Africa Freedom Mission

The Africa Freedom Mission Team

Brent Roberts

President and CEO

Brent has over 7 years’ experience as a missionary in Zambia, Africa.  While there, Brent oversaw the financial management of a non-profit called Action Zambia and led their pastor training for discipleship making. In 2010, Brent and another missionary founded Eleeo Project, a rural ministry that used conservation farming to train pastors and local leaders in the elementary truths of a Christian discipleship.  In addition to this, Brent oversaw the development of a rural ministry center that provided training and housing for short-term visitors to reach the rural villages of Chikankata. Brent has a great network of relationships throughout Kenya, Zambia, Uganda, Rwanda & Zimbabwe which will be invaluable to the start of Africa Freedom Mission.

In addition to his experience in missions, Brent has undergraduate and master’s degrees in business and over 13 years’ experience in business analysis and consulting.  He hopes to use his education, skills and experience to expand the footprint of Africa Freedom Mission and to expose more people to the privilege of loving and serving the Lord abroad.

Austin Panter

DIRECTOR OF STATESIDE MINISTRY

Austin is an incredible leader who wants nothing more than for the gospel to reach the ends of the earth. Austin has spent many summers in Africa serving in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia & Zimbabwe. He’s as extroverted as they come and has such a passion to see other students impacted and growing in their relationship with the Lord. His heart is to equip and disciple team members. Austin’s role in AFM is to oversee all stateside operations for the ministry and get people connected to the heart of the great commission. Also, lead and disciple team members in our different fields, travel and assist in cultivating strong relationships with our ministry partners, and coordinate all movement/itineraries within each field. Austin will play a very important role in bringing unity and development to our staff and teams.

Carly DUGAN

Digital Video Coordinator

Carly Dugan graduated from James Madison University with a Bachelors of Science degree in Media Arts & Design with a concentration in Digital Video & Cinema, with a minor in Christian Studies. Carly has been to Kenya, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Uganda and Zambia as a missionary.  She has served the past two summers in Africa and is an amazing leader.  Carly is also a volunteer YoungLife leader in Harrisonburg, Virginia and has a heart for high school students to be known, loved, and impacted by the life-changing truth of the gospel. Within her role as the dedicated Creative Design and Social Media Coordinator is to highlight, document, and portray the gospel and what the Lord is doing on the mission field through documentary filmmaking, and then connecting it back to western culture. Her desire is to give the voiceless a voice AND a platform for him/her to be heard and recognized. Carly is responsible for telling the story of those impacted by the gospel within AFM through our social media, AFM app, Podcast, and our web presence. At the end of each year, she will create at least one documentary and continually create short testimonial films along the way! She will also be assisting in recruiting, promotion and marketing, as well as the summer leadership training. Carly is an integral part in shaping the culture of AFM and giving all of you a tangible representation of what life on the mission field looks like. 

GabRiel Cruz

Worship & Outreach Coordinator

Gabriel has a huge heart to disciple the next generation and watch them come into their full identity as sons and daughters, walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, and see every nation reached with the gospel of Christ. Gabriel has been following the call to full time missions from the age of 14 when he went on his first trip to the Amazon jungle in Brazil. Since then, he has been to many different nations and has been discipling our leaders and team members stateside and in Africa. Gabriel is in an integral role when it comes to creating a culture of worship and prayer within the ministry as well as connecting with our international ministry partners.

JULIA THIEL

EXeCUtive Admin

Julia has spent the past year serving with AFM both internationally and stateside. She grew up in San Antonio, Texas and graduated from the University of Oklahoma this past May with a degree in Sports Management. Julia’s passion is people and she has had a traveler’s heart from a very young age. At 22 years old, her deepest desire is for every nation to hear the good news.

Julia’s involvement with serving and leading teams in both Zambia and Zimbabwe has set a fire in her to actively be the Hands and Feet of Jesus. She believes that sharing the heart of Jesus does not start when you go overseas or end when you return home, it’s a life lived out. That’s why she’s here. Not everyone is called full time overseas, but every believer is called to live a life for Jesus wherever their feet are. She oversees all the Administrative responsibility on stateside ministry and also assists with all administrative operations on Africa Ministry.

Julia will be assist AFM with leading teams internationally as well. She will also spend a lot of her time here in the States assisting AFM with events and ministry with young adults around the country. We’re so excited to have Julia on our team.

Mena Fox

Recruiting Coordinator and leadership Trainer

Over the past 3 years, Mena has led or been a part of teams to Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda. She’s an amazing leader of leaders and has invested in the lives of so many of AFM’s team members. Mena joined AFM’s staff in September of 2022 and is handling all of AFM’s online recruiting. In addition to this, she is an integral piece of both Stateside events and leading teams in Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Steve Shives

Lead Trainer for Discipleship and Equipping

Steve has been married to his wife Noel for 43 years.  He has 3 grown daughters and 4 grandchildren.  Steve started preaching at the age of 17 and was asked to assume his first pastorate at the age of 19.

Steve has over 40 years of pastoring and teaching experience in the Untied States. Steve was Senior Pastor over 3 churches in Pennsylvania and South Carolina.  He also served as a teaching Pastor in 2 other churches.

Steve has also travelled as a conference speaker for the Body of Christ in 22 different states.  While working as a teaching pastor and conference speaker, he helped to develop ministry for men, training for leaders, small groups, discipleship training and  equipping classes for adults.

Steve’s passion is teaching, training and making disciples through the sharing of God’s word.

He hopes to use the gifting, experience and call of God to aid AFM in developing leaders for the future to carry the Gospel of Jesus wherever they are called to serve.