Our Corporate Board

Sherryl has a long history of entrepreneurial projects, with a passion for each endeavor. Studying business but not completing her degree due to marriage at 20 years old. Later in life, she was accepted into a CEO program at Cal State San Marcos, CA.

Her continued compassion for helping children led her to volunteer at Casa Amparo, a pre-foster care program, for three years, working with preschoolers to teens.

Spending a decade at a time with three different careers, she obtained her Real Estate license andsold properties in the state of California and Hawaii. Then, as a commercial florist in Carlsbad, CA, she serviced clients such as Callaway Golf, TaylorMade Golf, Idec Pharmaceuticals, Buick Open, Donjoy, and provided award-winning wedding services.

In her last adventure of eleven years, she was the founder, President & CEO of a startup company called Facelogic Spa, a franchise concept in the beauty industry. Sherryl served as the franchisor of Facelogic International, overseeing 101 locations across the country. Additionally, she led an award-winning company recognized as the “14th fastest-growing franchise” in the United States by Entrepreneur magazine, along with winning the “Stevie award” for business. A second company included developing a complete skincare product line that generated $1 million in annual sales.

Now, Sherryl is the founder (prompted by a God-nudge) of the Blessing Group, a 20-month-old non-profit organization, 100% volunteer-based, consisting of 39 grandmothers working together to support students in establishing Christian “Found” clubs in the public school system.

She also enjoys baking, knitting, traveling with her husband, and investing time with her nine grandchildren.

From her youth on an Iowa farm, to her graduation from National School of Business in 1980, to the adventurous highs and lows of adulthood, Karla Pope has a long history of service throughout her life’s
journey.

In 1998, Karla started an Elementary School Moms In Prayer group and has continued with that ministry to this day: leading prayer groups, serving as Ministry Partnership liaison for conferences, sitting on the Donor Development Board, and currently serving as part of the Donor Engagement team. Jumping into the study of God’s Word brought Karla to Community Bible Study in 1998 as well.

It wasn’t long before she stepped into the role of Teaching Director for Teen Community Bible Study bringing the first of its kind into Arizona. As the classes quickly multiplied, her role shifted to Area Director. What a joy she found in being part of this exciting start up program and shepherding those who pour into the next generation! Her next step was into the role of Regional Director since multiple states had Teen CBS classes popping up. Karla was then blessed to serve as the National Teen CBS Director until 2016.

Her passion for prayer also brought her into a unique opportunity to help kickstart 24/7 prayer at Arizona State University through LOVEASU.

Personally, Karla loves serving at Church for the Nations, joyfully leading an altar prayer team! Her life is so very full with her family recently growing with marriages and eight grandchildren along the way. Such a blessing!

She is thrilled to join this board and help guide the Blessing Group ministry prayerfully into all our LORD desires.

Meet Jennie Young, a loving wife and happy mom of 6. Since childhood, she has been actively involved in various organizations, each with its unique focus in the areas of her life’s mission: service in Faith Building, Music, and Youth Empowerment. As a young adult, Jennie embarked on a global journey in ‘Up With People,’ an international community service organization. Her experience instilled in her a deep sense of world citizenship and a commitment to making a positive impact. Inspired by her experiences, Jennie later served as a World Vision Child Ambassador, matching children in poverty all over the world with local sponsors to provide essential support for education, healthcare, and community development. This role fueled her passion for advocacy and social justice. Motivated by her faith and a desire to address poverty, she later co-founded AM1:27, a ministry dedicated to supporting families experiencing extreme poverty in Ethiopia. Locally, she has invested years of significant leadership and service to organizations such as Peninsula Youth Orchestra and Shelter for the Needy/Destinies Restored.

Outside of her ‘God first, family second, work third’ priorities, Jennie finds joy in hobbies such as baking, reading, and spending time with her Newfoundland dog. She has also served in the political arena as a Precinct Committee Officer with her local County Party for over 10 years. She loves supporting her husband in his Public Service and working on many election campaigns. Now, she eagerly embraces a new chapter of service as Secretary on the Board of Directors for the Blessing Group, where she envisions a future filled with love and compassion for all.

Mike Riches, D.Min., has served as a lead pastor since 1983, which included living 3 years in London, England with his wife, Cindy. He is still in full-time pastoral ministry as lead pastor of Harborview Fellowship in Gig Harbor, Washington. Since 2001 Mike has ministered internationally having founded the Sycamore Commission. His ministry involves teaching, training, leadership development and support. It has taken him to many nations in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and North America. Mike has authored six published works with some being translated into thirteen languages.

Johnny has been in ministry in some capacity for the past 25 years, and 17 of them spent at Believers Fellowship in Gig Harbor. He currently leads the staff, life groups, and family ministry. Johnny has a passion to partner with families to empower the next generation of disciples to follow Jesus wherever He calls them. That means training up the youth to be bold Jesus followers, and training up the parents to model it as well!

Johnny views the teen years as an incredibly important time where students can truly commit to a life-long decision to be a light to the world. Bringing found clubs into public schools are a way young Christians can fan into flame the gifts God has given them and encourage other Christians to walk in the light while bringing the Gospel to their peers. Seeing students from the past continue to grow and be lights to the world brings joy to
his heart. Being a part of planting a seed or watering a seed is special when you see God causing the growth.

Johnny and his wife Brooke have three children. Cece (14), Ruby (12), and Silas (10). Cece is an 8th grader and co-leader of the found club at her Middle School.

This family loves to serve, travel, and be present in the community they live in. Look for Johnny at any local coffee shop or in the woods hiking with his family.

Although now retired, Linda worked in the environmental consulting field for over 30 years. She advanced quickly within this profession to become her company’s Program Manager for Superfund Site Assessment and Brownfields work conducted under their contract with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This position required managing and training professional staff members consisting primarily of geologists, biologists, chemists, and civil engineers to successfully complete projects under this contract. Key components of this role included oversight of budgets and schedules for all projects being conducted on this contract as well as quality assurance review of all related technical reports.

In addition to her professional work, Linda has run a sole-proprietor environmental consulting business and several vacation rental businesses.

Linda has worked as a volunteer with Serve the Children to support their mission of operating Christian schools in India and Africa. Linda also has worked as a volunteer in St. Joseph Hospital’s Pastoral Care Department and as a mentor of women incarcerated the Washington Correction Center for Women in Purdy, Washington. After retiring, Linda ran for the Peninsula School District, School Board in an attempt to bring godly influence to decisions effecting local students. Although Linda was not elected, she made use of the contacts she made during her campaign to seat godly persons into Precinct Committee Officer positions with the goal of seeing them work to place godly people into political office.

Since early 2023, Linda has served on the Blessing Group’s Advisory Board, helping to troubleshoot and navigate this fledging organization as it advanced its mission to reach students with the love and hope of Jesus.

Linda enjoys golfing with her husband, serving friends and family, and hosting BBQs and dinners to encourage fellowship amongst Christians and to engage non-Christians with Christians in a natural and non-threatening setting…all to the glory of Christ.