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Dave Wiedis Headshot

Dave Wiedis

Founder, Executive Director, Counselor
dwiedis@servingleaders.org | 610-517-0437

  • In addition to his full-time counseling practice, he regularly speaks at churches, pastors’ conferences and retreats. He has appeared as the host of the TV show “Joy In Our Town” on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, WGTW. He also produced and guest hosted “PTL” specials on providing pastoral care to pastors, handling grief, and the necessity and challenges of taking a pastoral sabbatical.

    Dave graduated summa cum laude from The College of New Jersey, with a BA in History Education, in 1979. He taught American History and Law at West Windsor Plainsboro High School. He then attended Villanova Law School and graduated magna cum laude in 1986. While at Villanova he was honored to have served on the Villanova Law Review and to have won first place in the 1986 Theodore L. Reimel Moot Court Competition.

    He practiced law with Pepper Hamilton and Scheetz in Philadelphia, where he handled medical malpractice defense, commercial litigation and toxic tort cases. He also served as an Assistant City Solicitor in Philadelphia. In 1991 he helped establish the law firm of Jose & Wiedis and specialized in radiation litigation. In that capacity, his firm served as national defense counsel to nuclear utilities, and created much of the federal case law pertaining to personal injury actions arising from radiation injury. As an attorney, Dave has published eighteen articles, and has given well over two hundred speeches and seminars to nuclear utilities and health physics organizations. Dave is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

    Dave also has a Master’s degree in Christian Counseling from Cairn University, where he earned a Certificate of Advanced Specialization in Christian Counseling. In addition to providing personal and marriage counseling at ServingLeaders Ministries, Dave serves as an adjunct professor at Cairn where he teaches Professional Orientation to Legal and Ethical Issues in Counseling in the Graduate School of Counseling.

    He was also an adjunct professor at Missio Seminary for several years, serving as a cohort leader for the PULPIT Program. Dave also served as Director of Development for the Alliance Defense Fund from 2001 to 2007.

    Dave served as an Elder for over a decade at Meadowcroft Presbyterian Church in Westtown, Pennsylvania, where he led the worship team and small groups. Dave served on the Church Planting Team for the Philadelphia Metro West Presbytery as well as the advisory council to the Metro Philadelphia Church Planter Community, an interpersonal gathering of church planters and their coaches and mentors. He has served the Mission to North America church planter assessment center as both counselor and assessor.

    Dave is honored to have been on the Board of Directors of the following organizations: The Pennsylvania Family Institute, The Pennsylvania Family Council, The Providence Forum, and Pastor-In-Residence Ministries. Dave also served on the advisory council to The Haft, a Christ-centered community offering God’s love and truth to refresh, retool and rebuild individuals, ministries, and organizations. Dave also served on the staff and advisory board to the Radiation Safety Counseling Institute.

    Dave is married to Miho Kahn, a performing and visual artist and interior decorator. Together, they perform Miho’s one-woman show entitled “Clean Sheets.” They are the proud parents of two grown children. He enjoys traveling, hiking, taking long walks, bicycling, skiing, and being with good friends. Dave and Miho live in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

 

ShERIN ABRAHAM

Counselor | Willow Grove

  • Sherin graduated from Temple University with a degree in Psychology in 2005 and then received a Masters Degree in Counseling from Cairn University in 2008. She began her career working in "Wraparound" services for children. Wraparound is an intensive, individualized, holistic care planning and management approach to working with high and complex need youth and families from within their homes and communities. She later continued on by counseling families of those who suffer with Diagnosed Mental Illnesses. She then moved into a position of Clinical Supervisor for the Partial Hospital Program within the prison population. Sherin has experience working as a Counselor to those in the State Prison system who have dual diagnoses of both Mental Health and Addiction.

    After leaving the Prison system, Sherin received her Pennsylvania State License as a Behavior Specialist Consultant along with a certificate in Functional Behavioral Analysis, allowing her to work on teams in the school setting to help children thrive in difficult circumstances.

    Being a second generation Indian-American, she is familiar with navigating the complexities of intercultural and inter-generational differences, especially as it pertains to Eastern cultures. Sherin's areas of Counseling interest include trauma, grief and loss, marriage and family, depression, and more.

    Sherin is the wife of a Pastor. She and her husband, Binu, have been married 15 years. She understands both the joys and struggles of being in full time ministry and cares to serve families who are in full time ministry as well. They have three beautiful children and reside in Montgomery County, PA. As a family, they are avid Philadelphia Sports fans, they enjoy movie nights, cross country road trips, hosting large dinners at their home, beach days, dinners in the city, and so much more!

 

LAURA ANDREWS

Counselor | Online Counseling & Willow Grove

  • She holds an MDiv in Counseling from Westminster Theological Seminary and is currently pursuing a certificate in Evidence Based Coaching at Fielding Graduate University. She most recently held a faculty role at the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF) and was a lecturer in Biblical Counseling at Westminster Theological Seminary. Her specialty is working with those struggling with over-responsibility, recovering from ministry trauma or burnout, or navigating difficult relational dynamics or life transitions.

 

Cyndy Bergmaier

Administrative Assistant
cyndy@servingleaders.org | 484-254-6559

  • She enjoys playing keyboard and singing on her church worship team, gardening, reading, taking dance lessons, and creating renovation projects for her husband, Tom, to do at home. Cyndy and Tom have been married since 1986, and they are the proud parents of four grown children: Philip, Kristen, Matthew, and Shannon.

 
Jeff Black Headshot

Jeff Black

Counselor | Levittown

  • Jeff graduated from the University of Delaware in 1976 and went on from there to Westminster Theological Seminary with a yearning to teach philosophy. At the time, he had no interest in counseling or pastoral ministry, both of which he has (ironically) done his whole professional life.

    While doing graduate work in philosophy at Villanova after his time at Western Theological Seminary, he took a job working in a group home with male juveniles which started his journey towards counseling and pastoral ministry. He later started his own counseling practice in Princeton, NJ. Along the way, Jeff also served as the Clinical Director of Christ Home for Children.

