Staff
Executive Director
Godly Daniel
Godly’s years working in the business sector, church ministry and with another foster care ministry called 4KIDS of South Florida, have developed in him the practical knowledge and leadership needed as Executive Director at A Door of Hope. Formerly as Director of SafePlace in 2005, he oversaw the 24/7 Assessment Center for children about to be placed into foster care, and as former Director of Safe Families in 2009, he recruited and trained a network of Christian families who helped struggling families in the community. Since then, the Lord brought Godly and his family up from South Florida and called him in 2011 to help advocate for children and families in the Tampa Bay area. By God’s grace, he served with Pastor Tom Teel to begin a Christ-Centered child placing agency in Tampa Bay, A Door of Hope. He understands that the task before him is great but that our God is greater. His life verse is Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” He and his wife, Jincy, have three daughters and are members of Keystone Bible Church.
Email:godly@adoorofhope.com
Director of Administration
Jenne Aguirre
Jenne comes to A Door of Hope as the Office Manager with 10 years in banking and 6 of those years in management. What is truly important in her life is knowing the Lord and serving Him, caring for her family while setting a godly example for them to follow, and helping others to know the hope and joy of the gospel…and this is what drew her to A Door of Hope. She’s known for many years that the Lord had a plan for her life filled with purpose (Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”) and she is watching that plan unfold with anticipation of what the Lord will do next! Jenne, her husband Anthony, and their two children attend Calvary Chapel St. Petersburg.
Director of Licensing
Sherry Madray
God has blessed Sherry with a heart of servitude. After receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, at Saint Leo University, Sherry served as a case manager in Pinellas County. Sherry and her husband Kerwyn and has 3 handsome boys and 1 daughter who attend First Baptist of Riverview. Prior to having her first son, Sherry and her husband began fostering children in Pinellas County. As a stay at home mother, she was able to raise her 3 boys in a loving Christian environment and God provided for all their needs, on one income, for 15 years! Since then, Sherry has had a calling to return to the social work field and joined the A Door Of Hope family to serve the foster community first as a Licensing Specialist and now as a Licensing Supervisor for C-13. Also, as a licensed foster parent in Hillsborough County, Sherry is able to equate with foster families and case managers alike. Sherry’s faith can be summed up by the poignant words of Catherine Marshall, “God is the only one who can make the valley of trouble A Door of Hope.”
Initializer-Training Specialist
Morgan Hicks
Morgan has followed the Lord’s calling on her life to work with families and children in crisis. Morgan has had a heart for orphans and families since the Lord called her to Trinity College to pursue Counseling Ministries. “Learn to do right, seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” Isaiah 1:17 was the calling the Lord placed on her life. Morgan’s experience as a middle school teacher and Case Manager in Hillsborough and Pasco County and Licensing Specialist has prepared her for leading the C6 team as Licensing Supervisor. Morgan is excited to bring not just physical hope to these children but eternal hope through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Morgan and her husband, Jeremy, and their two sons are members of North Pointe Church.
Licensing & Support Specialist
Alicia Novell
Alicia began her journey with A Door of Hope by becoming a licensed foster parent through us in 2016. She quickly fell in love with the vision and ministry and knew God was calling her to join our team as a Licensing Specialist so that she could have a voice within churches and other platforms to advocate for vulnerable children and their family. Apart from her own experience in fostering, Alicia completed a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology from Liberty University where she graduated with Honors. Alicia has been married to her high school sweetheart, Andrew, since 2005 and through fostering their prayer for their family is that their children: Luke, Andi, Jackson, Levi, and Amelia, see the gospel lived out loud as their family enters into a child’s brokenness just as Christ has entered into ours to offer us hope. A verse Alicia clings to is Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful” Her family attends Kinsmen Redeemer Bible Church in New Port Richey, FL.
Licensing & Support Specialist
Vanessa Simmons
Vanessa graduated from Trinity College of Florida with a BA in counseling in 2011 and came to A Door of Hope as a Licensing Specialist after working as a case manager in Hillsborough County and Hernando county for 2 years combined. Her life scripture is Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Her passions include spending time with friends and family. She loves writing, scrapbooking, cooking, and photography. Her and her husband Chris and two sons, Isaiah and Nehemiah, attend Grace World Outreach Church.
