OUR TEAM
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Ralph Martin is the president of Renewal Ministries and the host of the weekly Catholic television program The Choices We Face. He holds a doctorate in theology and is the director of Graduate Theology Programs in the New Evangelization at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in the Archdiocese of Detroit. Ralph is also the author of the widely read A Church in Crisis: Pathways Forward and The Fulfillment of All Desire: A Guidebook for the Journey to God Based on the Wisdom of the Saints.
Ralph and his wife, Anne, reside in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and have six children and nineteen grandchildren.
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Peter Herbeck is the Executive Vice President and Director of Missions for Renewal Ministries. For more than thirty years, he has been actively involved in evangelization and Catholic renewal throughout the US, Canada, Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe. Peter is the co-host of the weekly television show, The Choices We Face. He hosts the daily radio show Fire on the Earth. He is a frequent conference speaker. He co-authored his most recent book, Lessons From the School of Love: Cultivating a Christ-Centered Marriage, with his wife, Debbie. He has also authored When the Spirit Comes in Power, When the Spirit Speaks, and numerous booklets, and is a frequent contributor to Renewal Ministries’ popular YouTube channel. Peter and his wife, Debbie, have four children and eleven grandchildren, and reside in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Gary Seromik is Renewal Ministries’ senior vice president of administration. He has worked with Ralph since 1972. Gary and his wife Anilu have four children and six grandchildren.
Pete Burak is the vice president of Renewal Ministries, a ministry dedicated to Catholic renewal and evangelization around the world. He is a graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville and has a master’s degree in theology from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Michigan. Pete is a frequent speaker on discipleship and evangelization and the co-director of Pine Hills Boys’ Camp. He is a monthly columnist for Faith Magazine and the host of two podcasts: Spirit-filled Leadership and The Hour. Pete and his wife, Cait, have five children.
Sr. Ann Shields, SGL, is an internationally noted conference and retreat speaker, and the author of numerous books on Catholic spirituality, including Deeper Conversion, To Be Like Jesus, and More of the Holy Spirit. She currently hosts the popular daily radio program Food for the Journey.
She is part of Renewal Ministries' leadership team and a member of The Servants of God’s Love, a charismatic religious community established in the Diocese of Lansing, Michigan.
Sr. Ann was awarded the Benemerenti Medal by Pope Benedict XVI in September of 2012 for service to the Church. She also is a recipient of the Aggiornamento Award, given by the Catholic Library Association in recognition of outstanding contribution through her books and articles for the renewal of parish and community life.
Chris Baker is the director of operations for Renewal Ministries and has an Executive Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Benedictine College. He served as a FOCUS missionary, has led and spoken at retreats and large group gatherings for both high school youth and young adults, and helped create and implement a diocesan-level Leadership Institute for Young Adults for the Diocese of Grand Rapids. Chris and his wife, Afton, have two daughters.
Emily Bachelor is the Creative Director at Renewal Ministries. She graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 2004 with a BFA in graphic design and has been passionate about visual arts since she could hold a crayon. Her ministerial outreach has included Lifeteen, Pine Hills Camp, and the Marriage and Family Commission team at Christ the King Parish in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Emily and her husband Jeff have been married since 2005 and have one daughter.
Laura Gurta is Renewal Ministries’ product manager and senior data entry specialist. She has worked for Renewal Ministries since 2009. Laura and her husband Chris have four children and eight grandchildren, and they live in the Ann Arbor area.
