Our Team
Co-Founders:
Katie Taylor
Katie T. has a contagious love of Jesus and passion for reaching others for Him. Five years ago, the gospel transformed her heart in a powerful way and the abundant life since has been nothing short of a wild adventure. Katie’s prayer is for people in our city to know the hope they have in Christ no matter who they are or where they have been. She is the wife of Will Taylor and blessed mama of three young children. The Taylors are active members at Rivertree Church, and Katie serves in various roles at Choose Life and Lincoln Village Ministries. She loves to write and you can connect with her on her blog thefirstdayofspring.net.
Katie Wilson
Katie W. was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, where a loving family and the River City watered her roots. Hutchison, an all-girl private school, taught her sisterhood and the importance of education. Second Presbyterian Church planted seeds of Christian faith, that are reaping a harvest to this day. Katie attended Vanderbilt University and graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and a Fine Arts minor. In 1993 Katie married her college sweet heart and was Huntsville bound, adding early childhood and elementary education to her academic credentials at UAH. 20+ years and 3 children later, Katie is writing, painting, mentoring and speaking as a “hope-offerer”, locally and internationally, in Brazil, Kenya, Uganda, Costa Rica, India and Germany. Grounded in her faith, Katie seeks to be an active participant in loving the world well. She hopes to be an instrument of light, celebrating diversity and promoting peace, without forfeiting truth. Katie aims to leave a conspiracy of kindness in her wake, a legacy of love that flavors today and seasons the generations to come. Connect with Katie on her blog at Psalm8110.
Our Team:
Becca Abercrombie
Becca is a wife and mother of two. She has a heart for missions and a passion to see the church go particularly to the poor and marginalized. God gave her a heart for this through her time at the CARE Center and continues to teach her about justice and reconciliation through her work with Sixty Feet in Uganda. She also serves as the Missions Coordinator at Rivertree Church and loves to see other churches working together with Kingdom purpose.
D’kresha Adams
D’kresha is a native of Huntsville and attends Stillman College. When she isn’t doing school stuff she’s sharing the love of Jesus. D’kresha wants to live in a world where everyone has a love filter and loves Starbucks and summer nights. D’kresha wants a world where everyone has not just facts about Jesus but the truth about him. A world where people not only know about God but know God. D’kresha wants everyone to know that it is in the pain and lows of life that you’re elevated. D’kresha wants the world to know it is in God allowing the ugly experiences that we understand just how beautiful He is and we are through Him! Catch up with D’kresha on her blog https://wounded2wholeblog.wordpress.com
Cate Ange
Cate is a Huntsville native with a passion for Jesus and a love of encouraging and reaching others for Him any way she can. Cate has been called a “gatherer of women from all over the city”. In her role as the Education Institute Coordinator at Hospice Family Care, Cate’s enthusiasm to help everyone live life well, wherever they find themselves, shines through whenever she speaks. Her position merges her talents of teaching and relationship building with her zeal for ministering to both the young and old alike. Those who know Cate are happily amused to hear she gets paid to talk and raise awareness regarding topics and issues she is passionate about throughout the community. They wonder how she fell into such an amazing opportunity! In other words, Cate talks a lot and is a blessed girl indeed! An avid foodie, incurable problem solver, lifelong coffeeholic, and unapologetic escalator of fun, Cate and her husband, Jay, along with their two lively teens live a very full—but never dull- life!
Robin Arnold
Robin is an ordained minister and a native of Denver, Colorado, she made Huntsville her home in 1982. Robin is a mother of four adult children, a grandmother of four, a mother-in-law, a niece, an aunt, a sister and a daughter which she thanks God for each and everyday. A powerful, dynamic, speaker Robin uses the gifts of the Spirit to speak from her heart and soul with a genuine love for whom God made her and for what she does. Robin has authored and published Dear God… It’s Me: Spiritual Poetry and Dear God…It’s Me – A Meditation Journal. Currently she is working on Walking Between the Raindrops, a collection of stories by and about people who have influenced her life and What is…Asked Javien a Christian children’s book collection. When asked how and/or why she does all that she does, she simply reply’s…I Am The Lord’s.
Anna Babin
Anna Babin is a Birmingham native who moved to the Rocket City after marrying her husband, Michael. She is blessed to work at Choose Life of North Alabama, where she gets to love on women facing unexpected pregnancies. Her passions include studying God’s word, blogging, public speaking, working out, gardening, and drinking coffee. Check out her blog at: www.LifeAsALight.com“
Lauren Benson
Lauren is a Tennessee-born wife, mother, knitter, fiber artist, Anglophile, music lover, writer, and Christ-led believer with a passion for grace, and the gentle quest for authenticity in this big beautiful world of ours. She’s a total foodie, art history geek, and biography reader with an insatiable wanderlust coursing through her veins. You can connect with Lauren via her photography business, Lauren Bee Photography, or her personal blog, Vivo Est Precor .