    While working at Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation from 1981-1990, besides counseling, Jeff also taught counseling courses at Westminster and Biblical Seminary. Jeff and his wife of 41 years, Cheryll, began attending Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia at that time, where Jeff eventually became a pastor, serving in various pastoral roles, but mostly engaging in counseling and small group ministry.

    Jeff became a licensed psychologist in 1993 and has maintained his license since then. In 2005, Jeff became a full time professor at Cairn University and chaired the counseling program for 16 years. From 2005 to 2011, He worked full-time both as a pastor at Calvary Chapel and as a professor at Cairn. At Cairn, he served as the department chair from 2005 until 2020, when he resigned with hopes to have the flexibility to dig into more academic pursuits and do more consulting and mentoring.

    Jeff’s view is that you can’t really teach counseling without having an active practice, so he has maintained a small private practice during the last 11 years, as well. From a clinical standpoint, Jeff has counseled or done psychotherapy for around 40 years.

    He is a generalist from a practice standpoint, meaning that he has never intentionally specialized or had a distinctive focus in practice that he thought he should identify. He has logged thousands of hours of counseling–individual, marriage, family–and worked his way through most of the DSM along the way. He currently resides in Levittown, Pennsylvania with his wife Cheryll.

 
Christine M. Bonaventura, LPC

Christine M. Bonaventura

Counselor | Marlton, NJ & Virtual

  • Prior to her counseling in private practice, Christine worked as a residential counselor for troubled youth, an educator in the public-school system, and as a teacher and speaker in women’s ministries.

    Using her unique passion and skill in counseling and education, Christine integrates the two seamlessly in the counseling relationship. As a pastor's wife, she is intimately familiar with the challenges facing ministry leaders and their families.

    Christine is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of New Jersey and a member of the American Counseling Association. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Education from Bucknell University in 1994, her Master of Science in Counseling from Cairn University in 2002, and her professional certificate of Advanced Specialization in Counseling from Cairn University in 2017.

    Christine resides in New Jersey with her husband and three teenage children. Together they enjoy time on the beach, on the ski slopes, and gathered around their home with friends and family.

 

Joe Bruni

Chief Operating Officer
jbruni@servingleaders.org | 484-254-6559

  • Prior to joining the ServingLeaders team, Joe spent 10 years with Young Life as Area Director for the Western Suburbs/Main Line. As Area Director, Joe led all aspects of the work of Young Life in the Main Line and surrounding region, including recruiting and developing leaders, cultivating donor relations, pioneering new work, overseeing operations, and carrying out the God-honoring vision of the ministry. Joe greatly enjoyed his time on Young Life staff and has deep heart for the mission. Young Life was the very ministry the Lord used to reach Joe (and his wife!) in high school.

    Joe earned a BA in Speech and Language Pathology from University of Vermont and an MDiv at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis. While in seminary, Joe served in college ministry at Washington University and later spent four years as a youth pastor at Berea Presbyterian Church in Hockessin, DE.

    Joe first came to know ServingLeaders several years ago when Dave Wiedis was referred to him to help a ministry friend in crisis. Since then, Joe has admired the work of ServingLeaders, especially as he has observed Dave counsel, teach, and help equip the staff and leaders of Young Life in the region.

    As Chief Operating Officer for ServingLeaders, Joe oversees all aspects of operations and strategic ministry advancement including vision implementation, staff care, finance, donor relations, marketing, communications and advancing the ministry through new partnerships and new territories.

    As the influence of ServingLeaders has been expanding to areas across the Philadelphia region and even to other countries like India and Haiti, Joe is developing and implementing a plan for wise growth that both rides the wave of organic momentum and looks strategically at future impact.

    “God is doing transformational work here that will forever change the future health of churches and ministries across the region,” said Joe. “And I am engaged by the idea that although ServingLeaders has impacted thousands in the last 10 years, we’ve only scratched the surface. God is giving us opportunities for growth in places that desperately need it. My hope is to help bring deeper health, structure and resources around this future growth, enabling ServingLeaders to reach even more as the Lord leads.”

    Having been in ministry for the last 18 years, Joe is no stranger to the high and lows, the camaraderie and loneliness, the positive and negative family impact, and pride and humility of leadership within a ministry. The moment he heard about the opportunity to work with an organization that helps ministries thrive and leaders stay healthy and fruitful, he was hooked.

    “When I explain ServingLeaders to people, I like to say ServingLeaders is on a mission to reach those in ministry. We meet leaders in the space between their personal lives and their public ministry lives…the place where life can be messy. It’s this space that makes or breaks most ministries.”

    Joe is a native of South Jersey (and proud of it!). He and his wife, Kate, live in Berwyn PA with their five beautiful daughters. Joe enjoys good live music, surfing the Jersey Shore, biking in Valley Forge, dancing at weddings, karaoke, bouncing on the trampoline with his kids, and taking his girls—including and especially his wife, Kate—out on dates.

 
Betsy Burton

Betsy Burton

Counselor | Willow Grove

  • Elizabeth C. “Betsy” Burton, MA, LMFT received her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Reformed Theological Seminary and has provided therapy and supervision in community behavioral health settings for over 20 years. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and former Supervisor and Director of Training for Family First, an intensive, home-based family therapy program.

    Betsy has supervised and trained therapists in Eco-Systemic Structural Family Therapy (ESFT) for many years. She has also completed training in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) and in Adventure Based Counseling Interventions. She has experience treating families facing parent/child relational issues, mood disorders, child and adolescent behavioral problems, autism spectrum disorders, trauma and abuse, marital and parental distress, and grief within the family context.

    Betsy specializes in supporting individuals, families and couples to develop more effective relationships as they face the challenges of life together. She creates a nurturing environment and uses an interactive, experiential approach to assist families in finding new paths toward satisfying connection in the places they find themselves lonely and disconnected. Betsy enjoys serving in her local church through home group, summer camp and music ministry. She is also an Approved Supervisor with the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) and enjoys helping therapists develop their skills and obtain licensure.