Licensing Administrator
Kissandra Collins
Kissandra was born on the west coast at San Francisco, California and raised on the east coast at Tampa, Florida. She has always had a passion to help others. At Trinity Christian College, she received her Bachelor’s Degree as a double major in Counseling and Biblical Studies and a minor in Theology. Currently, she leads a young women’s discipleship group at her church and will be pursuing a Master’s degree as a Mental Health Counselor at the University of South Florida. Her husband Scott is the Senior Pastor at Northwest Community Church where their 5 kids and 3 grandkids all attend. Kissandra’s bible verse that she loves is 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Licensing Supervisor
Billy Babbino
Billy’s B.A. of Youth and Family Ministry from Florida Christian College (Now Johnson University) and experience as a youth minister for 6 years (2005-2011), a preaching minister for 5 years (2012-2017), an adoption specialist for 2 years (2015-2017) has lead him and prepared him as a Licensing Specialist for A Door of Hope. Some of his passions are loving the New York Mets, reading theology books, teaching the Bible, spending time with his family, helping families walk thru the foster care journey and exploring the Tampa Bay area to find a good place to eat lunch. His favorite scripture (for the moment): “He must become greater; I must become less.”- John 3:30. Billy and his wife, Katie, and their 3 daughters attend Pathway Christian Church.
Administrative Assistant
Aja Larson
Aja has always had a heart and desire to serve and support others but never really knew what God had planned for her. Walking out in faith, she came to A Door of Hope through God’s perfect grace. After interning with A Door of Hope while obtaining her Associates in Social Service Degree at SPC the door opened to working as an Administrative Assistant. She is married to her homeschool – high school sweetheart, Kody Larson and in January 2018 they had their first son, Theodore. Her family calls Calvary Chapel St. Petersburg their home church. She finds confidence knowing that she can rest in God’s grace daily and He will outshine all imperfections. “My Grace is sufficient for you, for my Power is made perfect in Weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
Mentoring Coordinator
Pattie Cleberg
Pattie Cleberg serves as a full-time volunteer for A Door of Hope. Her love for God and His children are evident in every aspect of her life. She comes to A Door of Hope with a wealth of experience and wisdom, serving as a Guardian Ad Litem, then for 9 years as the Executive Director of Foster Heart Link, a mentoring program ministering to children in the foster care system and for 2 years as a former foster parent. Through God’s leading, Foster Heart Link has joined with A Door of Hope to create Mentoring A Door of Hope, with the same vision and mission to provide hope for Children in Crisis. Pattie and her husband Barry have a blended family with three adult children and six beautiful grandchildren. She believes very strongly in Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Her heart is to see The Church come together and engage the community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Prayer Coordinator
Gayle Beaton
Gayle came to A Door of Hope initially as a volunteer and supporter through prayer. God lead her to organize a team of prayer warriors to meet together and pray over the ministry, the families, and the children. Since then she has become our Prayer Partner Coordinator connecting with many individuals by email weekly with prayer requests. She brings a sweetness and grace filled heart of serving to our team. One of her recent verses she clings to is Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” She attends Calvary Chapel St Petersburg with her husband Greg and sons.
Licensing & Support Specialist
Anna Phillips
Anna’s Master’s in social work, previous work at a pregnancy center and women and children’s center equipped her to come onboard as a Licensing Specialist with A Door of Hope. Her favorite verse is Psalm 73:26 “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” She loves outdoor adventures, being an FSU fan, and spending time with family. Anna attends Grace Family South Tampa.
Licensing & Support Specialist
Dawn Zitko
Dawn’s Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Kansas State University and previous Case Management experience in Kansas and Colorado equipped her as the Lord made a way for her to join the A Door of Hope family as a Licensing Specialist. A favorite scripture of hers currently is 2 Corinthians 4:18, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” She loves competing in Iron Man races and has earned the title of All World Athlete. She and her husband Derek have “a zillion kids and counting” and have been a foster family since 2015. Their whole, big, huge, adorable family attend The Chapel at Fishhawk.
Licensing & Support Specialist - Hillsborough
Ray Suarez
Raynene, better know to us as “Ray”, received her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from USF which prepared her for the position of Licensing Specialist with A Door of Hope. She has been on various annual mission trips since 2008, mentored, and loved on teen orphans in West Africa. Currently, she is leading youth bible study at her church, Open Arms Church in Ybor City. One of her treasured bible verses is, “Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.” Deuteronomy 33:12.