April Boddie
April is a Huntsville native, who is a mother of three and a mama to many. When she was a little girl she wanted to be a race car driver. Now she races around the Tennessee Valley catering to others needs. The joy of the Lord is her strength, and His grace abounds in her life. April’s hope is in Christ and her heart is to serve and love. On any given day you might find her repotting plants, preparing meals and making old things new. April has a love for words and melodies. An undiscovered comedian, she finds the joy of laughter in the darkest of circumstances. Her favorite quote is “If you don’t like something change it and if you can’t change it, change your attitude.” Dr. Maya Angelou
Bobby Bradley
Bobby is a native of Huntsville, and has spent most of her life here. She has been involved in numerous professional and community organizations. She has received numerous awards including the Outstanding Achievement Award from Girls, Incorporated, Leadership Award from the Distinguished Young Men of Huntsville (1994 & 1995), Nominee for the Minority Small Business Person of the Year (1994), and the Eagle Award (1995). In June 1998, she was selected Executive of the Year by the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber. She is an active member of First Missionary Baptist Church (FMBC) where she serves as a member of the FMBC Foundation Board. In addition, she is a co-founder and board member of Village of Promise, an organization started to ensure that under-resourced students successfully transition K through 12th grade, college, and into a career and ultimately breaking the cycle of generational poverty.
Karen Burke
Karen grew up as a missionary kid and knew all about Jesus, but at 34 she had an encounter that started her on a journey to really know Him. She is passionate about teaching God’s Word and sharing truth with anyone who will stand still long enough to listen. She loves to spend time pouring in to the lives of women in leadership both here and abroad and to that end God allows her to be the steward a non-profit…4 One Purpose. She and her husband Dave have raised 3 sons, 2 of whom are now married to wonderful women. A precious granddaughter joined the family last year, giving Karen her most coveted name to date, “Mickey”.
Esther Camealy
Esther is a Mississippi-born-and-raised Huntsville transplant. She moved to Huntsville, AL in 2009 to begin her career as a business professional, knowing very little about the place she would soon call her new home. In 2013, she married her best friend, Clint, whom she met in the Rocket City. They are active members of Willowbrook Baptist Church. Esther came to know the Lord as a young girl and has had a burning desire to honor Him and make Him known ever since. She has an undergraduate degree in English and Spanish, and a Master’s in Business Administration. She enjoys traveling, writing about what God is doing around her, painting with watercolors and oils, and learning how to do DIY house projects with her husband. Her personal blog can be found at https://snapshotsofmercy.wordpress.com and check out her book, http://www.blurb.com/b/3423532-glimpses-of-grace-snapshots-of-mercy
Kaitlin Chappell
Kaitlin was born in raised in North Alabama and after moving from Cullman to Florence to attend UNA, she moved to the Rocket City to take her first news job with WAFF where she is the traffic reporter and feature reporter. But Kaitlin’s real love and passion is writing and sharing what God lays on her heart with the rest of the world. She serves on the Church of the Highlands Dream Team and is on a journey of constantly pursuing her purpose in Jesus. She never meets a stranger and loves BIG. Her new found love is running and she gets through it with lots of Jesus and her precious friends. You can check out her personal blog at kaitlinbrookechappell.wordpress.com
Leah Cusker
A Navy daughter, Army veteran, Army wife, and Marine mom, Leah lived in five countries, a dozen states, and twenty-one houses before God called her family to make a home in Huntsville. Married to the amazing Sean and blessed by three incredible kids, Leah came to Christ as an adult after decades of brokenness and has a heart for all women in similar circumstances. She thanks God daily for His gifts of redemption and salvation through Christ and believes passionately in the power of relationship to inspire change. Leah’s prayer is for every person she encounters to see through her and to the Savior. When she isn’t cooking, cleaning, parenting, or teaching, you will most likely find her digging in the yard, walking in the woods, worshiping with her family, or drinking much more coffee than is good for her.:)
Morgan Hopper
Morgan is a Huntsville native who loves Jesus, rescue dogs and anything literary. She enjoys sharing about her walk with God and speaking life to everyone she meets. Morgan works for Fleet Feet Huntsville as a marketing director, which blends her adoration of running with her passion for helping others.
