Chris earned a Bachelor’s degree of Music in Music Education from Millikin University and Masters in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music. In addition to being the Director of Music Arts here at Journey of Hope, Christopher has been choral director at Hampshire High School (HHS) since the fall of 2004. At HHS he teaches Bass Chorus, Treble Chorus, Varsity Treble Choir, Chamber Choir, Vocal Jazz, and directs the annual musical. During his tenure at HHS, his students have toured extensively. Choral students from HHS have performed in Orlando, New York, Washington D.C., Nashville, Memphis, England, Ireland, Germany, Austria, and Italy.

Chris is a member of the American Choral Directors Association, Illinois Music Educators Association, and a Grammy nominated music educator. Outside of HHS is an adjunct professor at Elgin Community College where directs the concert choir and music directs the musical theatre productions. Chris lives in Hampshire with his wife, Karen, and their two children.

Margo Goodwin served as the Music Director for Good Shepherd UMC for over 25 years and became part of the Journey of Hope staff through the merger process. In addition to her passion for music, she is also a software engineer.

At Good Shepherd UMC, Margo directed the chancel choir, handbell choir, and both youth and adult praise teams. She enjoys playing piano and sharing the joy of music with others.

Margo lives in Bartlett with her husband, Marc. They have two adult children, Elise and Josh.

Tatiana immigrated to the United States in 1999, following a distinguished 20-year career as a piano professor at the State University of Arts in Kharkiv, Ukraine. During her time in Ukraine, she also served as a coach-accompanist and chamber performer at the Kharkiv State Philharmonic and contributed to numerous opera productions across the country.

Since arriving in the US, Tatiana has continued her dedication to music as both a performer and educator. She maintains a private studio teaching piano and voice, and has served as the pianist/organist for Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Bartlett since 2003. She regularly performs with vocalists and instrumentalists throughout the musical community.

Widowed after 48 years of marriage to her beloved husband Alexander, Tatiana now finds joy in spending time with her family—her son Andrey, daughter-in-law Veronica, and 12-year-old grandson Daniel.

Robyn joined Epworth UMC in 2013 as an Administrative Assistant, ensuring the smooth operation of our church office. Her responsibilities include office administration as well as overseeing social media, marketing, and branding for Journey of Hope. She is available in the office on Tuesdays and Fridays, and works remotely on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays with flexible hours.

An Elgin resident, Robyn shares her home with her husband, Ron, and their two beloved German Shorthaired Pointers, Chip and Murphy. She is the proud mother of two sons: Colin, who lives locally, and Mitchell, who resides in Tennessee.

Outside of her church duties, Robyn is passionate about dog sports, actively competing in conformation, nosework /scentwork and whatever other sports her canine companions enjoy.

Contact Robyn.

Shari Weber serves as both a dedicated church member and valued staff member at Journey of Hope. Her presence in the office on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays ensures essential administrative support for our church community.

An Elgin resident, Shari shares her home with her husband, Bob. Together, they are blessed with three children and four young grandchildren who bring joy to their lives.

When not serving at Journey of Hope, Shari can most often be found enjoying precious moments with her grandchildren or expressing her musical talents through playing the flute—two passions that reflect her warm spirit and creative nature.

Contact Shari.

In 2001, Diane joined Good Shepherd UMC as an Administrative Assistant, and she is excited to continue her journey as part of the Journey of Hope staff. She holds an Associate’s Degree in Human Services – Early Childhood Education, along with a Vocational Specialist Certificate.

Diane and her husband, Mike, and are proud parents of three sons—Michael, Bryan, and David. Their family has grown to include wonderful daughters-in-law, Emily, Danielle, and Carly, as well as five cherished granddaughters.

In her free time, Diane enjoys staying active, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Contact Diane.

Tammy Bohne became part of the Journey of Hope staff in July 2024. With a deep passion for working with children, she brings extensive experience as both a daycare teacher and the owner of an in-home daycare. Now, she applies that same dedication to creating a welcoming and well-maintained church environment. Fun fact: Tammy and Robyn Rafalzik are twin sisters.

Tammy lives in the area with her husband, Mark, and their teenage son, Owen. She also has two adult daughters, Ashley and Erin, and is a proud grandmother to two boys, Blake and Jace.

In her spare time, Tammy has a passion for natural health and cherishes spending time with her family.