Danny and Ann Marie Jones are the proud parents of three adopted children: Owen, Lilly and Emma. When Danny and Ann Marie set out on their personal foster care journey, God stirred in their hearts to get the local church more involved in the ministry of foster care. Danny and Ann Marie are passionate about leading the Church to the front-lines of foster care and orphan care, locally and around the world. They believe God is changing the world through the power of Jesus Christ, and that wounded children are finding hope, love and purpose as God moves His people to action.

Matthew and Kaitlyn Leake have the joy of being parents to Mason, Isaiah, Kensington, and Amelia. Matt and Kaitlyn have adopted from Uganda, have been licensed foster parents, and are passionate about supporting foster and adoptive families and children locally and globally.

Rob and Michelle Allen have two grown children and four grandchildren. They worked with youth in the local church over twenty years. After long careers in Healthcare they entered into semi-retirement. They have been involved with BridgeaLife helping out in small ways over the years, but with more time now, they have decided to take a more active role in this vital ministry. They believe that serving vulnerable and traumatized children in any way is at the heart of what God would have his people doing.

Jody Jester joined Bridge a Life in 2014 as the organization’s first staff member and was promoted to Executive Director in 2024. With a background in early childhood education and children’s ministry, Jody has been instrumental in growing Bridge a Life’s programs and partnerships to better serve families impacted by foster care and adoption. Her work is rooted in early intervention, trauma-informed care, and holistic support for children and families.

Before joining Bridge a Life, Jody co-founded and directed an early childcare center and served as a Director of Children’s Ministry. She holds a degree in Youth and Family Ministry from Kentucky Christian University, where she was recognized for excellence in her field and was part of two NCCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship teams. Jody and her husband are adoptive parents and have also served as foster parents.

Tabitha has a heart for foster families and wants to help make adoption less overwhelming for prospective adoptive parents. At the age of 10, Tabitha had a personal experience with adoption when her family adopted her younger sister from foster care. Some of Tabitha's closest friends are also adoptees, and their stories have inspired Tabitha to use the gifts God has given her to make a difference through Bridge a Life. Tabitha's husband Brandon currently serves in the United States Army. They have two boys, Micah and George, and live in Venice.

Eriab, along with his wife, Barbara, and son, Ethan, reside in Uganda and oversee the Ayinza project. In 2013 Eriab had a calling to serve his rural community in Mpongo. He left his job at a law firm in the capital city of Kampala and moved to Mpongo, dedicated to the idea that God could use him to bring about healing and generational change for Mpongo. Eriab says, "I think God has a purpose for every calling because once I came to Mpongo God sent a team from the US to join us. It was my dream to see this community transforming and little did I know that God had already set a team I was going to work with." Eriab works tirelessly to help Mpongo grow spiritually while moving them towards community sustainability with initiatives such as the school lunch program, child sponsorship, sanitation training, and improved agricultural techniques.

Casey Hill joined the Bridge a Life team in 2020, bringing a strong background in education and early childhood leadership. Prior to her current role, she served as the Director of a preschool and VPK program and spent six years teaching in both general and special education settings. She holds a degree in Elementary Education (Grades 1–6) and Special Education (K–12) from Harding University.

With a long-standing passion for supporting children and families, Casey plays a key role in coordinating Bridge a Life programs that serve those impacted by foster care and adoption. She and her husband are parents to two children and have also served as foster parents, further deepening her connection to the mission.

Kaly King is an experienced operations and HR executive with over a decade of leadership across nonprofit, healthcare, and corporate sectors. She has held executive roles at Parker Hannifin, CCG Analytics, and other high-impact and Fortune 500 organizations, specializing in organizational strategy, workforce development, and trauma-informed practices. Kaly is known for building people-centered systems that promote engagement, equity, and long-term impact. She has led initiatives in change management, DEI, and leadership development, with a focus on integrating trauma-responsive approaches in the workplace.

As Operations Manager at Bridge a Life, Kaly oversees internal systems and cross-functional collaboration to support children and families impacted by foster care and adoption. She holds certifications in Data Science, SHRM-CP, and Gallup StrengthsFinder.  In addition to her professional work, Kaly and her husband actively support the foster care community by providing respite care for foster families and offering transitional housing to youth aging out of care.

Denise Grimes holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Social Work and began her career as a Case Manager serving children and families in various capacities. She later founded and led a Kindermusik program, combining education and family support through early childhood music. Her professional journey continued in the nonprofit sector, where she developed and managed a faith-based organization focused on supporting families through music-based outreach.

As both a foster and adoptive parent, Denise brings lived experience to her work. After fostering several children and adopting two, she served as an Adoption Support Specialist, providing education and support to fellow adoptive and expectant families. In her current role as CarePortal Regional Manager, she facilitates connection between child-serving agencies and local churches to meet tangible needs for families in crisis, helping to strengthen support systems and reduce family separation.