Adam Parker, a graduate from Harding University’s college of behavioral sciences (criminal justice) and current sergeant with the Metro Nashville Police Department in Tennessee, is father to three little children and husband to a beautiful wife, Lori. He’s served with the MNPD for over seven years, with experience ranging from initial responder investigations, internal investigations, critical incident response, and crime scene/personnel management. His passion to seek justice in the name of Jesus has led him from a career in local law enforcement to now, a position as Justice Operations Advisor with Love Justice International. Adam hopes to use his professional skills, in combination with his love of Christ, to affect positive change among the people of Nepal. Adam’s wife, Lori—as a PICU/NICU nurse with eight years of experience among hospitals as prestigious as Vanderbilt University Children’s Hospital—hopes to utilize her skills as well for the sake of the Nepali children in the name of Jesus. Contact Adam.
Austin grew up throughout various places in Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Kentucky. While attending Taylor University, he had the opportunity to serve missionaries in Paraguay during a three-week trip. Here, God challenged him to think deeper about getting involved in missions. The next summer he had an opportunity that God provided to work with Love Justice by using his skills in technology that he had been gaining throughout school. Working overseas with Love Justice, Austin caught a glimpse into what it looks like to offer up all that he has to God’s Kingdom. He is excited to continue this work and witness how God uses technology for His redemptive work in the world. Contact Austin.
Kevin grew up in Brazil, and Sally grew up in Nebraska. They joined Love Justice eight months after they got married in August 2011, and they enjoy living and working overseas. They are passionate about helping expand the impact Love Justice has in developing countries, especially in the form of providing a better education. Kevin loves gardening, reading, playing soccer, and watching TED Talks. Sally enjoys reading, photography, and watching kids explore the world around them. In 2013, they welcomed their first son, Jay, into the world and then in 2016, their second son, Emmet. They are having a blast watching their sons grow and learn as they explore the world around them. They desire to see the Lord bring redemption and restoration through the power of God and new life in the Holy Spirit. Contact Sally. Contact Kevin.
"I will always support your love for missions, but I will never step foot in a third-world country,” were Brad’s words to Autumn upon their 2005 wedding day. They proceeded to pursue the American Dream, with good paying careers, a white picket fence, two kids, a dog, and a life devoid of fervent action for Jesus. All the while, God was whispering, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways...” (Isaiah 55:8). Finally, after reading the book Little Princes by Conor Grennan, Brad and Autumn began a desperate search for a country in need and an organization doing Kingdom work within the sex trafficking sector. Love Justice International was the answer to their prayers. Brad’s role at Love Justice provides an opportunity to fulfill the Great Commission as the Watt family seeks to love God, love others, and make disciples among the poorest of the poor. His favorite thing to do is read a good book, and he would love to one day start a children's home in a new country. Autumn cherishes her position as daughter of the King, wife, and mother to Carys, Atticus, and Salomei. Teaching 10-year-olds at Kathmandu International Study Centre is a full-time job, but being with people is what gives her life, and if coffee or chai is involved, even better! Contact Autumn. Contact Bradley.
Emily RiCharde is from Boston, Massachusetts, and hence loves Fenway franks, JP Licks ice cream, and watching people run marathons (but certainly not running in them herself). In college, she studied to be an ESL and elementary teacher, and she is still always learning to teach. Being plagued by “itchy feet,” Emily has taught in India and Bolivia, and she is excited that the Lord is leading her overseas once again on a new adventure. Contact Emily.
Hannah is a joyful, energetic, and strategic activator who continually seeks to live out Matthew 22:37. She hails from Kearney, Nebraska, and she is a Nebraska Wesleyan alumni with a dual degree in political science and communication. Hannah first heard about modern day slavery and human trafficking at the 2013 Passion Conference. After a convicting session led by International Justice Mission’s Gary Haugen, she knew God was leading her to pursue the work of justice. The following summer she embarked on a trip to Nepal with Love Justice International where she caught the global justice fever, and the rest is history. Hannah has been with the team since 2015 and is energized by sharing the vision of Love Justice International with anyone willing to listen. She is excited to mobilize and recruit others to join our work and enjoys the challenge of a new project. “You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.” – William Wilberforce Contact Hannah.
