Staff

Pastor Don Kretzschmar – Executive Director/Chaplain

 Pastor Don Kretzschmar is a chaplain and the Executive Director in Voice of Care. A graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and ordained in 1969, he has served congregations in New York and Northern Illinois and has given specialized pastoral care to people with disabilities and their families for over 20 years. He serves as Chaplain every week at facilities not associated with a church, at the Voice of Care Special Needs Camps at Walcamp and as consultant and trainer in disability ministry for congregations. Married to Marni/Martha since 1975, has two married daughters and four grandchildren. A member of St. John Lutheran Church in Wheaton, Pastor Don welcomes the opportunity to visit as preacher and/or Bible class leader to help congregations in disability ministry.

 

Deaconess Jana Peters – Chaplain

 Deaconess Jana Knight Peters has served with Voice of Care ministry for 6 years. Through field work as a Concordia Deaconess student, internship, and now as a called Deaconess with Voice of Care, she is well trained and experienced in this disability ministry. Deaconess Jana provides spiritual care to facilities and congregations, helps with training, resources, and leadership in disability ministry, and is in charge of the Special Needs Camp ministries at Walcamp, as well as Voice of Care’s annual disability ministry mission trip. Married to Keith for 4 years and is a member of Fellowship of Faith Lutheran Church in McHenry. She feels the best part about working with people who are disabled is watching the Body of Christ be formed the way Paul speaks of it in 1 Corinthians 12, the Church, One Body, many parts, weak and strong, all essential in Christ’s mission.

                                       Deaconess Kris Blackwell – Director of Development

 Deaconess Kris Blackwell is the Director of Development since June 2011. While living in New York, she worked with Alpha Lutheran Church of the Deaf were she learned to finger spell quite well and decided to have a full time church career specializing in people with disabilties. She attended Concordia College, Bronxville, New York, Valparaiso University Indiana and Concordia River Forest, Illinois where she completed her Deaconess training and received a BA in Theology. She has been married to Mike for 30 years and has a son and daughter. She volunteered for the Boy Scouts fundraising program, held and still holds positions with LWML, in grant writing, and also became a substitute teacher in special education in the Lisle school district for 15 years. She is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Lisle.

 

Dian Cracraft – Administrative Assistant

 Dian Cracraft was hired in May, 2004 as the Administrative Assitant. She works for Pastor Kretzschmar, Deaconess Peters and Deaconess Kris Blackwell. Married to Mike for 28 years and has a son and daughter. Has lived in West Chicago for 24 years and is a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Batavia.