The Team
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Leadership Staff
Christian Paetsch, Director
In 2015, Christian Paetsch started as a student in The Urban Ministry Institute (TUMI) Capstone Program, which is a 4-year, 16-module, church-based seminary program, and he graduated in 2019 with a Certificate of Christian Leadership Studies (32 credit hours). After graduating, Christian joined the TUMI of Denver team and became a volunteer Site Leader for the TUMI Capstone Program at Fellowship Community Church in Centennial, CO. As Site Leader, he was responsible for planning and leading the class sessions, mentoring students, and grading homework assignments.
Christian, a trained concert violinist, earned his Bachelors from the University or Northern Colorado and also holds a Masters in Music Education. He is also a contractor with a local construction company Athenaeum Properties where he is the lead contractor. While he leads TUMI classes during the week he is also very active as a musician as a worship team member at his church.
In November 2022, the TUMI of Denver team—Christian Paetsch, Rev. Mike Dickie, and Chaplain Kris Briggs - embarked on a new journey with the TUMI ministry. After much prayer, discussion, and support from World Impact, they determined that it was strategic to not only grow TUMI programs in Denver but to also expand throughout Colorado by becoming their own 501(c)(3) nonprofit. To keep in pace with the great vision God has given them, they have broadened the scope of the ministry by naming the nonprofit The Urban Ministry Institution (TUMI) of Colorado. Now, Christian is pleased to announce that he has eagerly accepted the call to serve with The Urban Ministry Institute (TUMI) of Colorado as the Ministry Director.
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You can contact Christian Paetsch at coloradoTUMI.christian@gmail.com or 720-487-7855.
Chaplain Kris Briggs
Ministry Coordinator, Dean
Chaplain Kris Briggs earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Regis University Denver in 2003. She retired as a Technical Writer (over 20 years) in 2012 and went into full-time Christ-centered ministry.
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With a heart for becoming a Chaplain and helping people who are going through hard times, Kris completed Stephen Minister certification in 2005, International Fellowship of Chaplains (IFOC) certification as a Correctional Chaplain in 2008, and Lay Counselor certification through Grace Church Arvada in 2011. She was ordained through South Fellowship Church Littleton in 2015.
In 2013, Kris was one of Mike’s TUMI students at the Denver location. She asked Mike if he needed staff assistance, and out of that, she joined the TUMI Denver staff full-time.
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Kris has spent over a decade working with inmates in and out of prison offering hope and encouragement to the wounded souls that God puts in her path. She oversees the TUMI prison programs–in partnership with Prison Fellowship–for both a men’s and women’s prison in the Denver Metro Area. Her prison duties include mentoring at both prison facilities and coordinating with the prison staff, Prison Fellowship leadership, and TUMI leadership.
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As part of her TUMI prison duties, she helps TUMI incarcerated students who are being released to establish strong relationships with churches and Christ-centered ministries on the outside through finding mentors and other volunteers. Her goal is to have a supportive and loving community around her released TUMI students–to welcome them and to help them adjust when they leave prison.
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You can contact Chaplain Kris Briggs at coloradotumi.kris@gmail.com or 303-956-7898.
Members listed Alphabetically by Last name
Greg Speer, President
Greg Speer earned his B. A. from Western State College in Business with Finance emphasis in 1986 and MBA from Amber University in 1996. Greg is now retired after 35 years with Raytheon Technologies Co. as a program controls and finance manager. Greg attended The Urban Ministry Institute and graduated from the four-year program in 2018. In the 34 years as a Believer in Christ, Greg has been very involved in Church Ministry serving as an Elder for 9 years, Deacon for 3 years, elementary, middle school and High school Sunday school teacher for 29 years, Men’s Ministry leader for 5 years, and a Christian Foundation class for 3 years. Greg has a heart for serving the Lord and sharing the Gospel.
Greg has always answered God’s call for ministry. While attending TUMI classes at Fellowship Community Church in Aurora CO, Greg was asked to be a mentor in the Denver Women’s Correctional Facility in 2016. He attended classes with the inmates, while serving as a mentor. Hesitant at first, Greg found that going through the classes with the inmates was a great blessing. He saw the physical and spiritual transformation in the women, who joined the class. This change of heart in these women reminded Greg of the power of God in the lives of sinners no matter how heinous the sin. TUMI introduced these women to spiritual food they had never been given. When these women finished the program, they came out mature believers prepared to spread the Gospel in the dark world of prison. These transformations and the transformation in his own life gave Greg a great respect and love for the TUMI program.
