Meet the Staff and Volunteers

Joe and Esther Keim, Staff
Executive Director

Joe Keim was born and raised in an Old Order Amish community in Ashland, Ohio.  At the age of 16, one of Joe’s close Amish friends secretly shared that he had accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. After a season of confusion, Joe followed tradition and joined the Amish church. However, he was unhappy soon after joining the church and decided to leave the Amish. While living in a world outside the Amish culture, Joe’s friend shared the gospel with him again, and this time, it made sense. With tears running down his face, he invited Jesus to become his Savior. Joe shared his faith with Esther Yoder, and she accepted the Lord into her life. Soon after that, they decided to return to their Amish community.

Upon returning to their Amish roots, Joe and Esther got married. As time passed, they read their Bibles and concluded they would have to leave their friends, family, and the Amish community to serve the Lord in freedom and grace.  In 1987, they loaded up their belongings and moved into town, where they started attending Bethel Baptist Church and using their God-given abilities to serve wherever they could. In 1999, God called Joe into full-time ministry to the Amish people. Today, he serves as founder and executive director of Mission to Amish People, a ministry that has reached out to tens of thousands of Amish people with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Holley Tolliver, Staff
Office Manager

Since Holley was young, she has loved riding four-wheelers and was saved at a Hot Wheel event at Bethel Baptist Church in Savannah, OH. She grew up around the ministry because her grandmother worked at Mission to Amish People, but she never felt called.

Covid changed everything. Holley started volunteering and kept adding more responsibilities until she was promoted to the position of office manager.

After a time, She had a moment of doubt about serving at MAP. She prayed for clarification, and God answered. Since then, she has had no plans to leave. God closed a door for her that day and showed her that she was making a difference in our SonLight Club students' lives. She plans to continue to teach our students the gospel and answer any questions they may have. 

Tina Duffield, Staff
Admin Assistant 

Tina was the office manager and SonLight Club coordinator at Mission to Amish People for nearly 20 years. She felt the Lord impressing upon her that it was time to step down. Tina planned to retire, but the Lord worked it out that she was to keep working at MAP as a computer operator. Her granddaughter, Holley, took her previous position, and the transition has been great. People keep asking Tina how it feels to be retired. Her reply is, “I don’t know yet!” That was four years ago. It is all in the Lord’s hands.

Deb Strong, Staff
Life Coach at New Beginnings

Deb Strong was raised in Ashland, Ohio by Godly parents. She came to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ at an early age. Reading and studying scripture have always been an intense desire of hers. From a little girl to this day, being in God’s Word and studying God’s Word are where Deb commits much of her time. She is a wife, Mom, Grandma and Great Grandma. God is first to Deb, and family always takes 2nd.  

When in high school, Deb’s friends predicted she would one day be a counselor. She spent considerable time listening to others' problems even at that age. Deb had little desire to attend many years of school to get that kind of degree and laughed off her friends' predictions. Little did Deb know God’s journey included a bachelor's degree in criminal justice with a minor in substance abuse. But God had more. He sent Deb to the Ashland Theological Seminary to get her Pastoral Clinical Counseling Degree. Deb’s work experience has included about 15 years at Richland County Children Services, 14.5 years at Mid Ohio Educational Service Center, and approximately 7.5 years at Goal Digital Academy.  

Deb’s journey with God has also included battling Breast Cancer. With the support of family, church family, many coworkers, friends and our Great Savior, Deb has been cancer free for 10 years. Deb retired twice and returned to work both times. Deb will work for MAP as a Life Coach at New Beginnings.  

Sandie Killion, Staff
Bookkeeper

Sandie grew up in rural northern Richland County on a 70-acre farm her father purchased from his grandparents.  Life as a child was busy, being actively involved in 4-H, having a variety of livestock projects, "helping" her father tend to the pigs, or riding along while he worked the ground or harvested crops, and babysitting for numerous families in the township.

Sandie's paternal grandmother, Marlene, would pick her up and take her home from church every week - and at the age of 10 years old, she accepted the Lord into her heart.

Sandie is married to Chris, twenty plus years, and they have one son, Bryce - and if you've ever had the privilege of going to her house, you would know they love animals ... and reptiles.

"Being at MAP has made my heart so full. I love forming relationships with the ladies who come to New Beginnings and my 'co-workers' and see all the good God is doing through everyone who contributes to the ministry in one form or another."

Steve Flannery, Staff
Assisstant Bookkeeper

Steve grew up in Mansfield, Ohio, and married his high school sweetheart (Joyce) in 1989. Steve and Joyce have three kids and one grandson. After high school, Steve joined the Army and retired in 2013. He then worked in manufacturing for seven years after retirement. Steve assisted his church with bookkeeping and applied to MAP, hoping to further the Kingdom of God.