 

Davier Daniels

Counselor | West Chester

  • Davier Daniels, MS, NCC graduated from Eastern University with his BA in Psychology and his MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Villanova University.

    Davier's counseling approach involves meeting people where they are. He loves working with preteens, teens, adolescents, and adults and supports clients through a variety of issues, such as anxiety, depression, self-esteem, relationship issues, and many more.

    As a "PK" (preacher's kid), worship leader, and Youth Pastor at his church, Davier understands the gift and grind that ministry can be, which gives him a unique perspective on counseling others who are in ministry. He also has a unique speciality of working with athletes, business executives, and leaders as he guides them to peak performance through executive coaching and sport/performance psychology.

    Davier incorporates Person Centered, CBT, ACT, Mindfulness, Solution Focused, and Strength-Based counseling and believes that therapy should be a tool in everyone's toolbox to not only deal with life's major crisis, but also to manage and learn how to be an overall healthy individual.

    Davier provides his clients with a safe space where they are welcomed with empathy, unconditional positive regard, genuineness and authenticity. His goal is to help his clients become the best version of themselves and guide them towards self actualization. This is facilitated through a collaborative process where the client is the author of their own story.

    As an African-American male, Davier understands the stigma attached to mental health and wants to aid in the fight towards breaking the stigma. Mental strength is not the ability to stay out of the darkness; it's the ability to sit present in the darkness knowing that the light will shine again. The counseling process is just that, a process. Let's journey together!

    Davier resides in Upper Darby, PA with his wife. Together they enjoy binge watching Netflix shows, playing board games, eating food, and spending time with friends and family.

 
Leah Dixon Headshot

LEAH KRISTIE DIXON

Director of Communication
ldixon@servingleaders.org | 267-496-4143

  • Leah Dixon, MSC earned her Master's Degree in Counseling from Cairn University and Bachelor's Degree in English from Temple University. Prior to joining the ServingLeaders team, she worked in development and communication at the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Red Cross and served as the Director of Communication at Calvary Chapel of Delaware County.

    Her passion for the local Church and experience on a ministry staff give her deep appreciation for the challenges facing ministry leaders and their families. Her writing has been featured at (in)Courage, Coffee & Crumbs, and Well-Watered Women. Leah lives in Broomall, PA with her husband, Ryan, and their three children.

 
Tucker Else Headshot

TUCKER ELSE

Ministry Director | Willow Grove

  • Tucker joined the ServingLeaders team in 2021 after spending the previous five years as the Ministry Director for Christian Union at the University of Pennsylvania. Serving as a Chaplain at Penn provided an opportunity to disciple, train, and connect young Christian leaders for a lifetime of ministry. During this time, Tucker also served as a College Pastor and Teacher at City Line Church in Bala Cynwyd.

    Prior to coming to the Philadelphia area, Tucker served as the Pastor at Denver Baptist Church (Iowa) for seven years. Tucker’s heart for the Church and for church leaders was enhanced through the relationships nurtured during this season of ministry. His passion remains to serve Christian leaders both in the local church and parachurch ministries.

    Tucker’s role as Ministry Director of our Willow Grove Hub is an important step in our plans to continue expanding the capacity and geographic reach of ServingLeaders through new “Mission Hubs.” Seeing the need for relational proximity, we want to plant Hubs in new geographic regions with Ministry Directors who will each be a leader of leaders, on the ground connecting, equipping, and encouraging pastors and ministry leaders; a shepherd of shepherds, who will pursue and befriend leaders while developing and leading a team of ministry and counseling staff that can walk alongside leaders and shepherd their hearts.

    Tucker earned a BA in English literature from the University of Northern Iowa, a Juris Doctorate from Drake University Law School, and an MDiv at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri.

    Tucker and his wife of a quarter century, Marchelle, are Iowa natives but happily count Philadelphia as home. The Else’s (with their four kids) reside in Ardmore with their oldest two attending university in West Philadelphia. Tucker enjoys reading, watching college football, drinking coffee with his oldest daughter, going on adventures with his boys, and surfing with his youngest daughter. Tucker is also working on his first novel.

 
Sarah Ensslen Headshot

Sarah Ensslen

Counselor | Online Counseling

  • She received her Master’s Degree in Christian Counseling from Cairn University where she worked as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling and Psychology as the Director of Practicums and Internships. There she taught Helping Skills, Individual Assessment & Psychopathology, Grief & Trauma, Group Discipleship and Sport Psychology.

    While at Cairn, Sarah also worked for six years (2010-2016) in the college and community counseling center primarily with young adults and adults struggling with a wide variety mental health issues: anxiety, depression, panic disorder, dissociative disorder, sexual addiction, trauma, grief, etc.

    During the summer of 2019 Sarah moved to Mexico where she provided online counseling through ServingLeaders and supported pastors, missionaries, counselors and lay people in the city of Puebla. In 2022 she married a Boriqua and moved to Puerto Rico where her husband lives. She now provides online counseling from her home in Puerto Rico, where she continues to engage in cross-cultural ministry and train missionaries in Mexico remotely. Her husband is a Pastor of a small Church and so she also assists him in his ministry there as well.

    Sarah has primarily focused on treating individuals who are struggling with the effects of trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, and cultural difficulties and doing so from a Gospel-centered perspective. She is very passionate about trauma treatment, helping individuals work through wounds from their childhood, and has a heart for individuals who have experienced ethnic and race-based traumatic stress.

    In addition to continually reading books on the treatment of various presenting problems in counseling, Sarah has received training in trauma treatment, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and is a qualified administrator for the Intercultural Development Inventory and Prepare and Enrich premarital and marriage assessment tool.

    Sarah is deeply passionate about being an active member of the body of Christ. Due to her passion for biblical community, Sarah has led trainings on vulnerability for small group leaders, led small groups, participated in discussions on diversity and taught the Word at women’s mini-retreats. She also loves to do inductive Bible study and to help others learn to do the same.

