Program Staff

BJ Bechtel

BJ Bechtel
  • Hometown: Englewood, OH
  • College: Cedarville University
  • When did you first come to Inner City Impact? In 1996 when I was in college.
  • What you do at Inner City Impact? I lead our program ministry team
  • Family? My wife Shanna and I enjoy our daughter Abby and two sons Will and Caleb.
  • Favorite place to eat in Chicago: In my home
  • Favorite summertime activity: Long hours of ministry (I love it!)
  • Favorite gift card to receive: Tickets to Ohio State University game
  • Favorite Verse: Ecclesiastes 11:9 "Be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment."
  • I’ve been a Christian since... 1987

Shanna Bechtel

Shanna Betchel
  • Hometown: St. Louis, MO
  • College: Bryan College, Dayton, TN
  • When did you first come to Inner City Impact? During my college Spring Break – March 2003
  • What you do at Inner City Impact? Volunteer and I oversee donation data entry
  • Family? My husband BJ and I have our daughter Abby and sons Will and Caleb.
  • Favorite place to eat in Chicago: Lazo’s & Charley Thai
  • Favorite summertime activity: swimming
  • Favorite gift card to receive: Home Depot and Lowe’s
  • Favorite Verse: Jeremiah 29:11 "'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.'"
  • I’ve been a Christian since... I was 6, my parents and my church were influential in my accepting Christ as a child.

Edith Greaves

Edith Greaves
  • Hometown: Freetown, Sierra Leone
  • College: Fourah Bay College (University of Sierra Leone), Calvary Bible College & Seminary, KC, MO
  • When did you first come to Inner City Impact? Summer 1992 when I was attending Calvary Bible College
  • What you do at Inner City Impact? Work with Kindergarten-5th grade children & I help in the office
  • Family? Husband- David, daughter- Precious & son-Daniel
  • Favorite place to eat in Chicago: Too many to name them all.
  • Favorite summertime activity: Go window shopping
  • Favorite gift card to receive: Visa
  • Favorite Verse: Hebrews 13:5 "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'"
  • I’ve been a Christian since...1984

Ricky Diaz

BJ Bechtel
  • Hometown: Chicago, IL
  • College: Moody Bible Institute
  • When did you first come to Inner City Impact? In 6th grade
  • What you do at Inner City Impact? K-5th Club Coordinator
  • Family? Several family members scattered throughout Chicago
  • Favorite place to eat in Chicago: Anywhere with mexican cuisine
  • Favorite summertime activity: Going to the beach
  • Favorite gift card to receive: Best Buy
  • Favorite Verse: Psalm 19:14
  • I’ve been a Christian since... 1999

 

Ryan Ernst

BJ Bechtel
  • Hometown: Xenia, OH
  • College: Cedarville University
  • When did you first come to Inner City Impact?Spring 2008 to visit and have a second interview.
  • What you do at Inner City Impact? Camp Coordinator
  • Family?Mom- Susan, Step Father- Gary, Father-John, Step Mother- Janice and 2 Sisters- Amy, Jordan
  • Favorite place to eat in Chicago:Penny's Noodles
  • Favorite summertime activity: Adventuring
  • Favorite gift card to receive: REI
  • Favorite Verse: Acts 2:42-47
  • I’ve been a Christian since...Freshman year of high school

 

Jeremy Lamour

Jeremy Lamour
  • Hometown: Oak Park, IL
  • College: Moody Bible Institute
  • When did you first come to Inner City Impact?In the Fall of '06 as a PCM student from Moody
  • What you do at Inner City Impact?

    I am a Youth Discipler, focusing on building one-on-one relationships with junior high and high school students

  • Family? Both parents, two brothers, one sister and one wife!
  • Favorite place to eat in Chicago:Giordano's and Pockets
  • Favorite summertime activity:

    All the music festivals downtown in Grant Park

  • Favorite gift card to receive: Target
  • Verse:Romans 1:16-17
  • I’ve been a Christian since...

    the age of 7.  I grew up in Sunday school and once I came to understand the Gospel and what it meant to me I knew I needed it.

