Our Mission

Child Bridge finds and equips foster and adoptive families for children who have suffered abuse and neglect.

An adoptive father standing with his smiling children in a mountain lake.
A young girl sitting on her dad's lap and laughing.
A mom and her adopted daughter sit smiling on their porch.
A smiling family sits on their steps with their daughter and foster daughter.
A group of smiling siblings with their adopted brother.

If just 7% of today’s Christians cared for a single orphan, there would be no more orphans.

Outreach Magazine, 2008

OUr Story

There are 143 million orphans in the world. That statistic first jumped off the page of a magazine and pierced our hearts in 2008. How could there be such a devastating crisis afflicting the children God specifically calls His people to defend? If just 7% of today’s Christians cared for a single orphan, there would be no more orphans.

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God charged us with finding those Christians, families to care for vulnerable children who have suffered abuse and neglect. And with one of the nation’s highest rates of children in foster care per capita, we knew we had to begin right here in Montana. So, with a singular focus of finding a family for every child, we launched the mission of Child Bridge.

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We began recruiting families to carry this mission forward. But the real, hard work of caring for these hurting children illuminated another need — the need to train, support and connect the families fighting on the front lines.

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Today, Child Bridge stands in the gap by recruiting and equipping those who follow God’s call to love His precious kids — whether a child’s need is a few days, a few months or forever. We envision a day when no child is left waiting for a family but rather an army of families stands ready to care for them.

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We do what we do because we believe every child is a masterpiece worthy of being seen.

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Join us. They are worth it.

The Team

Executive Director

Eric C.
Basye
,
DLd
Executive Director

God broke Eric’s heart long ago for the vulnerable among us, resulting in a 20+ year career dedicated to their cause. Eric holds a Bachelor's in social work from the University of Wyoming, a Masters in Youth and Family Ministry from Denver Seminary and a Doctor of Leadership in Global Perspectives from George Fox University. His diverse education and years of work in non-profit management have prepared Eric for this heart-wrenching yet beautiful work.

Eric C. Basye
,
DLd
Executive Director
TBRI® Practitioner

Advocacy

Our Advocacy team seeks to find more foster families, motivated by the belief that every child deserves a safe, loving home. This work connects children to families who will provide stability and Christ-like care during a difficult season in their lives.
Ray
Biggerstaff
Director of Advocacy

Mission-minded with a heart for children, Ray dove into foster care and never looked back. He received missionary training through Youth With A Mission in Las Vegas before joining their team full time. He and his wife have fostered 14 children over eight years – adopting two of them. The experience led Ray to seek out more families for more kids, passionately and professionally through Child Bridge.

Ray Biggerstaff
Director of Advocacy
TBRI® Practitioner
TBRI Practitioner
Stephanie
Ford
Foster Care Advocate

Stephanie’s deep love of children has driven both her family and career. After becoming a foster mom, she decided to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work in order to better care for children both at home and at work. Together, she and her husband have a permanent brood of four kids and have fostered 11. Stephanie now devotes her vast experience to inspiring families like her own to join the mission.

Stephanie Ford
Foster Care Advocate
TBRI® Practitioner
Kaytee
Green
Foster Care Advocate

Giving a voice to the voiceless has been the theme of Kaytee’s career. With a BS in Health Science and Public Health from the University of South Dakota, she’s worked abroad teaching health classes in a children’s home in West Africa and stateside at a non-profit pregnancy clinic. After following God’s lead to foster, Kaytee discovered a passion for helping new families answer His call to this mission through Child Bridge.

Kaytee Green
Foster Care Advocate
TBRI® Practitioner
Becca
Messerer
Foster Care Advocate

Becca entered the foster care realm with a desire to be the caring adult she needed as a child. She has spent years fostering teens, working to help them find purpose in their pain and rewrite their stories, while working in technology and software contract management. Now, she looks forward to putting her years of foster care and corporate experience to work finding more families for the kids she adores.

Becca Messerer
Foster Care Advocate
TBRI® Practitioner

Equipping

Through trauma-informed education and parent coaching, our Equipping team prepares foster and adoptive families to care for children with deep compassion. Rooted in biblical principles, they empower families to address each child’s unique needs with grace and understanding.
Tricia
Collins
Director of Missional Impact

God began preparing Tricia for this mission long ago. A former youth in foster care, she went on to earn a degree in Ministry Leadership from Northwest University. She built a successful corporate career prior to becoming a stay-at-home mom to her two girls, one of whom was adopted from foster care. Today, her past emboldens her to speak for the voiceless and work toward finding a family for every child.