    When Sarah isn’t counseling, teaching, or engaging in ministry, she enjoys caring for her plants, taking her dog for walks, trying new foods, reading, learning new things and hanging out with her husband and friends.

 
Cheryl Flannery Headshot

Cheryl Flannery

Counselor | West Chester

  • She received her Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling from Colorado Christian University in 1991 where she studied under Dr. Larry Crabb and Dr. Dan Allender. After graduation Cheryl and her husband, Kevin, served in local churches in Oklahoma, Texas, Connecticut and now in Wayne, PA.

    As the wife of a senior pastor, Cheryl knows both the joys and specific challenges that ministry leaders face firsthand. The local church is often a lonely place for ministry leaders bearing the high expectations that come with their roles and the task of making difficult decisions that can be misunderstood by the very people they serve and depend upon to be their own Christian community and family.

    She has a deep desire to support women leading in ministry settings and to walk alongside them through difficult times. Cheryl also believes that there are seasons in our walk with the Lord when there may not be a crisis or issue, but we feel called to take a deeper look into our hearts so that He can increase the quality of our relationships with others and our personal relationship with Himself. She considers it a privilege to be invited into a client’s process of taking an honest inside look that leads to deep and real transformation.

    Cheryl lives in Devon with her husband. She is involved in the women’s ministry at her church and enjoys long walks with her husband and their Weimaraner, Atticus.

 
Penny Freeman Headshot

Dr. Penny Nelson Freeman

Assistant Clinical Director | Willow Grove

  • Penny taught in the graduate counseling department at Cairn University for 20 years helping students develop a passion for counseling. She also has served as adjunct faculty at Westminster Theological Seminary and Biblical Theological Seminary.

    A graduate of Covenant College, Penny earned her Master’s Degree in Community Counseling at Villanova University. She went on to earn a doctorate in Counseling Psychology at Argosy University. Penny has completed two levels of advanced training in Emotion Focused Therapy to help couples.

    Although Penny is not taking clients currently, she continues to use her gifts as the Assistant Clinical Director at ServingLeaders, where she loves providing supervision to and teaching our growing staff of counselors. She also serves on our Senior Leadership team.

    A native of Florida, Penny and her husband John moved to the Philadelphia region over 40 years ago for John to attend seminary. John is the founder of Harvest USA. Their grown children have provided them with the opportunity to pour their love into seven grandkids, all born within a nine-year span. John and Penny live in Roslyn where Penny enjoys gardening, traveling, cooking with the kids, and playing with COVID-adopted dog Saide.

 

audrey hammitt

Counseling Coordinator & Operations Assistant

  • Audrey is now a First Soloist with Glorify Dance Theatre, where she is able to foster her passions for dancing and sharing Jesus with her audiences. She also teaches dance at local studios and theaters.

    In addition to dance, Audrey enjoys creative problem solving and pursues clear communication. She regularly seeks to encourage others through offering a kind word, listening ear, or thoughtful analogy. In her free time, you can find Audrey reading a book, talking to a friend, or taking a walk outdoors.

 

Theron Huff

Counselor | Willow Grove & Philadelphia

  • Theron graduated with a BA from the University of Virginia in 2003. He graduated with honors with his Masters of Arts in Counseling from Biblical Theological Graduate School of Counseling in 2018. He is a member of the American Counseling Association. Theron is also a certified Prepare/Enrich facilitator and has completed training with the Global Trauma Recovery Institute. His preferred methods of counseling include narrative, cognitive behavioral therapy, person-centered, psychodynamic, and motivational interviewing.

    Theron is an active learner and intentionally has an eclectic approach to counseling so he can be effective in caring for the whole person. Through his work with Young Life, Theron has worked with young adults, teenagers, and their families for over 15 years and is particularly adept at engaging adolescent culture. He completed his internships at 2200 Arch Counseling Services and Vision For Your Life Executive Coaching. His training comes from a Christian influenced perspective.

    As someone who has served in a ministry position for over 15 years, Theron has a deep appreciation for the struggles, loneliness and doubts many people in ministry experience. He considers it a privilege and honor to sit with people as they walk through difficult seasons and, by the grace of God, grow more deeply as emotionally and spiritually healthy leaders.

    Theron lives in Philadelphia and spends a lot of time with his young daughter, son, and wife and takes advantage of what the city has to offer, seeking to be an active member of his community and church. He enjoys engaging people in difficult situations, reading, writing, film, logic problems, chess and anything athletic. He is always looking for a great conversation and great food, preferably together.

 
Caroline Kishbaugh Headshot

Caroline Kishbaugh

Missionary Care & Counseling Associate | Columbus, OH & Online

  • Caroline Kishbaugh joined the ServingLeaders team in 2022. Prior to that, she spent the previous 14 years with her husband Carl serving missionaries as Member Care specialists with World Team: a global, non-denominational mission agency that equips and sends church planting teams to serve unreached people groups.

    Caroline and Carl most recently served in Global Member Care within World Team, Inc. World Team has about 350 missionaries serving in 28 countries. They have 40 years of experience. Their first term was in Haiti (February of 1982 through June 1985) after having spent a year in France to learn French. Carl was a music professor at the Bible Institute of Light in Les Cayes, while Caroline taught at the compound’s missionary children’s school. After two years of study at Columbia International University (1985 to 1987), they were redeployed to France.

    Caroline graduated from Cairn University with a MS in Christian Counseling in 2004, then received her training in personal debriefing (five-day model) from Le Rucher in France. She then became certified to administrate Prepare-Enrich, a marriage inventory as well as the Cerny Smith Assessment, which is a stress management inventory with a cross-cultural component. Caroline has been unofficially trained in the administration and use of Clifton Strengths Assessment and has coached missionaries through their results. Caroline is a gifted teacher/trainer and is strong in strategic planning.

