunkel
Executive
Executive Assistant

Stephanie Luetjen
Operations
Accounting Assistant

Andrea Mitchell
Development | Field Programs
Administrative Assistant

Janine Pluger
Field Programs
Ethiopia Programs Data Coordinator

Molly Poppe
Marketing
Creative Content Writer

Sarah Rudowske
Marketing
Creative Coordinator

Melissa Schweigert
Operations
Human Resources Manager

Audrey Seider
Development
Marketing Support Assistant

Eshinee Veith
Operations
Training Coordinator

Emily Wilson
Development
Development Officer