Alumni Association Board and Staff
The Alumni Board of Directors meets twice a year, seeking to represent the 49,000 living alumni of Moody Bible Institute and Moody Theological Seminary. Read about the new alumni board nominees, then cast your vote online at moody.edu/alumni/.
Board
Cherie (Bruchan '75) Balog
Cherie is employed by the Network of Biblical Storytellers, a professional association for clergy and laity. Along with serving as a volunteer chat coach at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, she also serves on a seasonal basis with its sister organization, Samaritan's Purse. Cherie volunteers with Indy Reads, an adult literacy program, and with the Heartland Film Festival. She serves her church as a lector, altar guild member, and membership class facilitator.After graduating from the communications program at Moody, Cherie completed her BS in Journalism at Northern Illinois University. Cherie and her husband, Kevin, reside in Fishers, Ind., and have one daughter.
Rusty Ingraham ’75
Rusty is now semi-retired, worked with the US Foreign Service. While serving he ministered to a number of international churches. He worked on pastoral search committees, on church boards, and as a teacher. During nearly 29 years with the State Department, he served in Turkey, Romania, Bolivia, Bosnia, Cuba, and Jordan. Rusty grew up in the Chicago area where he attended The Moody Church and listened to Moody Radio. Many of his family, friends, and spiritual leaders were Moody grads or connected to the school. Rusty graduated with a diploma in Biblical Theology and went on to get a bachelor’s degree in history at Lawrence University in Wisconsin.
Rusty and his wife, Ann, met at a friend’s wedding. Ann, who has a bachelor’s degree in nursing, served overseas as a nurse and local volunteer. The Ingrahams have one son, Michael.
Jim Shoberg ’87
Jim joined Avant Ministries (formally known as Gospel Missionary Union) in 1990, and has served 29 years with the mission.
Jim was assigned 15 years to Ecuador, South America, where he and his wife Debbie spent the majority of those years serving the Shuar (Tribe) Evangelical Church Association in the Amazon Basin, teaching courses for Theological Education by Extension. He and Debbie, along with their four children were reassigned to France for 11 years. Their main ministry was church-planting in a Paris suburb. Since 2016 Jim has served as the assistant to the Vice-President of Field Ministries over Europe and the Americas and recently was named Ministry Director in Western Europe, overseeing the work in seven countries where Avant missionaries are planting churches.
Jim and Debbie live in Wheaton, IL at this time, using technology and travel to continue the work. Their children range from ages 23 - 13. One of them, Julie, is currently a senior at Moody.
Heidi (Stadt) Butts ‘89, ’90
Heidi graduated with a degree in Christian Education. She has greatly valued her Moody education,using it over the years in various volunteer roles in the church and the community, in the raising of their daughters, as well as in administrative roles in both public and Christian schools. Currently she is the assistant to the Head of Schools in a Classical Christian Academy. She and her husband of 31 years, Bob ‘87, live in the Cleveland area, where he leads Truth For Life, the Bible teaching ministry of Alistair Begg. Heidi and Bob have 3 grown daughters and 3 sons-in-law. She enjoys going to the lake, planning parties, biking and gardening.
Lyall Sutton, MA Min ’94
Lyall did his undergrad at Liberty University majoring in Youth Ministry. His formal ministry began at Cornerstone Baptist in Eldridge, IA where he served as Youth Pastor for six years. He presently serves as Sr. Associate Pastor at Bethany Baptist Church, Peoria, IL where he has served for 32 years. Lyall is committed to exposing people to Global ministry and has taken over twenty mission teams to five continents. He serves on the board of Hope Alive Africa. Lyall and Sheila have two children: Megan, Ben ’04 and Hannah (Bartel) ’04 and two granddaughters.
Juanita (Santiago ’05) Reyes
Juanita was saved at Inner City Impact through a backyard Bible Club in Chicago and currently serves on ICI’s board. Their leadership development program supported her to attend Moody Bible Institute. She graduated in 2005 with a BA in Print Media Communications—the first in her family to graduate from college. Juanita earned an MA in Journalism at Columbia College Chicago and has worked for CNN and other media outlets in the Chicago area. Juanita married Eric Reyes ’05, a Chicago policeman who serves in a specialized unit. They minister as elders at the New Life Community Church in Chicago where they started a young adults ministry and are now involved in the marriage ministry. The Reyes have three boys and a baby girl. Juanita homeschools their children and enjoys peace and quiet (and sleeping) when possible.
Donald Polk ’14
Donald was awarded his Biblical Studies degree at Moody in order to augment his other degrees in accounting, Master’s Degrees in Clinical Psychology and Master’s in Counseling. Prior to working in private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, Donald was part of the executive teams at three startup companies that eventually went global. The opportunity to travel and meet people all over the world helped to expose him to the great need in all the world for people to know and receive Jesus Christ as Savior. Donald and his wife Renee of 25 years live in both the Bay Area as well as in central North Carolina and travel to both locations often volunteering in their local churches on both the hospitality and marriage ministries.
Staff
Jeff Bope '11
Executive Director
Jeff Bope ’11 studied Biblical Exposition as a Moody undergrad and also served as class president. Jeff and Mallory (Sisk ’11) Bope, who studied women’s ministry, moved to Pennsylvania shortly after graduation, Mallory working in ministry for a Christian Camp, and Jeff working as an associate pastor. They returned to Chicagoland after a few years to begin their family and to follow a call on Jeff’s heart to invest in people and express his passion for fundraising. This led him to serving in Stewardship ministry for Moody before accepting a call to serve as chief development officer for Northern Seminary. Thrilled to now be back at his Alma Mater, Jeff is always looking for ways to connect with and support Moody alumni, promote the work they’re doing and build excitement about where a Moody education can take you. Jeff and Mallory have four children; Jay, Virginia, Mark and Helena, and they love going on family adventures! Together Jeff and Mallory serve as board members for Dickson Valley Camp in Newark, IL.
Scott Johnson
Project Coordinator
Scott Johnson serves as the alumni project coordinator for Moody. Prior to joining the alumni department, he worked in Moody’s Event Marking and Management department as an operation coordinator and external event coordinator. His primary responsibilities have centered around working with Moody’s external ministry partners and campus guests. Before Moody, he spent 15 years working at the PAV YMCA in Berwyn, Illinois, where he served nearly six years as the Aquatic Director. In addition to his responsibilities at Moody, he serves on the Philip Team at The Moody Church as an usher captain and as part of the leadership team of the In Focus community.
Ryan Snyder ‘20
Ryan lives with his wife in La Villita, Chicago where he daily develops our disciplined life in Christ, Ora et Labora – Prayer and work. He graduated from Moody Bible Institute in 2020 where he studied Communications, worked within Political Theology and loved Theological history. Ryan is discerning how best to develop the life of the mind before God with graduate studies in the future.