    Carl and Caroline spent 14 years doing church planting in France. At the request of their Field Director, in collaboration with the church they helped plant in Cergy, they were asked to further their training in Christian Counseling at Cairn University (2002 to 2004), where they both graduated with a MS in Christian Counseling. When they returned to France, they began to do marriage weekends with French church leaders and provide counseling as part of their on-going discipleship. This ministry grew to include providing member care to missionaries who were struggling on the field. When the Field Director became the Europe Director, he asked them to expand their ministry to Europe, and in 2008 expanded further to global leadership in member care (2008).

    They led initiatives in providing collaborative member care through creating protocols and procedures that defined roles and responsibilities for individual missionaries, field leadership, Human Resources, counseling services, and sending churches. They also developed appropriate reporting protocols.

    They later began to lay a foundation for child safeguarding with the help of the Child Safety Protection Network (CSPN) and created and led a team of workers for that purpose. Caroline has been trained in Response Team responsibilities and together with Carl worked to gather information for allegations of child harm.

    Caroline is a gifted teacher/trainer and is strong in strategic planning.

 
Carl Kishbaugh Headshot

Carl Kishbaugh

Missionary Care & Counseling Associate | Columbus, OH & Online

  • Carl Kishbaugh joined the ServingLeaders team in 2022. Prior to that, he spent the previous 14 years with his wife Caroline serving missionaries as Member Care specialists with World Team: a global, non-denominational mission agency that equips and sends church planting teams to serve unreached people groups.

    Carl and Caroline most recently served in Global Member Care within World Team, Inc. World Team has about 350 missionaries serving in 28 countries. They have 40 years of experience. Their first term was in Haiti (February of 1982 through June 1985) after having spent a year in France to learn French. Carl was a music professor at the Bible Institute of Light in Les Cayes, while Caroline taught at the compound’s missionary children’s school. After two years of study at Columbia International University (1985 to 1987), they were redeployed to France.

    Carl graduated from Cairn University with a MS in Christian Counseling in 2004, then received his training in personal debriefing (five-day model) from Le Rucher in France. He then became certified to administrate Prepare-Enrich, a marriage inventory, as well as the Cerny Smith Assessment, which is a stress management inventory with a cross-cultural component.

    Carl and Caroline spent 14 years doing church planting in France. At the request of their Field Director, in collaboration with the church they helped plant in Cergy, they were asked to further their training in Christian Counseling at Cairn University (2002 to 2004), where they both graduated with a MS in Christian Counseling. When they returned to France, they began to do marriage weekends with French church leaders and provide counseling as part of their on-going discipleship. This ministry grew to include providing member care to missionaries who were struggling on the field. When the Field Director became the Europe Director, he asked them to expand their ministry to Europe, and in 2008 expanded further to global leadership in member care.

    They led initiatives in providing collaborative member care through creating protocols and procedures that defined roles and responsibilities for individual missionaries, field leadership, Human Resources, counseling services, and sending churches. They also developed appropriate reporting protocols.

    They later began to lay a foundation for child safeguarding with the help of the Child Safety Protection Network (CSPN) and created and led a team of workers for that purpose. Caroline has been trained in Response Team responsibilities and together with Carl worked to gather information for allegations of child harm.

    Carl is gifted in wisdom and has contributed to initiating new directions/services within organizations.

 
Steve Laraio Headshot

STEVE LARAIO

Care and Encouragement Associate | Willow Grove

  • He has served individuals in areas of business skills development training and coaching, employment counseling, job placement, recruiting, and hiring.

    Steve has served as an Elder at two churches and has come alongside, supported, and encouraged many pastors. He has also taught GOD's Word to small and large groups. In addition, he has counseled church members in areas such as self-image improvement, communication and outreach skills, problem solving, and budgeting. He has volunteered as a chaplain in hospital and legal settings, and as a hospice counselor for patients and their family members.

    Steve is a life-long suburban Philadelphian, and earned a Bachelors Degree in Social Sciences from Temple University. His wonderful family of four live in various places: Nancy, his late wife of 52 years and their daughter Amy live in Heaven. They have two other children, Jessica and Dolph who live in the Philadelphia area. Jessica does statistical data collection and reporting, and actively serves others in a large helping organization. Dolph does full-time Christian ministry in the Eastern PA area, actively reaching out to edify, encourage, and support pastors and ministry leaders. Jenny, Dolph's wife, does cancer research, coaches ice skaters, and also volunteers. Rachel, their daughter, is an excellent student and gymnast.

 
Sarah Loew

Sarah Loew

Counselor | West Chester

  • Sarah Loew, LPC knew she wanted to be a counselor since her sophomore year in college and set out to do just that. She is passionate about helping people struggling with depression, anxiety, grief, relationship issues, infertility and various life transitions from young adulthood and throughout the lifespan. In particular, she really enjoys working with moms as they adjust to life with little ones as she has three little ones of her own. Sarah earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from West Chester University and a Master’s Degree in Counseling from Cairn University.

    Before joining the ServingLeaders team, Sarah worked for 4 years at Ganey Counseling and Consultation helping individuals with bipolar disorder and other mood-related disorders, anxiety-related disorders, grief, trauma, marital issues, and personality disorders. She also had the opportunity to work with the families of ministry leaders, helping them through various stages of healing from painful ministry experiences. Upon completing her training at Cairn University’s counseling Center, Sarah stayed on staff as a counselor and was also involved in training new counseling graduates through her work as Co-Leader for the counseling Lab (a weekly, three-hour intensive training group).

    In her free time, Sarah enjoys gardening, exercising, reading, traveling and most recently painting. She also enjoys spending sunny days outside with her friends and family.

 
Meredith Luther Headshot

Meredith Luther

Counselor | Willow Grove

  • Meredith Luther, LPC graduated from Cairn University’s Master of Science in Counseling Program in 2018. She then pursued an Advanced Specialization in Counseling certification, which she received in 2019.

    Meredith enjoys working with clients of all ages, especially adolescents and young adults. Some of her experience includes treating anxiety disorders, trauma, depression, suicidal ideation, self-harm, boundaries, interpersonal issues, and identity issues.

    One aspect of the counseling process she values most is the opportunity to build safety and trust with each client at their own pace. She considers it a privilege to come alongside people as they bravely step into the counseling process.

