The Team

Sam Kee

Sam is a pastor, author, and speaker.  He is the founder of the Hope Stands Ministry.

My mission in life is to rid the world of hopelessness through the message of God’s love.  I know, I know, that’s a big dream!

I grew up in a rural part of Northeastern Ohio in a family of artists, working on wrecked cars with my dad and writing poetry with my mom.  I wrestled from my elementary years into college.  I built log homes along with the guys at Capron Construction.

I was given a BA in Psychology (Ashland University) and a Masters in Divinity (Trinity International University).  I married an amazing wife, Shante’, and we have lived and served in churches in Ohio, near Princeton in New Jersey, and in the Chicagoland area.  We have two awesome boys, who are blessings from God and a lot of fun.

I also serve as a student pastor at North Suburban Church, in addition to serving as a chaplain at SkyWord ministries (an interfaith ministry at O’Hare Airport), when I’m not playing with my boys, jogging, reading, or dreaming up some dreams.

I continue to be humbled by the fact that God found me and has had mercy on me.

Tim Anderson

Tim is a musician by nature and a graphic designer by trade. He manages the creative branding and web-based side of Hope Stands.

It’s difficult and strange for me to write this brief biography. In some cases it’s encouraging to think back and remember what has happened and how far I’ve come, but in others I find myself thinking about how rapidly life changes. If I were to write this a year from now I’m sure a lot will have changed. One thing, however, will always stay the same: God is my rock, my salvation, my joy and my strength. He enables me to love, to grow, to learn and to understand (the little that I do). He inspires my creativity, my drive and my very existence. That will never change.

I’ve always loved music. I started banging on pots and pans when I was 3 years old and to this day I find myself practicing polyrhythms on my steering wheel to the click of the turn signal. I have played drums, guitar and have even sung in various bands for years. I currently play drums in a couple bands. I feel called to use music as a platform to reach the people who don’t realize how much God loves them. I recently co-created a ministry called Brick By Brick (find out more at www.brickbybricknetwork.com) to aid bands and churches in providing accountability and discipleship for people who either haven’t been to or have stopped attending their local church. Through the efforts of touring musicians and churches across the nation we hope to revolutionize the “musicianary” movement.

My place in Hope Stands came about almost naturally. Sam was my Senior High youth pastor and we had worked on many different artistic projects together throughout that time. When he began writing Hope Stands, I had started working as a graphic/web designer, so it just made sense for me to build the website and create the branding. I’m very excited about what Hope Stands is doing and I look forward to hearing the stories of lives changed by what God is doing through this ministry.

If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning: just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. Dark would be without meaning. – C.S. Lewis

Claude Budlin

Claude produces videos for Hope Stands.

I was born in Haiti  march 6 1993.I lived there for 15 years, and i currently live in the US right now. I am Christian; my parents are missionaries, and my dad is also a pastor.  I just want to serve God in whatever ways that I can.

Nicola Tsoi

Nicola does design work for Hope Stands.

Ben Nilsen

Ben serves as the event coordinator and video production team member.

Derek  Brumby

Derek serves as video production team member, artist, and music writer.