Meet Our Team

Scott Hansen took a long and crazy journey to get to where he joined Creekside staff in 2014. He was born and raised in California. His pre-college days included becoming an Eagle Scout, traveling Europe a couple of times in a pop music group, and singing in a rock band. By the end of his senior year in high school, Scott lost his oldest brother in a tragic car accident. It was this family crisis that eventually led Scott to begin secretly reading the Bible and coming to know Jesus Christ in a direct, personal way. Scott’s actual call into ministry came in 1982, and the next year he began three years of seminary, followed by 18 years of service as a missionary in Europe with his wife Michelle and kids. Scott is an avid student of history and uses this passion to bring us insights into the life and times of the ancient world, specifically Israel and the Middle East. One of his favorite verses is: · Habakkuk 2:14 – For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

Troy first came to Creekside the first weekend we opened our current campus in Jan of 1994. His daughter was born the next month, his son 2 years later, and he and his wife Karen have been here ever since (although they lived in Taiwan while working for Intel in 2004/05). Troy grew up in the Bay Area the son of a pastor and accepted the Lord and was baptized at an early age but recommitted his life to the Lord in High School (with Karen, who later became his wife). Troy has served in lay leadership since coming to Creekside and has served on the Elder board multiple terms. He joined staff in April of 2021. Troy is an avid traveler, hunter, triathlete (Ironman), and motorcyclist and when not at church, you’ll find him and Karen with their dog Enzo, a Great Pyrenees Mountain Dog. His life verse is:

· Phil 4:13 – I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me

Allen accepted Christ at the age of 10 while attending Vacation Bible School. He joined Creekside staff in July 2024. He was born and raised in Sacramento, and he and his wife Vickee have three adult sons. Allen’s career in finance spanned three decades in corporate and government organizations, and he also managed finances for several Christian non-profits, including the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Starting Point for Refugee Children, an organization founded by his wife Vickee. He enjoys spending time with family and friends, family vacations, biking, hiking/walking, golf, and pickle ball. One of his favorite verses is:

· 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

Joel and his family moved to Elk Grove and joined the staff at Creekside on Labor Day 2003. He was very young, around 5 or 6 when he first accepted Christ as his Savior, but, it wasn’t until he was 18 that Joel committed himself to serving in full-time ministry. He worked part-time in churches since 1997, but Creekside is his first full time ministry position. He married his wife Jennifer in 2000 and they have four kids: two teenagers and two still in elementary school. Joel grew up in western Washington (Go Seahawks!) and spent 5 years in Edmonton, Alberta. He coaches volleyball at Monterey Trail High School and loves playing sports of all kinds. He loves being outdoors, especially at the beach or up in the mountains. His favorite passage is:

· Romans 12:1-2 – Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Melissa has been attending Creekside since 1996, became a member in 1999, and joined our staff in 2007. She accepted Christ at nine years of age, and volunteered in many church positions before joining the church staff. She married the love of her life in 1990, and they have two adult children – Melissa loves being a parent of grown kids! She was born in Albuquerque, NM and moved to Salinas, CA when she was 5 and lived there until college. She enjoys the Monterey Bay area, deep conversation with a friend or family member, going to the beach, traveling to the tropics, learning and growing with her LifeGroup, exploring new areas with her grown children, and playing games with family and friends. Her life verse is:

· Psalm 19:14 – May the words of my mouth and the medications of my heart be pleasing to you, Oh Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Peter’s connection with Creekside goes back to 1999 when he met his wife through the church (at winter camp!) but he lived out of the area until 2016, when his family moved to Elk Grove, and became members at Creekside and joined staff in 2019. Peter had served in full time church ministry at other churches since 2003. He was only 4 years old when he accepted Christ which may seem young, but he remembers understanding the good news of Jesus clearly and was baptized later when he was 9. He married his wife Katie in 2007 and they have two young boys. Peter was born in Cameroon Africa to missionary parents and then moved to Germany where his father pastored until Peter was about 7 years old. Then they moved to southern CA where he grew up and lived until moving to Woodland CA in 2003 and now Elk Grove. Peter loves high altitude mountaineering and has climbed a number of peaks over 14,000 feet in elevation – Mt. Shasta, Mt. Rainer, Cotopaxi and Chimborazo (Ecuadorian Andes) as well as peaks in Alaska and Mexico. He also loves going to the movies! His favorite verse is:

· Psalm 37:4 – Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Prior to joining Creekside staff in 2022, Ron served as a pastor in Alaska for 17 years and in Columbus Ohio for 18 years. He accepted Jesus at age 8. He was born in the California Bay Area, then moved to Montana to attend college, where he married his high school sweetheart, Barbara. They have been married 43 years and have two adult children and four grandchildren. Ron enjoys the outdoors, traveling, writing, and connecting with people. Ron has two favorite verses:
· Psalms 90:12 – Teach us to number our days so we can gain a heart of wisdom.
· 2 Cor 5:18 – Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.

