Diversity Task Force

My background education is a B.A. in History and Social Studies, and a M.A. in Literacy. I am the 8th grade English teacher at Holland Christian Middle School with 16 years of teaching experience. The work of this task force is important as we consider how to honor diversity within middle grade and young adult literature, within both characters and authors. Books should be windows and mirrors to all students, and one of my goals as an English teacher is to help students encounter multiple stories from many perspectives.

I am blessed to be part of Holland Christian and teach English and support teachers in faith integration, instruction, and curriculum. I graduated from Cornerstone University in 2006 with a degree in English Education. I have an M.A. in Reading from Spring Arbor University and an M.A. in School Leadership from Dordt University. Previously, I served at Lansing Christian School as an English teacher and principal. My wife, Mary, and I have two children who both attend Holland Christian Schools. I am thankful for the compelling vision, inspiring staff, and hospitable community of Holland Christian. Most of all, I am grateful for God’s grace and for the opportunity to invite students to further His kingdom in all we say and do.

I graduated from Calvin in 2005 and taught Bible at Ontario Christian Middle School until 2009. I then pursued graduate studies in Jerusalem, Israel, at both Jerusalem University College and at the Hebrew University with a focus on Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and Modern Hebrew. I joined the Holland Christian faculty in 2014 and teach Bible and Hebrew Language. My wife Laura and I have four daughters. We are active members at Maple Ave. Ministries here in Holland and believe deeply in its vision to be centered in Christ, called to the core city, and committed to becoming a multi-cultural community of reconciliation. I am excited to be teaching at a place like Holland Christian that values the study of the Bible and its call for social responsibility in our lives and the world around us.

I am a 2005 Hope College graduate who found my passion for Spanish through my family and culture. I come from a Mexican and Puerto Rican family. I have been married for 10 years and have two wonderful boys, three and six years old. I enjoy reading and drinking coffee with good friends. My husband and I are passionate about helping grow churches and leaders for Christ. I have participated and have lead children’s church, hospitality and worship with creative arts.

I am excited to be part of Holland Christian Schools. In my position this year as the Coordinator for our Spanish Immersion program, I hope to be able to connect with many of the families at Rose Park. And in my role as Pine Ridge principal, I look forward to meeting all the families at Pine Ridge!

My name is Andrew J. Caballero and I am a Holland Christian Alumni, HC Parent and a member of Park CRC. Through my faithful service as a U.S. Army aviator I have spent many years deployed abroad, and by the grace of God I have returned home to Holland. I am a graduate of the University of North Dakota and I have a professional background in aerospace, music, and the performing arts.

Based on my experience at Holland Christian, and the Way of the Lord, I am dedicated to being a voice for the voiceless, an advocate for the weak, and an ally to all of God’s creations. I am very blessed and humbled to able to serve others again as a member of the Diversity Task Force as part of the Cultivation and Recruitment of Diverse Candidates.

I most recently served as Chief Sensor Operator for General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Incorporated, and I am currently writing and recording music for Shadowhaus Productions. I also enthusiastically serve as a member of the Park CRC Praise Team and as an instructor for the Park Music Academy. I am a practitioner of Kenjutsu have three talented fencing students as sons: Vincent, Dominic, and Maximilian.

“Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” ~Ephesians 6:19-20

I have the joy of serving as the Director of Faith Formation at Holland Christian. I am an undeserving recipient of the grace and love of Jesus, and it is my passion and privilege to share that grace and love with HC students K-12!

My wife and I are overjoyed (and overwhelmed!) to be the parents of four little girls, who remind us daily not to take ourselves too seriously. I graduated from Hope College in 2011 with a degree in English education and religion, and have been a huge Holland Christian fan ever since having the opportunity to student teach here years ago. It is now an honor to be part of such a wonderful team of dedicated educators.

I attended Hudsonville Christian, Unity Christian, and Trinity Christian College. I graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Arts, with a concentration in Graphic Design and Photography, along with a minor in Art History. I joined the art world after College and with dedication, faith and passion, became an Art Director, for a Grand Rapids publishing firm.

