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 Team

Andrew Sandeen

Northern Colorado Team

Andrew Sandeen

Northern Colorado Team

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

Bri Bulman

Sarajevo Team

Bri Bulman

Sarajevo Team

Bri Bulman

Sarajevo 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

Elisa Walt

Sarajevo Team

Elisa Walt

Sarajevo Team

Elisa Walt

Sarajevo Team

Ella Skiens

Sarajevo Team

Ella Skiens

Sarajevo Team

Ella Skiens

Sarajevo Team

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

Linda Lang

Mpls/St Paul Team

Linda Lang

Mpls/St Paul Team

Linda Lang

Mpls/St Paul Team

Paul Sydnor

Lille France Team

Paul Sydnor

Lille France Team

Paul Sydnor

Lille France 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 Ministry Leader

Shanna Doughty

Northern Colorado Ministry Leader

Shanna Doughty

Northern Colorado Ministry Leader

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

Whitney Gerdes

Refugee Education Specialist

Whitney Gerdes

Refugee Education Specialist

Whitney Gerdes

Refugee Education Specialist

Board Members

Listed alphabetically by first name

Kate Makowsky

Kate Makowsky

Kate Makowsky

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

Chair

Stephen Freed

Chair

Stephen Freed

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 is a member of the ICVA network