Heather Harris was raised in North Carolina by her loving family and a supportive church community—both of whom helped her center her life around Christ. Education has always been a passion in her life. She has had an interest in teaching internationally since her first trip to Mexico in high school. Her desire to serve and teach children internationally increased after many experiences both observing and working in education systems abroad. In 2012, she graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a degree in elementary education. She has been a fifth and sixth grade teacher over the past four years in North Carolina. She enjoys reading, singing, traveling, supporting her students' endeavors, and more. God has big plans! She is excited about being a small part in His plan for the Church. Contact Heather.
John grew up in Helena, Montana, before attending college at Taylor University. He first came to Nepal in 2002. Two years later, he returned to Nepal and was inspired to start Love Justice. Since that time, he has lived primarily in Kathmandu, Nepal, where he continues his work establishing new programs for Love Justice and overseeing current ones. In addition to this work, John is a writer, thinker, lover of philosophy, and educator. He has been married to a Nepali woman named Aksha for over five years, and the couple plans to continue living and working overseas for Love Justice and God's Kingdom. Contact John.
Jon grew up as a missionary kid in El Salvador and Cameroon, while Jenna had more of a traditional American upbringing in Spokane, Washington. They met while attending Vanguard University of Southern California during a transformative period in their lives in which they were both learning about impactful issues including human trafficking and God's heart for justice. Jenna was the first to learn about Love Justice International (then Tiny Hands) while on a trip to visit a friend in Nepal in 2009, and she introduced Jon to them on another trip the following year. They got married in Washington, D.C., on 10-10-10 and lived there for two more years while Jon completed his master's degree in global security studies at Johns Hopkins University. After finishing his master's, Jon joined the LJI team in 2012, and Jenna, who had already been working for the organization for several years, transitioned on to other opportunities including the pursuit of a master's degree in human resource management. After living in Nepal for four years, they moved to Thailand in 2016 to help launch new fields in Southeast Asia, and they are currently based in Chiang Rai. Contact Jon.
Kara was born and raised in Michigan. While attending college, her heart began to be broken over the injustice in the world. In 2002, she spent four months serving vulnerable populations in majority world countries. Through those experiences, Kara developed a love for diversity, culture, and justice. Her heart is to see the lonely placed in families and to see beauty created out of brokenness. Contact Kara..
"My shoes are still there!" Khemraj Upadhyay immediately thought when he noticed one difference between the church of the Christians and the temple of the Hindus: his shoes were not stolen. This seemingly small contrast set the path for his coming to Christ as a young man and ultimately following Christ back into his homeland with Love Justice. Dawna has long been fascinated with other cultures. While attending Indiana Wesleyan University to earn her degrees in photography and illustration, the Lord led her to overseas ministry. Her specific pull to Nepal happened while on consecutive short-term trips with her university. Khemraj and Dawna, along with their children Reuben, Eliaz, and Sangita love the adventure that accompanies following God's call. Khemraj, who is also an alumni of IWU with a business administration degree, is the principal / administrator of the Dream School, as well as acting liaison between the school and the government. Dawna teaches art at the school while continuing to homeschool Sangita full-time and Reuben and Eliaz part-time, as the boys also attend the Dream School. The Upadhyays share a love of traveling, reading edifying books, having Nerf wars, and drinking coffee. Contact Khemraj. Contact Dawna.