Tricia Collins
Director of Missional Impact
TBRI® Practitioner
TBRI Practitioner
Heather
Morrow
Foster Parent Coaching Manager

As a child, Heather told her parents that no matter what the rest of her life looked like, she was going to adopt. To date, she and her husband have fostered 17 children since 2018. With a B.A. in Biblical Studies from William Jessup University, Heather brings experience in both ministry work and recruiting management for a national company. She aims to equip other families for the beautiful mission of foster care.

Heather Morrow
Foster Parent Coaching Manager
TBRI® Practitioner
Certified Parent Coach
LaTrisha
Larson
Foster Parent Coaching Manager

Trust in the Lord has become the refrain of LaTrisha’s life and is what led her to join this crucial mission. With a B.S. in Psychology, she discovered her passion for working with families through nonprofit casework. For 10 years she then poured into her own family as a stay-at-home mom and wife to an active-duty soldier before the Lord finally called her back into the field to care for foster families across Montana.

LaTrisha Larson
Foster Parent Coaching Manager
TBRI® Practitioner
Certified Parent Coach
Lindsey
Casterline
Foster Parent Coach

Lindsey loves watching God answer prayers and yearns to help others pursue Him. She earned a B.S. in Elementary Education from Montana State University Northern and has served in ministry for over 20 years. The mom of seven kids, including one from foster care, she believes every child is precious and now enjoys equipping families with the tools that have helped her successfully navigate foster care.

Lindsey Casterline
Foster Parent Coach
TBRI® Practitioner
Andrea
Collins
Foster Parent Coach

Andrea devoted her life years ago to caring for vulnerable kids no matter where it took her. From missions in Haiti to church planting to fostering four children in their home, she and her family have traveled far and wide to follow God’s lead. But this Montana native finally felt the pull to move back in 2023, and Andrea now rejoices at the opportunity to pour into the children and foster families of her home state.

Andrea Collins
Foster Parent Coach
TBRI® Practitioner
Charity
Ginther
Foster Parent Coach

A heart for God, a talent for teaching and two decades of foster parenting destined Charity for her role at Child Bridge. She earned a BA in Marketing Business Management and an MA in Secondary Education before plunging into a varied career of school teaching, church ministry and marketing. After living out the mission for years as a foster parent, she’s eager to now help guide families as a member of the team.

Charity Ginther
Foster Parent Coach
TBRI® Practitioner
Hannah
Harsha
Training Content Specialist

Hannah's heart for children permeates both her career and her free time. With a BA in Art Education from Montana State University Billings, she taught both elementary and middle school art for several years. Meanwhile, Christ led her to Child Bridge as a volunteer, a role she diligently served in for 10 years before following Christ’s call to join mission as a member of staff.

Hannah Harsha
Training Content Specialist
TBRI® Practitioner
Eva
Isbell
Foster Parent Coach

Eva finds her greatest joy in helping people connect with their stories and discover the beauty of God’s many blessings. Eva graduated from Concordia University with her bachelor’s in Organizational Psychology. A native Montanan, she began her career serving young moms in Missoula before pursuing her passion for helping families reach their highest potential within Christ-centered community.

Eva Isbell
Foster Parent Coach
TBRI® Practitioner
Callie
McCullough
Foster Parent Coach

A helping heart drives Callie to seek the good of others in every endeavor. In addition to running Capstone, a non-profit that helps families with home and auto repairs, she has also opened a Play It Again Sports store in her hometown of Great Falls. A wife of 18 years and mom of four, Callie now joyfully serves the ministry that enabled she and her husband to share Christ’s love through their own foster care journey.

Callie McCullough
Foster Parent Coach
TBRI® Practitioner
Emmy
Ort
Foster Parent Coach

Emmy finds her highest joy in opening her home to provide safety and hope to any who need it. She earned a B.A. in Camp and Recreation Management from John Brown University before embarking on a 25-year career serving families affected by disabilities through camps and ministries. Since 2011, she and her family have shared their home and blessings with many children and teens from foster care.

Emmy Ort
Foster Parent Coach
TBRI® Practitioner
Stephen
Parker
Foster Parent Coach

Stephen began his mission of children’s ministry as the biological son of a foster family. After receiving a B.A. in Biblical studies at The King’s College and a Master of Divinity at Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, Stephen spent 20 years as a youth pastor. He now looks forward to coaching foster/adoptive parents, especially dads, in the life-changing strategies of Trust-Based Relational Intervention®.

