Meet Our Staff
The Faces & Voices Of Our Ministry
Susan Kerkhoff
President/ Executive Director
Susan Kerkhoff is the founder of L.I.F.E. In The Springs Ministry with a passion to see people struggling with life-controlling issues find complete freedom and receive healing.
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Brian Kerkhoff
Vice President/Operations Assistant
Brian is L.I.F.E. In The Springs’ Vice President & Operations Assistant and he is married to Susan. They have a beautiful daughter, Sarah, together.
Read moreAdvisory Board
Our advisory team that assists with guidance and direction
Dorothy Michaels
Advisor
Dorothy has been an advisor with L.I.F.E. In The Springs since December 2015. She believes strongly in its mission of providing accurate biblical teaching and compassionate, nonjudgmental support needed for people to unpack their past baggage, learn how to apply the Word of God and seek the kind of intimate relationship with God that enables them to get free and stay free. Dorothy sees how many people in our culture believe it’s okay take all their past stuff (false beliefs, hurts and resentments, negative thought patterns) with them through life and yet find themselves mystified by their lack of progress; despairing of ever truly being able to receive and maintain their freedom. This is why she is wholeheartedly dedicated to L.I.F.E. In The Springs—they truly give people hope and a way out of the lies and madness. Dorothy graduated with a B.A. in Religion (Judeo-Christian tradition) from Westminster College, New Wilmington, PA, in 1979. She has served her country in the Air Force and has worked over 30 years in the US defense industry as an electronic technician, technical writer, and logistics analyst. Dorothy has been married for 28 years and has three grown children.
Charyl Strugalski
Advisor
Charyl has been an advisor with L.I.F.E. In The Springs since December 2015. She herself received ministry through L.I.F.E. In The Springs and she often shares that the truths she received turned her life around. She is no longer the same person she used to be. Her participation on the Advisory Board stems from her passion of wanting to see others set free from who they used to be. She believes strongly in seeing everyone have access to the ministry’s transformational biblical teachings and lay counseling methods of true healing and setting people free. Charyl has worked in the education sector for almost 30 years. In that time, she has worked as a teacher assistant with the visually impaired, preschool and elementary students. She also worked in her local school district coordinating career fairs for high schools and classroom speakers for grades K-12. She has also worked as IT support for teachers and staff on the district’s Student Information System. Currently Charyl is working as a substitute teacher assistant in the local elementary schools. She has led small groups for the past 17 years, focused mainly on ministering to women who have been physically or emotionally abused. For two years Charyl was a co-host on a weekly Web-based Christian radio show called Her Freedom. The show aired weekly guest speakers discussing women’s issues from childcare to suicide, allowing listeners to call in or live chat during the show. Charyl brings L.I.F.E. In The Springs not only her educational and clerical background, but her strong desire to give women hope and the opportunity to see that they can be free from the pain and loss in their past. She has an empathy and compassion for hurting woman and openly shares her personal experiences of abuse and rape. She is ready to begin leading a women’s group in her church for a program teaching participants how to live a life of greater freedom and fullness in Christ. Charyl is married to Joseph Strugalski and has one adult son, Michael.
Brenda Cruz
Advisor
Brenda is honored to be an advisor with L.I.F.E. In The Springs since December 2015. Like Charyl, she also previously received ministry from Susan and Brian and as a result, wholeheartedly believes in the purpose and teachings of the ministry. She regular shares with others that they too can be helped by the teachings, biblical lay counseling and group support meetings. Over the past five years, L.I.F.E. In The Springs has been there for her; a familiar, loving, nonjudgmental place where she is always welcomed, understood and accepted—no matter how she is feeling or what she may be going through. Brenda shares that the vital support given to her through Susan and Brian helped her through one of the most difficult seasons of her life. As a result, her strong belief in the ministry is shown in her commitment and dedication to the advisory board, where she lends her skills and experience where needed. Brenda has a B.S. in Home Economics Education and is a former Family & Consumer Sciences teacher. She has also worked as a teen parenting teacher where she stood in the gap, helping teens who did not have good parental role models learn to ‘do life’. Brenda is an outstanding creative and freelances as an artist (painter, poet, writer) and florist. She has been married for 27 years and is the mother of 5 and grandmother of 2. Brenda is currently pursuing her writing gift in authoring/publishing children’s books and is also working on her personal memoir.