Sacred Suds staff

Sarah Rinsema-Sybenga, Executive Director
sarah@communityencompass.org
Sarah comes to Sacred Suds through the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee’s (CRWRC) Program HOPE!, a two-year internship available for those who desire a chance to learn about and serve in the field of Community Development. CRWRC’s partner in the Great Lakes region is City Vision, a nonprofit intermediary organization which serves to equip and resource local churches and small nonprofit organizations with a focus on engaging neighborhoods for positive, sustainable change. When circumstances at Sacred Suds revealed the need for a Director, City Vision offered the support of part of Sarah’s time. Sarah is excited for the opportunity to learn more about McLaughlin Neighborhood and to be a participant in positive transformation in the life of the community.

Judy Smith, Sacred Suds Program Manager
judy.sacredsuds@gmail.com

Carlos Avard, Healthy Neighborhood Project Coordinator
carlos@communityencompass.org
Carlos Avrard joins Sacred Suds as the Healthy Neighborhood Project Coordinator for the McLaughlin Neighborhood as of September 2007.

Carlos is excited to be apart of Sacred Suds and the McLaughlin Neighborhood in a position that walks alongside neighbors to encourage, mobilize, support, and provide resources so that they can transform their community from the inside out. He is married to a wonderful woman (Sarah), a father of three, and is currently working on a Masters degree in Global Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary. Previous work experiences include being apart of a creative services department as a graphic designer and most recently, as the Pastor of Student Ministries in local church.

Michaell Espinoza, Youth Entrepreneurship/Employment Program Coordinator
michaell@communityencompass.org
Michaell Espinoza joined Community enCompass as the Youth Entrepreneurship/Employment Program Coordinator for the McLaughlin Neighborhood as of March 2008.

Michaell’s passion for the young people in our community is palpable: “I was raised in poverty, on welfare: I shared hand-me-downs and I was used to being considered ‘less than.’ In a sense, I’ve come through it, and my desire to engage the kids in our neighborhood is literally overwhelming. I want to help increase their sense of self-value and worth. On the other side of things, I also want to change the attitude that the outside community has to ‘come and help the poor, inner-city kids.’ I want people to see these kids how they really are—as rich and valuable assets to our community. That’s what YEP is all about. We want to see business in our community, for our community, run by the youth in our community. That will be success!”