Tammy Thomas

State Director

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Tammy Thomas has served Kansas within the Department for Children and Families as Regional Director and Statewide Long Term Care Liaison. Tammy professional career in Nuclear Medicine Technology has been spent at The University of Kansas Medical Center, Texas Heart Group, and Presbyterian Hospital of Plano. She and her husband of 33 years have been blessed with three, now adult children. Tammy and her family believe Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. All things are possible and nothing is too large or too small for our Lord.

Nora P. Frontaura

Centralized Administrative Assistant

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Nora Frontaura has been serving with Safe Families for Children since July 2022, providing administrative support to the Kansas team. She plays a vital role in processing volunteer applications and ensuring smooth day-to-day operations across the state.

A graduate of the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez, Nora met her husband of 46 years while in college. As the wife of a U.S. Air Force veteran, she has lived across the U.S. and Central America, experiences that have shaped her deep appreciation for diverse cultures. Known for her “mi casa es su casa” attitude, Nora’s Puerto Rican heritage shines through in sharing her culture and cooking with others and treasures time with her children and energetic grandchildren.

Nora is passionate about serving others and takes great joy in supporting the team members working directly with families in need. Her favorite verse is Galatians 6:9 – “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.”

Alexis Drinovsky

Centralized Intake Coordinator

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Alexis has been with Safe Families for Children since February 2025 as the Centralized Intake Specialist for the state of Kansas. She serves as the initial point of contact for parents and families seeking services—aiming to be a safe space for every individual she has the pleasure of serving.

Alexis was adopted out of the foster care system as a child and is committed to using her story and experiences to support other families and children. Her passion for people has led her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with the goal of helping others overcome their traumas.

She enjoys spending time with her husband and their son, Saylor. Together, they love trying food trucks, visiting farmers markets, and watching shows on rainy days.

Russ Hightower

Chapter Director

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Russ serves as the Chapter Director for the KC Metro region, joining Safe Families for Children in March 2021. He began his work in Intake, Church & Community Engagement, and Family Coaching—roles that brought together his deep compassion for families and his desire to see children safe and parents supported.

A graduate of Kansas State University, Russ spent much of his career in Corporate Human Resources before transitioning into roles that shaped his heart for this ministry: middle school educator, behavioral interventionist, and foster/adoptive parent. These experiences gave him a firsthand understanding of the challenges families face and the power of community support.

Russ and his wife, Tiffany, live in Shawnee and are parents to two young adults they adopted from foster care—and now proud grandparents. They attend Westside Family Church in Lenexa, where they helped launch and grow a thriving foster and adoption ministry.

Russ’s “happy place” is the kitchen, where he loves cooking for others and creating space for connection. Known for his compassion and sense of humor, he brings joy and encouragement everywhere he goes. One of his favorite scriptures is Colossians 3:12, a reminder to “clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

Grant Roesner

Community & Church Engagement Coordinator

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Grant serves as the Church & Community Engagement Coordinator for the KC Metro Chapter. Originally from Overland Park, Kansas, Grant is a graduate of Baker University in Baldwin City, where he competed on the cross-country and track teams. His background in athletics reflects his steady commitment, teamwork, and perseverance—qualities he now brings into ministry.

Grant has a deep passion for helping churches discover meaningful ways to support vulnerable children and families. His heart for ministry and community engagement drives him to build strong partnerships, mobilize volunteers, and create pathways for people to live out the love of Christ in practical, relational ways.

He is committed to being a source of hope, healing, and tangible support for those in need, and he counts it a privilege to walk alongside churches and volunteers who help keep children safe and families together.

Heather Northrop

Family Coach

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Heather serves as a Family Coach for the Kansas City Metro Chapter, where she walks alongside parents and volunteers with compassion, wisdom, and a deep belief in the power of Christ-centered community.

Heather spent a decade overseas with YWAM, engaging unreached people groups in the Middle East. Her own childhood—growing up without a father and with an estranged mother—shaped her lifelong mission to cultivate a home that reflects the heart of God: a place of stability, love, and belonging. She considers this her highest calling, second only to her daily walk with the Lord.

While stateside, Heather’s professional journey led her into the public school system, working with preteens with behavioral needs, and later into fostering numerous youth through God’s providence. She carries a deep love for the local church and has served through women’s discipleship, small groups, and mentoring in community.

Heather and her husband of 26 years have two adult daughters and one cherished grandson. One of her favorite life lessons is, “I must have equal time on my knees as I do on my feet.” She treasures the global prayer movement and believes prayer—corporate or personal—is the most effective strategy for any Kingdom mission.

A scripture close to her heart is Jesus’s prayer in John 17:21:
“I pray for them all to be joined together as one … so that the world will recognize that You sent Me.”

Grace Lozoya

Chapter Director

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Grace serves as a Family Coach Supervisor, bringing clarity, compassion, and a steady presence to families navigating challenging seasons. She is passionate about walking with parents through transitions, offering both practical support and a listening ear. Grace believes deeply in showing up with heart, humor, and honesty—helping families feel seen, supported, and strengthened.

Outside of work, Grace enjoys time with her one-year-old, staying active, and curling up with a good book. Her blend of warmth, wisdom, and genuine care makes her a gift to every family and volunteer she serves.