Lois began attending Creekside in 2023 when she was called as Kids’ Pastor. She accepted Christ at age 5 with her mom. Coming to Christ as a young child gives her a huge heart for helping connect kids with the love and forgiveness of Jesus, and the joy of life in Him.

She grew up volunteering in children’s ministry and has served in full time vocational kids ministry since 1996. Lois is very happily married to the newly retired Dr. Nick Sherwin, who served 26 years as Strategy Professor at Biola University. They have two adult children, Jennifer and Nick Jr, a beautiful daughter-in-love, Meghan, and three precious grandchildren, Lillie, Eva, and Lachlan. Lois grew up in Southern California. She lived for two glorious years in the Pocono Mountains of Northeast PA. The Sherwin’s are excited about this next season of ministry at Creekside! Lois enjoys hiking, reading, baking, swimming, biking, and listening to Nick play music. She is a certified scuba diver and loves the ocean. She is a DMin student at Talbot School of Theology studying Spiritual Formation and Soul Care as it relates to children and families. Her favorite passage is:

· John 3:16-17 – For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Matt is an Elk Grove native and originally attended Creekside from the time he was in the nursery until graduating high school. After graduation he moved away to go to college at Azusa Pacific University and then began working in youth ministry in Branson, Missouri. He has worked in full-time ministry since 2013 and moved back home to join the staff team at Creekside in 2018. Matt got married to Amy in July 2020 and their first son Matt Jr. “MJ” was added to the family in July 2021, soon to joined by Bennett in December of 2022. Other than chasing after his little guys, Matt loves all things outdoors! Biking, hiking, rock climbing, sports, you name it and he’s in! his favorite passage is:

· Psalm 63:1-8 – God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

Matt loves that this passage draws attention to our true and deep inner longing for our Creator while giving recognition to the reality that the Lords steadfast love is the greatest thing we can cling to in this life, He is our strength and in Him alone is true satisfaction.

Andrew began attending and joined Creekside staff at the end of August in 2020, in the middle of our Covid year. After having gone to church since he was 6 years old and wearing out a lot of children’s workers and youth workers, he accepted Christ when he was 13 years old, just as he was going into high school. Before joining Creekside, he worked for two years as a Christian high school teacher and then as a global Outreach Coordinator. Andrew was born in San Francisco and grew up in the East Bay. He loves music (both listening to it and making it), films/movies, hiking, photography and videography, traveling (internationally, or even just a good road trip), and reading. Andrew is a huge Lord of the Rings fan, and also a Potterhead and a Star Wars geek. His life verse is:

· Acts 20:24 – But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

Jennifer moved to Elk Grove and began attending Creekside in 1998. She immediately began volunteering and eventually joined our staff part time as Awana Coordinator in 2008. She joined staff full time in 2015 as Volunteer Coordinator before moving to her current position. At four years of age, her mom led her to the Lord, and Jennifer made a lifelong decision to follow Christ in her early twenties. Married in 1988, Jennifer and her husband Jerry have four adult children and four grandchildren. She was born in Reno and grew up in the Central Valley, Southern California, and the East Bay. Jennifer loves to complete the New York Time crossword puzzle daily, and she enjoys rubber stamping and paper crafting in her spare time. Her favorite passage is:

· Titus 3:5-7 – He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Stephanie has been teaching preschool since 1999 and started working at Shining Stars in 2011. She grew up in San Jose, attended Azuza Pacific University, then moved to the Sacramento area in 2005. She married her husband Dan in 2004, and along with their three kids, they are a sports family! Dan coaches football at Bradshaw Christian, and their boys play hockey and participate in competitive swimming. When they aren’t at a sporting event, Stephanie likes to spend time with her family and friends, read, travel, shop, and take walks with their dog. Stephanie was in first grade when she accepted Christ at Campbell Christian School during chapel. Her favorite verse is:

· Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.