Denise comes on board October 3 as
the next Program Director for Anabaptist Disabilities Network. She has a heart
for extending welcome to those on the margins and is on a personal journey to
understand, cherish, and grow alongside the adults in her family who have disabilities.
Denise draws strength from honest conversations and communities that recognize
that each person has gifts to share and needs to be filled. She approaches her
work with a desire to learn and be shaped by others’ experiences in the joyful
yet challenging journey of living in diverse communities.
Denise has had many homes. She
grew up in Southern Ontario, Canada, and spent the past three years in Cambodia
with Mennonite Central Committee. She now calls Goshen, Indiana, home where her
husband Tony Janzen grew up and has family.
A former middle school science
teacher, Denise recently entered graduate school to become a school psychologist.
The graduate program focuses around the learning, emotional, and behavioral
needs of students and designing interventions to help them succeed in school.
She hopes these studies will complement the work with ADN. Denise also works
part-time as an administrative assistant at Eighth Street Mennonite Church in
Goshen.
Denise enjoys spending time with
her husband and friends, being outdoors, bicycling, and running. She attends
East Goshen Mennonite Church and appreciates the community she has found there.
Christine Guth, outgoing Program Director, will work side by side with
Denise for about six weeks as she learns about
her new role. Christine will conclude her work with ADN in mid-November. Look
for Denise’s contributions to the website, blog, and newsletter in the months to
come.
Kathy Nofziger Yeakey is Executive Director for Anabaptist Disabilities Network.
