OUR
TEAM
pASTOR DAVID
mRS. eMILY
Principal Yeni
Mrs. Belinda
mRS. gABRIELA
Mrs. Nohely
MS. eMILY b.
Pastor Saul
Mrs. cindy
mR. Alexander
ms. Thare
Ms. Bessy
mrs. kathia
Mrs. norma
mrs. nancy
mrs. claudia
ms. lysbeth
Mrs. Gabriela
Mrs. yorleny
ms. keyla
Mrs. Wendy
mr. harvy
mr. Fredys
ms. paola
ms. guadalupe
mR. Emil
mrs. JANETH
mrs. jeanette r.
mr. rudis
ms. karol
mr. josé
mr. edson
mr. angel
ms. esther
mrs. aida
mrs. eduvijes
ms. gladys
ms. karen
ms. vannesa
mrs. heydi
ms. gabriela
mrs. evelyn
Mr. marvin
mr. benigno
u.s. staff
mrs. yvonne johnson
With more than 36 years of experience in marketing, Yvonne Johnson retired from corporate life in December 2025—but wasn’t ready to stop working! She wanted to use her professional skills to support a faith-based organization, and Jubilee Centers International was a wonderful fit.
Yvonne and her husband, Jim, are parents of twins, Andrew and Vanessa, who have each blessed them with a grandchild. Outside of work, she enjoys Lake Michigan beaches, summer sunsets, reading, crafting and playing with her grandchildren, and RV adventures.
A favorite Bible passage, Ephesians 3:18–19, reminds her of the immeasurable depth of God’s incredible love.
u.s. Board
Judy Plaggemars – chair
Judy Plaggemars serves as Board Chair of Jubilee Centers International, bringing 40 years of experience serving West Michigan ministries. After visiting Jubilee on a mission trip in 2019, she was drawn to the joy of the Lord among the students and staff and the quality, Bible-based education they receive. Sensing God’s call to serve more fully, she joined the Board of Directors in 2020. Since then, she has returned to Honduras and helped raise awareness of Jubilee throughout West Michigan. To connect with Judy, email info@jubileehn.org.
Judy and her husband, Paul, have four adult children and six grandchildren. She enjoys family time, reading, walking, and relaxing at their cottage.
Kathy DeJong – vice Chair
Kathy DeJong has enjoyed living and traveling throughout Latin America for over 50 years. After college, Kathy and her husband, Jeff, moved to the Dominican Republic to help establish Christian schools. Fifteen years later, they moved to Michigan. While teaching at The Potter’s House, the Romeros visited and shared about Jubilee Centers International during staff devotions. This marked the beginning of many years of service with Jubilee.
Kathy and Jeff have four sons and ten grandchildren. Besides teaching, she enjoys reading, hiking, drawing, and traveling to Latin America. Jeremiah 29:11 is a favorite verse because God’s plans are good.
Sara Veenstra – Secretary
Katie Peterson – Treasure
Katie serves as Treasurer of Jubilee Centers International’s U.S. Board of Directors, bringing 35 years of finance and operations experience to the role. After joining the board in early 2024, she visited Jubilee in July 2024 and again February 2026. These visits brought her work with Jubilee to life as she experienced the joy of the staff and students, witnessed God’s work through the school and church, and saw the love of God shining through the Jubilee community and its impact on the La Era neighborhood.
Katie and her husband, Jim, have been married since 1997 and split their time between Petoskey, Michigan, and Oro Valley, Arizona. She enjoys traveling, hiking, and biking, drawing encouragement from Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Amy Haroff – Member
Jubilee captured Amy’s heart when God called her to serve there in 2015. Since then, she has continued serving on the Board of Directors and leading an annual week-long mission team. Each visit, she enjoys reconnecting with familiar faces and getting to know new ones.
Amy works full-time as an occupational therapist at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, specializing in working with people with neurological conditions. She feels blessed to make a difference in the lives of others.
Outside of work and her Jubilee involvement, Amy enjoys visiting family and friends, serving at church, gardening, traveling, cooking, baking, and reading.
Jim Boerkoel– Member
Jim Boerkoel brings over 40 years of sales and consulting experience to Jubilee Centers International. He and his wife, Lyn, have four grown children and eight grandchildren. Though retired, they work part-time delivering buses and enjoy reading, gardening, and traveling.
Jim is committed to serving in his local church and sees Jubilee as a natural extension of that commitment. While on a mission trip to Jubilee, he saw the love of Jesus reflected in the faces, eyes, and smiles of Jubilee’s staff and students. For Jim, this brought Romans 1:16 to life: they are “not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.” What a blessing!
