Meet the Directors and Staff Team

Team Leader: Mark Fertig, and his wife Erika (University of Toledo)

My wife and I have been on staff for 21 years. I am a graduate of the Ohio State University and Erika went to Butler. We met on summer mission in 1999, the summer before our senior years of college, and a few years later were married. We spent two years on staff at Ohio State getting some initial training and experience before moving overseas. We lived and ministered for nine years in East Asia. We loved seeing first hand what God was doing to draw people from every tribe, tongue and nation to worship Himself. After adopting our first daughter, Emma, at the end of May 2013, we moved back to the States. Three months later we adopted Elsie. We've nicknamed them "Dr. Talk-a-Lot" (Emma, now 11) and "the Human Tornado" (Elsie, now 10) and you'll easily find out why. While spending a year at Cru's international headquarters in Orlando we sensed God's leading to remain in the States. Now I serve as the Local Missions Director for Michigan and NW Ohio. I truly believe seeing lost college students become lifetime laborers in God's global mission is the most strategic and effective way I can invest my life. Summer missions play a huge role in creating an environment for incredible growth. My family and I are so excited to get to know you and challenge you to invest your life in eternity.

mark.fertig@cru.org 407-205-6414

Team Leader: Christine Major (Indiana University)

I grew up in Indiana and am a graduate of Ball State University. I've been on staff for the last 12 years and I spent 9 of those years serving in East Asia. I moved back to the States two years ago, and am now serving as a team leader at Indiana University in Bloomington.

I love summer missions! While this will be my first time in Virginia Beach, some of my favorite memories from serving in East Asia are from various summer missions I was a part of. I am already excited to meet you and see what God does in our lives as we spend the summer together in Virginia Beach!

christine.major@cru.org 407-927-9414

Operations Team Leader: Rob Menko (Michigan State University)

I have been on staff for 6 years. I graduated from Michigan State University in 2015 with a bachelor’s in animal science and a minor in Spanish. I decided to intern with Cru after participating in a Summer Mission to Guayaquil, Ecuador where I saw how God could use me to reach many with the Gospel. I became a full-time staff member after two years of interning in 2017 and was placed at Michigan State University.

I’ve loved working with Cru for the last 6 years. In the last year or so, I’ve found I very much enjoy discipling men and teaching people how to walk with the Lord and experience the Holy Spirit in their life. I’m excited to return to Virginia Beach this summer because I unapologetically love beach life and I get to help college students learn to walk with the Lord and grow in their faith, all while taking steps of faith throughout the summer. If you ever want to play sports, walk the boardwalk, or simply hang out on the beach, you can almost always count me in!!! look forward to getting to know each of you and help make your life easy by handling all the details!

rob.menko@cru.org 248-912-7319