Our Team

Founder – Jeff

Jeff is the Founder of Gracehaven. As an Obstetrician/Gynecologist on staff with the Christian Medical Association, in 2005 he was asked by the State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons to research the health consequences of human trafficking. From 2005 through 2008 he submitted an annual report on the health consequences of human trafficking to the Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. This research resulted in the publication of an article entitled “Human Trafficking and the Healthcare Professional” in the May 2008 issue of the Southern Medical Journal. Since December of 2005, Jeff’s work against human trafficking has also included teaching healthcare professionals to recognize potential human trafficking victims through public speaking and by producing the first online CME program regarding human trafficking specifically directed towards healthcare professionals. In 2006, he completed a consultation on the health needs of trafficking victims in Sierra Leone and Liberia for the State Department. Since 2008, he has focused his anti-trafficking efforts to creating Gracehaven, a non-profit organization creating a shelter for adolescent girls who have been commercially sexually exploited in central Ohio.

Chief Operating Officer – Megan

Megan is a licensed social worker who graduated Summa Cum Laude from Capital University with her degree in social work. Early experience includes the YWCA’s Permanent Supportive Housing Program for formerly homeless women struggling with mental illness and addiction. Megan also worked as a pastoral assistant at Vineyard Church of Columbus where her work included assisting women’s prison ministry, outreach to the homeless, leading a women’s group, pastoral counseling and sermon research for the senior pastor. Megan also regularly worked at its food pantry and nursing home ministry outreach.

Megan has a passion for working with women who have been sexually abused and who want to walk in freedom from their past. To this end she has organized and lead a recovery group for sexual abuse survivors. A book of Megan’s poetry was published when she was twenty-two.

Five years ago, after discovering Gary Haugen’s inspirational work at the International Justice Mission, Megan began her own research and writing on Human Trafficking.

Megan lives in Columbus, Ohio. Her greatest joy in life is being an aunt to her amazing nephews and nieces: Liam, Cora, Finn, Martin, Charlotte, Maeve and Isaiah.

Director of Development – Mimi

Volunteer and Special Events Coordinator – Kendra

Kendra is a graduate from Otterbein College with degrees in Sociology and Communications. Most of her career has been spent dealing with children and families in the foster care system, helping them reunite and working toward healthy relationships.

Being an avid runner, Kendra throughly enjoys the outside and takes advantage of all types of weather to run and see God’s glory in the day ahead. She is known at “that runner girl” in her neightborhood. In her downtime, Kendra organizes and promotes healthy lifestyles through walking. She is founder and co-owner of Step and Stride.

Executive Assistant – Roxi

Roxi is our Executive Assistant who has a diverse background ranging from retail management to international church planting.  Roxi has had the opportunity to manage Starbuck’s very first drive through store, located in Westerville, as well as managed the busy front check out lanes at the Easton Target.  She has also spent several years on staff as a pastoral assistant at Vineyard Columbus, and then had the amazing opportunity to participate in an international church plant in Amsterdam, Holland!

While living in Amsterdam, a passion for anti human trafficking work began to blossom.  After returning home to Columbus, Roxi again felt a tug at her heart to be involved in serving in this area.

Roxi has a full life and enjoys spending time with her husband of 37 years, their 4 adult children & spouses, and her amazingly brilliant and beautiful 3 granddaughters, Aubrei, A’daira, Ayden, and new baby grandson, Lucca!