MEET OUR STAFF
GET TO KNOW OUR TEAM
JEFF NEEL
Jeff is the Executive Director of NCYFC. He has been working with NCYFC since 2001 and has found his passion here. He has much to learn, but he has learned much on the way. He became keenly aware that kids need to Heal & Belong before they can Hear & Believe. Many kids have hurts by religion in the past or from adults they were supposed to be able to trust. This has led them to feel alone and unaccepted which closes them off from hearing the amazing story of God's love in their lives. Therefore, he strives to help these kids heal from their pains and belong to a community that cares for them so we can earn the opportunity to help them hear the gospel and believe in God's love. This is his life's dedication. He loves God, his wife Becca, his daughters Acadia & Wislande, and board sports... in that order.
Get in touch with Jeff: [email protected]
MEGAN PACKARD
Megan Packard is the Rebalance Program Director and Personnel Manager for NCYFC. She has been with Northern Colorado Youth for Christ since 2016. Megan has her Master's Degree in Therapeutic Recreation from the University of Georgia and is a trained Trust-Based Relational Intervention Practitioner. Megan spends her free time with her husband, Josh, and son, Holden. They love to golf, ski and spend time hiking in the mountains.
Get in touch with Megan: [email protected]
ZAC VALDEZ
Zac is the Director of Juvenile Justice Ministries and was brought on to NCYFC staff full time in July of 2019. He is also one of the Rebalance coaches here on campus. Zac graduated from CU Denver with a major in Criminal Justice and a Minor in Sociology. He enjoys several sports, exercise and fitness as well as just playing like a kid in the skatepark and loves some leisure time gaming on Xbox and PC. He's easy to get along with and can talk about almost anything… Good luck getting him to stop 😉
Get in touch with Zac: [email protected]
TREVOR MEKELBURG
Trevor is the Director of Higher Grounds, a Rebalance Coach, and a coach for Skate League in the Refuge. He joined the team in September of 2021, after working for a Sk8 Church in Steamboat Springs for 4 years. In addition to making everyone laugh, Trevor loves to share his love of Jesus and his hobbies of skateboarding and music with everyone in Northern Colorado.
Get in touch with Trevor: [email protected]
JONATHON GONZALES
Jonathan has been working with Northern Colorado Youth for Christ since December 2021. He works as a Rebalance Coach, for Higher Grounds, as well as a mentor in the Juvenile Justice Ministry. Jonathon grew up two blocks north of Higher Grounds, across the street from the Rodarte Center - so he is very familiar with this area and the struggles of living in an urban community. Before Jonathon found Jesus, he was involved in gangs and drug dealing. Since he has given his life to Jesus, he is a proud husband, father of three amazing kids, the Vice-President of The Board of Directors for Jobs Of Hope, a business owner of a clothing brand called Elevate Mindbodyspirit. He is also a youth leader at his church, a motivational speaker, but most importantly he is a willing vessel with a servant's heart. If you ever need to talk to somebody about how to go from one lifestyle to another, don’t hesitate to reach out to him.
Get in touch with Jonathon: [email protected]
Zia Rios
Zia Rios is an Office Administrator and ReBalance coach at NCYFC, since August of 2022. She received her Bachelor's degree in Christian Ministries through Messenger College in 2022. She participates in Higher Grounds, small groups and ReBalance. Her heart is for edifying people, building community, and teaching the Word of God. In her free time, she teaches at a local church, reads, and travels. It is a privilege to give young people a positive experience of what the love of God is and to be a small part of their story.
Get in touch with Zia : [email protected]
Ruthie Roth
Ruthie is a Rebalance coach, a mentor for the Juvenile Justice Ministry, and a Higher Grounds leader. Ruthie came on staff in November of 2022. Ruthie was born in China and adopted at a young age, but grew up in the Northern Colorado area. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology from the University of Northern Colorado in December of 2022. Ruthie enjoys spending time with her husband, Nathanael, her family, and friends. She also enjoys being outside on a warm day, being creative with florals, and volunteering for the church she attends.
Get in touch with Ruthie : [email protected]
Nathanael Roth
Nathanael has been a part of the team at Northern Colorado Youth for Christ since November 2022. He is a Rebalance Coach and a leader in Higher Grounds. He was born and raised in Greeley and has loved every minute of his time here. He loves Jesus with all he has and is so excited to be working here in ministry with his amazing wife, Ruthie. His hobbies include gaming, learning how to skate, and enjoying time alone in the Bible.
Get in touch with Nathanael : [email protected]
Gabriel May
Born in California but Colorado native, Gabriel is a Rebalance and skate coach at the NYCFC since December of 2022. He has experience in missionary work with a concentration on children’s ministry and community outreach. He maintains that missionary spirit today in all that he does. His hobbies are skateboarding, running, learning Latin languages, and drinking espresso with good friends.
Get in touch with Gabriel : [email protected]
Gabe Isabelle
Gabriel Isabelle is a Rebalance Coach and Mentor for Juvenile Justice Ministries at NCYFC since December of 2022. His background is in worship ministry and leadership, marketing, and has utilized these in many ways to bring his love of video games to build community with youth and adults. He builds community through his time as a Partnered Twitch streamer. Gabriel and his wife, Katie, have been married for 11 years. They love seeing Jesus do powerful things through local community, which has made this job a perfect fit.
Get in touch with Gabe : [email protected]
Graham Thompson
Graham was hired by Youth for Christ in January 2024. After a long history of struggling with addiction, school issues, and legal troubles, his life took a transformative turn when he gave his heart to Jesus. This change ignited a passion for helping young people who are often lost and forgotten by society.
Get in touch with Graham : [email protected]
Val Brower
Val joined Youth for Christ in July 2025 after moving from her hometown of Denver to Greeley to pursue a degree in ministry and education. She has a deep passion for supporting at-risk youth who often feel unseen or unsure of where they belong. Val, along with her husband Elijah and their son Clayton, is committed to building strong bridges between youth ministries and the church so young people can find hope, connection, and opportunities to grow.
Get in touch with Val : [email protected]
Mel Rosales
Melanie is a bilingual Rebalance Coach, Mentor, and Leader for Higher Grounds. She graduated from the University of Northern Colorado in May 2025 with a Bachelor’s in Human Services and joined the YFC team that July. Melanie’s deepest joy comes from Jesus, and she strives daily to reflect His love. She is passionate about investing in others and helping them see the value and purpose they carry. She treasures time with her family, friends, and fur babies, and she’s always excited to build new relationships and try new things.
Get in touch with Mel:[email protected]
Sadey Simmons
Get in touch with Sadey : [email protected]
Caleb Howard
Caleb Howard has been a Rebalance Coach/Mentor for us at NCYFC since August 2025. Caleb’s own mental health journey, along with his 8+ years of youth ministry experience, has given him a passion for supporting youth and helping lead them to Christ. When he’s not leading a Rebalance class, you can find him rolling dice with his D&D group, lifting weights at the gym, or listening to one of his favorite ghost-hunting podcasts.
Get in touch with Caleb : [email protected]
MARCY HOSHIKOncyfc.org
Marcy manages our donor base (and is the "mom" to many of us) at NCYFC. Jesus and teenagers are her passion, and she was a youth leader for 20 years - giving her a lot of insight into what teens are feeling and facing. She desires for all teens to know there is hope, forgiveness, safety, and love - and Jesus is the one to provide it all. It is a blessing and a privilege for her to surround herself with teenagers and be able to serve God at the same time, and she is thankful for the opportunities she has been given here.
Get in touch with Marcy: [email protected]