Meet the DOOR Staff
DOOR Staff: From left to right, top, middle, bottom
Hugo Saucedo, Krista Dutt, Katy Wall, Rita Balzer
Immanuel Sila, Brian Sales, Glenn Balzer
Molly Sila, Jannan Thomas, Hazel Davidson, Heidi Aspinwall, Christie Sears
Krista Dutt - Chicago City Director
Before arriving back in Chicago, Krista Dutt had most recently been in Colorado's San Luis Valley working through Mennonite Voluntary Service as a Family Advocate and Pastor of Family Connections. As a Family Advocate, she taught parenting, budgeting, and motivation classes and met with families regularly to help the families in whatever situation they wanted Krista involved in. As Pastor of Family Connections, Krista served the United Church of La Jara in creating and promoting community outreach as well as providing interim work for the church while they were without a full time pastor.
Krista completed her master's of divinity degree at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in May 2002. She completed all her internships in Chicago at various agencies and churches such as Englewood Mennonite Church and DOOR Chicago. She also spent a semester studying in the SCUPE program.
Krista has also spent time working at Olive Branch Mission on the South side of Chicago, Friendship Mennonite Church (Bedford Heights, OH), and the United Church of Christ headquarters (Cleveland, OH). She graduated from Bluffton College.
Krista is an active member of First Church of the Brethren. Krista enjoys Chicago, baking, movies, sleeping, and hanging out with friends. Krista married Jim Parker in April of 2007. They live in the west side of Chicago.
Shawn Delp - Denver City Director
Shawn Delp grew up in Pennsylvania and studied accounting at Messiah College. After working for a CPA firm, Shawn decided to head west and moved to California. After time in San Francisco, Shawn found himself in Los Angeles where he began to pursue his Master's degree in Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA.
Shawn became the DOOR City Director in February 2004. Along with directing the DOOR program, Shawn works with the DEO (discipleship, encounter, and outreach) program of the Mennonite Mission Network. The program is a joint partnership between DOOR/deo to provide a year long service and learning opportunity in Denver.
Shawn enjoys working for DOOR for many reasons, but most of all because of the educational aspects the program brings to its participants. Shawn also enjoys living and working in urban areas and enjoys DOOR commitment to urban ministry.
For fun Shawn enjoys spending time with his wife Shelva, hiking in the great outdoors, reading, playing soccer, and watching Philadelphia sports team whenever he gets a chance.
Shawn attends Pathways Church.
Christie Sears - Assistant to the National DOOR Director
Christie was born in Atlanta, GA, moved to Virginia Beach, VA to be closer to their respective families. She attended Sweet Briar College earning a Bachelor’s degree in English.
Shortly after graduating from Sweet Briar College in May 2005, Christie got involved with DOOR-Miami through Heidi and Richard Aspinwall. She was a Discern Summer Staff person in the summer of 2005 and continued with DOOR-Miami as a Dwell participant after the summer ended. She served at the Miami Rescue Mission during the summer of 2005 and was promoted to Volunteer Coordinator at the Miami Rescue Mission during the winter of 2006.
After her Dwell year ended, moved to Denver, CO to become the Assistant to the National DOOR Director.
She currently resides in an apartment in Denver with her roommate and friend, Lisa, and attends Church in the City. For fun, Christie likes to read, watch movies, and work on her website (an online Christian music magazine).
Heidi Aspinwall - Miami City Director and National Director for Volunteers
Heidi Aspinwall was born in California but grew up in small town Oklahoma. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a BA in Public Relations/ Organizational Communication in 1989.
Heidi and her husband, Richard, moved from Nashville, TN to Miami in 1996 to serve in a one year mission service program with the Presbyterian and United Methodist Churches. One year turned into 10. Since moving to Miami they've added to their family. Heidi and Richard have two children, Christina and Michael and a giant puppy, Gibson.
Richard directs Miami Music Ministries. This ministry offers training and experience in music and related media to young people with a commitment and desire to bring their best gifts to use to glorify God. The ministry includes a music school, training bands, a high school aged band that travels the country leading worship at churchs, camps and conferences, and a church with house band and mixed media. The ministry grew into a new church start called the Lighthouse.
Heidi held several odd positions before joining the DOOR staff in 2002. Catering, traffic management, and marching band techniques were some that all come in handy now.
Heidi enjoys directing the year long service component, Dwell. She loves the connection between faith and life and the integration of it all and loves working with the young adults. She enjoys connecting the local need to the service of the volunteers. She says she sees this in both the Discover (short-term) and in the Dwell components.
Heidi enjoys traveling when she can. But she says the best times are road trips with the family that include hiking, camping and exploring.
Glenn Balzer - National Director
Glenn Balzer has been with DOOR for the past 12 years. In 1988 he moved from Regina, Saskatchewan Canada to Fresno, California to attend the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary. While at seminary he served as the Assistant Pastor at Clovis United Methodist Church. He graduated with an MA in Theology in 1991. He moved to Denver, Colorado to become the Youth Pastor at Belleview Acres Church.
In the fall of 1994, Glenn assumed the directorship of the DOOR program. Glenn and his wife, Rita, are the proud parents of two boys, Kyle, 12 and Quinten, 11.
Rita Balzer - Bookkeeper
Rita was born and raised in Saskatchewan, Canada. She met Glenn at Briercrest Bible College and they were married in August of 1986.
They spend 3 years in California where Glenn studied for his Masters and then moved on to Denver, Colorado. It was here that their involvement with the DOOR program began. As Glenn directed the program, someone needed to cook for the youth that came and it was a natural fit for Rita. She spent 8 year cooking for DOOR groups and enjoyed meeting youth and sponsors from all across the country. Somewhere during that time she also began to keep the financial records for DOOR and continues to do so.
Rita has also had other jobs along the way. For three seasons she worked for the National Western Stock Show in the ticket sales office, and currently works as a paraprofessional in the school where their two boys, Kyle and Quinten, attend.
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