Staff & Council
The Rev. Jon Brudvig
Pastor
Pastor Jon began serving with and among the mission partners at Salem Lutheran Church on May 1, 2021. He and his wife, The Rev. Barb Jones, previously served together as co-pastors in Great Bend, Kansas. Prior to answering the call to ministry, Pastor Jon spent nearly 20 years in higher education, including time as a history professor, honors program director, and administrator. He holds degrees from Marquette University (BA/MA), the College of William & Mary (PHD), and Wartburg Theological Seminary (MDiv). Pastor Jon values cultural diversity, community engagement, and lifelong learning. In his spare time, Pastor Jon enjoys spending time with family, reading books, exploring local attractions, and working on his blog, Walking to Golgotha.
Heather Lewis
Director of Music and Worship
Heather Lewis has been the Director of Music and Worship at Salem since 2010, and was the song leader and pianist at a Saturday evening worship service 2004-2009. Heather has a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State in choral music education and a master’s degree from University of Maryland in piano performance, and teaches piano lessons in her home. She lives in Olathe with her husband Brad and three children, Casey, Brandon, and Faith. Heather directs the adult choir and children's choir, youth special music and drama, and coordinates and leads music in all services. She also directs children's musicals and Christmas programs every year. Salem’s music is enthusiastically offered in worship by all ages, and welcomes all levels of experience.
Shari Van Baale
Communications Coordinator
Shari started as Communications Coordinator at Salem in early 2017. Her job duties include the weekly bulletin and e-newsletter, creating slides for worship, maintaining the Salem website, and the annual directory, as well as other publications throughout the year. She has also worked at a Methodist church since 2010 doing a similar position. She has a bachelor’s in journalism from the University of Iowa. Originally from the Chicago area, she has lived in the Kansas City area since 2007. Her hobbies include reading, hiking, walking, and enjoying nature with her family. She lives in Olathe with her husband and two children, and her two beagles, Cream Puff and Cookie.
Laura Cooper
Office Administrator
Laura started at Salem in early 2022, after working at the Church of the Resurrection (COR) in Leawood for 20 years. She loves working with people and enjoys working in a church environment. Laura was born and raised in Florida, and has lived in this area for 38 years. She wouldn’t leave the change of seasons and the friendly people for anything! She and her husband have two daughters and one grandchild. She hopes to share her gift of administration in her new position.
Luke Carr
Nursery Coordinator
Luke and his family have attended Salem for a long time, and he helped in the nursery for quite awhile before joining as staff. He is a senior at Bonner Springs High School, and lives with his parents, brother Ashton, and sister Maddie, along with his dog Maggie. He has been the clubs/sports/portrait editor for his high school yearbook since the start of the 2023-24 school year, and has also been a photographer at school. Luke is an Eagle Scout and in the National Honor Society for the Boy Scouts called the Order Of The Arrow. His hobbies are hiking, baking, photography, camping, and graphic design. In his spare time, he loves being outdoors, spending time with his family, and creating graphic design pieces. He also loves sports, including football, basketball, and baseball, teams such as the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas State Wildcats, and the Kansas City Royals. He plans to attend Kansas State University in the fall of 2024 to major in secondary education with an emphasis in social studies.
Danlei Yang
Pianist
Danlei is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in piano performance at KU. She is a graduate teaching assistant, giving piano lessons and accompanying voice and choral conducting studios, and she is also an experienced harpsichordist.
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