Sherry Koehn

Community & Church Engagement Coordinator

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Sherry serves as the Community & Church Engagement Coordinator for Safe Families for Children – Wichita, a role she has held since 2022. Sherry works alongside the Wichita team to advance the mission of keeping children safe during family crises and strengthening parents through the power of relational support.

Before joining Safe Families, Sherry spent more than 25 years in church and community ministry. She has served as a Small Group Coordinator, Women’s Ministries Lead, and Community Bible Study Leader at South Valley Community Church in Lemoore, CA. She also worked with Kings Gospel Mission, a ministry dedicated to serving individuals experiencing homelessness in California’s Central Valley. Sherry attended Friends University and brings a deep well of ministry experience to her work.

Sherry has a passion for connecting with people and helping them discover how God has uniquely gifted them to serve others. Her heart for encouragement and her relational gifts make her a natural bridge between churches, volunteers, and families in need.

In her free time, Sherry enjoys walks, listening to 70s rock, spending time with her adult children, and gathering with family and friends. One of her favorite verses is Philippians 1:6:
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Jenna Stout

Chapter Director

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Jenna serves as the Chapter Director for Southeast Kansas, originally joining Safe Families for Children in May 2023 as a Family Coach Supervisor before stepping into her leadership role in 2024. A lifelong resident of Southeast Kansas, Jenna earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Missouri Southern State University in 2007.

Jenna has worked in a variety of nursing roles, including family practice, labor and delivery, and home health. Together with her husband, Andrew—a youth minister for 13 years—she has raised a family of seven and embraced foster care and adoption as both a calling and a ministry. These experiences have shaped her compassion, deepened her understanding of families in crisis, and fueled her passion for Safe Families’ mission.

Jenna loves supporting parents as they navigate difficult seasons and equipping volunteers who feel called to serve. She finds joy in connecting with volunteers, hearing their stories, and creating spaces where families feel seen, supported, and loved.

Outside of her work, Jenna and her family enjoy board games, camping, basketball, traveling, and spending time with extended family. One of her favorite scriptures is Jeremiah 29:11, which reflects her hope-filled approach to ministry:

“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.”

Jenna holds firmly to the belief that every family deserves hope and a chance at a better future, and she strives to believe in people until they can believe in themselves.

Mallory Hodges

Community Engagement Coordinator

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Mallory serves as the Community Engagement Coordinator in Southeast Kansas, where she works to build strong connections between churches, volunteers, and families in need. She holds a degree in Elementary Education from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri.

Mallory has always carried a deep desire to create environments where every child feels safe, valued, and loved. Her heart for strengthening and preserving families aligns beautifully with the mission of Safe Families, and she counts it a privilege to support families and mobilize community partners in meaningful ways.

Outside of her role, Mallory is the proud wife of Jordan, a pastor, and the devoted mother of three children. A verse close to her heart is Psalm 127:3: “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.”

Marque English

Southeast Family Coach

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Marque serves as a Family Coach with Safe Families for Children – Kansas, joining the team in March 2025. In his role, Marque supports families navigating crisis and works to strengthen the bridges between parents, volunteers, and local communities. He is passionate about ensuring that no family has to face challenges alone and about fostering environments where restoration and support can take root.

Marque earned his Master’s degree from Pittsburg State University and brings a strong foundation in family and community care. His heart for unity and advocacy drives his work as he walks alongside families with compassion, humility, and hope.

Outside of work, Marque enjoys working out, savoring slow espresso mornings, traveling, embracing new adventures, and spending quality time with family and friends. A scripture close to his heart is 1 Peter 5:6: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

Blake Miller

Family Services Coordinator

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Blake began with Safe Families as a Host Family in 2023. In May of 2024 she came on staff and currently is the Family Services Coordinator for SEK.  Her passion for Safe Families runs deep, having lived a short time in an out-of-home placement while her brave and selfless parents navigated a crisis through no fault of their own, she understands firsthand the impact of compassionate support.

As she graduates this fall with a MS Psychology and has a background in Christian apologetics, Blake is devoted to walking alongside families with both wisdom and faith. She feels called to care for families in her community through the love of the Lord, offering encouragement and resources in times of need.

Outside of work, Blake cherishes time with husband and their five children.

She leans on Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

Brittany Willer

Chapter Director

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Lane Mills

Family Coach

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Lane serves as a Family Coach with Safe Families for Children, joining the team in October 2025. Although newer to this specific role, Lane has spent many years walking alongside people in tough places and supporting them through seasons of challenge and transformation.

Lane graduated from Liberty University with a Bachelor of Science in Religion and a minor in Family Counseling. His background includes six years in pastoral ministry and four years serving at the Salina Rescue Mission—experiences that shaped his heart for helping people find freedom in Jesus and build healthy, supportive community.

Lane enjoys spending time with his wife and cheering on their six children. He also loves dabbling in sports photography and shade-tree mechanics, and while he doesn’t consider himself the biggest sports fanatic, he finds joy in encouraging his kids as they play.

A passage dear to Lane’s heart is 1 Corinthians 13:4–5, a reminder of Christ’s love and the way we are called to love one another: “Love is patient, love is kind…”