Kristin Thompson | Co-Founder / President
Kristin is the President and co-founder of Joshua 1:Nine Ministries. She has been involved in sports ministry since 2004. In 2013, she went to the Dominican Republic for the first time and God called her to commit her time and heart to sports ministry specifically in that country.
For her day job Kristin is a Senior Trust Officer at Washington Trust Bank in Spokane, WA. Before joining the bank, Kristin spent seven years in private legal practice.
Kristin has a Bachelor of Arts in Politics from Willamette University and a Juris Doctorate from Hamline University School of Law. She is past president of Spokane South Rotary and a Trustee for the Spokane County Library System where her love of education and reading has only deepened. In her free time, she enjoys reading, spending time outside with her Bernese Mountain Dog Domino By Ned (Ned) and cheering for the Seattle Mariners.
Mark Baldwin | Chair
Mark serves as an Elder at Southside Christian Church in Spokane, WA, and he is also an Associate Vice President at Eastern Washington University. As a lifelong fan of the game of baseball and knowing how God connects our passions it is not surprising that baseball, God and community have come together in Joshua 1:Nine. Perfect game connecting with children in need in a perfect way! Only our God can orchestrate something like this! Mark joins us looking to lend a hand to this fantastic ministry.
Peter Plantenberg | Vice Chair
Peter has worked for Symetra Insurance Company since 2011. His current role is a Digital Technology Marketing Manager, were he has been serving since 2019. Growing up playing sports, he developed a passion for playing and watching sports so much that he pursued a Masters in Sports Leadership. With a strong belief that sports provide so many opportunities to come together, learn valuable life lessons, and grow, that when asked to join the J1Nine Board, he could not have been more excited and jumped right in.
A native of the Pacific Northwest, Peter lives on a boat and enjoys all things Northwest life has to offer, including good craft beer and making masterpieces in the kitchen with fresh, sustainable ingredients.
Chadron Hazelbaker | Secretary
Chadron is an associate professor in Sport and Recreation Administration at Eastern Washington University where he enjoys helping students explore sport as it intersects with culture, specifically in issues of masculinity. He has 4 children, and spends many hours chasing them around to youth sporting events. Chadron also works with the Short Season A Spokane Indians Baseball club in marketing and promotions during the season.
Chelsea Hodl | Treasurer
Chelsea Hodl works in financial planning and is a CFP® professional. With two sons who play baseball, and a husband that coaches baseball, most of her free time is spent either driving to a practice or traveling to watch games. When she learned about Joshua 1:Nine, she wanted to get involved because she thought it would be a great way to teach her sons about the importance of giving, while using baseball as a common language.
Steve Atkinson
In January 2013, Steve retired from the Federal Aviation Administration after 38 years of service as an air traffic controller and in air traffic facility management. He was blessed to have a wonderful, fulfilling career and now had the freedom, along with his wife Joni, to do whatever they wanted. At the time of his retirement he was already pursuing one of his great passions, coaching youth baseball. So now to date, he has been a baseball coach for the past 20 years, coaching kids at all levels from little league, to competitive summer baseball to high school. The people he has met through baseball, players, parents, other coaches, umpires, are some of the most important people in his life.
Now as a retiree, he has time to give back and the idea of being able to participate in a program that offers hope is something that resonates with him. In addition to his involvement in youth and high school baseball for the past five years, he has volunteered at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium as a guest interpreter. He enjoys traveling with Joni, his wife of 38 years, working in the yard, taking our dog for walks in the woods adjoining our home.
He learned about Joshua 1:Nine through an annual charity drive conducted in Kitsap County in Washington State where he lives. What drew him to the faith based program was the connection to baseball and how the game was used as a vehicle to provide for kids that need help. The fact that the organization was faith based aligned with his values and he was hooked. After talking to Kristin and meeting Todd, he was convinced that Joshua 1:Nine was more than worth his time and support and he is looking forward to supporting this most worthwhile endeavor.
Justin Baldwin-Bonney
Justin is a Spokane-based Certified Public Accountant (CPA), currently working at a local non-profit Community Action Partnership organization which serves over 43,000 households in the greater Spokane area. Keeping with the ideals held from his alma mater, Gonzaga University, he has a strong dedication to helping others by developing the whole person – intellectually, spiritually, culturally, physically, and emotionally. He strives to do this through his work and volunteering. Having gone to the Dominican Republic, and seeing the impact that the organization has on children in Fondo Negro, he knows first hand how the works of Joshua 1:Nine are elevating lives and souls.
Justin is guided in day-to-day life by his wife of over 20 years, Jennifer. Nearly empty nesters (one child in the Air Force in Oklahoma and one at University in New York City), they are excitedly nervous as their youngest looks to attend University in Alaska.
Jodi Furness Lindskog
Jodi is a Minneapolis based attorney who enjoys Twins baseball, even in the bad years, and does her best to stay active with whatever fun new activity comes her way. With two young children at home she is blessed to share anew the adventures of travel and culture and sports with her eager companions. Having been a volunteer reader of novels for the blind in her state and the Chair of the Board of Directors of a non-profit theater group she is excited to chart new territory with J1Nine and make a difference in the lives of other young students.