Licensing & Support Specialist
Blaise Clark
Blaise’s major in Biblical Counseling and minor in Theology from Trinity College has prepared her to join the team at A Door of Hope as a Licensing Specialist. She also was a previous middle school teacher for 5 years. She is passionate about building healthy Christian communities and being involved in her church. She is an avid traveler and enjoys having a healthy lifestyle. A favorite quote from a book she’s reading is “You are a one-of-a-kind design, unable to be replicated or copied by another. You no longer have the right to see yourself as any less valuable than a priceless, unique work of art. This is our true label.”- Tailor-made by Alex Seeley. She loves spending time with family and attends Trinity New Life church.
Family and Staff Support Counselor
Jennifer Schanzenbach
Jennifer Graduated from Argosy University with a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling. She also holds an A.A. degree in Pre-elementary education and a B.A. in Psychology. Following the education requirements, Jennifer pursued her License in Mental Health from the State of Florida. During the education process, Jennifer maintained the intentional study of biblical foundations of change and uses a biblical approach when working with children and families. The scripture that carried Jennifer through the toils of education was Psalm 1 vs.1-3 “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” She enjoys being creative with wood, metal, and yard work. Jennifer is a mom of 5 and a grandmother to 3. Her husband Lee and her two daughters attend Calvary Chapel St. Pete while her other children are active duty military and are stationed around the globe.
Licensing and Support Specialist
Alyssa Hughley
Alyssa holds a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s and Gender Studies from the University of South Florida and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Social Work at Catholic University of America. She’s been engaged in social work since 2013, when she started as a child welfare case manager in Pinellas County. In 2017, after a brief hiatus, she was called by the Lord to return to social work as a Licensing Specialist. In her free time, Alyssa loves to travel and enjoys making jewelry. She has two brothers and two sisters and currently attends Underground Network as her home church. She finds comfort in her favorite verse, Isaiah 43:4, which Jesus showed to her during a mission trip to Haiti. Every time she reads this scripture, she is reminded of how Jesus forever changed her life there. Now, she uses her faith and strength in the Lord to help foster families and children in crisis.
Donor Development
Brian Ohlson
Following a career in IT Corporate Sales, Brian and his wife made some changes in their lives, which included moving from North Carolina to Florida, and transitioning from a mega church to a smaller, more intimate structure. They have two grown children, one of whom was adopted from Guatemala when he was an infant. For 25 years, Brian has had an interest in Adoption and Foster Care, and joined forces with “A Door of Hope” in 2018 to participate in the ministry for the modern day orphan. Brian was raised in a Christian household, and has been a Believer as long as he can remember. He has traditionally been active in the local church, serving in many roles over the years. One of his favorite scriptures is from Paul’s imprisoned letter to the Philippians when he wrote, “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord, and of one mind.” He has lived in 7 different areas, enjoys travel, and visited all 50 states. He attended college at University of Maryland and the University of Washington (Seattle), where he completed his Bachelor’s degree. He enjoys Baseball, meeting people, and seeing his children as often as schedules allow.
Community Development
Josh Hoag
Originally, from Ohio, Josh moved to Clearwater to attend Clearwater Christian College. He met his now wife Amy there and have lived in the area ever since. Josh and Amy have three very energetic boys and love trying to keep up with them. The Hoag family has attended Keystone Bible Church in Odessa for 10 years. Josh comes to A Door of Hope to assist in Community Development and continue to build a presence in the Tampa Bay area as well as introduce the ministry to churches in Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough County. He loves the truth found in Psalm 51:10 ~ “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” It is an incredible reminder that God is active in working on and in our hearts and will continue to guide us, as we remain open to His leading.
Licensing and Support Specialist
Victoria Asencio
Victoria graduated from Trinity College of Florida in May 2017 with a BA in psychology and theology. She has two years of previous case management experience with dependency court in Pasco County, which prepared her for the licensing position with A Door of Hope. Victoria married her husband, Joe’l, in April 2018. They attend Trinity New Life Church’s Trouble Creek location. Her passions include traveling, working out, and geriatric care. She enjoys playing piano, board games, and reading. Victoria’s life verse is Matthew 25:40, “The King will reply, truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
Board of Directors
Thomas Teel
Associate Pastor
Calvary Chapel St. Petersburg
Nikki Trojanowski
Program Manager
Humana
Dr. Bruce Crawford
Implant Dentistry & Laser Periodontics
Tessa Dault
Foster Parent
Godly Daniel
Executive Director
A Door of Hope
(Non-Voting)
Jason M. Ellison
Partner – Ellison | Lazenby
Kate Sawa
Global Accounts Director
Anvil
Cynthia Lake Farrell
Executive Director
Children’s Dream Fund
Michael Robin
Healthcare Consulting
