OUR STAFF
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Andrew & Jena Brown
Andrew and Jena Brown left careers in business and professional theater to join the ministry of Cru and have joyfully served in student ministry for over two decades in Boston, at the University of Virginia, and now in Lynchburg as Team Leaders (directors) of Lynchburg Cru. They dream of giving every person on earth an opportunity to hear and respond to the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. Their passion is to equip students everywhere to share the gospel, build them up in their faith, and send them out in order to fulfill the great commission depicted in Matthew 28:18–20.
Jena and Andrew live in there 114-year-old house with their three children - Olivia, Logan, and Samuel. Together they love thrifting and travel. Andrew loves DIY projects and Jena loves theater and film! They also serve as Lynchburg Cru's team leaders.
Nolvin & Kati Cruz
Nolvin is a graduate from PVCC in Charlottesville. There, he was introduced to Cru and became an actively involved participant and later the student president. After graduating he felt God put it on his heart to go into full time ministry with Cru to see lost students come to know Jesus. He has served on the Lynchburg Cru team as full time staff since 2019.
Nolvin married his wife, Kati, in June 2022, and in Oct 2024 they welcomed their son, Ezra, into the world! Nolvin has seen the Office 10 times , loves to fish, read books, and playng board games or Mario Kart with Kati!
Blair Cook
Blair loved growing up in Ohio before attending Liberty University, graduating with degrees in philosophy, religion, and communications. After Liberty, he interned with Cru for 2 years in the Dominican Republic sharing the gospel with university students and helping to raise up Dominican national staff. In 2017, the Lord led Blair to co-found a prohject working with unreached refugees and post-Christian university students alongside local chruches in Sweden.
Now, Blair is helping Lynchburg Cru form healthy missions partnerships on every continent in the world. His hope is to move back overseas in the near future to share the Gospel with people who have little to no access.
Mason & Sonali Boni
Mason joined our Cru team after graduating from LU with a degree in Biblical Studies. He has been on the team for 4 years and continues to serve as full-time staff as a coach for the CVCC Cru ministry. He loves Spider-Man and Twenty One Pilots!
Sonali has been a student leader and volunteer in the Lynchburg Cru movement for the past 5 years. In 2026, she joined the team as part-time staff! She graduated from LU with a degree in Christian Leadership & Church Ministry and is currently pursuing her Masters degree in Christian Ministry. She loves banana bread and singing!
Mason & Sonali married in July of 2026. Together, they are also pursuing church planting in New Hampshire and continuing on staff with Cru at Dartmouth College.
Dristin & Sydney Hughes
Dristin graduated from SUNY Cortland in 2024. Dristin has been affiliate staff for the last 2 years but is excited to be serving as an intern this year! He began leading with Cru in 2022 as a student, and his life has been changed ever since!
Sydney is a Liberty grad and is a second year intern. She became involved with Cru after going on a spring break trip to Sweden and having her heart burdened for the nations. In her free time, she enjoys film photography, hammocking, and drinking matcha.
Dristin and Syndey married in July of 2026! Together, they hope to one day serve overseas reaching college students and refugees in France.
Abby Uhlmeyer
Abby has just graduated from Liberty University and is excited to be joining the staff team as an intern. She got involved with Liberty Cru her freshman year, served as the LU Cru president, and has grown in many ways through this ministry. In her free time she loves to read, run, swim, and knit.
Kimi Blindman
Kimi is a soon-to-be graduating senior from Liberty University. She has been involved with Cru since her freshman year of high school. She loves the value of community and mission-focus from Cru. In her free time, she loves to hammock, drinking coffee, and is always down for an adventure!
John Jackson
John is passionate about seeing students take meaningful steps toward Jesus and grow in their faith. Having experienced the impact of campus ministry in his own walk with the Lord, John now has the privilege of walking alongside students as they navigate life, wrestle with big questions, and discover who Jesus is.
Matthew Jackson
Matthew was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and raised in Lynchburg, Virginia. He connected with Cru while attending CVCC, a turning point that changed his life's direction, shifting his focus from living for himself to living missionally, with a desire to see the nations know their King, Jesus Christ.
Frank Patton
Frank is a Lynchburg native and a recent graduate of the CVCC trade school. He joined Cru while at the community college and took a serious interest in the ministry. In his free time, he enjoys hanging out with friends, practicing music, and aerial photography with his drone. He is excited to be joining staff and serving as an intern with Lynchburg Cru!
Abby Sloan
Abby is in her senior year at Liberty University studying social work and global and intercultural engagement. She is originally from Ontario, Canada, and has been a part of Lynchburg Cru since 2024. Abby is grateful to have gone on 4 mission trips with Cru and her involvement with the movement has been the highlight of her time at college. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and exploring new places.
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