Gail was born and raised in the bootheel of Missouri. The youngest of seven children and ten years behind her closest sibling, Gail grew up with nieces and nephews as playmates. Church was always a regular part of life for the family and when Gail was ten years old, she gave her life to Christ at Lake Forest Ranch Church Camp. Since that moment, God has been leading and orchestrating her life.

 Upon the recommendation of a pastor, Gail attended college at Mississippi College in Clinton, MS where she earned a B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. After graduation Gail moved to Hattiesburg, MS to begin a graduate program in Counseling and Guidance at the University of Mississippi. During this time, a small interruption in education occurred when she got engaged to a handsome swim coach she had met and dated during her last year of college. Several years after getting married, Gail returned to graduate school and completed an M.Ed. in School Psychometry.

 The majority of Gail’s adult life has been spent in ministry and teaching. When her children were small, she taught kindergarten during the day and an occasional Intro to Psychology course at a local college in the evenings. An interesting time of comparison between the two to say the least! She also worked as Director of Education at a church in Arizona for about ten years overseeing and training staff, teaching, and supervising curriculum from nursery to senior adults. More recently she has worked in women’s ministry and continues serving as a vocalist with the WAM FAM (Worship Arts Ministry Family) at her church.

 In 2012 Gail came to Shepherd’s Heart Ministry as Executive Administrator where she has the privilege of speaking with pastors, ministry leaders, and missionaries from all over the world. Gail also manages day-to-day office duties, works on product development, helps direct fundraising events, works with counselors and hosts in the development and presentation of new SHM retreat centers, and is part of the SHM Institute Team. She believes that God brought her to Shepherd’s Heart for “such a time as this” and is so grateful to serve Him and His shepherds in this capacity.    

 Gail and her husband Brian were married in 1984 and have three amazing children, a wonderful son-in-law, and a beautiful granddaughter. They have lived in Castle Rock, Colorado since 2006.

David and Linda Anderson have been serving in ministry in a myriad of ways for the past 30 years. David has served as an usher, deacon, elder, and lay pastor in his church, while Linda has served in children’s ministry, women’s ministry, lay counseling program, and bookstore. The Andersons facilitated a Home Care group for five years that fueled their passion for helping couples through counseling.

In 2014 David became an ordained pastor. For years he was actively involved in the church’s leadership team, overseeing elders and deacons. David spearheaded the leadership development of those teams through conducting training classes.

Linda holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from California State University Long Beach and has always had a passion for helping people. She has spent hundreds of hours counseling women one-on-one. Over the years, the Andersons have helped many couples through premarital and marriage counseling.

Since the inception of Shepherd’s Heart Ministry, David and Linda have been actively involved in the ministry.  Both are currently on the Board of Directors, with David serving as Chairman of the Board for the past eight years.

David is involved in the Ministry’s growth through Board development, fundraising, Retreat Center organization, and planning the annual Board retreat. Along with Pastor Larry Russell, David travels to Israel to work with SHM partners, build relationships, and assist in ministry planning in Israel for the following year. Linda is instrumental in the planning and execution of the SHM annual fundraising banquet, and she works closely with the Leadership Team in the development of SHM prevention programs. David and Linda are dedicated to personal and ministry growth. Every year they attend various conferences for leadership, ministry and Board development, and counselor training.

David is the founder, owner, and president of High Country Coatings, Inc., a thriving business that applies commercial and industrial floor coating to concrete floors. Linda manages the office and oversees Human Resources and Accounting.

David and Linda have been married since 1982 and reside in Colorado. During their free time, they enjoy traveling, water sports, and spending time with their five children and three grandchildren.

Larry and Jackie Ilg have been married since 1984. They have four wonderful children, 11 grandchildren, and 1 great-granddaughter.

Larry came to know the Lord at age 13 and has loved and served the Lord faithfully. He grew up in a Christian home and has sought wisdom from the Lord all his life. Larry’s keen sense of business and management catapulted him into a successful real estate career, where he and his wife, Jackie, own several properties, including an Internationally known Hostel in downtown Denver.

Jackie accepted Jesus in 1978. She has been blessed to serve as a Sunday school teacher, has held Bible study groups, and has served in various positions within the churches they have attended. Jackie loves mentoring women and showing them the love of Jesus to bring healing and restoration into their lives. And, she loves spending time with her children and grandchildren.

The Ilgs purchased a home close to the Shepherd’s Heart Ministry Office to serve as a “Host Couple” for the hurting Pastors and Missionaries who come for a 5-day intensive. Their prayer is that the Lord will use them and their home as a “safe” place for the Ministry Leaders who are in crisis.

Carl and Sonja DeBose have been married since 1994. After seven years of marriage, they decided to take a premarital course that was offered at their church. They learned so much about themselves, especially about dealing with the baggage they carried into their marriage. The class strengthened their marriage and taught them how to deal with a blended family. It also inspired them to become lay counselors so they could help other married couples learn to deal with the stresses in marriage and ways to enhance their relationship.

For over 16 years, Carl and Sonja have been faithful in ministry. They have both served in ministerial leadership roles. They also hosted a Christian radio show with fellow members of their church for over a year. They feel honored to be in a ministry that values marriage and privileged to be in leadership with Shepherd’s Heart Ministry.

Carl has been a project specialist in the Security Access industry for over 20 years. Sonja is a Senior Executive Secretary at Denver Public Schools, where she has worked for over 18 years. They are co-owners of Keepin’ It Real Catering, specializing in smoked meats. Sonja is also a certified health coach and personal trainer and enjoys helping others with their wellness.

Carl and Sonja are a blended family with six children and six beautiful grandchildren. They reside in Aurora, CO.