As a child, Steve went to church with his grandmother and was saved by the Lord in 1999. He served as the Council President of Clay Memorial Lutheran Church for four years and still helps where needed. Steve coaches wrestling at Lucas High School and seasonally runs a voting location for the Richland County Board of Elections. He spends his spare time with his family and mountain biking.

Michal Nutt, Staff
Publications

Michal grew up in rural Ohio listening to her parents relate conversations they had about Christ with their Amish neighbors. After homeschooling her three daughters, Michal found Mission to Amish People an easy fit for ministry during her “retirement” years. Michal oversees MAP’s publications, including The Amish Voice, the Ministry Update, tracts, booklets, and flyers. Michal is also involved in event planning and coordinating.

Michal is thankful for God’s gift of family…her biological family, church family, work family, and her family of friends!

Rachel Garwood, Staff
Website/Social Media

Rachel and her husband, David, are parents to four children, and they love spending time together as a family.

Rachel started working at MAP Ministry by helping in the office during her high school and college years. After getting married and moving to the Columbus, Ohio area in May 2013, she took over managing the ministry's website and social media from home. As Joe Keim's daughter, Rachel enjoys being able to contribute to the ministry's work every day.

David Garwood, Staff
Video/Graphic Designer

David began his internship with Mission to Amish People in August 2011 while attending Malone University. After graduating, he continued assisting the ministry by offering his graphic design and video production expertise.

David is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to a meaningful organization centered on spreading the Gospel.

 

Rachel Arnold, Staff

GED Manager

Rachel Arnold began volunteering at MAP in 2012. Shortly after, she started her college journey studying Christian Counseling and Psychology. In 2014, she tackled an internship helping with the needs of those who left the Amish. This began the journey of G.E.D. education. The G.E.D. program was birthed in 2014. Rachel has been helping those who leave their Amish communities as well as those in the area!

Jerry and Carol Gess, Volunteer
Lesson Graders 

Jerry retired from working at General Motors and now works as chaplain of a large nursing home in Ashland. In 1987, both Jerry and his wife, Carol, gave Joe and Esther a home until they were able to get on their own feet.

Jerry and Carol have three daughters, three sons, and many grand children as well as great grand children; two sons have gone home to be with the Lord.

Jerry and Carol both have always been very involved in the MAP ministry and are very enthusiastic to be able to be used by the Lord to reach the Amish for Christ.

Jerry and Carol volunteer 1-2 days a week.

Linda Echelberger, Volunteer
Floater

Linda has four children and four grandchildren. She had always been curious about the Amish culture. After hearing about MAP Ministry through her church, she felt a desire to volunteer to do what she could. She says it is such a blessing to see the many lives being changed through the Bible Club.

Linda works one to two days a week grading lessons or putting them together getting them ready to mail.

Linda volunteers 1-2 days a week.

Rhoda Brubaker, Volunteer
Lesson Grader 

I grew up “black car” Mennonite in northwestern Wayne County, Ohio. Both of my grandfathers were ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have always walked with God, however I had to learn the true meaning of the grace of God. I left my Mennonite roots in 1970.

 hen I was 17, my life was impacted by an Amish girl who was about 15 years of age. God placed a burden in my heart for the Amish that never left. After retiring from a career as an LPN, I found MAP. I knew this was the call God had placed in my heart some 50 years previously.

 When I am not busy at MAP, I drive for the horse and buggy Mennonites in the area, some of which are my distant relatives.

Rhoda volunteers 1-2 days a week. 

Diane Paulson, Volunteer
Lesson Grader 

While growing up in Santa Clara, California, Diane Pifferetti attended a church but never heard about how she could have a personal relationship with God. In 1969, while attending San Jose State University, two people from Campus Crusade for Christ came up to her to tell her about being born again. They became her friends, and in 1970, she came to know Christ as her personal Savior.

Some years later, Diane began to be curious about the Amish. While reading a book about them, she saw MAP mentioned in the back of the book. That began a prayer journey that led her and her husband, John Paulson, upon retirement, to make the big move from California to Ohio so she could volunteer with MAP. Diane considers it a wonderful privilege to correct papers for the SonLight Club, become friends with the former Amish, and is thrilled to be living in beautiful Ohio.

Diane volunteers 1-2 days a week. 

Larry Lepard, Volunteer
Lesson Grader 

Larry is a retired English and reading teacher.  As he was about to retire for the third time, he came across Joe Keim's book on Kindle.  Reading it, he realized that grading Bible studies would be an ideal volunteer job in which he could serve the Lord in retirement.

Larry loves to research history, genealogy, and the Hebrew roots of the Christian faith.  He started and administers several Facebook groups.  He and his wife Joanne have a daughter and a son, five grandchildren, a great-grandchild, and a second one expected. 

Larry volunteers 1-2 days a week.