Stephanie Lamour

Stephanie Lamour
  • Hometown: Swindon, England
  • College: Moody Bible Institute
  • When did you first come to Inner City Impact? July ‘10
  • What you do at Inner City Impact? I am the club coordinator for Jr. High and High School. I plan our after school clubs, as well as visiting those who come and doing Bible studies and one on one discipleship.
  • Family? My parents are still missionaries in England, and my younger sister lives there with them. My older brother, his wife, and son are living in Texas while he finishes a masters at Dallas Theological Seminary. My older sister, her husband, and son are living just north of Cincinnatti, Ohio.
  • Favorite place to eat in Chicago: Giordano’s
  • Favorite summertime activity: Exploring the city and going to the beach!
  • Favorite gift card to receive: Target.
  • Favorite Verse: Psalm 1
  • I’ve been a Christian since... I asked God to come into my life when I was seven. I struggled with doubt and worry, but from that day on I chose to trust in His faithfulness to save those who repented and believed in Him.

Tisha Lee

Tisha Lee
  • Hometown: Mississippi
  • When did you first come to Inner City Impact? I came to ICI in 1988 to bring my daughter to club. I started working here as an intern in 1989
  • What you do at Inner City Impact? I started out working with 4-6 grade girls, today I help as the program secretary and work with the kindergarten–5th grade clubs.
  • Family? I have three children -- Lutisha, Howard, and Marquette, and three grandchildren.
  • Favorite place to eat in Chicago: Famous Dave’s BBQ
  • Favorite summertime activity: Summer camping
  • Favorite gift card to receive: Target
  • Verse: Psalm 119:11 "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you".
  • I’ve been a Christian since... 1989, ICI staff person, Sherry Hervey, was influential to my decision to accept Christ.

 

Brian Relph

Keith Rundquist
  • Hometown: Morton, IL
  • College: Moody Bible Institute
  • When did you first come to Inner City Impact? I joined the staff in July 2005
  • What you do at Inner City Impact? Youth Discipler, working with the Junior High students
  • Family? Married to Mary; three kids: JD, Anja and Caleb.
  • Favorite place to eat in Chicago: Hot Doug's
  • Favorite summertime activity: biking
  • Favorite gift card to receive: Red Lobster
  • Verse: Hebrews 3:12-14 "See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first."
  • I’ve been a Christian since...1995...and The Holy Spirit was influential in my coming to saving faith as He used the seeds planted by my parents.

Keith Rundquist

Keith Rundquist
  • Hometown: Lincoln Park, NJ
  • College: County College of Morris, NJ (’82); Moody Bible Institute (‘86)
  • When did you first come to Inner City Impact? 1986
  • What you do at Inner City Impact? Physical Properties Manager
  • Family? Married to Debbie (1988), four children: Renée, Janelle, Ian, and Kayla.
  • Favorite place to eat in Chicago: Giordanos
  • Favorite summertime activity: Wilderness canoe tripping
  • Favorite gift card to receive: Visa
  • Verse: II Corinthians 4:7-12 "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you."
  • I’ve been a Christian since... 1974 and high school football teammate Duane was influential in my coming to saving faith.

Debra Rundquist

Debra (Yeip) Rundquist
  • Hometown: St. Clair, MI
  • College: St. Clair County Community College, MI; Moody Bible Institute
  • When did you first come to Inner City Impact? 1982
  • What you do at Inner City Impact? I’ve had many in my 25 years at ICI…Children’s Discipler and curriculum writer; Son Club Director, launching ICI’s ministry in Logan Square, and now, home-schooling mom and volunteer
  • Family? Married to Keith (1988), four children: Renée, Janelle, Ian, and Kayla.
  • Favorite place to eat in Chicago: Anything Asian
  • Favorite summertime activity: Camping
  • Favorite gift card to receive: Kohl’s, Target or Dress Barn
  • Verse: II Corinthians 5:13-16 "If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer."
  • I’ve been a Christian since... 1971 and my Sunday School and VBS teachers were influential in my coming to saving faith.

Tyrell Shoemaker

Tyrell Shoemaker
  • Hometown: Hermann, MO
  • College: Calvary Bible College, Kansas City, MO
  • When did you first come to Inner City Impact? Fall of 2009 for my first interview
  • What you do at Inner City Impact? K-5th Discipler
  • Family? Rachel (wife), Kaylah (daughter)
  • Favorite place to eat in Chicago: A LOT! Giordano's if I had to pick one
  • Favorite summertime activity: Any outdoor sports
  • Favorite gift card to receive: Target or Best Buy
  • Verse: Ephesians 5:16 "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, becausse the days are evil"
  • I’ve been a Christian since ...going to Bible camp at the age of ten in 1995

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Success Stories

Freddie Vasquez

Tragedy struck Freddies family. One of Freddie's brothers was almost killed by gangs. Another died at birth and another was locked up in prison for murder. However, God had other plans for Freddie. Today he is married with three children and has been attending Prairie Bible College in Canada.

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