About Us
Empowering Refugees to Rebuild Lives with Hope
IAFR was established in 2009 in response to the need for an international Christian nonprofit agency devoted to the mission of helping people survive and recover from forced displacement. We do this in partnership with local churches, refugees churches and the church-at-large.
At the time of our founding, we did not know that the world was on the brink of an unprecedented refugee crisis that would play a defining role in the 21st Century.
We were established for such a time as this. Together with the church, we are a force for hope, healing and recovery in the world.


Why We Do What We Do
The greatest of all commandments is to love God and our neighbor.
God is deeply concerned for the welfare of orphans, widows, and migrants - including refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced people, the most vulnerable and marginalized of migrants.
It is God’s love for forcibly displaced people that fuels our mission. Because we believe God is actively engaged in our world, and has promised that evil, suffering, and death do not get the last word, we serve with hope.
We seek to be a tangible expression of God’s love for those who have been forced to flee their homes and homelands due to war, violence, persecution, and gross violations of human rights.
We believe that refugee churches, churches in local communities, and the Church at large, have an important contribution to make when it comes to helping people survive and recover from forced displacement, while affirming their dignity.
And so we fix our hearts on Jesus Christ as we partner with God, empowered by the Holy Spirit, confident that the day is coming when the will of God will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Furthermore, we serve forcibly displaced people in the spirit of the following documents:
God is deeply concerned for the welfare of orphans, widows, and migrants - including refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced people, the most vulnerable and marginalized of migrants.
It is God’s love for forcibly displaced people that fuels our mission. Because we believe God is actively engaged in our world, and has promised that evil, suffering, and death do not get the last word, we serve with hope.
We seek to be a tangible expression of God’s love for those who have been forced to flee their homes and homelands due to war, violence, persecution, and gross violations of human rights.
We believe that refugee churches, churches in local communities, and the Church at large, have an important contribution to make when it comes to helping people survive and recover from forced displacement, while affirming their dignity.
And so we fix our hearts on Jesus Christ as we partner with God, empowered by the Holy Spirit, confident that the day is coming when the will of God will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Furthermore, we serve forcibly displaced people in the spirit of the following documents:
God is deeply concerned for the welfare of orphans, widows, and migrants - including refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced people, the most vulnerable and marginalized of migrants.
It is God’s love for forcibly displaced people that fuels our mission. Because we believe God is actively engaged in our world, and has promised that evil, suffering, and death do not get the last word, we serve with hope.
We seek to be a tangible expression of God’s love for those who have been forced to flee their homes and homelands due to war, violence, persecution, and gross violations of human rights.
We believe that refugee churches, churches in local communities, and the Church at large, have an important contribution to make when it comes to helping people survive and recover from forced displacement, while affirming their dignity.
And so we fix our hearts on Jesus Christ as we partner with God, empowered by the Holy Spirit, confident that the day is coming when the will of God will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Furthermore, we serve forcibly displaced people in the spirit of the following documents:
Core Values
Collaboration
Collaboration
Collaboration
Host Country Economy
Host Country Economy
Host Country Economy
Local Churches
Local Churches
Local Churches
Long-term Relationships
Long-term Relationships
Long-term Relationships
Reciprocity
Reciprocity
Reciprocity
Respect & Dignity
Respect & Dignity
Respect & Dignity
Meet Our Team
Listed alphabetically by first name