Dr. Mary Healy works with Renewal Ministries as a special consultant. She is professor of Scripture at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit and a bestselling author and international speaker. Dr. Healy is a general editor of the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture and author of two of its volumes, The Gospel of Mark and Hebrews. Her other books include Men and Women Are from Eden: A Study Guide to John Paul II's Theology of the Body and Healing: Bringing the Gift of God’s Mercy to the World. Renewal Ministries has produced two CDs of Peter Herbeck's interviews with Dr. Healy, Does Jesus Still Heal? and Made for Relationship: A Biblical Understanding of Homosexual Behavior. Dr. Healy serves the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian unity as a member of the Pentecostal-Catholic International Dialogue. She is one of the first three women ever to serve on the Pontifical Biblical Commission, and is a consultor to the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
Rachel Herbeck is the Director of Young Adult Discipleship for Renewal Ministries. She received her BA in Catholic Studies from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. She has worked extensively in youth ministry and she speaks to youth and young adults at retreats, conferences, and events in the US and Canada. Rachel is passionate about life issues and has worked for multiple pro-life and political organizations both in Minnesota and Washington, DC. Before joining the id team, she worked for the Minnesota Catholic Conference, where she did outreach and lobbied on behalf of the Catholic Bishops of Minnesota. She currently resides in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Jess Jenkins serves as the receptionist and administrative assistant for Renewal Ministries. She graduated from Hillsdale College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy and Religion. Before coming to Renewal Ministries, she worked in various ministry positions promoting the growth of intentional discipleship in the Church at the parish and diocesan levels.
Fr. Graham Keep is Renewal Ministries’ chaplain. He has been part of Renewal Ministries in various ways for over twenty-five years. Fr. Keep was ordained a priest on May 1, 1993, and has served as a parish priest in the Diocese of London. While serving in the diocese, Fr. Keep was elected to the Council of Priests and served in various diocesan organizations. Having observed the Companions of the Cross for many years, Fr. Keep has been accepted into the novitiate with them. He will spend the next few years discerning a “call within a call.” Fr. Keep is a retired reserve military chaplain. He completed his Pontifical Licentiate Degree through Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit with a focus in the New Evangelization. Fr. Keep is in the process of developing a two-year tool for lay leadership. Fr. Keep has led various themed pilgrimages, parish missions, and mission trips with Renewal Ministries, and has spoken at various conferences throughout the world. Fr. Keep is passionate about renewal and the new evangelization in the Church through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Natalie Klackle is Renewal Ministries’ Executive Administrator. Prior to joining the Renewal Ministries team, she worked as a youth and young adult minister, directed national conferences, events and pilgrimages for a lay-led ministry, ran an agritourism destination in West Michigan, and served as president of a small nonprofit. She has a BA in Political Science from Grand Valley State University and is currently pursuing a MA in Theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville.
Joseph is Renewal Ministries' Data Entry Clerk. He's currently working towards a degree in Data Structures and Computer Programming, and uses these skills to speed up certain processes around the organization. When he's not working, Joseph enjoys climbing, coding, and playing soccer.
Ava Marcarelli is the Renewal Ministries Administrative Assistant and is responsible for helping to oversee and execute all administration for id, including planning retreats and events. She graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 2018 with a Bachelor of General Studies degree in Literature, Writing, and History. Before joining id, she worked as a parish administrator in Jackson, MI and taught English to elementary school students in South Korea. She also volunteers with Be Love Revolution and works as the Pine Hills Boys’ and Girls’ Camps administrator.
Elizabeth Rzepka is Renewal Ministries’ Media Director. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art from Michigan State University, her Master's Degree in Theology from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, and completed the Intensive Program in Philosophy at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. She ran a small business for five years before transitioning to full-time ministry. Prior to coming to Renewal Ministries, she worked in parish, diocesan, and lay-led ministry in a variety of capacities, including youth ministry, catechesis, RCIA, pilgrimages, and national events and conferences.
Heather Schultz is Renewal Ministries’ editor. She graduated from Hillsdale College, and has more than twenty-five years of experience in writing and editing. She and her husband Doug have five children and are active members of St. Mary’s Church in Pinckney, Michigan.
Kate Schultz is Renewal Ministries’ distribution assistant. She is a junior at Father Gabriel Richard High School in Ann Arbor. She is involved with Be Love Revolution.
