Chris is originally from Portland, ME She graduated from Husson University with a Master’s and Post Master’s degree in Nursing with a specialty in Psychiatric Nursing. She recently moved to Fort Wayne as an expression of faith with a desire to love Jesus and people. As an empath, her ability to connect with others makes her the perfect fit as the first contact many neighbors have with our organization. Chris is a creative by nature who loves to design art, take photographs, and craft, and recently she started learning to play guitar. When she’s not doing those, you’ll likely find her journaling and deepening her walk with Christ.

Robert served as our AmeriCorps VISTA Storytelling and Journalism Coordinator in 2020 and returned in March 2022 as our Director of Communications. A longtime writer and storyteller, he was also involved in the local food scene for a number of years. Much of his role at NeighborLink involves communicating the stories of neighbors and volunteers while strengthening the connections we have with our donors. Robert loves to explore little-known towns across the country and is an avid reader of nonfiction.

Josh joined NeighborLink after serving four years at a local church in Fort Wayne. In his role, he facilitated community building and outreach opportunities for high school students and young adults, Josh loves coming alongside churches, businesses, and communities that love the vulnerable in tangible, practical ways. Josh now works to develop and engage our volunteers throughout every step of the NeighborLink process. Josh enjoys riding his bike, drinking coffee, playing video games, cheering on Manchester United, the Chicago Bulls, and The Chicago Fire. He also loves to attend concerts with his wife, Kendyl, and walk their dog, Rooney.

Brett is a technologist that loves people, solving problems, and helping make others’ ambitious visions a reality. His former life was software engineering and management in multiple industries, including roles at Twilio, Disney, Red Hat, Raytheon, and NBC Universal. And now his passion is applying that experience in missional ways. Brett has volunteered with NeighborLink since 2009 and is a former board member. He joins our team as the Director of Technology, both serving Fort Wayne and reimagining the web platform as a national ecosystem. He also started and co-runs a software/data agency (Impact Upgrade) that serves nonprofits and missional businesses.

Ryan came on board through the AmeriCorps VISTA program in May 2022 and serves as our Volunteer Mobilization Coordinator. A native of Fort Wayne, he is currently studying Business Administration and Management at Purdue Fort Wayne. A big picture thinker who loves to serve, Ryan is a perfect fit for his role in working alongside our volunteers. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, fishing, camping, kayaking, watching movies, and good coffee.

Jeff was originally drawn to NeighborLink as a volunteer in 2006 because of his love for doing yard work. We officially welcomed him to our staff in 2014 as Director of Mobilization. Jeff brings years of volunteer management and leadership experience to our team and can regularly be found out in the field serving alongside our volunteers in a wide range of neighboring projects. He is an avid car lover, audiobook listener, and enjoys raising his dog Kora with his wife.

Eric joined the team in May 2021. Eric, a Fort Wayne native, returns to the community after living in Portland, Maine for the last seven years. Eric’s desire is to help equip the local Church of Fort Wayne to be the neighbors we were born to be by serving the City’s vulnerable homeowners. Eric Wood is a graduate of Huntington University with a B.S. in Student Ministry. Eric’s pastoral and servant leader experience will enhance the organization as it works to solve problems to complex issues facing vulnerable neighbors and neighborhoods with a heart for bringing the love of Jesus to our neighbors. Eric enjoys spending time with his family and is looking forward to getting reacquainted with the community.

NeighborLink is a direct result of a vision John had in the late ‘90s. He dreamed of leveraging the web to connect vulnerable homeowners falling through the cracks with churchgoers unsure how to love their neighbors. John and a small team of others self-funded and built the first NeighborLink web platform in 2002. Since then, John has served as our board president and remains an active volunteer.

Gwyn first volunteered for NeighborLink in 2010 with her husband, Brandon. In 2013, she decided to dedicate more of her time by becoming a board member. Gwyn’s experience as a CPA and as the Director at BKD CPAs and Advisors is crucial to our budget development, along with implementing accounting policies and procedures. According to Gwyn, “NeighborLink is a unique organization that really tries to be the hands and feet of Jesus, as we are instructed to do. Faith and love are action words, and NeighborLink allows us to act on our faith.”

Joe’s ongoing passion for service aids the growth of the NeighborLink community. Joe applies his skills in discipleship while teaching others how to integrate the loving ways of our savior, Jesus Christ, into their lives. He expresses his love and appreciation of NeighborLink by explaining, “Serving with NeighborLink is such an adventure. Every posting on the site represents a potentially transformative encounter for both neighbors—the one loving and the one being loved. Few organizations exist that empower such unique relational encounters.”

Jeremy joined the board in 2020 and brings much experience with his background in marketing and communications with charities on both a local and national scale. His desire is to see NeighborLink continue to help individuals and organizations experience Christ’s love as they follow His example and show love to their neighbors. “NeighborLink is one of the greatest resources I’ve seen for making practical expressions of Christ’s love happen. It’s a truly great mission that empowers and uplifts neighbors (particularly those who are already in vulnerable situations), makes our city stronger, and helps the church walk out its faith.”

Heather has been involved with NeighborLink since 2009 in a wide variety of ways, from serving on committees to helping promote Team NeighborLink. She joined the board in 2014 and brings her experience in public relations and community engagement to the organization. She decided to join the team because she believes NeighborLink to be a true expression of God’s love to others. “It’s such an easy way to directly demonstrate generosity and love to others. What better way to simultaneously improve your community and be a testimony of God’s love in your own life.”

Josh began volunteering with NeighborLink in 2015 and saw an opportunity to invest in the community in an impactful way. After fostering a deeper relationship with the team, he joined the board in 2018. Bringing a knowledge of the data, analytics, and numbers that make organizations thrive, he is excited to see more growth and exposure for NeighborLink as more people, churches, and businesses in Fort Wayne become involved. “I love the staff, I love the technology that they developed, the creative solution to this problem of people and churches want to be a good neighbor but they don’t always know-how. NL figured it out in a way that’s working, and I want to see that be successful.”

Kevan Chandler a public speaker, author, and founder of We Carry Kevan, a nonprofit that fosters a culture of neighborly love with a focus on families with disabilities. Although he had been familiar with NeighborLink for several years, it wasn’t until he was invited to a lawn mowing project that he realized the scope of our work and how involved anyone can be, regardless of ability. Kevan is excited and honored to bring the disability perspective to our board, as well as that of volunteer and receiver of NeighborLink services.

Katie Chandler is a TBRI Practitioner with a background in trauma-informed, attachment-based training, specifically with children and families involved with foster care and adoption. She first heard about NeighborLink after moving to Fort Wayne and requesting help with mowing and yard work. Katie appreciates how NeighborLink connects people and provides practical opportunities for volunteers to obey Jesus by loving their neighbors.