Stephen Parker
Foster Parent Coach
TBRI® Practitioner
TBRI Practitioner
Kari
Phoenix
Foster Parent Coach

Teaching and Jesus — these two deeply held passions drive Kari in both her work and ministry. She graduated from Rocky Mountain College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Managerial Accounting and became a certified Christian life coach in 2020. Now, she uses her spiritual gift of teaching to help families find healing from trauma and walk in the freedom of Jesus.

Kari Phoenix
Foster Parent Coach
TBRI® Practitioner
Chanté
Williams
Foster Parent Coach

The Lord set Chanté’s heart on fire for children when she first opened her home to foster care in 2015. A military spouse, Chanté’s life has been marked by travel and adventure. After a 10-year career working in veterinary medicine, she chose to make the shift into ministry, earning a BA in Ministry from Anderson Seminary and diving into her current role of equipping foster families in her home state of Montana.

Chanté Williams
Foster Parent Coach
TBRI® Practitioner

Donor Relations

Our Donor Relations team builds and nurtures relationships with donors who are vital to our mission. By sharing stories of transformation and hope, they connect generous supporters with the impact their gifts create in the lives of children and families.
Dan
Minor
,
Senior Director of Donor Relations

Dan brings over 15 years of professional fundraising experience to the Child Bridge team. He graduated with a Religious Studies degree from Saint Martin's University where the Lord also ignited a passion for serving his community. Dan delights in using his corporate talents to further God’s work — finding and equipping foster families for children in our state who need them.

Dan Minor
,
Senior Director of Donor Relations
TBRI® Practitioner
Certified Fund Raising Executive
Mary
Bryan
,
Cofounder

God broke Mary’s heart for the fatherless children of Montana over 10 years ago. Burdened by the need they saw around them, she and her husband, Steve, left behind executive careers and co-founded Child Bridge. Through her tireless work to develop this mission and engage donors, she pursues her vision of a day when God’s people boldly step forward to care for God’s children.

Mary Bryan
,
Cofounder
TBRI® Practitioner
Morgan
Geer
,
Development Coordinator

Growing up in a family that fostered opened Morgan’s eyes to hurting children and families at a young age. She earned a BA in Ministry Leadership from Northwest University and loves working with children and youth ministries in the Church. Morgan now rejoices in the chance to help families feel seen, known and loved by God by serving in a ministry that changes lives.

Morgan Geer
,
Development Coordinator
TBRI® Practitioner
Brennan
Keller
,
Associate Director of Donor Relations

Brennan delights in serving others in a way that allows them to realize God’s purpose for them. A native of Kansas, he graduated with a B.S. in Sport Management from the University of Kansas. He brings over five years of professional nonprofit fundraising experience to the Child Bridge team and looks forward to helping the next generation of leaders live and give generously out of God’s abundance.

Brennan Keller
,
Associate Director of Donor Relations
TBRI® Practitioner

Marketing

The Marketing team plays a vital role in sharing the heart of Child Bridge’s mission. Through storytelling, public awareness campaigns, and trauma-education resources, this team invites others to see the transformative power of stepping up for the most vulnerable.
Cameron
Schieldt
,
Director of Marketing

Cameron developed a passion for helping Montana’s youth thrive at an early age. He grew up on a Christian summer camp before going on to earn his B.S. in Public Relations and Advertising from Liberty University. He now takes joy in utilizing his corporate experience working for full-service marketing agencies to better the lives of vulnerable kids while living in his favorite place on earth.

Cameron Schieldt
,
Director of Marketing
TBRI® Practitioner
Nancy
Jones
,
Graphic Designer

Over a decade of full-time ministry alongside her husband led Nancy into the mission she long held up in prayer. With a Bachelors in Art and Masters in Art Education, Nancy’s creative spirit inspired her work as an art teacher, photographer and designer. She shares her prized LEGO collection with her two sons and husband of 15 years, and her talents as an artist to help find and equip families across Montana.

Nancy Jones
,
Graphic Designer
TBRI® Practitioner
Nicholas
Van Oort
,
Production & Web Manager

Growing up in a family that fostered set a deep desire in Nicholas to see kids from hard places find safe and loving homes. An ordained minister with a B.A. in Organizational Leadership from Northwest University, Nicholas has a background in church leadership prior to joining Child Bridge. His heart for service and diverse talents have enabled him to fulfill numerous roles in this mission through the years.