Suzanne Matthews
One day I am an artist and another day I am an author. One thing all days… I love the Word of God! I cut my spiritual teeth teaching the Bible Study Fellowship Evening Women’s class in Huntsville. After 14 years, God called me to write, and a few years ago I retired from the Huntsville Museum of Art as the Director of Advancement to finish writing Crossings: Life Lessons from the Book of Joshua. That study cemented my advocacy for small group study, and I am busy writing my second study to be completed spring of 2014. I married the love of my life, Ben, and we have four grown children and I am “Zannie” to seven grandchildren. We worship at Saint Andrew’s Anglican Church in Madison. You can keep up with me through my blog at Coffee, Tea and Thee.
Rica McRoy
Rica was born in Orissa, India and immigrated to America when she was two years old. She was raised in a loving, devout Hindu home, but at the age of 28, beheld the beauty of Jesus Christ and her life has never been the same. The desire of her heart is for people from every nation, tongue and tribe to know the great delight of being fully known and fully loved by Christ and for that knowledge to compel them to share His grace in radical ways.
Kelly Mize
Kelly Wilson Mize considers it a personal, God-given mission to encourage others with words. She is a wife, mother of two teenagers, librarian at Westminster Christian Academy, and freelance writer who has lived in the Huntsville area for over twenty years. Kelly has a master’s degree in elementary education, and over a decade of teaching experience in both private and public schools. She also has a variety of published writing experience including numerous articles and interviews, various curriculum projects, hundreds of devotions for both children and adults, and contributions to six books. Kelly’s credits include LifeWay Christian Resources, Focus on the Family, Adams Media, and Group Publishing. In addition, Kelly is an approved editor for the Christian Editor Connection network. Visit Kelly’s author page: Follow her on Twitter @kellywilsonmize.
Connie Oakley
Connie transplanted to Huntsville January 1, 2008 and immediately began hunting for a dynamic intercessory prayer group. She was not disappointed and continues to seek out and network the praying people of our community; introducing and facilitating the 7 Mountain Prayer initiative. Her passion is to be the connector between God and people, places and problems so that Godʼs Kingdom can come. She loves to worship everywhere in the community and considers the Body of Christ of Huntsville her church, but The Dwelling Place is her church home. The love of her life after Jesus is her husband, Curtis, and their four adult children and four grandchildren. Her current theme verse is Prov. 11:11 with which she challenges believers to “out bless” the grumblers and complainers so Godʼs blessings will flow! Her motto could easily be: “If itʼs prayer, Iʼm there!”
May Patterson
May Patterson, author of the book A Time to Seek, began writing in response to God’s grace. And by His grace, she has written magazine articles, Bible studies, and spoken at a variety of events. Her desire is to help people draw closer to God. May is married to her dear friend Mike and they have three grown children. She has a great love for the outdoors, travel and blogging at maypatterson.com
Toya Poplar
Toya is a native of Muskegon, Michigan. She is a photographer, public speaker, poet and paradigm shifter who is passionately in love with The Lover of her Soul. Married to her high school sweetheart, Melvin together they are the proud parents of 6 children. The Poplars co-host a monthly group for Christian Artists known as Rhymers for the Lord. Toya is the author of the book Stop Write There .
Evelyn Sisk
Evelyn is a native of Enterprise, Alabama, who has lived in Huntsville for over thirty years. She is a mother of five children and a granny of twelve. Evelyn believes she was born to create and she is convinced that there is no limit to God’s creativity. She enjoys cleaning homes, writing stories, play writing, and performing. She is honored to be a part of a team that God is using to shine light throughout the Tennessee Valley.
Judy Webb
I am an average girl with an amazing God. I was never that brave, never really outgoing, usually was afraid of new situations. I would often try to hide who I really was in order to fit into a crowd. I was probably on a road that was going to look mundane and ordinary, but God had extraordinary plans for me. He rescued me from the monotony of existence without Him to a great joy and peace in Him. He set my life on a whirlwind adventure as a missionary in Korea and in Germany. I was given the great joy of sharing my life in Christ with teens on many continents. Today I am wife to Jeff, and mom to Zack and Caleb. When I am not playing with my boys or struggling through spelling words, I love to sit in a living room with a group of ladies and just dig into the Word together. I also love to write about the joy I have in Christ and the truth He teaches me. I am a member of Rivertree Church where I help with ladies’ Bible Study.
Rashida Selise Wilson
Mother, daughter wife, sister and friend, Minister of the Gospel, writer, dancer motivator and survivor, alive on purpose, and a serious Jesus Junkie! 🙂 Just a few words to describe who I am, what I am, why I am and whose I am. Truly honored to be apart of our City on a Hill and look forward to being a catalyst to others living life MORE Abundantly!