Meet Our Staff

Haddon Anderson

Executive Director handerson@statelineyfc.org

Haddon serves as the Executive Director. His role centers on organizational leadership including coaching staff, fundraising, community partnerships, board development, and more. Haddon previously worked at Lydia Learning Academy and a local church. He graduated from Cedarville University in 2010 (B.A. in Sociology) before earning a Master of Divinity from Moody Theological Seminary in 2014 with an emphasis in Urban & Intercultural Studies. Haddon and his wife, Julie, have been married since 2010 and have three children.

Zabrina Ramirez

Community Engagement Coordinator zramirez@statelineyfc.org

Zabrina serves as the Community Engagement Coordinator. She oversees community outreach, marketing, and various organizational events and projects. Zabrina graduated from Calvin College with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Sociology and a Minor in Urban Studies. Prior to YFC, she finished a year of AmeriCorps service with City Year in Boston. Zabrina and her husband, Phil, have been married since 2020.

 

D’Lisa Flannigan

City Life Director dflannigan@statelineyfc.org

D’Lisa is a part of our City Life team. She oversees City Life programming including the Next Steps small group and City Life club. Her role also includes contacting youth in middle schools like Lincoln and local high schools and building Christ-centered relationships with them. Her prayer is that these mentoring relationships would lead to discipleship. D’Lisa and her husband J.R. have two daughters.

 

Alyssa Newton

Juvenile Justice Ministry Director anewton@statelineyfc.org

Alyssa serves as the Juvenile Justice Ministry Director. She leads our justice-focused ministries that have both preventative and rehabilitative components. This includes the K-PLAY ministry and working with youth in the justice system. She also focuses on building Christ-centered relationships with youth in local schools like Jefferson. She is a graduate of Concordia University, Nebraska (B.A. in Behavioral Sciences and Music). Previously, Alyssa taught at St. Paul Lutheran School in Rockford and worked at Rosecrance.

 

Olle Larson

Director of Ministry olarson@statelineyfc.org

Olle serves as the Director of Ministry. His role focuses on working with ministry staff and overseeing our three ministry models in addition to ensuring that ministry is well supported and running smoothly. Olle graduated from DePaul University with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Psychology before earning his MDIV from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in 2021. Olle and his wife, Kelley, have been married since 2013, having met at Intervarsity Christian Fellowship at Rock Valley College, and have a son.

Adam Palmer

Community Outreach Director apalmer@statelineyfc.org

Adam serves as the Community Outreach Director at Youth for Christ. His role focuses on engaging youth through various outreach efforts within Campus Life, Roosevelt High School, and the community. He is a graduate of Grand Canyon University with a Bachelor’s degree in Christian Studies with an emphasis on Youth Ministry. Adam is also an Army combat veteran who served three tours in Iraq and received the Purple Heart. He also has experience in fitness training, coaching, missions, and management. Adam and his wife, Ellenie, have been married since 2008 and have three children.

 

Tyrone Garrett

City Life Director tgarrett@statelineyfc.org

Tyrone serves as a City Life Director at Youth for Christ. He co-leads City Life’s special opportunities groups like our local school partnerships and summer programming. His role also centers on building Christ-centered relationships with youth. Tyrone previously worked at The Pregnancy Care Center and YMCA. He and his wife, Chelsea, have been married since 2018 and have two children.

 

J.R. Flannigan

Juvenile Justice Ministry Support jflannigan@statelineyfc.org

J.R. serves as a Juvenile Justice Ministry Support staff member. His role focuses on outreach to youth through our justice-focused ministries. He has previously ministered in a variety of settings in Rockford and Chicago, including church ministry and through an organization reaching young men called Project Hood. J.R. and his wife D’Lisa are honored to parent two daughters.

 

Lauren Pazdra

Director of Operations lpazdra@statelineyfc.org

Lauren serves as the Director of Operations. Her role focuses on maintaining ministry sites and assisting with the volunteer onboarding process as well as performing administrative tasks, financial management, and event planning support. Lauren graduated Trinity Christian College with a BA in Psychology and Theology and earned a MA in Ministry Leadership from Calvin Theological Seminary. Her and her husband have been married since 2022. 

Joey Clapp

Campus Life Ministry Director jclapp@statelineyfc.org

Joey serves as the Campus Life Ministry Director for Harlem Middle School and High School. He oversees programming and building Christ-centered relationships with youth. Joey graduated from Maranatha Baptist University with a B.A. in Church Ministries and is currently attending seminary at Reformed Theological Seminary pursuing a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies. He also has a background working in churches, and most recently was an associate pastor of a local church in Rockford. Joey and his wife Leah adopted their daughter, who has been a part of their family since 2019, in February of 2023. 

Courtney Hardmon

City Life Director chardmon@statelineyfc.org

Courtney serves as a City Life Director on our City Life team. Her role focuses on building Christ-centered relationships with youth in the community and in local schools. She studied youth ministry at Colorado Christian University and was previously a youth pastor in a local church. 

 

Beth Fontana

Juvenile Justice Ministry Support bfontana@statelineyfc.org

Beth role focuses on outreach to youth through our justice-focused ministries. Beth is a graduate of Illinois State University (B.A. in Social Work) and previously served on the Youth for Christ staff as the Youth Guidance Director. Beth’s past experience also includes children’s ministry. Beth and her husband, Kevin, have three children and four grandchildren.

 

Board of Directors 

Tim Ancona, Chairman

Bruce Haugen, Treasurer

Mindy Stadel, Secretary

Tyler Crosby

Brent Hayes

John Hranka

Sierra Kellen

Dave Odling

Kelly Stern