FCA DC Staff


Jolee Paden

area Director

Jolee currently serves as the Area Director in Washington, DC. She grew up in East Central Illinois and then attended Eastern Mennonite University (Harrisonburg, VA), where she ran cross country and track. While at EMU, she published a devotional book for runners (Spiritual Runner: A Runner After God's Own Heart).

After graduating, Jolee moved to DC where she worked in homeless services, coached and eventually joined the FCA team to serve collegiate coaches and athletes. In June 2020, Jolee transitioned into international ministry as the Director of Operations for Southeast Asia FCA with the intention of moving to Malaysia. In response to the ongoing COVID restrictions around the world, Jolee felt the Lord's prompting to return to ministry in DC. You can often find her running around town (literally)! She is excited to engage coaches, athletes, the church and DC community in the redemptive work of Jesus through the vehicle of sport.

Contact Jolee at jpaden@fca.org


Kayla Kelly

area representative - softball ministry

Kayla grew up in Alexandria, MN and attended the University of Northwestern (St. Paul, MN) and St. Scholastica (Duluth, MN), graduating with degrees in Kinesiology and Exercise Physiology. Kayla's main sport was tennis, competing from grades 6 - junior year in college.

After graduating, Kayla has served on a few missions trips and youth camps and has worked as a clinical researcher for back pain studies, a Pilates instructor, and a community relations liaison for a social services nonprofit. 2020 resulted in the loss of both her nonprofit and pilates jobs which opened the time and space to write a book called, 'Can I Be Your God?', as well as dream and reevaluate her path. This led Kayla to meeting the FCA director of DC and pursuing full-time ministry. She is excited to serve DC coaches and athletes and help them grow in their knowledge, faith, and experience in Jesus Christ.. 

Contact Kayla at KaylaKelly@fca.org.
 


Grace Small

area representative - all-abilities

Grace grew up in Warrenton, Virginia, where she played basketball and lacrosse. She later coached JV girls' lacrosse and basketball at two local high schools. For a year and a half, she was on staff with FCA in Warrenton, helping to build the middle and high school FCA ministry in Fauquier County. She has always had a passion for the special education community and volunteered with Young Life throughout her school years. When she joined the staff, her original intention was to focus on special education, but ultimately, God guided her to build a foundation in Fauquier.

Grace volunteered at an All-Abilities clinic in Washington, DC, and afterward felt called by the Lord to move to the city and dedicate herself full-time to All-Abilities ministry. Although she never expected to end up in the city (a country girl) , she reached out to the director in DC, Jolee, and began her journey to become a full-time All-Abilities representative. The Lord has been incredibly faithful in her mission to reach an underserved population and share the love of Jesus Christ. She looks forward to continuing to build the ministry and being a vessel for what God has in store.

Contact Grace at gsmall@fca.org.


fca dc support staff

Lonni Howard - FCA DC Admin, LonniHoward@FCA.org

Amanda Kepplin - Softball Ambassador - AKepplin@FCA.org


FCA DC Board Members

Sara Mizener - Board Chair

Marcus Konde - Campus Outreach & Expansion

Jaime Calderon - All-Abilities

Calvin Blaylock - Fundraising

Terrence Chapman - Finances

Matthew Schmidt - Volunteer Mobilization