    In her free time, Meredith enjoys outdoor activities and spending quality time with her family and friends.

 
Dr. Bryan Maier Headshot

DR. BRYAN MAIER

Counselor | Willow Grove

  • Dr. Bryan Maier, LPC, has been working in the mental health field for 30 years specializing in marital issues, addiction, trauma and pastoral counseling. He earned his Doctorate in Psychology and his MA in Clinical Psychology from Wheaton Graduate School. He also earned his Master in Biblical Counseling and Master of Divinity from Grace Seminary and a BA in Bible from Cedarville University. Having served in professional ministry throughout his career, Bryan has experienced the unique stressors that accompany ministry leadership first hand. He is honored to be a safe listening ear and a "shepherd to the shepherds."

    In addition to serving clients, Bryan has been teaching counseling at the graduate level for 20 years, and is currently an Associate Professor at Cairn University. He really enjoys walking a few steps with someone on their journey to discover what God is up to and how he can be part of that process.

    Bryan is a widower with three sons. Two of his sons are currently attending college at Cairn and his youngest is in high school. When he isn’t teaching or counseling, he enjoys reading (particularly history), good discussions, and playing strategy board games with anyone who will play with him.

 
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Shellina Marshall

Counselor | West Chester

  • Shellina Marshall, MAC strives to integrate the truths of the gospel with the challenges that people face. With a focus on family structure, she enjoys building relationships with, and among, individuals to facilitate peace and understanding that move people beyond their wounds, fears, and anxieties.

    Shellina (Shellie) earned her Bachelors in Youth Ministry from Eastern University and her Masters in Counseling from Westminster Theological Seminary. In addition to her work at ServingLeaders, Shellina is the Dean of Students at Delaware County Christian School, with a focus on building relationships that promote accountability and influence a positive school culture.

    Being a ministry leader has taught her that leaders experience the weight of their own needs, even in the midst of meeting the needs of others. Having a safe space to process, unload and regroup is essential for leaders to refill their cups and continue to do ministry well.

    Connecting on a level where people feel safe to share their hearts, Shellina fosters growth to trust God in all circumstances. She knows the change process isn’t just about horizontal relationships, but ultimately the vertical relationship we have with God. This is the focus of transformation.

    In addition to her 18 years of ministry service, Shellina has spent much of her life engaged in communities outside of her culture. These experiences have helped her develop an interest in advocating for under-represented voices, navigating difficult conversations across cultures, and working to advance diversity inclusion. Building relationships, creating safe spaces, and getting to the heart of complex matters are central to Shellina’s counseling model as she loves working with individuals from various backgrounds and needs.

    Shellina is married with two sons and a beautiful baby girl. She is particularly close with her immediate and extended family, and enjoys time with them relaxing, going on outings, laughing, and loving life.

 
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ROWAN MOORE

Counselor | Willow Grove

  • Rowan Moore, LCSW completed a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from The King’s College and received her master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from New York University. Rowan is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker credentialed in the State of Pennsylvania. Rowan has 22 years of clinical experience in in-patient, partial day programs and outpatient settings. Rowan worked with Diane Langberg & Associates for the past 21 years.

    In treating children, adolescents and adults, Rowan takes the position of being a student as clients educate her about themselves and their struggles. She counts it a privilege to come alongside them in the process of their goals. She genuinely enjoys working with clients and watching them grow.

    Rowan’s services to clients of the Christian faith involve a biblical integration coupled with psychological principles. Some areas of her specialty include individual, couples, family and group therapy, grief/loss, sexual abuse, depression, anxiety, domestic violence, obsessive compulsive disorder, infidelity, anger management, ADHD, rape, stress management, moral injury with Veterans, divorce, co-parenting, singleness, adult/parent child relationship issues, cross cultural issues, PTSD, divorce and boundary issues. Rowan also provides diagnostic evaluations, referrals, psycho education, consultations, trainings and workshops to organizations, groups, and church leadership.

    Rowan has a passion for International Work. Two memorable trips include trauma therapy to tsunami orphans in India and trauma training in Rwanda with genocide survivors.

    Rowan is a Certified Sand Tray Therapist with all ages. She is also certified in Critical Incident Stress Management and Critical Incident Stress Debriefing. Rowan is excited about pursuing her certification in Emotionally Focused Therapy. She has completed her Externship and 2 out of 4 Core Skills Training. Her long-term goal is to provide EFT Trainings in Trinidad.

    Rowan migrated with her family from Trinidad & Tobago. She is finally learning to play the steel drums which were invented in Trinidad. God provided an online teacher who lives in Arizona. In her spare time Rowan enjoys scrapbooking with friends, traveling, reading, teaching kids in Children’s Ministry, cooking and entertaining friends.

 

Laura Nagy

Ministry Associate & Counselor | West Chester

  • Laura Nagy, MS RD LDN CPT is a nationally certified Wellness Coach and earned her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Nutrition and Dietetics from West Chester University and Bowling Green State University, respectively. For the past 6 years, she has worked in corporate and private wellness settings as a Registered Dietitian and Personal Trainer, conducting individual and group nutrition coaching, fitness training, and lifestyle behavior change coaching.

    Throughout her career as a dietitian and personal trainer, she has expanded her wellness platform, teaching on a wide variety of health and wellness topics through webinars, public speaking workshops, and small group events.

    In 2022, Laura completed a second Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Immaculata University, and she is now moving toward licensure as a licensed professional counselor. As an LPC, she will provide holistic care, integrating mental, emotional, spiritual and physical wellbeing. Laura has a deep passion for helping her clients, whether they are beginners to fitness, struggling with a diagnosis, desiring to create a nutrition plan, working on being in a healthy-sized body, or undergoing physical or emotional stress. She considers it a privilege to partner with her clients to build personalized nutrition and workout plans to achieve short and long-term wellness goals and help them become the healthiest, most vibrant version of themselves, inside and out.