In 2021, God redirected my career path and lead me through the doors of Holland Christian. Christian education houses a special place in my heart and it is a goal of mine, to be a positive impact in this world, for the Kingdom of God.

I have been married to my husband, Andrew, for almost 10 years. We have two children, Cullen (4) and Ryleigh (1). We enjoy hobby farming, gardening, hunting, camping and time with family.

After 18 years of -40° winters and “You Betcha!”, I moved from Anoka, Minnesota to Michigan to attend Calvin College, where I earned a B.A. in English and Education and a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership. After Calvin College, my wife, Sarah, and I married and moved to the D.R. to teach at Santiago Christian School together. From there, we moved back to Michigan to serve at The Potter’s House.

Sarah and I have two children, Malachi and Aaliyah, and are delighted to welcome our third child in late September. God has established such a rich history to build upon at HC and a beautiful mission of forming faithful disciples of Jesus who may effect positive change in the Kingdom of God. I am so thankful to be serving in this square inch of the Garden alongside this amazing HC staff.

I met Jesus for the first time when I was 16 year old. As a young and new believer, I was invited to attend Holland Christian. Not only was this a new step in my faith, it also was a new step into a totally different culture for my junior year. The Lord has not been hesitant to immerse me in diverse contexts both theologically and culturally since that season in my life.

Now that I’ve come back to Holland Christian to teach Bible, my desire to use these different experiences has grown. Diversity is one of God’s many gifts to the World, and it is an eternal project. I’m grateful to be apart of this team with so many gifted men and women who love Jesus. It is an honor to be apart of something that’s bigger than myself. May His reign be extended across the World!

My name is Febe Gomez, and I am the elementary Spanish teacher at South Side and Pine Ridge. I was born and raised in Campeche, Mexico, and from a very young age, I had the desire to be a teacher. This desire, along with my own personal experiences motivated me to go back to school to pursue a degree in Education. In 2011, after many years of being a stay-at-home, I graduated from Hope College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish education K-12. In 2016, I earned a scholarship to attend the University of Notre Dame, where I earned a certificate in ELL instruction, and currently, I am working on my Masters Degree at Calvin University in Inclusive Education. I have always had a passion for working with children with diverse abilities, as well as engaging with communities from different backgrounds than my own. I have been blessed with opportunities to work in various educational settings: in a Catholic school, and public school, as well as at a non-profit, education-based agency. I believe that these experiences have allowed me to grow my vision for what inclusion and diversity means, and how we can continue to expand this work at Holland Christian. Personally, I value the work that Holland Christian has done in the education and lives of all three of my children, and currently, as a staff member, I see this as my chance to give back to this community. My desire is that the experiences I bring can be a small part of a larger effort to create a more diverse and inclusive school system for all students, families, and staff members.

I am the president of the Board of Directors of the Alliance for Cultural and Ethnic Harmony (ACEH) in Holland and a member of the Board of Trustees at Calvin College. I have traveled extensively both domestically and internationally, including trips to South Africa, France, New Mexico, Japan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. From 2000-2005, I was the conductor of the 200-voice Hope College Gospel Choir. I am the devoted husband of Maple Avenue Ministry’s dynamic lead pastor, Rev. Dr. Denise Kingdom Grier, the father of our two biological children, Gezelle and Chris, and a father and mentor to many more in our community.

I currently serve in the role of Human Resources as well as Title IX Coordinator at Holland Christian. Prior to my time here at HC, I had the privilege of working at a local Social Services Agency with children and families involved in the Child Welfare System. I received Bachelors Degree from Indiana Wesleyan University, and later my Masters Degree in Business Management from Cornerstone University.

My husband, John, who works for a non-profit in Grand Rapids, and I have three children: our oldest son away at college, and our younger two daughters at South Side and Pine Ridge. It was through our very positive experience at Holland Christian as parents that I was drawn to working here, as I fell in love with who HC is, and who they are trying to be.

