CHRONIC JOY LEADERSHIP

 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Pamela Piquette

Pamela Piquette

Executive Director and Co-Founder

Pamela is a leader and a visionary following God’s call to inspire those affected by chronic illness, mental illness, chronic pain, and disability to discover hope, find purpose, embrace worth, and encounter joy. She believes that every precious life affected by chronic illness is both vital and purposed. She is diagnosed with chronic migraines and other chronic conditions.

Pamela is a wife of more than 35 years, mother of three married children, and grandmother of six. 

Cindee Snider Re

Cindee Snider Re

Co-Founder and Treasurer

Cindee is wife of the man she loves most in this world, mama of five adult children (three who are married), and grandma of an adorable grandbaby. She is an author, photographer, craver of quiet, lover of cotton, demin, Jesus, and tea. Cindee and four of her five children live with Ehlers-Danlos, dysautonomia, intractable migraine, and myriad co-existing conditions. Cindee is drawn to God’s beautiful world and she’s learning that the deeper the valley, the greater is her capacity for joy.

Jan Van Kooten

Jan Van Kooten

Chronic Joy® Editor and Secretary

Jan and her husband Gerry divide their time between Sterling, Alaska and Sedona, Arizona (where she is a choir director at Sedona United Methodist Church). Jan’s love of words fills the spaces in between being a wife, mom, grandmother, and retired music educator.

Sedona also provides Jan and Gerry great Red Rock views and amazing hiking trails — if you’re ever in the area from April through October, do drop by!

Happy Bubbles

Meet our Volunteer Staff

Meet the committed individuals who generously give of their time, talent, wisdom, and resources to serve the Chronic Joy® community.

Karin Fendick

Karin FendickSTAFF WRITER AND PRAYER TEAM

In 2012, as a Jesus-loving blogger looking for community, Karin stumbled (by God’s design, she is certain) onto The High Calling, a blog network designed to help Christians think deeply about how their faith relates to their work and the culture in which they live. In the mix of amazing people, Karin met Cindee. The two communicated through blog comments; when Cindee mentioned Chronic Joy, Karin had to investigate and, at once, felt at home. She shared a poem with Cindee (thinking it might encourage someone), which Cindee posted on Chronic Joy’s Facebook page. Some time passed – and in 2020, when Karin was asked if she wanted to write some things for the website, she agreed. She continues writing and participating in CJ’s prayer ministry because she believes in the mission of Chronic Joy.

Karin is a handmaiden of the Lord, saved by grace, a worshiper, a poet, a broken heart, a lover of words, God’s work in progress on the Potter’s wheel. She is hungry for truth and amazed by love. After five years in Africa, Karin and Rick (her beloved husband of almost twenty-five years) are back in rural Canada, where chronic pain drives her to the feet of Jesus. She is powered by prayer, love, and many cups of strong coffee. She is the author of From Ashes to Glory (A Psalm a Day).

Laurie Glass

Laurie GlassSTAFF WRITER 

Laurie has a master’s degree in Christian Counseling and is the author of Coping with ME/CFS. Many of her poems and articles have been published in print and online. She won the Open Medicine Foundation poetry contest in 2019. Laurie loves to use her gift of writing to encourage others.

Laurie began serving with Chronic Joy when she submitted her first post (Be Gentle with Yourself) in early 2022. She was instrumental in developing Chronic Joy’s self-care resources.

Margaret Hoggard

Magaret Hoggard

PRAYER SHAWLS

Maggie believes that creativity has the power to transform us when the Holy Spirit inspires it. A lifelong learner who desires to serve God in all she does, she holds master’s degrees in teaching language arts and Christian interdisciplinary studies. After retiring as a college English instructor, she earned certifications in spiritual formation, women’s ministry, and Christian education. Maggie has one son and three grandchildren and lives in Michigan with her husband, Royce. Her interests include crafting, drama, reading, art, music, and walking.

Maggie blessed Chronic Joy with her first prayer shawl in the fall of 2022 and continues to knit one new shawl each month.

Kara Plett

Kara PlettSTAFF WRITER AND PRAYER TEAM

When Kara’s life was altered due to chronic illness, she began searching for information, support, and others who understood. God led her to Chronic Joy. When she clicked on the website and started exploring, she found “a beautiful community.” In 2020, Kara contributed some of her devotional writing and connected with Pamela to get more involved. Kara is so thankful to journey alongside “this amazing collection of people who point others to Christ in such loving and compassionate ways.”

Kara and her husband Conrad live in Calgary, Canada, where she taught for 28 years. She loves the Word of God and encourages others through her devotional writing. Kara felt led to write a book of devotionals (Searching for Sea Glass) when her journey with chronic illness pressed her into God’s arms of love more deeply. She prays that her journey and refinement will encourage you in your walk with God.

Dee Richards

Dee Richards

FACEBOOK • CARE COORDINATOR

Dee is a faith-filled servant of God with two beautiful teenage daughters who are the loves of her life. She struggles with paranoid schizophrenia and depression and, following a life-altering experience, dedicated her life to serving God. After working as an accountant for many years, Dee now volunteers at a local nursing home, for Everybody Wins Iowa, and with Chronic Joy®. She is also an assistant teacher in the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults at her church. In her free time, Dee enjoys walking, sharing her heart on Facebook, and reading the Bible, historical fiction, and romance novels.

Dee began serving as Chronic Joy’s Facebook Care Coordinator in 2022. She posts comments as an encouragement to others.

