Team Family

Dave Flowers, MMFT

Dave Flowers is a marriage and family therapist intern based in Franklin, TN. Dave has a passion for helping families find healing from previous hurts, cope and move through current life difficulties, and prepare for a healthy future. He works with children and young adults who are dealing with trauma, ADHD, anxiety, depression, and grief/loss. As a parent himself, Dave understands that when their children struggle, parents struggle as well. So Dave provides support to parents who are navigating difficult challenges with their children.

Amanda Milner, LPC

Mandy Milner is a licensed professional counselor who lives and works in State College, Pennsylvania. Mandy received her MA in community counseling from Slippery Rock University and has worked at six different universities in counseling and other student-focused roles. When Mandy is not at work, she enjoys reading a great book, sipping tea, knitting, visiting new places, and living ordinary moments alongside family and friends.

Emily Snider

Emily Snider has been a children's pastor near Detroit, MI since 2006 and now serves as family pastor alongside her husband, Greg. Emily is a contributing author with Group Publishing and the International Network of Children’s Ministers (INCM). She has led VBS FunShops as a Group Ambassador and has been a breakout speaker at Children’s Pastors Conference and D6 Conference. Emily's passion is providing encouragement and solutions to ministry leaders through writing, speaking, and coaching.

Charity Kauffman

Charity is an executive editor at Group Publishing and a former children’s ministries director. She’s worked with great teams to develop several resources at Group, including Simply Loved curriculum, the Sticky Scripture station for Easy VBS, All Together Sunday School, and now Team Family! She holds a master’s degree in children and family ministry from Bethel Seminary. Charity loves black coffee, Rocky Mountain National Park, and Pittsburgh Pirates baseball.

Becky Chaplin

Becky Chaplin has loved serving in children's and family ministry for almost 10 years. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in family ministry from Concordia Ann Arbor in her home state of Michigan. Becky's passion for ministry came through leading vacation Bible school from the age of 13 when she discovered her desire to create meaningful, fun experiences for families to grow in faith together. Her favorite things include golden retrievers, Chipotle guacamole, and of course, VBS (she even has it on her license plate!).

Carol Garborg

Carol Garborg is an author and creative Bible educator who's passionate about one of God's greatest inventions—family. She holds a master’s degree in children and family ministry and has coached children, parents, and church leaders locally and globally. When she isn’t teaching, writing, or traveling for her job, Carol enjoys life best over a bowl of rice and beans and meaningful conversation.

Layci Clifford

Layci Clifford has spent two decades as a children’s pastor helping children and families know God and grow in his love. Alongside her husband, Kris, and their three wonderful children, they call Annandale, VA, home.

Her passion lies in empowering children’s ministry leaders and volunteers to impart the gospel message in captivating and relevant ways. She holds a master’s degree in children’s and family ministry from Bethel University. She strives to create content that not only educates but also makes learning a joyful experience for children and leaders.

In her free time, you'll likely find her behind a camera lens, teaching dance to preschoolers, or in the kitchen baking with her children.

Jeff Storm

Jeff Storm has been the art director at Group Publishing for over 20 years. He is the author of Stripped Clean and co-author of The Jesus-Centered Life: 40 Devotions for Teenagers and Destination: Life. Jeff received his BFA with a concentration in graphic design and visual communication from Colorado State University. Jeff enjoys working with children's and youth ministry at his church, backpacking in the mountains, gardening in his backyard, woodworking in the garage, eating a good cheeseburger, and playing with his new granddaughter. (Not necessarily in that order.) Orange is his favorite color, Gotham is his favorite font, and his favorite catchphrase is "You can't kill my best idea."

Ali Thompson

Ali Thompson is an Executive Editor at Group Publishing. As a student at Wheaton College, Ali felt strongly called to pursue Sunday school curriculum development, so she majored in Christian Formation and Ministry. She now enjoys working on exciting children’s ministry curriculum including DIG IN and Two or More, plus Group’s VBS! Ali lives in Maine with her dogs Peanut and Biscuit, and she loves serving in children’s ministry at her church. She’s happiest when she’s relaxing at home or on the rocky coastline.

Erin Owens

Erin is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Loveland, Colorado. Erin received her Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling from Colorado Christian University and has been serving her community in this capacity for ten years. Throughout her career, Erin has worked with individuals 3 years old and older as well as couples and families. While she loves walking alongside individuals dealing with a multitude of issues, she particularly enjoys working in the areas of anger management, trauma, first responders/medical professionals, ministry leaders/clergy, and adoption/foster care (birth parents, adoptive parents, and adopted children). When not working, she enjoys reading, spending time with friends and family, listening to live music, and traveling.

Gary Lindsay

Gary Lindsay currently serves as the Executive Pastor at Northshore Community Church in Kirkland, Washington, and has partnered with parents for more than 25 years as a Children’s Ministry Director. Though he’s traveled the world training, equipping, and presenting children’s ministry workshops, Gary has never lost his South African accent.

Gloria S. Lee

A graduate of UC Berkeley and Talbot School of Theology, Gloria has been in vocational ministry to children, students, and families for 30 years. She loves equipping leaders and parents to help kids love and follow Jesus. She has contributed to various publications, including Children’s Ministry Magazine, Ministry Spark, the International Sports Ministry curriculum, and several ministry books. Gloria loves anything Wonder Woman, food, traveling, and reading. She’s currently on staff at Pacific Crossroads Church in Southern California.

Kathie Phillips

Kathie Phillips leads the Next Gen team at Central Presbyterian Church in Baltimore, Maryland, where she currently resides with her family. She uses her gifts to fuel her passion of seeing children and students develop and grow in a lifelong relationship with Jesus. A writer, speaker, and certified ministry coach, she was overjoyed to see her first book published in 2017. She enjoys traveling to the beach and Chicago as often as she’s able.

Kennedy Phillips

Kennedy Phillips is a preschool teacher in Baltimore, Maryland, where she currently resides with her family. Over the past several years, she has developed a love and a passion for writing and photography as well as devoting her time as a volunteer for her church’s children’s ministry. In her free time, she also likes to travel, read, draw, and journal.

Laycie McClain

Laycie McClain is an Editor at Group Publishing. She holds a degree in journalism—and an unofficial degree in fun. Her adventures in ministry vary as she’s served churches in staff and volunteer roles, building relationships with kids in the nursery through high school. She spent some of “the best” summers of her life in the Christian camp setting, bonding with kids in the Colorado and Wyoming mountains. In her role at Group, she gets to entwine her love for Jesus, ministry, and writing. Her happiest place is beside a campfire with good coffee, a great view, and beloved company.

Sandra Lee

Sandra Lee, MSW, LCSW, has been practicing psychotherapy since 2004, specializing in Christian counseling for individuals, couples, and families. With a Master of Social Work from USC, she is licensed in California and Colorado and has served as an adjunct professor at Colorado State University. Sandra addresses anxiety, OCD, trauma, depression, grief, marriage, and relationship challenges, integrating evidence-based methods with Christian principles. A wife of 20 years and proud mom to her high school–aged daughter, she enjoys serving the Northern Colorado community.