Set Free Ministries Team

Here to serve you and fulfill God’s vision for our ministry.

Full-Time Employees

Dean Vander Mey

Executive Director

Dean is a highly respected figure at Set Free, renowned worldwide for his expertise in guiding individuals through the process of finding freedom. With a remarkable ability to address root issues, Dean has earned the trust of leading experts who regularly refer clients to seek his guidance from all corners of the country. His impact is immeasurable, as he has provided wise counsel that has benefited generations of ministry recipients.

As the Executive Director of Set Free, Dean holds a crucial position within the organization. He personally meets with individuals in crisis, offering them comfort and direction based on the truth of Scripture. Dean’s teaching ministry goes beyond individual sessions as he passionately represents the organization, sharing the profound wisdom of God revealed through Freedom Ministry.

In his personal life, Dean finds joy in his marriage to his beloved wife, Sharie. Together, they are blessed with six daughters, four sons-in-law, and eighteen grandchildren. Before dedicating himself to ministry, Dean successfully ran a business called Action Packaging for 23 years. When he’s not fulfilling his calling, Dean takes pleasure in spending quality time with his family and pursuing outdoor activities. As an enthusiastic sportsman, he cherishes moments spent hunting, fishing, and retreating to “Deer Camp” in the UP of Michigan.

Dean’s unwavering commitment to guiding individuals toward freedom, his profound impact across generations, and his genuine love for family and the outdoors make him an exceptional leader within Set Free. He serves as a beacon of hope for all those seeking healing and transformation.

R Wayne Downing

Director of Operations

Wayne is the Director of Operations for Set Free and has a wide range of experience. He joined Set Free in 2018. After 23 years in the US Air Force, he retired in 2003 and moved into business and education. He even chaired the School of Business at Grace Christian University before joining Set Free. As a Professor of Business, Wayne has taught at various universities for over 12 years, focusing on business, operations management, communications, and IT.

But Wayne’s not all about work. He’s actively involved in his community, serving in frontline freedom ministry and as a board member in West Michigan. He’s passionate about Men’s Ministry at his home church and leads a Veteran Discipleship Ministry. He’s also a big part of SFM programs like Warriors Set Free, The Road, Conquerors Series, and Reboot: Combat Recovery.

Family means a lot to Wayne. He’s happily married to Aimèe, and they have three children (two married and one at home) and a grandson. He’s a fan of the outdoors, especially shooting sports and big game hunting, and he even teaches self-defense and security team training.

As the Director of Operations at Set Free, Wayne’s background, dedication to service, and love for ministry make him a key player in Set Free’s mission. He’s all about helping people find freedom and healing through Jesus Christ, and his friends and colleagues value him for it.

Steve Prince

Director of Warriors Set Free

Steve, a dedicated member of Set Free (SF), joined the organization in 2014 and has since been unwavering in his commitment to advancing the cause of Warriors Set Free (WSF). With exceptional fervor, Steve tirelessly strives to liberate those who have served our country honorably from the bondage of pain and trauma.

As the Director of Warriors Set Free, Steve brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by military personnel, veterans, first responders, and their families. Drawing from his own 25-year service in the US Army, Steve passionately works to provide targeted support and ministry to this deserving community.

In recognition of the urgent need to serve veterans and first responders, Warriors Set Free was established in 2014, under Steve’s visionary leadership. He has extended WSF’s reach by recently planting a new office and establishing a branch in Georgia, which currently employs two full-time and one part-time staff member.

Steve’s unwavering dedication to full-time ministry is evident in every aspect of his life. Beyond his role at SFM, he is a loving husband and proud father of two adult children. Outside of his ministry work, Steve finds joy in various outdoor activities, including hunting, kayaking, hiking, shooting, and embracing the beauty of nature.

Through his selfless service and burning passion, Steve exemplifies the heart of Warriors Set Free, empowering those who have sacrificed for our nation to find healing, freedom, and a renewed sense of purpose.

Steve Vander Molen

Director of Set Free USA

Steve Vander Molen serves as the Director of Set Free USA at Set Free. Steve is married to his beloved wife, Tammi; they have three daughters, one son, and nine grandchildren.

After 37 years of working for a large corporation in West Michigan, Steve is excited to finish out his career in ministry. Steve had a front-row seat to the powerful work of the Holy Spirit doing freedom appointments as a volunteer at Set Free for two years before joining the team in April 2023. Steve loves to spend time with his family, enjoying the great outdoors hiking, biking, hunting, boating, and snowmobiling.

Jason Taylor

Director of Set Free Global

After some time resisting the jump back into vocational ministry, Jason accepted God’s call to the Director of Global role in January of 2025. It was clear to him and those who knew him best that this was clearly the next move for him at this stage of life. After 26 years on the mission field, Jason spent the last 9 years as a Financial Planner and as founding employee with his son’s Aerospace company.