    When not on duty as a Wellness Coach, Laura can be found going on adventures and exploring. Whether traveling, learning a new skill, enjoying the beauty of nature, or spending time with family and friends, she enjoys soaking up all the richness God’s world has to offer.

 

Jeannie PAnnell

Payment Processor for Willow Grove and Communications Assistant

  • She also works as a professional organizer and lifestyle management assistant. Jeannie has a heart for intentional conversations that provoke deeper relationships. She enjoys spending time with her large family and friends, reading, writing, and outdoor activities. A goal of hers is to visit every US national park.

 

dr. Timothy pretz

Counselor | West Chester

  • Dr. Timothy Pretz, LMFT, specializes in marriage counseling, pastoral care, addiction, grief and loss, and conflict resolution. With over 16 years of experience as a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and 21 years as an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church USA, Tim has a unique perspective on the challenges facing ministry leaders and their families.

    Tim earned his B.S. in Mathematics from Bucknell University, MDiv from University Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, DMin in Marriage and Family from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and post graduate certification in Marriage and Family Therapy from the Council for Relationships.

    From 1980-2001 Tim served as pastor of two different PCUSA congregations: Marietta, PA and Clark, NJ. In his work in Philadelphia Presbytery, he served for many years as the facilitator of the Conflict Management Team, working with church leadership and congregations to manage effectively low and moderate situations of conflict. He is currently active in the congregational life of Wayne Presbyterian Church, through worship, facilitating the Thursday Morning Men’s Ministry and singing in the Wayne Oratorio Society.

    In addition to his counseling practice, Tim serves as an Affiliate Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling at Palmer Theological Seminary (where he previously served as Director of Counseling Services). He is also a Visiting Professor at University of Peru, Union (Lima, Peru) in the Masters in Family Therapy program.

    Tim is happily married since 1976 to Lee Pretz, and they are the proud parents of Sarah and Dan. Both children are now married and on their own, and Tim enjoys having adult relationships with them and their spouses. He especially enjoys a new title and role—grandparent—with two grandsons in Portland, OR and a granddaughter and grandson in Plymouth Meeting, PA.

    Tim enjoys reading, playing guitar, and many active sports. A passion outside of his ministry area is the integration of science and Christian faith. Another interest is to write a book about fathers and sons.

 
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Helen Schmidheiser

Counselor | Willow Grove

  • Helen Schmidheiser, LPC graduated from Penn State and received her Master’s Degree in Counseling from Eastern University. Before joining the ServingLeaders team, Helen provided attachment-focused and trauma-informed clinical services to children and families in her role as an outpatient clinician at Bethanna, a Christian social services agency in Southampton, Pa. Helen also worked as a clinician at Chelten Church in Dresher, Pa., providing spiritually relevant emotional, relational, and psychological supportive services to individuals and families in both the church and local community.

    As a breast cancer survivor, Helen has a deep passion for walking alongside women in seasons of change, loss, and unexpected outcomes.

    Helen’s areas of specialty include: play therapy for children experiencing emotional and behavioral challenges; person-centered, attachment-focused, and trauma-informed perspectives for teens and adults who have experienced sexual abuse, grief, trauma, anxiety, depression, and chronic illness; and support for women experiencing life transitions and loss associated with infertility, miscarriage, an abortion decision, or disease.

    Helen and her husband, Lou, reside in Bucks County, Pa. and have been married for 41 years. They are the proud parents of three married daughters and the grandparents of four grandsons and six granddaughters, ranging in age from six months to 11 years.

    Helen and Lou have attended Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia since 1994. They have been involved in the Married Couples Fellowship for more than 13 years and are part of a prayer ministry and support group specifically for grandparents.

 

dr. William P. Smith

Counselor | Willow Grove

  • Dr. William P. Smith is passionate about showing people how God longs to connect with them in the midst of their fear, shame, apathy and sin.

    Bill earned his Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering at Drexel University, Masters of Divinity in Biblical Counseling at Westminster Theological Seminary and Doctorate in Sociology at Rutgers University.

    Before joining the ServingLeaders team, Bill served for eight years as director of a church-based counseling center (which he was asked to develop) at a Philadelphia suburban church. There, he counseled individuals and oversaw the development of interns and staff.

    In total, he spent nearly twelve years serving at that church, in various ministry roles as a staff member, Pastor of Counseling, interim pastor for another congregation, Pastor of Shepherding Ministries, and Senior Pastor of Worship. His ministerial responsibilities included counseling, teaching, providing pastoral input to leaders of support groups and small groups, and -- as senior pastor -- overseeing the public worship of the congregation and preaching the majority of the Sunday morning messages.

    Bill also spent thirteen years with the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF), where he counseled, taught regionally and internationally as a faculty member, served as the Associate Editor for the Journal of Biblical Counseling, and developed the distance education program for the organization.

    Before becoming a professional counselor, Bill taught high school science at a small Christian school in Philadelphia and served as co-director for a ministry in the heart of West Philly that hired people off the street to help them overcome life-controlling addictions.

    Bill’s passion to show people how God longs to connect with them in the midst of their fear, shame, apathy and sin is partly born out of his own childhood experiences. He grew up with a greater fear of God than an understanding of his love and grace. When he went away to college, he met Christians who loved the Lord in ways that were qualitatively different from him. When they worshipped or read the Scripture, they knew they were actually communicating with God. Rubbing shoulders with them helped open Bill’s eyes to who God is and gave him a greater desire to know him.

    Bill enjoys being with his family, watching his kids’ sporting events, rehabbing his home, gardening, cooking, watching movies and reading, especially novels. As a devotional writer and speaker Bill is regularly captured by God’s unrelenting grace and kindness as He longs to connect with people in the midst of their fear, shame, apathy and sin. Bill loves seeing the unexpected ways that God interacts with people in scripture. And he loves unpacking those interactions so that people can see and experience Jesus in ways they haven’t before.

    You can follow him on Twitter and Facebook or get his podcast.

