The Team
Leadership
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Ingrid Slikkers, Executive Director
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Charity Garcia, Director of K-12 Initiatives
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David Sedlacek, Director of Pastoral Initiatives
sedlacek@andrews.edu
(269) 471-6375
Professional Homepage
Dustin Young,
Director of Strategic Initiatives
dustiny@andrews.edu
(269) 471-6249
Current Affiliates
Jenica Joseph
Jenica is an assistant professor of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, graduated from Andrews University with an undergraduate degree in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology in 2007. She received her master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology in 2009 from Loma Linda University. She has worked in a variety of settings such as: private practice, skilled nursing/acute care rehabilitation, school-based speech-language pathologist, travel speech-language pathologist, and as a bilingual assessment team member for a school district.
Lara Malabrigo
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James Mello
James is the District Pastor for LaGrange and Carrollton Seventh-day Adventist Churches in Georgia. He graduated from Andrews University with an MDiv as well as an MSW. He is currently pursuing licensure as a therapist. He has experience as a pastor, chaplain, teacher, and social worker (including foster care and the juvenile justice system). He has given numerous presentations on creating trauma-informed churches and schools.
Sarah Reidel
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Ricco Ruiz
Ricco specializes in supporting the development of leaders who help hurting people. His background includes teen refugee resettlement services, children's grief counseling, and pastoral ministry- 10 years of which have been with Relove Church in Garden Grove, CA. He holds a Bachelor of Communication from Saginaw Valley State University, a Master of Social Work from Andrews University, and a Master of Youth and Young Adult Ministry from the S.D.A. Theological Seminary. Currently, Ricco is a program manager for Holy Cross Services, where he is pursuing a license for clinical social work while overseeing a community intervention for youth transitioning out of foster care and the juvenile justice system.
Emma Vanderwaal (22-23)
Not Pictured:
Laia Burgos
Willis Byas (22-23)
AJ O’Carey
Maci Chen
Jasmine Johnson
Abi Martin
Erick Pena
Naissa Ndiaye
Leslie Rodriguez
Angel Smith
Alvin Waite
Katelyn Weakley
Jasmin Wilson
Advisory Board
Tara Bailey
Torben Bergland
Judy Bitzer-Rowe
Nestor Bruno
AJ O’Carey
David Faehner
Ann Hamel
Angela Pechero
Jennifer Jill Schwirzer
Mary Slikkers
Evelyn Sullivan
2023-2024 Interns
Yailin Contreras
Serika Charles Delfish
Isai Ramirez