New Beginnings board OF DIRECTORS
|
rev. robert fleischmannfounderI have been the National Director of Christian Life Resources since 1988. I recently completed 5.5 years as the part-time Administrative Pastor at St. Paul Ev. Lutheran Church in Slinger, WI. I am an adjunct instructor at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary and teach an online master's certificate course at Concordia University on Bioethics and Biotechnology. I speak throughout North America on the Biblical approach to various life and family issues and counsel people with God’s Word in correct decision-making.
|
|
Rev. JOEL KRIEGERspiritual advisorI serve as a pastor at St. Marcus Lutheran Church, where I’ve been privileged to serve for the past four years. In my work, I focus on preaching, teaching, and walking alongside families with God’s Word. I care deeply about helping people see the hope and stability that Christ provides in the middle of real-life challenges.
My wife, Kate, and I have three children — Reuben, Armin, and Ramona — and we are grateful for the ways God continues to shape our family through the joys and demands of parenting. I’m thankful for the opportunity to support the mission of New Beginnings and the mothers and children it serves. |
|
JANET EGANBOARD PRESIDENT & TREASURERI’m honored and excited to be appointed to the Board of Directors at New Beginnings. I’m a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) currently serving clients in my private practice. My practice is focused on advisory and accounting services. However, my professional background is in auditing, corporate controllership, and financial reporting. I also co-lead a women’s ministry at my congregation geared toward mothers. I’m very passionate about women’s ministry as well as financial literacy education. I pray I can use my expertise in these areas to further the important mission already in place at New Beginnings. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my husband and three children (ages 9, 7, and 5), reading, running, and watching Wisconsin sports.
|
|
Alicia DethloffVice PresidentI work as a hospital pharmacist and half of my patient population are neonates/pediatrics. This makes kiddos and their moms a special part of my life. I am also a wife and mother to a daughter as well as prior foster mom to two young ladies. New Beginnings interests me because I love the mission to provide a safe place for the most vulnerable--mothers and children--while also setting them up for success spiritually and professionally.
|
|
NAOMI DABLE SecretaryI'm a wife and mom of two young boys (2 and 4) living in Cudahy, WI. Our family attends Victory of the Lamb in Franklin, WI where my husband, Jon, and I met almost 8 years ago! I grew up in the Milwaukee area and studied graphic design at UW-Milwaukee. I spent a few years doing freelance graphic design work for churches and ministries, but now run my own Christian greeting card and gift business (Naomi Paper Co.) from home as I stay home with our boys. After experiencing a challenging postpartum season with my first son (despite having all the support in the world), my heart for new moms that may not have any form of trusted community or support began to grow. That eventually led me to New Beginnings, initially as a place to donate to through the sale of Mother's Day cards for my business, and I'm so honored to be more involved with the ministry on a deeper level now!
|
|
CHELSEA ADAIRMEMBERNew Beginnings - A Home for Mothers is very close to my heart and a place I truly believe God led me to. Before stepping down to take over our family business with my husband, Austin, I worked at New Beginnings for over 2.5 years. During that time, I had the privilege of working alongside strong, resilient women. I love New Beginnings because it’s more than a home - it’s a place of restorations, support, and second chances, grounded in faith and the belief that with God, every woman has the opportunity for a new beginning.
|
|
Camille BergerMEMBERI am very excited to join the New Beginnings Board. I first felt called to serve mothers and their children after my own difficult transition into motherhood with the birth of my first daughter. I currently work as a family chiropractor in Cedarburg. I specialize in natural fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and pediatric care. I find deep joy in supporting mothers as they navigate the first year of motherhood. I live in Newburg with my family, dog, and 5 chickens. We have three children, Amelie (11 years), Jonah (8 years), and Cecilia (6 years), and my husband is Matt, (age is just a number). In my free time, I enjoy gardening, cooking, juicing, and listening to podcasts.
|
|
McKenna DietzeMEMBERI will graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran College with a Human Social Services major and Psychology minor in May 2023 and I will be getting my Master’s Degree in Social Work through The Ohio State University while working as a dorm supervisor for Wisconsin Lutheran High School's International program. I am excited about my position on the board as part of my journey to graduation was interning at New Beginnings for a semester where I started to love the organization and its mission of helping mothers using God’s word. After my internship, I started a major-related club on WLC’s campus that worked to grow a stronger connection between our two organizations. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with such an amazing and life-changing ministry during a time of such growth!
|
|
HEATHER MINNINGMEMBERI’m a homemaker and creative motivator with 21 years of experience managing household responsibilities for a family of eight. I’ve led a playgroup for parents with little children for many years, created a support group for moms in the Watertown area called, “MommyTime” which offered special events, monthly mom gatherings, and ways to give back to the community. I facilitated “Morning with Moms” a Bible Study for moms at the YMCA offering childcare, breakfast and spiritual encouragement.
God has gently guided me to humbly serve on the board and volunteer my time at New Beginnings. I love getting to know the moms personally, seeing how supportive the staff is and watching their faith in Jesus grow. I’m waiting in anticipation for the plans God has for New Beginnings and excited to be part of it! Currently my husband, Mike and I are raising our six children while I am the Program Coordinator for a home serving women and children in crisis. |
|
CHRISTA POTRATZMEMBERChrista Potratz is a wife and mother of four from Germantown, Wisconsin. She received a bachelor's degree in biology from Wisconsin Lutheran College and a master's in public health from the University of Texas school of Public Health. Christa currently works as a Training Coordinator at the Meros Center through Kingdom Workers and Wisconsin Lutheran College. She also volunteers for Christian Life Resources by producing and co-hosting their podcast, The Life Challenges Podcast. Christa is passionate about the Bible and very excited to be involved in New Beginnings.
|
|
MADISON SCHULZMEMBERMy name is Maddie Schulz and I am so excited to serve the mothers and children of New Beginnings! I started working for New Beginnings as a resident supervisor and eventually became interim executive director until I had my daughter. In all of my roles with the program, I have seen firsthand how transformative and life-changing this home can be for mothers and their children. It has been a blessing to live and learn alongside these women and I cannot wait to see how New Beginnings grows in the future.
I have a Master’s Degree in social work and am so thankful I am able to use my education, faith, and passion to serve women in my role on the New Beginnings board. |
|
PEGGY THIELEMEMBERI’m looking forward to applying my experience and passion for outreach in the Milwaukee community. I am an Executive Producer for WELS Multi-Language Productions, an arm of WELS World Missions and TELL Network, an online Christian leadership training program. My fifteen-year career in Missions has provided me with many opportunities to drive growth and foster meaningful partnerships with diverse groups from around the world. As a board member, I hope to use my skills to connect and inspire women on a more local level and advance New Beginnings’ purpose.
I have a degree in journalism from UW Madison. My professional journey began in graphic design which later led to broadcast video production. One of my favorite hobbies is a return to my roots in the arts by writing and illustrating children’s books. My husband and I also enjoy windsurfing, cycling, and backcountry backpacking. We relish times when our growing family – including three daughters in law – spend time with us in lake country. As a mother of four boys, I’m honored to be a part of a program to transform the lives of mothers and children by sharing a love for Christ, a love for parenting with patience and perseverance, and a love for serving women who desperately need our support. |