 

Jon Sovocool

Clinical Director | West Chester & Willow Grove

  • Jon Sovocool, LPC studied Christian Formation and Ministry at Wheaton College and earned his Master’s Degree in Counseling from Biblical Theological Seminary. He specializes in treating anger management, addiction, anxiety, trauma, depression, and bipolar disorder. In his work with clients, Jon brings compassion, biblical perspective and extensive clinical training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and DBT Prolonged Exposure, a trauma protocol. As the foundation for his work with couples, Jon has received training in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), including the Externship and Core Skills trainings.

    For seven years (2011-2018) Jon worked in a community residential mental health setting with teenagers and adults struggling to cope with mental illness and addictive behaviors. Jon facilitated a variety of groups including: group therapy, DBT Skills Training and SMART Recovery. He also facilitated different trainings designed to enhance the efficacy of the staff’s interventions.

    Jon worked at several outpatient centers from 2009-2013 and has counseled at Diane Langberg PhD & Associates since December 2016. For the past two years he has been a participant in a NIMH funded study designed to evaluate the efficacy of the DBT Prolonged Exposure Protocol when implemented in community agencies.

    Jon’s love of ministry was kindled as a volunteer serving in the preschool ministry, children’s ministry and student ministry. As an undergraduate student he completed a six-month internship in Nairobi, Kenya working with teenagers. In addition to his work as a counselor, Jon conducts missionary assessments for Serge, an international missions organization, as a Personal Interviewer on a quarterly basis.

    Jon is an avid Philadelphia sports fan, and enjoys outdoor activities such as biking and jogging. Jon and his wife Julia have been married for more than 10 years and have four young children.

 

Ann spooner

Counselor | West Chester & Wayne, PA

  • Ann Spooner, MSS, LSW has worked as an individual, marriage, pre-marital and family therapist for over 30 years in a variety of settings including private practice, family service organizations, churches and faith-based counseling centers. She has trained lay leaders and served as a consultant to directors of women’s ministry.

    Ann is most passionate about helping adult survivors of sexual abuse, adults who have had a physically or psychologically absent parent, those going through life transitions or depression, blended families, and those who are suffering from emotional or spiritual abuse. Ann’s main desire is to help people discover how to apply the grace of God practically to the details of their lives.

    In addition to counseling, Ann’s ardent desire is to equip church leaders to deal with the reality of the messiness of sexual abuse within their churches. She offers interactive workshops for ministry leaders and supportive groups for parents of survivors of sexual abuse.

    Ann earned her Master’s Degree from Bryn Mawr Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. She holds a certificate in Biblical Counseling from the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF). She is licensed to practice in the state of Pennsylvania.

    Ann is married and has two adult children. She thrives on variety—different types of personalities, culture, food, travel and styles of worship.

 
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ANNIE WALD

Counselor | West Chester

  • Annie Wald, MA, LPC, is passionate about helping people deal with personal struggles, relationship challenges, anxiety, and complex trauma. She values providing a safe and supportive place where people can grow in emotional and relational wholeness.

    She has a Master's Degree in Counseling from Messiah University and has received advanced training in Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples and for individuals. She is also a certified SYMBIS Marriage Assessment facilitator. For 21 years Annie lived in Morocco where her husband was the pastor of an international church. As a ministry volunteer, she facilitated courses on marriage, parenting, and emotionally healthy spirituality. Her clinical experience includes working with students and adults from around the world in private practice and university settings. She has helped people with parenting challenges, ADHD, anger, grief and loss, career exploration, and life transitions.

    Annie lives in the West Chester area where she enjoys going for walks with her husband and connecting with their married daughters and grandchildren living in Thailand and Boston. She loves people, being curious, listening to church bells, and exploring new places.

 
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Jabez Yeo

Counselor | Willow Grove

  • Jabez Yeo was born in Singapore, raised in Canada and has lived in the northeast U.S. since college. He is ethnically Chinese and is passionate about counseling as a means of providing a safe space for people to process past wounds and undergo transformative healing by the power of the Holy Spirit, especially amongst people and communities of color. Jabez has worked with clients that have wrestled with depression, anxiety, PTSD, sexual identity concerns, cross-cultural adjustment and various addictions.

    Jabez graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Biology from the College of Arts and Sciences and a B.S in Economics from the Wharton School. After college, Jabez worked for several years in the financial services industry in Philadelphia and New York City. During his time in New York, Jabez experienced a life-changing shift in his understanding of God and spirituality through the Emotionally Healthy Spirituality course. This shift led him to seek counseling for his own lived experience of trauma and to eventually pursue a career change into counseling.

    Jabez graduated with honors with his Masters of Arts in Counseling from Missio Seminary in 2022 and is pursuing licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Pennsylvania. He is a training facilitator with the American Bible Society’s Trauma Healing Institute and has equipped people to facilitate trauma healing groups in New York City and Baltimore. He has a person-centered approach and his preferred methods of counseling include rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT) and emotionally focused therapy (EFT). Jabez has received training from the Albert Ellis Institute as well as the International Centre for Excellence in EFT.

    Jabez is happily married to his wonderful wife River and they have a beautiful daughter, Hosanna Grace, as well as a heart for cross-cultural missions and evangelism. In his free time, Jabez loves to read, play board games (i.e. 7 Wonders and Catan), try new places to eat and cheer on his favorite sports teams who are often underdogs (i.e. the Eagles, Cubs, Canucks and Timberwolves).

 
Esther Yoder

ESTHER YODER

Assistant Operations Manager

  • Esther Yoder earned her BA in Communication from West Chester University. Prior to joining ServingLeaders, she spent 10+ years engaged in Process Improvement efforts, National Events and Program Management, and HR Operations within corporate, startup, nonprofit, and overseas mission contexts.

    Esther is dedicated to building systems and strategies that promote efficiency and position teams for optimal sustainability and scalability.

    Esther serves on the leadership team at her church and is passionate about languages, travel, and fostering deep relational connections. Esther has been to 49 of the 50 states, has spent time in over 30 countries, and recently published her first book, "Sweeter," an invaluable resource artistically designed to accompany individuals on their journey toward healing amidst brokenness.