Ministry Consultant & Executive Director
Rev. Melissa Hofstetter, PhD is an ordained minister in the Mennonite tradition, having served as district elder in the Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference, helping to oversee the well-being of several Los Angeles area churches. Dr. Hofstetter has taught seminary courses on Pastoral Counseling & Congregational Health, and The Spiritual Life [for caregiving professions]. She served as adjunct professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, Azusa Pacific Seminary, as well as in the doctoral and undergraduate psychology departments at Azusa Pacific University, teaching Neuroscience, Adult Development, Family Systems, & Personality. She is the Founder & Executive Director of Shepherd Heart, providing pastoral care, ministry consultation, clergy workshops and retreats.
Special Consultant
Covenants of Respect Project.
Dr. David Augsburger is a world-renowned expert and author in Christian conflict resolution, serving as special consultant in the Covenants of Respect project. Shepherd Heart is tremendously honored by and grateful for his pastoral leadership.
Ministry Coach & Consultant,
Transition Care for Global Workers
Sara Simons, MA, ACC joined Shepherd Heart in March 2021 as a ministry coach & consultant. She holds a master’s degree in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary, and an ACC (coaching credential) from ICF. Sara & her family recently relocated back to the US after 8 years living & working in Spain. Moving during a global pandemic has only increased her compassion for working with global workers in transition. After working in a member care capacity for over a decade, she created The Art of Transition Workshop and Workbook as tools for major life transition. Together with her husband Jeff, they founded The Way Between, Inc.
Creative Consultant
Steven Homestead is an artist, composer, writer, curator, and speaker, who works to promote honor, give voice, share wonder, and develop unity. He brings genre-spanning creativity to life, whether composing music, leading community art projects, writing and speaking on arts and faith, or curating generative events. He is a creative consultant at Shepherd Heart, participating in retreat facilitation and in art processing in church settings. In the Covenants of Respect project, he walks with congregations as they “beatify and beautify” their covenant together.