Leaders for the West Coast Team of Operation Barnabas have been announced.
“I am thrilled to be leading the West OB Team with this roster of adult leaders!,” Timothy Kurtaneck, director of youth leadership training at CE National, said. “I believe they will have significant impact and make an incredible difference in the lives of their team members for the cause of Christ that will go far beyond just this summer. I am confident God is going to use them in big ways.”
Timothy Kurtaneck (aka TK), Director of Youth Leadership Training at CE National, will be the administrative leader for the 2019 West Coast OB team. Having grown up in Southern California, TK always enjoys getting back in that region to lead an OB team! TK is married to Dana and they have two adult children, Bekah and Nick. TK recently began his 24th year of ministry here at CE National, has led more OB tours than he can count, and is excited to be leading again this summer!
Bekah Kurtaneck, daughter of TK, was born in Southern California and raised in Winona Lake, Indiana. She graduated from Grace College in 2013 and currently resides in Blacksburg, Virginia, while she completes her masters in biomedical science at the Via College of Osteopathic Medicine and Virginia Tech. She will graduate in May (yay!), and her plan moving forward is to attend medical school. Some of her favorite things include Diet Coke, Disneyland, iced coffee, the Fourth of July, and working with students to see them follow Jesus and walk in truth. Bekah is an OB alum from 2010, led tours in 2013, 2014, and 2018, and is thrilled to be returning for this 2019 summer. She knows the Lord has incredible things planned for this group of students and cannot wait for summer 2019!
Max and Margaret Olmedo are from Santa Fe Springs, California, and attend Norwalk Grace Brethren Church. Both Max and Margaret are teachers; Max teaches Spanish at Artesia High School and Margaret, kindergarten at Alameda Elementary. Max has lead twice before with Margaret, and Margaret, three times before she was married to Max. Margaret also led City Life twice and has recently been elected to serve on the CE National Board. They have four kids (27, 24, 22, and 16) and four grandkids (7, 6, 4, and 1). Max was introduced to Christ after a pastor took his homeless family into their home and has been active in ministries ever since. He loves playing the guitar (or variations of one), playing and watching soccer, and riding around on his Can Am Spider. Margaret gave her heart to Jesus early, but it was at a Brethren National Youth Conference (now known as Momentum Youth Conference) that she dedicated her life and the following summer she went on OB with TK and Ed Lewis as her leaders. She loves going to Disneyland with her daughter and grandkids, watching British dramas and mysteries plus doctor shows, and watching endless swim meets. Max and Maggie met at Bellflower Brethren in the Spanish ministry while leading worship. They both love investing time in young people and are excited to lead again this summer in their neck of the woods.
Alyssa Yoquelet was born and raised in Avilla, Indiana. During the school year, she resides on campus in Marion, Indiana. She is a senior at Indiana Wesleyan University studying English Education and Christian Education. Upon graduation, she intends to pursue a career in secondary English education and Christian education. Alyssa’s home church is First Christian Church of Kendallville. She came to Christ in middle school and has been committed to serving youth students, serving as a volunteer and church youth director. Alyssa has also served in other ministerial capacities, including as a worship leader at her church during college and a resident hall chaplain at IWU. In her free time, Alyssa enjoys watching movies, eating ice cream, and loving on her sweet dogs. Alyssa is an OB alum from Team Florida, 2014, and looks forward to seeing how the Lord works in and through the students this summer! – operationbarnabas.net