LEADERSHIP
Executive Director
Aaron joined Friends Network in 2004 when he and his wife Cora moved to East Asia to serve as evangelists. Their family moved back overseas in 2015 when Aaron was asked to serve as Field Coordinator and manage a team of about fifty missionaries. He stepped into his role as Executive Director in 2018 and has overseen significant organizational growth during his tenure. Aaron and Cora have three children and live in the Twin Cities.
Director of Operations
Suzy has worked with Friends Network since 2013 and has over 25 years of experience in various administrative leadership roles. In her full-time role with Friends Network she oversees the organizational finances, insurance, and operations. Suzy lives in the Twin Cities metro area with her husband and two adult children.
Director of Development
Alissa starting volunteering with Friends Network in 2016 and started her full-time role in 2021. She brings years of experience from working in corporate retail. Alissa oversees many aspects of the organization's communications and development, including the Passport program and the missionaries' support raising efforts. She lives in Milwaukee, WI with her dog Fern.
Director of Member Care
Gwen joined Friends Network in 2024 after spending over twenty years in corporate finance. In her role at Friends Network she combines her skills in managing systems and processes with her unique ability to coach, mentor, and love everyone in her care. Gwen holds a master’s degree in Servant Leadership from Viterbo University, and she lives in La Crescent, MN with her husband Tony.
Counselor
Anita is a counselor, teacher, wife, and mother. She began working in her member care role with Friends Network in 2018 while she and her husband Mike lived in East Asia. They now reside in Ames, Iowa where Mike is a pastor.
Mission Coordinator
Jake joined Friends Network in 2021 and serves as a missionary in Manila, Philippines. He graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran College and taught for a year at St Marcus Lutheran School in Milwaukee prior to moving overseas. In his advisory role with Friends Network, Jake assists with recruitment, mission trip coordination, field visits, and public relations.
Mission Counselor
Stephen and his wife Krista have served as missionaries in Asia for most of their adult lives. Stephen serves our Friends Network missionaries in an advisory role as a mission counselor, consultant, and pastoral advisor. He and Krista have four children and currently reside in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Donor Database Manager
Jen joined our team in 2023 and works out of the main office in St Paul. She manages our database which includes processing and acknowledging donations and working with donors on individual transactions. Jen and her husband have three daughters and they live in the Twin Cities.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Pastor Dan Kramer | New Orleans, LA
Ted Rattei | San Jose, CA
Matt and Jody Roberts | Watertown, SD
Dan Tyrrell | Blantyre, Malawi
Joel Neujahr | Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Mike Frederickson | Chattanooga, TN
Phil and Danielle Scriver | New Ulm, MN
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Click on the names above to get in contact with any of our staff members. For general questions or inquiries, email info@friendsnet.org.
CONTACT US
OPPORTUNITIES
Sorry, we do not currently have any job opportunities listed.
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To learn more about serving as a missionary, visit our Serve Overseas page.