Kirk received a B.A. in political science from Taylor University and a J.D. from Regent University School of Law. Prior to joining Love Justice International in 2014, Kirk had some significant experiences that opened up his eyes to poverty and injustice in the world. Among these include studying international law in Israel; learning about human rights law in Strasburg, France; and participating in a legal internship in Lira, Uganda. Fighting against injustice, particularly human trafficking, is his passion. Under Kirk's oversight, Love Justice currently has border and transit monitoring projects in Nepal, Bangladesh, and India. Kirk’s wife, Marinda, originally moved from Portland, Oregon, to Nepal in the fall of 2015 to train teachers. Throughout her first two years in Nepal, she studied Nepali language, traveled to multiple villages, and worked with students and teachers in several schools across Nepal. Having experienced the education system in Nepal, she has a passion for working with Love Justice's children to engage them in reading, provide tutoring, and increase their opportunities to pursue their individual passions. Contact Kirk. Contact Marinda.
Mahlea Babjak is part of Love Justice's new initiative to expand to new countries through research and key partnerships, in order to further the goal of serving "the least of these." Mahlea learned about and grew a love for the work of Love Justice after spending time in Nepal during her undergraduate years. Though from Chicago, Illinois, Mahlea currently lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she is also a PhD candidate at the University of Edinburgh. Through Mahlea's PhD, she seeks to understand the Christian notion of freedom in the context of anti-human trafficking work with Love Justice. Mahlea is excited to see how God will continue to bring freedom and redemption into the new countries that LJI is exploring. Contact Mahlea.
Buddhi and Natasha met in 2011 while they were both serving as missionaries in Malaysia. Their immediate connection started with a conversation about serving God through helping others and living a “minimal” lifestyle. After their wedding in 2012, the Khadkas lived in the U.S. until they prayerfully decided to move to Buddhi's home country to serve the Nepali people in 2016. Natasha grew up in New York and loves snow and all winter activities. She completed an 11-month mission trip around the world where she was able to reach and teach many people. Buddhi grew up in Eastern Nepal and prefers the warmer weather. Buddhi is a gifted leader in the church and community and has had the opportunity to share God's love with many people around the world. The Khadkas feel blessed and honored to serve with Love Justice International and are certain God has placed them where they can use their gifts and talents to glorify Him! Contact Buddhi. Contact Natasha.
Brad grew up in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Canada, while Liz was raised in the cornfields of Indiana. Even though they came from miles apart, God brought them together and blessed them with four daughters. The Reimer family has found that they have a real passion to serve God by serving others. Brad has a background in ministry and education. Liz enjoys homeschooling their four daughters. They love spending time with their girls traveling, camping, and playing volleyball and Spikeball. Together, the Reimers look forward to taking new steps of faith as they follow Jesus. They are excited to join the Love Justice team and be used overseas to serve “the least of these” in God's Kingdom. Contact Brad.
Born in New York and raised in south Georgia, Stephanie was introduced at a young age to cross-cultural work by her parents. As a young girl, she felt God calling her to a life of cross-cultural service. Traveling to different countries and trying new things has become a passion of hers. She joined Love Justice in 2013 and has since worked to combine her counseling and education background to serve families and children internationally. She is thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this team of passionate, committed globetrotters. Contact Stephanie.
While attending the University of Washington in Seattle, Tim and Robyn met at the church where they both became Christians. They were friends for five years before getting married, and during that time Robyn went to Nepal to study and volunteer. It was during these years that the Lord gave her an ever-growing heart for the people of Nepal and a passion for village development. Robyn introduced Tim to her love for Nepal, and they now share a heart for international missions and Nepal. Tim grew up in Vancouver, Washington, and loves playing soccer and discipling youth. He has a background in civil engineering and commercial construction management. Robyn grew up in Sacramento and has been working in public health and research. They moved to Nepal from Portland, Oregon, and enjoy hiking, climbing, and traveling. Contact Tim. Contact Robyn.
