Our Team
Jared Showalter
Executive Director
Jared and Chrystal met on a mission trip in Mexico in 2007. They were married in 2011, and now have been blessed with 8 children. They first started serving in full time ministry with Youth With A Mission West Virginia. This is where they got to know and partner with The James Isaac House.
After serving with YWAM WV for almost 7 years, they heard about the need for an Executive Director at The James Isaac House. They felt the Lord leading them in this direction and joined the TJIH team In September of 2020.
Courtney Brenneman
Assistant Director
Courtney joined the TJIH staff in February of 2022 after welcoming their sweet baby boy at the end of 2021. She was contacted by a friend and local pastor who told her the need for a director of client services at the Oakland office. Courtney and her husband started praying and seeking the Lord for his direction and felt His leading to join the ministry. Since then we have been in awe of watching God's faithfulness as he meets the needs of our clients and our own needs in very specific ways. I am excited to now be serving as the Assistant Director of the ministry. We are excited to see what the Lord will continue to do here and know that lives will be changed as we proclaim Jesus as Lord and Redeemer to all who will seek Him.
Valerie Walker
Director Of Client Services for the Keyser Center
After both of us walked through difficult storms, God brought beauty from our ashes and 6 years ago, God brought Dwight Walker and I together in marriage. We are blessed with a total of 8 children and 8 grandchildren! I started with The James Isaac House about 20 years ago. I really enjoy working with our clients and building relationships with them. During the past 20 years, I have left the ministry at different times to care for my family. I came back in 2021 as the new Director of Client Services for the Keyser Center.
Vicky Gamblin
Director Of Client Services for the Kingwood Center
Vicky joined our team in 2019. She has been a great mother figure to our clients. When you come to the Kingwood Center, you can expect to be greeted with a warm welcome and smile from Vicky. She is passionate about helping moms, and we are so grateful to have her on this team.
Anna Zimmerman
Director Of Client Services for the Petersburg Center
Many years ago when I was in my mid 20's I got caught in a rip tide at the beach. There was a good possibility I wouldn't make it back to shore. I told God if He would rescue me I would serve Him the rest of my days. He has been with me through many adventures. Several years later I graduated from nursing school. Among other things, I have worked in pediatrics at a university hospital, fostered children with medical needs in my home, and worked in rural clinics in Honduras and El Salvador. My present adventure is serving the volunteers and clients at The James Isaac House as director of client services. God has been gracious to me through the good times and the hard times. Because of Jesus I look forward to the greatest adventure yet...moving to my forever home where there is no night, the streets are made of gold, I can eat from a tree that bears 12 kinds of fruit each month, and nothing sad ever happens!!
Shannon Porter
Director Of Client Services for the Oakland Center
My husband, Richard, and I met in Chicago while he was in medical school and I was in grad school to become a physician assistant. After we both graduated and got married, we moved to Wichita, Kansas where he did his residency. I started volunteering at a local crisis pregnancy center, which was built right next-door to an abortion clinic. We had a 4-D ultrasound machine and encouraged women to come next-door to our clinic and see their beautiful babies on ultrasound. This encouraged many of them to choose life for their babies! I loved counseling women and being a part of how God was revealing Himself to them through the trials, fears, and joys of pregnancy. After spending the last couple of decades raising 4 children, homeschooling, and serving on the mission field, I’m thrilled to be back counseling and serving women and babies in this community as the Director of Client Services at the Oakland Center.