In January of 2025, Greg went on a mission trip with a friend and missionary with World Impact, Mike Dicke. They went to India to train Indian Pastors. While on the trip, Greg heard about other programs that World Impact offered: Trauma Healing, Onesimus, and Church Planting. When Greg got home, he investigated the programs and was excited to see that TUMI of Colorado also offered those programs. In April of 2025, Greg was asked to join a Board Meeting for TUMI of Colorado. At the end of the meeting, Greg was asked if he would like to serve on the Board and he willingly said “yes”. The next Board meeting Greg was elected to join the Board and serve as President of the TUMI of Colorado Board.
Deb Anderson, Vice President
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Laura Jones, Secretary
Laura Jones is married to her high school sweetheart. They have lived in the Denver area since 2015. Growing up in Idaho and Montana, she always knew of God. In her early 20s, she had an encounter with God that showed His great love for her, and she's been on fire for the Lord ever since! Laura felt called into prison ministry in 2016 and has volunteered with Prison Fellowship and the TUMI Capstone Program leading classes and serving as the TUMI Site Director for Denver Women's Correctional Facility. Laura joined the TUMI of Colorado Board as the Secretary in September of 2023. She also lends her spiritual gifts to her home church as an Elder's wife, a community group leader, and the volunteer prayer team leader.
Kris Katzenmeyer, Treasurer
Kris spent 15 years in the military, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Management and then a master’s in business administration (MBA). He made some bad life decisions and wound up incarcerated. While incarcerated at FCI Englewood, he started in the TUMI Capstone Program. He was released before finishing the program and continued taking TUMI classes on the outside. He finished his treatment in October 2023. He graduated December 3, 2022, with a Certificate in Christian Leadership Studies (32 credit hours). Currently, Kris is a Mentor on the TUMI team at the Crosswind Hope & Restoration Center in Aurora.
Board of Directors
Chaplain Steve Farson, Chaplain
Steve received a Business Management degree from Ball State University. Following a 30-year career with Procter and Gamble he received a master’s degree from Denver Seminary. He joined Prison Fellowship in 1989. He is a currently a long-time volunteer chaplain at the Jefferson County Detention Center in Golden, Colorado and he volunteers at the FCI-Englewood Federal Prison. This is where he became connected to the TUMI program. He is also active in leadership at his local mountain church. Steve met his wife Bev at church 45 years ago and together they have four children and six grandchildren… and one cat.
John Kennedy, Member
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Mylene Laguyo, Member
Mylene is a financial professional with more than a decade experience in general ledger, payroll, and administrative work. She developed a strong set of skills in detail orientation and a proven track record of success through the years. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Centro Escolar University in the Philippines. She worked at Wyndham Vacation Ownership for 14 years as an executive assistant to the SVP of Sales & Marketing with roles of payroll, expense reporting, administrative and chief of staff to all direct reports. Her family moved to Colorado in 2020 and she started working as a bookkeeper in Parker, Colorado.
American Red Cross is a huge part of her life. She is a regular blood donor back in California and had the opportunity to single-handedly coordinate a blood donation event which was able to donate blood to save more than 200 patients. Here in Colorado, she continues to donate blood twice a year to various organizations. She is very passionate and driven to help these kind of organizations.
Outside of work, she loves to spend time with her family. She has two children, James and Jordan . She loves to watch James play basketball and Jordan play guitar. Her husband and kids love to eat and try different kinds of food at every opportunity they get.
Pastor Ramon Navarro, Member
Ramon became senior pastor of Crosswind Community Church in 2017. Under his leadership, a once Filipino-American church has become an intercultural one. In 2020, at the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic, Ramon left his secular job as Vice President at Bank of America Merrill Lynch to serve the Lord full time. In 2021, Crosswind Church relocated to a strategic location to become a ministry of Crosswind Hope and Restoration Center (CHRC). CHRC is an incarnational ministry serving the community through outreach that includes a food bank. This is about the time Chaplain Kris came and introduced TUMI which is highlly needed to equip the church for this kind of ministry. Ramon's seminary training is with Southeast Asia Theological Schools (SEATS) where he earned his master’s degree (MMin). He is presently working on his doctorate (DMin) in Ministry.
Ramon and Guia have been married for over 28 years and have two children – Josiah Emmanuel and Jeremiah Daniel. The whole family is serving the Lord.
Jan Rodriguez, Member
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Brett Westerfield, Member
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Detra Wildy, Member
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