Phil and Pratiksha met while attending Hesston College in 2007, and they got married in 2011. Pratiksha grew up in Nepal and studied at Woodstock School in India during her high school years. In 2006, she left Nepal and India and went to the U.S. for college. In 2010, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Eastern Mennonite University. Before moving back to Nepal, she worked as a registered nurse in the Pediatric Orthopedics Clinic at the University of Virginia Medical Center. She has a passion for children and also interpreted for the Nepali/Bhutanese refugees in Charlottesville for her nursing job and within the local public schools. Pratiksha has recently graduated with a master’s degree in leadership and management in nursing from Eastern Mennonite University. Phil grew up in Pennsylvania and Virginia. His family vacations included trips to India and Zimbabwe, which were instrumental in developing his worldview and openness to living abroad. Phil graduated with bachelor’s degrees in both accounting and business administration and worked in finance roles for a digital marketing agency before coming to Nepal. Phil also served on their church’s board as the Finance Director. Contact Phil. Contact Pratiksha.
Amy, a native of Nashville, Tennessee, played soccer and studied art at Lipscomb University. She has been in law enforcement for 14 years and is currently a sergeant with the Metro Nashville Police Department in Tennessee. The moment she heard about Love Justice, she knew it was something she was called to do. She and her husband, Travis, were married in 2010. They have twin daughters, Bishop and Crady, who were born on Amy’s birthday in 2014. As she joins the Love Justice staff, Travis will take on the new role of stay-at-home dad. Contact Amy.
Hillary grew up on a farm in rural Ohio and remembers being awed by the lives of visiting missionaries at summer church camp as a child. She has cried at every missionary presentation since, especially if there were pictures of children. At fifteen years old she started cutting photographs of children from around the world—victims of war, hunger, and poverty—out of her mother’s magazines and hanging them on her bedroom walls to remind herself that one day, she would help the least of these. Compassion for those faces of unmet potential rooted itself deep within her over 20 years ago. Still, she never imagined herself as a teacher, until her life’s journey eventually landed her in Abu Dhabi, where a short visit turned into a serendipitous career teaching English in an international school. Since then she’s spent eleven years continuing her education and learning to connect with students from all continents over laughter and tears, language and poetry. She visited Nepal for the first time in 2015 with her church and recognized the unmet potential and need for nurture in the beautiful Nepali people she met. Their faces followed her home and filled her dreams, so she started looking for ways to answer the call to “come”. Working with The Dream School, Hillary hopes to provide Nepali youth with the kind of education that will make it possible for them to dream big dreams for their own lives and nation. Contact Hillary.
Andrew graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in May 2008 with a degree in secondary education. He entered the business world after forgoing his pursuit of teaching and spent five years in sales and management. Andrew has been involved with various local ministries throughout Lincoln for over 15 years and felt God’s call to work for Love Justice International in 2013. He works on the development and marketing team–helping to raise resources and awareness for the ministry. Andrew and his wife, Evian, reside in Lincoln and have four beautiful girls: Isabella, Avery, Thea, and Lovie Drew. Contact Andrew.
D’Anna lives in Lincoln, Nebraska, and is the mother of a pug/beagle mix named Journey. She started working with Love Justice in 2017 when God opened a door for her to work alongside the administrative staff. Her favorite part of working with Love Justice is knowing that there is tremendous meaning in the work that they do. D’Anna strives to live a life of purpose, and she is passionate about knowing God and loving others. She enjoys learning, traveling, and spending time with people. In her free time, she likes to play the ukulele, express her creativity, and snuggle with her puggle. Contact D'Anna.
Doug and his wife, Shirley, were high school sweethearts and are native Lincoln, Nebraskans. Their lives are busy spending time with their 4 daughters, 15 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren. Doug graduated from the University of Nebraska with a B.S. in psychology and sociology and a B.A. in business. He owned Christian retail stores for 17 years and during that time served on the Christian Booksellers Association Board of Directors as Vice Chairman of the Board. He has served his church as a member of the missions council, has taught numerous Bible studies over the years, and has served as a worship service leader for a local retirement center one Sunday each month. He served two years as a volunteer fundraiser for Love Justice International before taking on the role of the ministry's Executive Director/Senior Vice President. Doug's two greatest passions are college football, particularly Nebraska football, and donuts! Contact Doug.