John Mabbott
John is a Programmer Analyst at Northwest University in Kirkland, WA, where has has worked since 2003. He is an active member of Bellevue Presbyterian Church, where he serves in several volunteer roles, including mentoring high schoolers as a student ministries leader. John grew up in Kirkland and earned a degree in Business Administration / Management Information Systems from Western Washington University. He currently lives in Redmond and enjoys time outside (or inside when the weather is less than accommodating).
John first got involved with Joshua 1:Nine during one of our initial short-term mission trips in November 2018, and joined the Board in mid-2020.
Sarah Mixdorf
Sarah resides in Minneapolis, MN with her husband, Grant, three boys, Jacob, Carter and Dylan, and three dogs, Ely, Hudson, and Hulk. Jacob and Carter play baseball for the Minneapolis Millers AAA. Through baseball mom status and strong influence from friends in her life, she found love for the game. Sarah also loves the sun so she’s 110% on board with Joshua 1:Nine and Impact Trip after Impact Trip to the Dominican Republic.
Day to day, Sarah works for a legal services and technology consulting company, Epiq. She helps attorneys and their teams improve efficiencies across workflow related to people, process and technology. Sarah graduated from UW-Madison and attended law school in MN at Hamline University School of Law.
Sarah is passionate about spending time with those she loves; connecting women professionally to bring an end to gender parity in the workplace; travel; new restaurants; time outside; her children; her friends’ children; all the children!
Taylor Nelson
Taylor joined the Joshua 1:Nine Board of Directors in August 2024.
Emily Osborne
Emily is a Minnesota native, an Entrepreneur and a chauffeur to two beautiful humans. After earning her degree in Finance from the University of Minnesota – Mankato, Emily worked as a Field Fire Adjuster for State Farm Insurance. She was involved in Toastmasters, a member of the company’s work/life committee and taught Diversity & Inclusion to corporate employees. Emily later moved to Washington and opened her own Agency providing Insurance and Financial Services in Liberty Lake in 2007.
When not glued to a computer, Emily serves as her Rotary club’s President and has been an active member since 2007. She is passionate about serving others, making a difference in the world, and living a life with purpose. In 2019, Emily had the opportunity to travel to the Dominican Republic and experience Joshua 1:Nine first-hand and was moved by the children and the impact the sports ministry is having on the community. Emily is excited about being a part of Joshua 1:Nine and an advocate for the children.
Emily’s greatest accomplishment is by far her own two high energy kids, Maya and Frank. In their free time, they load up their 80-pound baby, Buddy (a golden retriever) and take road trips in their adVANture van. Emily loves music, hiking, traveling & exploring the great outdoors, and connecting with people.
Colin Prestesater
Colin is a Financial Advisor and CExP® with WestPac Wealth Partners and is a husband & father to his wife and young daughter. As a former D1 athlete, Colin experienced first-hand the impact sports can make in the lives of young men and how powerful that avenue can be to spread Jesus. When he heard about the mission of Joshua 1:Nine, he knew he had to get involved.
Colin has been highly involved with a domestic sports ministry and welcomes the rewarding opportunity to help Dominican children pursue their athletic dreams while supporting their community.
Luke Russell
Luke Russell had an extensive career in international environmental, community relations and governmental affairs within both the mining industry and state government. He recently retired as VP External Affairs with Hecla Mining Company and before that served as VP Environment and Community with Coeur Mining (previously Coeur d’Alene Mines). His industry experience was blended with governmental service having worked with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality where he played key role in the formation and operation of an inter-governmental Basin Commission which is responsible for coordinating environmental remediation and natural resource restoration in the Coeur d’Alene Basin. Among his other retirement pursuits of traveling with a purpose, he is currently the regional chair for the Idaho Business for Education, active with his church, and active with Rotary International.
Mr. Russell is a native of Wisconsin making him a diehard Badger football fan. He received his BS from the University of Wisconsin in Landscape Architecture and his MS from Montana State University in Land Rehabilitation/Soil Science. He and his wife live in Hayden, Idaho, and he enjoys whitewater rafting, hiking, his grandchildren, working with wood, and cowboy poetry.
Todd Gowin | Co-Founder
Todd is a co-founder of Joshua 1:Nine Ministries. He began his career in sports ministry in January of 1999. In 2014 he took the reins of a baseball program in the Dominican Republic. Through this experience he began investigating and developing the ideal program to serve the youth in that region.
Todd is currently involved in serving and mentoring youth and athletes on both the local and international level. He has served as a chaplain for international level sporting events including Pan Am Games, Youth Olympics, Olympics and Para-Olympics. He serves as a charter for the Toronto Blue Jays under the guidance of the Northwest Regional Scout. He also coaches multiple select programs as well as the local high school and American Legion Baseball.
Todd studied Labor Relations at Northern Kentucky University. He later found his true passion was to mentor and coach. He has been coaching baseball for the last 25 years. He has one National Championship under his belt on the select baseball circuit. His first love is to spend time with family and is big on building traditions. He is married to his wife Andi and has three amazing kids: Alanna, Nash, and Tucker.