I am the pastor at Faith CRC and am also currently an adjunct professor at Calvin College. Previously I was a professor at Central College in Iowa, served in the Marines, and also taught in Israel. I and my wife, Jodi, are the parents of four children who attend Holland Christian and Zeeland Christian Schools. I am committed to diversity and having students think critically about a broad range of issues from a Christian perspective. I work to be a team player who, because of many diverse situations that I have experienced in my own life, enjoys discussing a variety of aspects to situations and brainstorming new possibilities. I value raising my children in a community of faith, understanding that all the world belongs to God. More specifically, I value Holland Christian as it appears to give students the tools to think critically about a broad range of issues rather than merely indoctrinating them with a set of beliefs and ideas. Good theology is critical, but, to me, a sound reasoning faith trusts and thinks about God in all situations.

I hold a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Education from Michigan State University. I have taught in Michigan and the northern suburbs of Chicago. After teaching in an elementary classroom for 24 years, I found myself wanting to see, learn, and experience education outside of the classroom. The best part of working with admissions at HC is getting to know new families and helping them to understand who Holland Christian is and how we equip and nurture our students.

My husband, Erich, and I, along with our two sons moved to Saugatuck in 2015. In the summer, you can find us paddleboarding and golfing. Winter is all about finding the best snow for skiing. We love to travel and experience God’s great big world!

I am a graduate of Calvin College with a B.A. in math education and psychology, and MSU where I completed an M.A. in educational leadership. I have taught at Chicago Christian and Cutlerville Christian (now Legacy Christian). I began teaching at Holland Christian in 2002. My family enjoys getting out to Lake Michigan as often as we can. I enjoy kayaking, hiking, and biking. Our world belongs to God. Technology and media have a profound, shaping effect on our culture. I want students to use these shapers of culture to be salt and light for God in our world. Matthew 5:13-14: “You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth…You’re here to be light, bring out the God-colors in the world.”

I have been in ministry for ten years and am currently on the Pastoral Team at ResLife Church in Grandville. I am a Holland native who graduated from Holland Public Schools in 2005. I completed my Associate’s Degree in ministry at Rhema Bible College in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 2008.

My passion is to reach the city of Holland by serving its community. Having been raised on the south side of Holland, I recognize the enormous need to reach the people and youth of this city. I see the huge importance in volunteering, and have played key roles in the foundation of the Teen Center of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Holland and continue to support and reach the youth of Holland today by ministering at school chapels.

I work to make the love and commitment of God evident in this community through the organizations that I lead and volunteer with in the city of Holland. I am married to Marisol Cabrera and live in the north side of Holland. Together we are raising four children who currently attend Holland Christian Schools.

I’m a graduate of Holland Christian and Dordt College. I’ve had the opportunity to work with students as an academic advisor at Northwest Iowa Community College, for the Campus Ministries department at Central College, and in ACT Prep and Career Assessment at a school in Cincinnati. Our family relocated back to Holland in 2017 and we are thankful to have our children at HC.

Our family spent two summers living in Hong Kong and traveling in Asia. I love the beautiful diversity that God has created throughout our world. I’m excited to be the Director of Advancement for HC, fundraising and working with supporters of Holland Christian. I’m proud to be a alumni, student parent, and employee of HC and eager to engage with the Diversity Task Force.

Before becoming HCS Head of Schools, I served as Dordt University Provost, and before that as superintendent of Nampa Christian Schools in Idaho. In previous administrative work, I worked in areas related to accreditation training, strategic planning, financing/constructing a new campus, fundraising, online learning, diversity initiatives, and enrollment planning.

I am married to Kim, a K-12 educator and education professor. We have two children: a daughter, Lindsay Grant, who lives in Idaho with her husband Tyler and two children. Our son, Nathan, and his wife, Rae, live in Kentucky. It is a privilege to serve with a talented leadership team and dedicated faculty and staff at HCS. One of the compelling reasons to serve at HC is the mission to equip minds and nurture hearts to transform the world for Jesus Christ. We are grateful for the Holland community and excited to lead HC in these Diversity Task Force efforts in promising times of shaping future leaders.