Greta began working with Love Justice on the business team in May of 2015. Being able to work with this ministry was an answer to her prayers to work with an organization that was actively involved in reaching others for Jesus Christ. It has been a blessing to her to join with believers around the world in God's mission to bring justice, freedom, and the saving knowledge of Christ to others. She and her husband, Doug, have two boys, Tanner and Kyler. Greta spends as much time as possible supporting the activities her sons love. She also homeschools their youngest son and is involved with Solid Reasons, an apologetics ministry based in Wisconsin. In her spare time, Greta enjoys reading, knitting, and learning! Born and raised in Texas, Greta graduated from UNL and never left Nebraska. She also has her master’s degree in Christian apologetics from Biola University. Contact Greta.
Jeffrey has always had a passion for global missions. When he was in high school, he read the book Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot, and the story completely stirred within him a desire to serve the Lord as a missionary. Jeffrey graduated from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri, with a B.S. in computer science and mathematics. He has spent years gaining experience in software engineering and web application development while working for Wal-Mart Information Systems Division (ISD) and Nelnet Business Solutions. In the summer of 2011, Jeffrey went on one of our exploratory trips to Nepal to learn firsthand about the work we are doing there. Seeing the difference our children's homes are making in the lives of young children, Jeffrey was moved by God's grace and love to get involved. He began volunteering his time, resources, and technical skills and knowledge, and he committed to join God in His mission for "the least of these.” Jeffrey came on staff the beginning of April 2012 as our Systems Administrator where he oversees all of our technology. Additionally, he has taken on an active role in our Children's Ministry with our children's homes as he has a heart and passion for the children we serve. Contact Jeffrey.
Jessica works to promote research and strategic partnerships as Love Justice expands and develops new programs in pursuit of their goal to serve "the least of these." Before joining the Love Justice team, Jessica worked as a lawyer in Los Angeles. Her passion lies in the pursuit of social justice, and her public interest work has included anti-slavery research in India, habeas corpus litigation on behalf of individuals held in indefinite detention at Guantanamo Bay, and civil rights and fair housing litigation in Washington, D.C. She holds degrees from Yale Law School and Harvard College. Contact Jessica.
Jon and his wife, Alison, live in Elkhart, Indiana, where they are raising their three children: Preston, Presley, and Palyn. Jon earned his bachelor's degree in history from McPherson College in McPherson, Kansas. After over ten years in pastoral ministry, he could no longer remain in his cozy little faith bunker, waiting for someone else to do something. God was calling him to leave the sideline and join the fight to eradicate the injustice of human trafficking. He is passionate about mobilizing churches against injustice. Jon has served alongside people on five continents and serves on several nonprofit boards. He is an avid reader and enjoys coaching his children. He is currently writing his first book. Contact Jon.
Jonica and her husband, Bryan, spent the first 20 years of their marriage working with middle school and high school students. They have four boys exactly seven years apart—the oldest and youngest were born on the same day! Five years ago, Jonica joined the Love Justice team as her boys were growing up and spending less time at home. Over the past couple of years, Jonica has added two daughters-in-law to her family. Jonica is excited that God has allowed her to find opportunities to serve in her community and around the world. In 2010, she served in Haiti for the first time and continues to lead mission trips to serve alongside the people of Haiti every year. She also enjoys serving on the Generosity Committee of her husband's company. She loves serving wherever there is a need, helping with fundraising events, and overseeing the Love Justice product line.
KC came to Love Justice in August of 2008 on a very part-time basis to help out her dad, Doug Dworak, with the bookkeeping aspects of the ministry. KC trained herself in QuickBooks and worked to get all of the data entry and financials up to date. KC is now certified in bookkeeping and thoroughly enjoys the work she does at Love Justice. She considers it a joy to be a part of this ministry. In her spare time she loves to read and spend time with her family. She's been married to Nick Orduna for over 26 years, and together they have three children: Andre, Mariah, and Isaiah. Contact KC.