Throughout his early adult life, Jason has been drawn to a missional lifestyle, including work that has a deep impact on the people around him. Little did he know by saying yes to Jesus in December of 1987 that he would soon find himself living on the other side of the world in places like Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkey. After playing college basketball in northern California, he soon took on the role of being a sport ambassador for Christ whether it be as the founder of the New Life Basketball Tournament that spread to multiple locations throughout Central Asia, playing professionally for Athletes in Action’s USA team, or leading a multi ethnic sports movement in Turkey and throughout the Middle East for 10+ years.

Raising their young family in the Middle East was not for the faint of heart, but it was also a treasured and shared experience that is forever impressed upon his heart, mind, and soul. It often felt like how Eugene Peterson defined perseverance “…a long obedience in the same direction.” The cost to that perseverance is the part that few truly understand, but that does not hold him back from following Jesus through the hard seasons of life.

Soon after his own Freedom Appointment in the Fall of 2018, Jason soon found himself desiring to help others be set free, so that they may learn to walk free and eventually live free…just as Paul exhorts all Jesus’ followers in Galatians 5:1. This desire soon brought him back to his call to the nations…starting in Egypt and Armenia personally(Isaiah 49)…and now Uganda and India with Set Free(Isaiah 62). Freedom to the ends of the earth until Jesus returns!

Jay Fettig

Director of Advancement

Jay Fettig is a follower of Jesus Christ, avid outdoorsman, salesperson, husband, and father of 3 boys. Enjoying Gods creation and being outdoors is a large part of Jay’s active life.

Joining the Set Free team has been a massive part of Jay’s spiritual growth as he continues to gain more insight into the rules and tools that God has given us in scripture. He is excited to share his testimony with supporters and anyone who wants to experience the true spiritual freedom that only Christ offers.

After personally experiencing his Freedom Appointment, Jay has answered the call to support Set Free Ministries in any way he can, using his time, talent, and treasure.

Pete Noor

Walking Free Coordinator

Pete, a dedicated member of Set Free, joined the organization in 2014 and has since become a passionate advocate for its mission. Having experienced firsthand the transformative power of Set Free in his own life, Pete now utilizes his extensive network to raise awareness about how Jesus Christ, the ultimate Truth, brings hope and healing through the ministry.

With a deep commitment to helping individuals maintain the freedom they have found through Set Free, Pete serves in various capacities within the organization. His primary focus lies in the Walking Free initiative, which empowers individuals to sustain their newfound freedom. Through this initiative, Pete actively contributes to the mission by offering support and guidance to individuals through the Freedom in Christ Course, Bible Study Fellowship and by connecting them with churches and community organizations specialized in promoting freedom.

Pete’s unwavering dedication and personal experience make him an invaluable asset to Set Free, as he continues to play a vital role in helping others discover the transformative power of Jesus Christ and experience lasting freedom.

Zippora Benting

Advancement Specialist and Child Sponsorship Coordinator

Zippora serves as the Child Sponsorship Coordinator at Set Free Ministries and is a part of the Ministry Advancement Team. She also supports the ministry through administrative work and creative media. Zippora helped launch the Rules & Tools podcast and continues to manage its production to reach and encourage more listeners.

Her journey with Set Free began after a life-changing mission trip to Uganda, where she fell in love with the team’s hearts and the beautiful children they serve. Since then, she’s been all in—thriving alongside the ministry team and supporting in every way she can.

Zippora brings a passion for organization, storytelling through videography and photography, and a desire to break generational cycles by helping others find spiritual freedom through forgiveness. She loves working together with the team and looks forward to growing as a leader and making an even greater impact in the ministry’s future.

Nora Joyce

Ministry Coordinator

Nora serves as part of the Set Free USA Branch. She is the primary scheduler for Freedom Appointments. Nora is responsible for coordinating volunteer teams to meet with the ministry recipient. Her love for others and her desire to see that everyone has a seat at the table is just part of who she is at Set Free.

She is a retired teacher and says that “she is excited and grateful to be a part of the Set Free.”

Marty Johnson

Warriors Set Free - Ministry & Outreach Coordinator

Marty serves as the Ministry and Outreach Coordinator for Warriors Set Free. He is married to his bride Kelly, they have been married 10 years. They have 4 children, 3 daughters, 1 son and 2 granddaughters. He loves being known as Paco to his kids and Papa to his granddaughters. He enjoys hunting, fishing, pretty much anything outdoors. He served in the Marine Corps from 1985-1993.

He absolutely has been humbled and looks forward to each time that he can be present when someone is Set Free!!

Robert Alicea

Warriors Set Free - Ministry & Event Coordinator

Set Free - Advancement Specialist

Robert serves in both Warriors Set Free and Set Free Advancement.

Robert Alicea joined the ministry in 2024 and serves as Ministry & Event Coordinator for Warriors Set Free and Advancement Specialist for Set Free. He is honored that he gets to live out Matthew 20:28, “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.”

Robert is very active in various organizations and activities including being an elder and Men’s Circle leader at City Hill Church in Holland.

