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 ancient coin collector, and uses this hobby and passion to gleam insights into the life and times of the ancient world, specifically Israel and the Middle East.

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 4:3 – I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me

Kim began attending Creekside in 2017, after working on staff since 2013. She accepted Christ at age 20 and began full-time ministry in 1994. She was married in 2013 and has two grown boys. Kim mostly grew up in Twin Falls, Idaho, and has also lived in Modesto, Boise, and San Diego. She likes to travel, hang out with friends and family, and golf. Her favorite verse is:

· Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

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 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 2020. 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.

After growing up in the motor city, Metro Detroit, Michigan, Matt moved his family to join our staff in 2021. He accepted Christ when he was seven years old and began full-time ministry in 2005. Married since 2007, Matt and Adrienne have two children, Estelle and Henry. He enjoys family meals, pool time, reading, running, cycling, and coffee. His favorite passages are: 

• Ephesians 2:1-10 – As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. 
• And the Joseph narrative in Genesis (chapters 37-50). 

Sherry started attending Creekside in 2002 and came on staff in August 2006. She accepted Christ when she was 37 and served in part-time and volunteer roles for 12 years at a church in South Sacramento before coming to Creekside. Sherry has been married to her husband Steve since 1986, and have two grown boys. She grew up in near Harrisburg PA, lived in Virginia while Steve was stationed at Langley AFB, and then moved to Sacramento in 1988. Sherry enjoys refinishing old furniture or repurposing wood to make furniture or home décor, gardening & landscaping. Her favorite verse is:

· Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”

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 in July 2020 and had his first son in July 2021, gladly adding to the up-and-coming COVID Boomer generation. Other than his little guy capturing much of my time, Matt loves anything outdoors! Biking, hiking, rock climbing, sports, you name it and he’s in! Matt’s 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 life verse is:

· Galatians 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Stephanie joined our Shining Stars Preschool staff in 2011. She was 6 years old when she accepted the Lord while growing up in the San Jose CA area. Stephanie has always lived in CA, but moved to Elk Grove in 2005 with her husband Dan whom she married in 2004. They have three young children. Sports is huge part of their family’s life, as her husband is a football coach at Bradshaw Christian and her boys play hockey, baseball and wrestling! Stephanie also enjoys traveling and spending time with friends and her dog Buster. Her life 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.