Matt Allmand lives in his hometown of Holdrege, Nebraska. He attended the University of Nebraska at Kearney, majoring in business administration. After college, Matt worked for Oshkosh Truck at their McNeilus manufacturing plant in Dodge Center, Minnesota, first in purchasing then in project management as a Senior Business Manager. He then worked as President at Allmand Brothers, his family's manufacturing company in Holdrege, shipping products worldwide for 10 years. While traveling in India on business, Matt developed a heart for global victims of poverty and injustice. Matt is blessed to be married to Lori, his childhood sweetheart and wife of 20 years, and to be the father of four daughters: Sydney, Callie, Emma, and Evie, the youngest two having been adopted from China. Matt enjoys serving on several boards—ministry, corporate, and civic—and is thrilled to transition from the board to the staff of Love Justice after the sale of his family’s business. Contact Matt.
Megan grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. After graduating from Lincoln Christian High School, she served with Authentic Girl ministry in Windsor, Colorado. Over the past 10 years, the Lord has used Megan in various ministries and roles. With a heart that yearns to see as Jesus sees and love as He loves, Megan has a deep and abiding desire to minister to the least of those among us—especially the orphans and vulnerable. She followed the Lord’s leading to join the Love Justice team in 2015. In addition to contributing to the Lord’s work of bringing redemption to the world, Megan’s greatest passion is her two beautiful sons. Contact Megan.
Andrew started his career in the public sector working to solve complex problems with good policy and is now in the private sector trying to do the same with good technology. They aren't as different as you might think. Love Justice collects loads of data with every interception, and the Dream Suite is a custom-built web application to help collect and manage that data. Dream Suite is being built by a dedicated team of volunteer developers. Andrew graduated from Taylor University with several of the founders of Love Justice and earned an MBA from Oxford University. In addition to his work with Love Justice, he teaches an entrepreneurship and innovation course at Taylor University. Andrew lives in rural Indiana on a small pumpkin and hay farm, near the farm on which he grew up, with his awesome wife and four beautiful kids. He loves his family, leading worship, discussing the deep things, and chocolate. He hates talking about himself, especially in the third person. Contact Andrew.
Mr. Blom has 31 years of law enforcement, investigative, and security experience. He is a former Chief of Police and has served in executive leadership with another non-government organizations working on combating human trafficking around the world. With over twelve years of international and domestic anti-human trafficking experience at an operational and strategic level, Mr. Blom has conducted over 450 undercover operations in 33 countries working closely with local law enforcement officials. He has interviewed over 400 victims of trafficking from 33 different countries. Mr. Blom is a certified law enforcement trainer and has conducted numerous trainings for domestic and foreign law enforcement agencies on the subject of human trafficking. He has been recognized by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for his work in an American pedophile case and is an expert witness for the United States Attorney’s office on foreign child sex tourism cases. He’s an internationally published author on the subject of human trafficking investigations and interventions and was the keynote speaker at Interpol’s human trafficking conference on its 100th anniversary. He has lectured at universities in the Philippines, Russia, and across the United States on the subject of human trafficking and provided his real life experience as a technical advisor to the writer and actors in a Hollywood movie, which is based upon his work in Cambodia.
John grew up in Helena, Montana, before attending college at Taylor University. He first came to Nepal in 2002. Two years later, he returned to Nepal and was inspired to start Love Justice. Since that time, he has lived primarily in Kathmandu, Nepal, where he continues his work establishing new programs for Love Justice and overseeing current ones. In addition to this work, John is a writer, thinker, lover of philosophy, and educator. He has been married to a Nepali woman named Aksha for over five years, and the couple plans to continue living and working overseas for Love Justice and God's Kingdom.
Alan and his wife, Trace, live in Columbus, Ohio. They have been avid supporters of Love Justice for several years and feel blessed that the Lord has chosen to let them participate in the impact that Love Justice is having on the world. Alan did his undergraduate work at Kent State University and completed his master’s and doctoral degrees in information systems at Nova Southeastern University. Alan is an entrepreneur with active business interests in management consulting, environmental services, and digital marketing. Additionally, Alan previously served as a professor at Cedarville University teaching in the business department. Both Alan and Trace enjoy traveling and pouring into the lives of others, and they are excited to participate in expanding the reach of Love Justice.