Anilu Seromik serves Renewal Ministries as the distribution coordinator. She also teaches Spanish and is involved in the middle school character formation program at a local Catholic school. She is married to Gary and has four children and six grandchildren.
Debbie Herbeck has shared with many her personal journey of faith from Judaism to Christianity and subsequent entrance into the Catholic Church. For the past forty years, Debbie has worked extensively in youth and women’s ministry, speaking, leading mission trips, and mentoring high school and college age women. She has spoken at Franciscan University Conferences, Legatus chapters, and women’s events throughout the world. She is the founder and executive director of Pine Hills Girls Camp. Debbie is also the founder and director of the Be Love Revolution, a ministry that exists to help young women encounter Christ and be His love to all they meet.
She co-authored her most recent book, Lessons From the School of Love: Cultivating a Christ-Centered Marriage, with her husband, Peter. She has also written Safely Through the Storm: 120 Reflections on Hope, Firmly on the Rock: 120 Reflections on Faith, and Love Never Fails: 120 Reflections on Love. She and her husband Peter have co-authored a book entitled When the Spirit Speaks: Touched by God’s Word. Debbie is a frequent author and speaker for Blessed is She and contributing writer for Undone: Freeing your Feminine Heart from the Knots of Fear and Shame.
Debbie and her husband Peter live in Ann Arbor, Michigan and have four adult children and eleven grandchildren.
Kristen Arend works as the Development Director for Be Love Revolution. She graduated from Eastern Michigan University with her BA in Psychology. After graduating, she felt called to walk with the girls and young women that Be Love Revolution serves. Kristen has been involved with Pine Hills Camp and Be Love Revolution through high school, college, and beyond. She has helped to plan and spoken at many retreats, and she mentors high school girls. She loves spending time with joyful people and is passionate about walking with others toward Heaven. She and her husband Adam were married in 2021 and welcomed their first baby the following summer.
Katherine Bernasconi serves as the Director of Outreach for Be Love Revolution. Katherine is from Upstate New York and graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville, where she received her BA and MA in Theology. As a worship leader, she plays piano, guitar, and cajon and is passionate about helping young women encounter the love of Jesus through worship
Delaney Dickey serves as the Director of Communication and a worship leader for Be Love Revolution. Delaney hails from St. Louis, Missouri and is a graduate from Franciscan University of Steubenville where she received her undergraduate degree in Theology and Catechetics and a Masters in Theology.
Maria Khym is from Vancouver, Canada and has moved to Ann Arbor to work as an intern with Be Love Revolution doing Photography and Social Media. She is currently taking a gap year from Franciscan University where she is studying Catechetics and Theology. She has a heart for young people in the Church and believes that Gen Z is the generation for Jesus!
Molly McCartney is the Be Love Revolution’s worship leader. Molly recently recorded an album of Christian music entitled Lead Me, with themes of meditation and worship. Her desire is to spread the Gospel message and the love of God through music and ministry.
Elizabeth Rouhana is the creative director for the Be Love Revolution and serves as a counselor for Pine Hills Girls' Camp. She also helps plan and run events, speaks at retreats, and mentors young women.
Steve Norman serves as the director of Forged, a ministry that aims to form young men into missionary disciples of Christ. Steve moved to Ann Arbor with his wife, Katey, and two children, Jeremiah and Kateri, from Stratford, Ontario. He served as a high school campus minister in Canada and is currently finishing his Master of Arts in Theology Degree from the Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorado.
Harrison Raney serves as the assistant director of Forged and has a Bachelor's of Science in Public Relations from Concordia University, Ann Arbor. He has served as both a missionary and staff supervisor for NET Ministries in Australia where he was actively involved in leading/planning retreats and speaking at various ministry gatherings for middle & high school students, as well as the mentorship and pastoral leadership for young adult missionaries. He's been married to his wife, Monica, since 2021 and they have one daughter.