Andrew Sandeen
Northern Colorado Ministry Leader

Andrew Sandeen
Northern Colorado Ministry Leader

Andrew Sandeen
Northern Colorado Ministry Leader

Andy Pollock
Sarajevo Ministry Leader

Andy Pollock
Sarajevo Ministry Leader

Andy Pollock
Sarajevo Ministry Leader

April Palmbos
Director of Operations

April Palmbos
Director of Operations

April Palmbos
Director of Operations

Bethany Ringdal
Mpls/St. Paul Ministry Leader

Bethany Ringdal
Mpls/St. Paul Ministry Leader

Bethany Ringdal
Mpls/St. Paul Ministry Leader

Brett & Becca McNew
Lille France Team

Brett & Becca McNew
Lille France Team

Brett & Becca McNew
Lille France Team

Chong Bee Vang
VP of Advancement

Chong Bee Vang
VP of Advancement

Chong Bee Vang
VP of Advancement

Dawn Kilian
VP of Staff Development

Dawn Kilian
VP of Staff Development

Dawn Kilian
VP of Staff Development

Dr. George Kalantzis
Senior Fellow of Theology

Dr. George Kalantzis
Senior Fellow of Theology

Dr. George Kalantzis
Senior Fellow of Theology

Emma Crim
Ukraine Response Team

Emma Crim
Ukraine Response Team

Emma Crim
Ukraine Response Team

Ilir Cami
Ukraine Response Ministry Leader

Ilir Cami
Ukraine Response Ministry Leader

Ilir Cami
Ukraine Response Ministry Leader

Jacob Tornga
US Regional Leader

Jacob Tornga
US Regional Leader

Jacob Tornga
US Regional Leader

Jaydon Crim
Ukraine Response Team

Jaydon Crim
Ukraine Response Team

Jaydon Crim
Ukraine Response Team

Josh Levin
Mpls/St. Paul Team

Josh Levin
Mpls/St. Paul Team

Josh Levin
Mpls/St. Paul Team

Kate Cami
Assistant to the President

Kate Cami
Assistant to the President

Kate Cami
Assistant to the President

Laura Longino
Northern Colorado Team

Laura Longino
Northern Colorado Team

Laura Longino
Northern Colorado Team

Rachael Lofgren
Communications Coordinator

Rachael Lofgren
Communications Coordinator

Rachael Lofgren
Communications Coordinator

Rachel Uthmann
Director of Training

Rachel Uthmann
Director of Training

Rachel Uthmann
Director of Training

Rev. J.P. Gatera
Refugee Church Consultant

Rev. J.P. Gatera
Refugee Church Consultant

Rev. J.P. Gatera
Refugee Church Consultant

Sarah Miller
VP of International Ministries

Sarah Miller
VP of International Ministries

Sarah Miller
VP of International Ministries

Sarah Pollock
Refugee Education Curriculum Developer

Sarah Pollock
Refugee Education Curriculum Developer

Sarah Pollock
Refugee Education Curriculum Developer

Shahrazad Mohamed
Winnipeg Ministry

Shahrazad Mohamed
Winnipeg Ministry

Shahrazad Mohamed
Winnipeg Ministry

Shanna Doughty
Northern Colorado

Shanna Doughty
Northern Colorado

Shanna Doughty
Northern Colorado

Sharon Tonzo
Atlanta Ministry Leader

Sharon Tonzo
Atlanta Ministry Leader

Sharon Tonzo
Atlanta Ministry Leader

SJ Holsteen
Lille France Ministry Leader

SJ Holsteen
Lille France Ministry Leader

SJ Holsteen
Lille France Ministry Leader

Tim Barnes
Executive Vice President

Tim Barnes
Executive Vice President

Tim Barnes
Executive Vice President

Tom Albinson
Founder and President

Tom Albinson
Founder and President

Tom Albinson
Founder and President
Board Members
Listed alphabetically by first name

Kate Makowsky
Chair

Kate Makowsky
Chair

Kate Makowsky
Chair

Kristel Lehner

Kristel Lehner

Kristel Lehner

Rev. J.P. Gatera
Advisory Board Member

Rev. J.P. Gatera
Advisory Board Member

Rev. J.P. Gatera
Advisory Board Member

Shahrazad Mohamed
Advisory Board Member

Shahrazad Mohamed
Advisory Board Member

Shahrazad Mohamed
Advisory Board Member

Stan Diddams
Treasurer

Stan Diddams
Treasurer

Stan Diddams
Treasurer

Stephen Freed
Vice Chair

Stephen Freed
Vice Chair

Stephen Freed
Vice Chair

Tim Barnes
Advisory Board Member

Tim Barnes
Advisory Board Member

Tim Barnes
Advisory Board Member

Tom Albinson

Tom Albinson

Tom Albinson

Van Chounlamountry
Secretary

Van Chounlamountry
Secretary

Van Chounlamountry
Secretary
© IAFR 2024
All rights reserved
© IAFR 2024
All rights reserved
© IAFR 2024
All rights reserved