Our Leadership
Sue Olson,
Director
Sue received Jesus at the age of 9 at a Children’s Ministry Puppet Crusade at her church in Southern California. She grew up in a Christian, evangelical, mission-minded home, involved in ministry from a young age. She grew up in Costa Mesa, and then graduated from Northwest University, in Washington state, with a degree in Child Development and a minor in Bible. After many years of serving in children and youth ministries, she heard about Good News Club and began teaching at a local Club following her retirement in 2006. In 2015, through God’s divine direction and provision, Sue became the Director of the Orange Coast Chapter. She continues to teach at the same Good News Club as well a local JYC Club.
Sue and her husband have two grown children and three grandchildren who live locally near their home in Laguna Hills.
Kathy Herrmann
Volunteer Assistant to the Director
Volunteer Office Administrator
Chapter Board Secretary
Good News Club Teacher
Kathy accepted the Lord at age 27 and the Lord filled the void that she felt from a very young age. Kathy taught Sunday school for many years. and when she retired, she wanted to do something that made a difference. Kathy heard about Good News Club from her neighbor girls, and immediately joined the Good News Club team. Kathy began volunteering in the CEF office in 2019 as our Office Administrator and Assistant to the Director.
Board Members & Chapter Support
Chris Couchman
Board Chair
Chris is a retired high school math teacher. She has been passionate about CEF ministries since she was first introduced to it in 1983, where her children attended Clubs. She began teaching a Good News Club in her home and continued volunteering each year. Though retired from teaching Good News Clubs, Chris has faithfully served the ministry as a member of our Board in several capacities. She is currently our Board Chair..
Lisa Castle
Board Treasurer and
Volunteer Bookkeeper
Lisa is a long time friend of Child Evangelism Fellowship. She received Christ at age 12. She graduated from Vanguard University and served in children’s ministry at her church for many years. In addition to help lead a Good News Club for 15 years, Lisa served as a volunteer Assistant to the Director for several years. Lisa now serves as our Chapter’s volunteer bookkeeper, and Board Treasurer. Lisa and her husband, have three adult children.
Roklyn Fairweather
Board Member
Good News Club and JYC Teacher & Team Leader
As a public elementary school teacher in South Orange County, Roklyn was thrilled to learn that she could teach the truth of the Bible and Jesus to her students. She quickly realized that United States Constitutional laws protect this freedom and immediately began her journey teaching Good News Club in the elementary school where she teaches. She says, “Seeing the unchurched kids receive Jesus is the most inspirational thing in my life!”
Janice Mireles Ulibarri
Board Member and
Prayer Coordinator
Janice became a born-again believer at the age of seven and grew up in San Diego, CA. In 2019 she heard about CEF through a friend at a local Bible study and quickly got involved. She began filling in as a floater for Good News Clubs.
She had a career as a Logistical Engineer and has lived and done missions work throughout the world. Janice has four children, and eight grandchildren.
Her life verse is Psalm 37:4 - “Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (ESV)
Lori Verstegen
Board Member
Lori trusted the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation while in college. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in nursing, she married and moved from Texas to California. She and her husband John began a Bible church in 1984. John has pastored the church and Lori has headed the children’s programs for the past 40 years. Lori left nursing to homeschool her four boys and write curriculum, both for the homeschool community and for Sunday school ministries. She is excited to be able to share God’s good news with children through her Good News Club in Mission Viejo and desires to help expand CEF to reach more children.
Kristi Knudsen
Board Member
Kristi grew up in San Luis Obispo. When she was in the 5th grade, she attended a Good
News Club in her neighborhood. Although she didn’t pray to receive Jesus during those
meetings, she never forgot the mysterious joy she felt when she was there. As a
seventh grader, Kristi gave her life to Christ during one of her Lutheran Church
Confirmation Classes. The joy she felt in Good New Club returned as she began to
comprehend how GOOD this good news about the Savior really is. Kristi received her
BA in Accounting/Finance at UC Berkeley. She met her husband at Price Waterhouse
in Newport Beach, where they both worked. During their courtship, she earned her
MBA in Marketing at UCLA. Robert and Kristi raised their three kids in South Orange
County. When her kids were in elementary school, she reconnected with CEF and
taught clubs for six years. All three of her kids and many of their friends prayed to
receive Jesus in her Good News Clubs. Kristi feels like she’s in her sweet spot when
she’s teaching the Bible to kids and writing Bible study curriculum. Kristi also pursued a
Master’s in the Education Ministry of the Church from Golden Gate Baptist Theological
Seminary. Today two of Kristi’s favorite things to do is teaching Good News Club and
spending time with her four grandkids.