About UsAbout Us Founded in 2002, Caring for Others exists for the purpose of spreading the gospel by increasing the effectiveness of missionaries and reducing their attrition. We do this by caring for the relational, emotional, and spiritual needs of Christian workers so they can spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ as effectively as possible, to as many as possible, for as long as possible. Those serving in our ministry include: John Certalic is the executive director of Caring for Others. Along with training and debriefing work with missionaries and mission agencies, John has trained lay counselors and taught pastoral care seminars to missionaries and pastors in Brazil, Turkey, Tajikistan, Mali, and North Africa. To date, Caring for Others has ministered to over 600 missionaries from 47 different mission agencies serving in 69 countries around the world. Before working with several others to start Caring for Others in 2002, John founded a personnel staffing firm he operated for 23 years before going full-time with Caring for Others. He also served as a facilitator of a secular business group of CEO’s, and taught in the public schools for 7 years upon graduation from college. In addition, John has served as a retreat and seminar speaker, pulpit supply, and board member of a Christian camp. He has a M.S. in Counseling and is a certified trauma counselor. John and his wife Janet have two adult children, four grandchildren, and live in New Berlin, Wisconsin. Roger and Rose Rand are hosts and facilitators for our Caring for Others Conference, in addition to their debriefing work with missionaries. Roger and Rose have many years of experience working with couples in their church in the Milwaukee area where Roger serves as a ministry assistant to the couples’ pastor. They conduct and oversee marriage seminars at their church, and as trained lay counselors work with couples through their church’s counseling ministry. Roger and Rose are both licensed instructors with Christian PAIRS. Roger and Rose have also ministered with several short term missions’ teams overseas through their church and Food for the Hungry, along with serving at a missionary retreat center in Michigan. The Rands live in Waukesha, Wisconsin and have four grown children and six grandchildren. Janet Certalic is the wife of John Certalic, and serves as host and a facilitator for our Caring for Others Conference, along with doing debriefing work with missionaries. She has served in many different ministries, including a senior citizens ministry, missions committees, and a wide variety of hospitality ministries. Janet and John have housed missionaries on home assignment and she has served on several occasions as a host and care giver at a missionary retreat center. In addition, Janet is a trained lay counselor and served as mentor in a large ministry to young mothers. She was selected to serve as its head mentor, where she mentored mentors. Janet is also a licensed Christian PAIRS instructor. Together with John, she hosts missionaries in their home who come for debriefing and/or counseling for a week at a time. Janet and John have two adult children and four grandchildren. Jamie Santana is the founder of Peaceworks Mediation and Conflict Management Services. Her passion for cross-cultural mission work motivates her to help equip missionaries and churches through effective training in biblical dispute resolution methods, as well as providing access to support and resources when Christian workers are walking through conflict in their ministry. Peaceworks offers mediation services, individual conflict coaching and training opportunities. In addition to encouraging Christian workers, Peaceworks has a growing presence in the secular world, working with seniors, their families and their services providers. Jamie has a master’s degree in Public Service from Marquette University in Milwaukee, with an emphasis in Dispute Resolution. She is married with one daughter and lives in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Click here to contact Jamie. Board of Directors Mary Perso is General Manager of Just Between Us, a Christian magazine published to provide encouragement, inspiration, spiritual support and practical insights for ministry wives and women in church, parachurch, and missions leadership. Begun as a newsletter for pastors’ wives in 1990, JBU has grown into a quarterly magazine with international impact, with 8,000 subscribers in 75 countries and in all 50 states. Besides its magazine, JBU ministers to pastors’ wives through it annual conference for ministry wives. Mary and her husband Phil live in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Judy Zwitter is a deacon and secretary of the governing council of her church. She has served in many different ministries, including senior high ministry, lay counseling, women’s ministry and other caring ministries within her church. Judy has also supported and hosted missionaries in her home. She has a B.S. in Applied Math and Physics, and is currently working as a manager in the Information Systems area of Northwestern Mutual, a Fortune 500 insurance and financial services company. Judy lives in New Berlin, Wisconsin. Michael Certalic is Executive Director of Telling the Truth, the non-profit Bible teaching ministry Stuart, Jill, and Pete Briscoe. Michael overseas strategic planning and communications, donor development, operations, finances, and staff for this multi-channel media outreach. Telling the Truth's daily radio broadcast can be heard on over 400 radio outlets throughout the United States including Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Milwaukee, Seattle, and Sirius XM satellite radio. Internationally the program is heard in London and across the UK, Australia, the Philippines, South Korea, and in ten countries in southern Africa. Michael earned a B.S. in Business Administration from Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana, where he graduated summa cum laude. He also has done graduate work in managerial finance and accounting from the Keller Graduate School of Management. Michael lives in New Berlin, Wisconsin, with his wife Hope and their twin sons and daughter. Return to the top of About Us page |