Our Staff

The Adams joined the BFA staff in 1992. They returned to BFA in 2009. Their short-term missions experiences include leading evangelism and discipleship camps in Germany, Poland, and helping to clean up an orphanage in Naples, Italy. They are missionaries with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and Janz Team Ministries.

Degrees and Certificates:
Bachelor of Science, Secondary Education, English, Mankato State University

Jayma grew up in San Juan Capistrano, Ca., she currently makes Tracy, California her home. Jayma has been involved in several short term missions to Mexico, Belize, and Haiti. She taught in public school in California for 5 years before coming to Kandern.

Colleges/Universities Attended:
Point Loma Nazarene, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State Stanislaus

A Midwest girl, Rachel was born in Indiana, raised in Ohio, attended college in Illinois, and accepted her first teaching job in Indiana. Children have always been dear to her heart, and while on a brief missions trip to Costa Rica in 2003 Rachel realized the possibility of combining her love for children with her heart for missions. She attended Moody Bible Institute (MBI) with the intention of serving the greater missionary community through education. During her time at MBI she enjoyed teaching pre-k Sunday School as well as tutoring middle school students at Humboldt Community Christian School. After graduation she taught for one year at Peace Lutheran School in Greencastle, Indiana while raising the necessary support to serve at BFA.

Rachel has been on staff at BFA since 2009. Though she came to BFA to teach math, she's since discovered her true love: science! Rachel teaches Math 6 as well as Science 7 (Life Science) and Science 8 (Earth Science).

Colleges/Universities Attended:
Moody Bible Institute, Elementary Education

During her high school and college years, Heather had the opportunity to travel overseas for short-term mission trips, music performances, and study abroad experiences, once even passing right through the Black Forest. Ironically, Heather took German for all four years of high school, but never dreamed that she would actually move to Germany after graduating from college! She feels truly blessed to be able to use her gifts and interests to serve the Lord at BFA. In her free time, Heather enjoys music, photography, traveling, and quality time with friends.

Home Base:
Newtown, Pennsylvania

Colleges/Universities Attended:
B.S. Elementary/Early Childhood Education, Grove City College, 2010

Russ joined the BFA staff in 2004. Debby had earlier joined in 1996. Russ is a computer technician working on the BFA computer network. He has extensive experience in computer systems, and has written much documentation on email and radio email systems. Russ served with MAF in Suriname (South America) for 8 years as electronic maven, aircraft mechanic, and manager. He started the computer department at MAF headquarters and pioneered the extensive MAF overseas email system. Debby teaches French, leads the BFA drama outreach team, and helps prepare students going out on mission trips. She is an MK from France and served with a church planting team there from 1982-90. Debby is a missionary with Greater Europe Mission. Russ is a missionary with Mission Aviation Fellowship.

Degrees and Certificates:
Bachelor of Arts, (double major) Modern Languages and Christian Education, Wheaton College.
Diploma in French Language Civilization, University of Paris, Sorbonne.
Master of Education, Foreign Language Education, Temple University.
Certificate in Biblical Counseling, Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (Westminster).

Personal website: http://www.chasteen.org.

Russ joined the BFA staff in 2004. Debby had earlier joined in 1996. Russ is a computer technician working on the BFA computer network. He has extensive experience in computer systems, and has written much documentation on email and radio email systems. Russ served with MAF in Suriname (South America) for 8 years as electronic maven, aircraft mechanic, and manager. He started the computer department at MAF headquarters and pioneered the extensive MAF overseas email system. Debby teaches French, leads the BFA drama outreach team, and helps prepare students going out on mission trips. She is an MK from France and served with a church planting team there from 1982-90. Debby is a missionary with Greater Europe Mission. Russ is a missionary with Mission Aviation Fellowship.

Degrees and Certificates:
Bachelor of Science, Graphic arts and design, Southern Illinois University.
2 years post-grad at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
A&P license from Moody Bible Institute in Tennessee.

Personal website: http://www.chasteen.org.

Katrina has taught all ages from Kindergarten to adult on at least 4 continents. Some of her favorite work experiences included teaching ESL at a small Christian communications college in Quito, Ecuador and supervising a college Tutor Center back home in Minnesota. Her background also includes ministry at her home church in leading Sunday school and in serving on a leadership team. While working for Northwestern College, she co-lead a short-term missions trip to Guyana and spent a summer running a debriefing program for MK's at her mission's headquarters.

Home Base:
St. Paul, Minnesota

Colleges/Universities Attended:
Colleges/Universities: B.A. in ESL Education from Northwestern College, MN
M.Ed. (in process) in Social Studies Education from University of Minnesota

Other Background:
Katrina grew up as an MK in Austria, and her family has been connected with BFA since 1999. Like any good, rootless MK, she loves to travel and has a collection of eclectic stories. She's fluent in German but has also dabbled with Chinese, French, and Spanish. Mainly, she lives for relationships and longs to see her students challenged and growing, both as a person and in their faith. Her other interests include archaeology, learning how to make (or buying) pottery, and trying out new recipes in the kitchen.