Georgia Employees

Eric Brew

WSF - Georgia Director

Eric, a devoted member of Set Free Ministries, joined the team after retiring from a 25-year career in the U.S. Army. Since stepping into full-time ministry, he has remained steadfast in his mission to see Warriors—Veterans, military personnel, and First Responders—find healing, freedom, and purpose in Christ.

As the Georgia Director of Warriors Set Free, Eric brings not only decades of military leadership but also a deep, personal understanding of the spiritual battles faced by those who serve. He leads with compassion, authenticity, and unshakable faith, helping men and women navigate past trauma, rediscover their identity in Christ, and live on a mission.

Under Eric’s leadership, the Warriors Set Free ministry has expanded into Georgia, where he planted a new office and now oversees a growing team of full-time and volunteer staff. His heart is to meet Warriors right where they are—and walk with them toward lasting transformation through Jesus.

Eric is a proud husband, father of six, and Pop Pop to three amazing grandsons. He shares this ministry journey with his wife, Shequita, an Army Veteran and passionate volunteer leader of the WSF women’s team. When he’s not mentoring or teaching, Eric enjoys the outdoors, coaching, and building up others through authentic relationships.

Eric’s life and leadership are a living testimony of God’s grace—and he continues to be a bold voice for truth, freedom, and faith in the Warrior community.

James Clark

WSF - Georgia Ministry Coordinator

James Clark serves as the Georgia Ministry Coordinator for Warriors Set Free, a Christ-centered ministry devoted to helping military members, veterans, and first responders grow in faith, heal from past wounds, and walk in the freedom only Jesus can provide. Since joining the team in January 2024, James has faithfully stepped into the work God has prepared—walking alongside others with compassion, truth, and a servant’s heart.

A 20-year U.S. Army veteran, James has seen how spiritual battles often outlast physical ones. By God’s grace, he now ministers to those still in the fight, offering discipleship, biblical guidance, and the hope of the Gospel through Freedom Appointments, Bible studies, and everyday presence. James believes it is God alone who brings freedom, and he is simply grateful to be used as a vessel in that process.

At the center of James’s life is his wife of 23 years, Katrina—his encourager, partner, and the second cord in their unbreakable three-strand bond with Christ. Together, they are raising three incredible children and cherish every moment spent as a family. James finds peace and renewal in God’s creation, especially while hunting and enjoying time outdoors.

To James, there is no greater honor than witnessing someone surrender their burdens and step into the freedom, identity, and purpose found in Jesus Christ alone—all for God’s glory.

Mary Kubik

Set Free - Advancement Coordinator

Mary Kubik joined Set Free Ministries in April 2025 and serves as our Advancement Coordinator in Georgia. Having received her master’s in social work in 2024, she brings a heart for ministry and a gift for connecting people to the mission of freedom in Christ. Her role is vital in helping us grow, communicate our impact, and steward the resources God provides through generous supporters.

Hired by Set Free Ministries to support the growing Georgia branch of Set Free Ministries, with a passion for service, Mary plays a key role in sharing the stories of transformation that happen every day through Set Free and Warriors Set Free. Whether she’s organizing events, managing donor communications, or building new relationships, Mary’s work helps fuel our mission to reach more individuals and warriors with hope, healing, and purpose.

Mary’s faith, attention to detail, and heart for service make her an essential part of the mission in Georgia. She works closely with ministry leadership to ensure that Warriors Set Free continues to grow, and Set Free becomes locally established, in both impact and outreach, helping more people and warriors walk in the freedom only Jesus can provide.

Outside of Warriors Set Free, Mary enjoys spending time with her friends, serving in her local church, volunteering within the military community, and encouraging others to boldly live out their God-given calling.

PART-Time Employees

Ben Benting

Accounting & Finance

Ben Benting has been a Set Free volunteer for about 15 years. He works in the accounting department at SFM, and enjoys participating in freedom appointments on a regular basis. “There is nothing quite like seeing a captive’s eyes opened to the power and truth of God’s word for the first time. The shackles that have been holding them for so long come off, and a whole new person is born.”

Ben has been married to his wife Erica for 23 years and is the father to 2 energetic boys, and 6 beautiful girls, ages 18 and under. He also serves as an elder at Body of Believers Community in Dutton.

Dr. Jeff Stam

Founder of Set Free Ministries

and Director of International Ministries, Emeritus

In 1995, PJ founded Set Free Ministries (SFM), becoming its first director. SFM’s first office was in the old back office at Friendship Church. Since their return from the mission field, PJ had been serving as an Associate Pastor at Friendship, which was a volunteer position due to his involvement in other full-time ministry, he requested Friendship to give spiritual oversight to this new ministry. SFM is now an international ministry with offices in India and East Africa.

In 2011 PJ was asked by Set Free Ministries to return to the ministry as Director of International Ministries, coordinating growing ministries in East Africa and Mizoram, India. He retired at the end of 2016 but was called back in April of 2019…and is retired as of October 31, 2020.