Gayl Wright

Gayl Wright

CONTENT COORDINATOR AND PRAYER TEAM

Gayl joined the Chronic Joy team in early November 2020. Her friend, Bettie Gilbert, introduced her to the CJ ministry and encouraged her to write something for the Cultivate 2021 project. Gayl wasn’t sure she had enough time, and the deadline was approaching, but Bettie assured her CJ was flexible. As Gayl prayed about it, a door opened. She received an email from Pamela, and at the end, almost like a “Hail Mary,” Pamela asked if Gayl knew about SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Little did she know that Gayl loved SEO and could hardly write without thinking about headings and keyword phrases. After a phone conversation with Pamela, Gayl knew that this was where she belonged.

A grandmother but young at heart, Gayl enjoys exploring creativity through writing, poetry, nature photography, art, crocheting, and piano. She loves coffee, tea, chocolate, and jeans. Gayl has been married to Steve for nearly 50 years; they have seven children and 14 grands (some have chronic illnesses, and one son is now with Jesus). Always learning and writing from her heart about life, she desires to know God better, glorify Him, and encourage others. She is the author of Journey into Light.

Jan VanKooten

Jan VanKooten

EDITOR AND BOARD MEMBER

Jan met Cindee Snyder Re at the Lake Michigan Writers’ Workshop in May 2015. They joined eight other writers (most wannabes, some already published) to glean wisdom and encouragement from Leslie Leyland Fields (an established, successful Christian writer and teacher). Cindee and Jan found themselves doing dishes together, where they slipped into easy conversation, learning about each other and finding common ground. Although Jan was then unaware, Cindee enjoyed Jan’s voice and imagined that voice reading an audio version of her (as yet unwritten) book.

Fast forward two years: following God’s leading and guidance, Cindee and Pamela began Chronic Joy.org, where one of Cindee’s first projects was to write Discovering Hope, a devotional book designed for folks dealing with chronic illness. When Cindee asked Jan to provide the audio for that book in Summer 2021, Jan agreed with delight. While reading aloud, Jan made some editorial adjustments (which Cindee graciously and gratefully accepted). Cindee and Pamela then asked Jan to extend her editing bent to the Chronic Joy website. Jan takes ridiculous satisfaction in trying to make words, sentences, and ideas clearer and (grammatically) correct, so it seems she has found a perfect niche at Chronic Joy. It was a natural development for her to join the CJ board in October 2021. Serving Chronic Joy as editor and Board member is heart ministry for Jan.

Jan and her husband Gerry divide their time between Sterling, Alaska, and Sedona, Arizona (where she is a choir director at Cornerstone Bible Church). Jan’s love of words fills the spaces between being a wife, mom, grandmother, and retired music educator.

Sedona also provides Jan and Gerry with great Red Rock views and amazing hiking trails. Drop by if you are ever in the area from April through October!

Lee Ann Zanon

Lee Ann ZanonSTAFF WRITER 

Lee Ann has been part of Chronic Joy since February 2022, when her first blog post was published. She was drawn to the ministry because of her chronic pain and desperate need for encouragement. Now retired from a career in writing and teaching, Lee Ann is grateful for a flexible lifestyle where her days typically include reading, taking walks, playing piano, and encouraging others. Lee Ann is the author of the devotional book Honest Hope.

With her husband of 40+ years, Lee Ann has two married daughters and four young grandchildren (who live just five minutes away, bringing their grandparents great delight!). Lee Ann and Mike attend a church where their son-in-law is the pastor; they serve there as they can. The Zanons love to spend time outdoors whenever possible – whether hiking, biking, or kayaking – all in moderation! Their deepest joy is following the Lord and growing together in faith. Lee Ann and Mike rejoice in God’s goodness, especially in the blessing of their many years of marriage.

Happy Bubbles

ADVISORY COUNCIL

Mike Juneau

Mike Juneau

Financial Advisor

Mike retired from a 37-year career as CPA for Briggs & Stratton Corporation, where he developed the tax department, worked as assistant treasurer, chaired the company retirement plan committees and managed the plan investments. In addition, Mike is an ordained elder and has managed church finances at several churches. In 2006, he was on a team that assisted an inner city non-profit academy in developing its finance and strategy plans. Mike has been married to his wife Mary for 52 years. They have four adult children and six grandchildren, and have fostered more than 20 pre-adoption infants for Milwaukee County, before adopting their daughter Samantha, who has been on a ventilator for more than twenty-five years. Mike’s wife Mary has a chronic autoimmune disease. Daily, he experiences the role of caregiver, supporting and advocating for both his wife and daughter.

Julie Sheridan-Smith

Julie Sheridan-Smith

Pastoral Advisor

Julie is a mother, wife, ordained minister, and a founding board member. She and her husband have three adult children. Julie became personally aware of chronic pain when her daughter began experiencing constant and excruciating back pain, resulting in surgery. Yet the pain continued and other unexplained issues began – nausea, stomach pain, and inability to keep food down. During her senior year in high school, her daughter became gravely ill with gastroparesis and spent much of her senior year in and out of the hospital. The quest for relief and solutions, the ongoing struggle of chronic illness, and the anxiety that accompanies both has drawn Julie to seek to know and speak of God’s presence in and through the reality of chronic pain – both for the one experiencing it and for those who love them.

Jeff Piquette

Jeff Piquette

Information Systems Advisor

Jeff began his partnership with Chronic Joy® as we took our first fledgling steps, answering technical questions, helping when needed, and most importantly teaching us so we can grow.

He graduated from University of Wisconsin -Milwaukee with BS in Computer Science.

Jeff’s patient, unruffled demeanor, expertise, willingness to serve, faithfully and quietly behind-the-scenes continues today with his church, with Chronic Joy® and with his family.

Jeff is a quiet, thoughtful, dedicated husband, father, son and IT professional.

Happy Bubbles

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