Bryan grew up in Florida where he attended Bradenton Christian School before studying philosophy and Biblical studies at Taylor University. Upon graduating in 2002, he made his first trip to Nepal and immediately felt compelled to serve the people there in whatever capacity he could. He has been a part of Love Justice since the ministry began, and he considers it a blessing to be able to continue his service as a member of the Board of Directors. He currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee, and enjoys visiting Nepal whenever he can to see how God's work has unfolded over the years.
Carol grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and attended Miami University. She lives in Maineville, just outside of Cincinnati, with her husband of 40 years, Mark. Together, they raised three children, David, Jonathan, and Erin, and have eight grandchildren. Over the years, Carol’s leadership experience was focused on church, her kids' school, and community service. In these roles, she served women of all ages. She feels blessed to be part of a ministry to help those who can't help themselves.
Christie grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, and graduated from UNC-Wilmington and Carolinas Medical Center School of Medical Technology. After school, she and her husband, Jim, made Wilmington home. In addition to enjoying full careers in medical technology and clinical research, Christie also served as the Director of Missions at Port City Community Church for almost 10 years. It was during that time that God opened her eyes and heart to the injustices of human trafficking, both locally and abroad. After visiting Nepal and seeing the incredible work of Love Justice firsthand, Christie joined the Board of Directors in 2013. She considers serving alongside the Love Justice staff and board members a privilege and a blessing.
David and his wife, Courtney, live in Omaha, Nebraska, with their three children: William, Graham, and Macy. Dave and Courtney are both graduates of Taylor University in Upland, Indiana. Dave has spent the majority of his career in finance and presently works as an analyst and portfolio manager at Weitz Investment Management in Omaha. He and his wife first got involved with Love Justice in 2006 supporting Salvation Children’s Home. They are passionate about LJI’s children’s ministries and anti-trafficking efforts, and they hope to travel to Nepal in the near future.
Doug and his wife, Shirley, were high school sweethearts and are native Lincoln, Nebraskans. Their lives are busy spending time with their 4 daughters, 15 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren. Doug graduated from the University of Nebraska with a B.S. in psychology and sociology and a B.A. in business. He owned Christian retail stores for 17 years and during that time served on the Christian Booksellers Association Board of Directors as Vice Chairman of the Board. He has served his church as a member of the missions council, has taught numerous Bible studies over the years, and has served as a worship service leader for a local retirement center one Sunday each month. He served two years as a volunteer fundraiser for Love Justice International before taking on the role of the ministry's Executive Director/Senior Vice President. Doug's two greatest passions are college football, particularly Nebraska football, and donuts!
Kathy Levit lives in Hilton Head, South Carolina, with her husband, Alan. Her son, Alex, is currently a medical student at MUSC in Charleston. Kathy grew up primarily in Southern California and graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in economics and an MBA. She spent 19 years working in the greater Los Angeles area in the fields of accounting and banking, and she ended her career as a senior executive at a large savings bank. Since relocating to Hilton Head in 2002, Kathy has been active in leading women’s Bible studies and volunteering with various ministries. After visiting Nepal and witnessing the poverty and needs of women and children in that part of the world, she became active in supporting the Love Justice ministry and joined the Board of Directors in 2012. As a board member, she has been an active finance committee member, focusing on internal controls, audit, and financial issues on behalf of the ministry.
Mike grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska, and attended Lincoln Christian High School before doing his undergraduate work at Taylor University. He attended medical school at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and is a practicing physician in Portland, Oregon, where he lives with his wife, Bekah. Mike has been a part of Love Justice since its inception, having been involved in starting the first children’s home in 2003. He also serves on the executive committee, which keeps him more closely tied to the daily operations, and he travels to Nepal every chance he gets.