Nicholas Van Oort
,
Production & Web Manager
TBRI® Practitioner
Mary Cloud
Vander Ark
,
Communication Specialist

Mary Cloud’s own adoption story and love for children drew her into this beautiful fight. With a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Mississippi, she moved to Montana where she gained experience in newspaper journalism and nonprofit marketing. Unable to unsee the hurting children in her community, she aims to tell their stories through her work as she and her husband step into foster care at home.

Mary Cloud Vander Ark
,
Communication Specialist
TBRI® Practitioner
Tanna
Yerger
,
Digital Marketing Manager

Tanna’s passion for the mission of foster care stems from her deeply rooted faith in Christ and her life-changing experience as a CASA volunteer. This Billings native holds a B.S. in Business Administration from MSU-Billings as well as a deep love for her community. Anchored in the truth of John 16:33, Tanna now utilizes her marketing expertise to raise awareness and support families committed to serving God's children.

Tanna Yerger
,
Digital Marketing Manager
TBRI® Practitioner

Administration

The Administration team provides the backbone of our mission by faithfully managing finances, human resources, and day-to-day processes. Their diligent stewardship ensures that every dollar and decision supports our vision of bringing hope to children in foster care.
Katie
Brien
,
Director of Administration

Katie’s organizationally gifted mind and Christ-loving heart drive Child Bridge forward day by day. Born, raised and educated in Montana, she earned her B.S. in Business Administration from The University of Montana. Her diligent work and eye for detail ensure the various departmental components of Child Bridge work together cohesively and employees are able to thrive.

Katie Brien
,
Director of Administration
TBRI® Practitioner
Erica
Faraone
,
Administrative Manager

Erica’s heart for foster families began 20 years ago when she and her husband, Scott, adopted three siblings through foster care. A licensed minister, Erica brings years of church ministry and corporate administration experience to the Child Bridge team. She loves to help move the mission forward through administrative work and by helping cultivate an effective and caring culture.

Erica Faraone
,
Administrative Manager
TBRI® Practitioner

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Our Values

  • We Are Fearless.

    Our faces are as lions.

    We boldly step into the hard and uncertain because we know it’s not about us, our preferences, or our comfort. It’s about Kingdom work being done through earthen vessels –and that emboldens us to trust the Holy Spirit as we live beyond our comfort zones.

    "They were brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear. Their faces were the faces of lions."

    1 Chronicles 12:8

  • We See The Unseen.

    What can be compels us.

    We see a day when what is in the heart of God is lived out on earth: when loving families will be waiting for children instead of children waiting for loving families. We believe new, innovative ways of advancing our mission exist and expectantly pursue how to bring them to be.

    "So we fix our eyes, not on what is seen, but on what is unseen."

    2 Corinthians 4:18

  • We Are Ambassadors.

    We bear the image of Another.

    We humbly surrender to the King in all aspects of our work and interactions. We seek God’s leading in prayer and in His Word. We are marked by the fruit of the Spirit and quick to repent when we step off course. We strive to do God’s work, God’s way for God’s glory.

    "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness and into his wonderful light."

    1 Peter 2:9

  • We Go Out In Joy.

    Our path is marked by light.

    We are defined by the One who dwells within us, not what happens around us. Our spirits are light and nimble and free because we are filled with the Spirit of God who is the same. Our joy is a deliberate act of obedience in response to who Christ is and what He has done.

    "For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands."

    Isaiah 55:12

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    Meet The Founders

    Meet The Founders

    When Mary Bryan first showed her husband Steve the statistic she’d found about the number of orphans in the world, his goal in life changed overnight. Driven by their new purpose, Steve and Mary both dropped successful corporate careers, determined to become a vessel for change. Foster care became the mission of their marriage, both at home and at work. They too opened their home to foster care. Their hearts broke for the children they felt called to help. And from the pieces, God built Child Bridge.

    Hear their story

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    Child Bridge founders Steve and Mary Bryan.

    Join our Team!

    We envision a day when families are waiting for children — rather than children waiting for families. But that doesn’t happen without skilled, high-capacity Jesus followers who want to be part of creating something bigger than themselves – something with lasting Kingdom impact. Is God calling you to do His work?
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    If He is, we want you on our team. Check out our job openings and let us know how you could help take our mission to the next level.

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