Vicki Tiede lives in Rochester, Minnesota, where she and her husband, Mike, are raising and homeschooling two of their three kids—Ben and Caleb. Their daughter, Kadi, has flown the nest. Vicki earned bachelor’s degrees in elementary education and deaf education and master’s degrees as a reading specialist and in ministry. Vicki is a Bible teacher, conference speaker, author, certified health coach, and business owner. After writing a book for wives whose husbands are addicted to pornography, Vicki couldn’t ignore the obvious link between pornography and sex trafficking. That led her to Love Justice, which resulted in a trip to Nepal in 2014.
Abigail grew up in a military family and moved around when she was younger. She has lived in four states but considers Atlanta, Georgia, her home. During her junior year of high school, she learned about modern-day slavery through the One Billion Rising Movement. After attending the event on Valentine’s Day, she became passionate about eradicating human trafficking. Abigail is a junior at Auburn University pursuing her bachelor’s degree in global studies with international and Italian minors. She plans to attend law school and then work to end modern-day slavery and inequality for women, as well as girls. Abigail loves volunteering with children, reading, photography, animals, and spending time with the ones she loves. She also enjoys traveling, hiking, and yoga. Abigail is so excited and joyful to spend the summer in Nepal with Love Justice and is thankful to the Lord for guiding her toward this opportunity.
Peyton grew up in Evansville, Indiana. She was truly blessed with an amazing family. She has always had a passion for travel and enjoys the opportunity to get to know people, cultures, and situations all over the world. She is a soon-to-be graduate of Taylor University. She has worked with children for over eight years tutoring, camp counseling, leading Bible groups, and babysitting. She will have a Bachelor of Arts degree in PPE (political science, philosophy, and economics) and a minor in pre-law. She hopes to pursue a future in international, criminal, or family law/policy making. She has served as a freshman orientation group leader, Echo News writer, intern for Judge Mark Spitzer, secretary at Hudson Dermatology, four-sport high school varsity athlete, floor intramural sports coordinator and small group leader, AEI summer intern, Australian Student Ambassador for People to People, Girls State representative, etc. She enjoys pick-up volleyball games, being sent random quotes, cooking new recipes, and getting in a good political debate. She has felt led to serve abroad in her semester gap before law school for some time. Thankfully, she was blessed with the opportunity to work with children’s homes and anti-human trafficking efforts with Love Justice for five months after graduating.
Micah was born in Seattle, Washington, to a family of six. He was raised in the Blue Ridge Mountains of central Virginia where he currently attends Virginia Tech for mechanical engineering. He enjoys coffee, reading, gaming, and creating music. Through his local church, Micah took many opportunities to serve the less fortunate in his community. Each time an international opportunity came up, however, he never felt called to go. That is until he learned about Love Justice International. His passion for technology and protecting those threatened by the injustices of this world lined up perfectly with LJI's vision. He is incredibly humbled by the chance to serve alongside the software development team in Nepal this summer, and he can't wait to see how God will use him to build the kingdom.
Ariel grew up in Louisville, a small rural town in southern Illinois. She first became passionate about creating awareness of sex trafficking her junior year of high school, after seeing the film “Finding Home.” This experience led her and a small group of equally passionate individuals to create the 7/20 Project. The project's aim was to spread awareness of modern-day slavery and to have 700 people donate $20 each for a grand total of $14,000 that would then be donated to Rapha House. After graduating high school, Ariel attended Johnson University in Knoxville, Tennessee, to attain a degree in videography. She believes visual storytelling is the most powerful means of communication. While attending Johnson University, she was introduced to IJM and other local sex trafficking advocate organizations. Before getting connected with LJI, Ariel sought a career in the secular world of media, with hopes of being a light amongst the darkness. Intent on following the call of Jesus wherever it might take her, however, Ariel is taking a leap of faith and following Jesus to Nepal. Ariel is in her final semester at Johnson University. When she is not hitting the books, she enjoys writing, watching movies, Skype dates with her sisters, game nights with her friends, volunteering in children's church, sunsets, swing dancing, and adventuring outdoors.