Who We Are

Craig Michaels, President

Craig is a culinary a hospitality professional that helps foodservice operations achieve high levels of customer satisfaction through quality food and service. Craig has worked with hotels, restaurants and senior living communities across the United States and Central America. He is currently the Director of Fine Dining at the The Cedars of Chapel Hill in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.With a passion for mentoring youth, Craig has served as a youth pastor a New Community Church in Last Vegas along with his wife Florence. He has also assisted with youth programs at Centro Cristiano Internacional in San Salvador, El Salvador and Mission Hills Church in Littleton, Colorado. Craig spent 7 years living in El Salvador and loves the partnership he is able to have serving the team as a board member of MTES. He really enjoys seeing the joy, strength and resilience that is represented in the clients at MTES and amazing transformation that is taking placed in their lives. (pictured top left)

Jacob Nichols, Treasurer

Jacob Nichols first became involved with MTES i 2011 when he served on his first short-term mission trip. In the following years, he served on and and led multiple teams on trips to MTES. He developed a passion for missions and a love for the country and people of El Salvador. Jacob graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering and later retuned to complete his MBA from Carnegie Mellon. He spent years in the manufacturing sector working in areas ranging from process technology and operations to corporate finance. In 2016, he left the corporate world and focused on supporting his family in the home and serving in the local church. After spending many good years in the Pittsburgh area, Jacob and his family moved back to their home state of Ohio in 2019. He has recently joined the staff of his local church in the area of family ministries. (pictured above second from left)

Florence Michaels, Secretary

Florence is a baker at heart. She studied baking and pastry in Providence, RI where she met her husband Craig. Both were able to spend some years in El Salvador working at her family restaurant and bakery. Florence currently lives in the U.S. where she is raising three kids. She has served in many church ministries and most recently helped launch the children’s ministry at Mission Hills Church Español in Littleton, CO. As a native salvadoran, Florence lived through the Civil War that took place in El Salvador and has seen the brokenness left behind. She is passionate and thankful for the unique work that MTES does with the homeless population and the youth struggling with addiction and she is grateful to partner with a ministry that longs to see a populations find the freedom to grow. (not pictured)

Danielle Snyder, Executive Director

Danielle serves as a voice on the Board of Directors and founded the organization along with her husband Jon Snyder. See more information and her bio below. (pictured middle left)

Jenni Loeffler, Board Member

Jenni began her career in the field of Audiology after earning her Masters from the University of Pittsburgh. After stepping away to raise her children, she found a new calling in the corporate world where she has served for over 11 years with Landscapes USA as a Payroll Manager. In this role, she works  closely with a Latino workforce supporting seasonal workers from Central American and she has developed a great appreciation for the culture, resilience and work ethic of these communities. She first connected with MTES through her home church, an MTES church parter. After serving in El Salvador on several trips with her sons, she felt a strong calling to become more deeply involved with the work. She is inspired by the impact on individuals and families. Along with her husband, Jennis has raised 5 children and she is actively involved in her church. She is passionate about living out her faith through service, relationships and creativity. (pictured middle right)

Philip Ajamian, Board Member

Missions work has been a literal life calling for Philip. He was born on the mission field in the Middle East and lived in several countries before his family finished their international work. As a teenager, he committed his life to Christ and ministry. His work in vocational ministry began with an apologetics ministry where he learned to defend his faith and share the Gospel. He then began working with a Christian missions agency to plan and lead service trips primarily in Latin America and the Caribbean. It was through that work that he was introduced to MTES in 2014 and began to partner with them that same year.  He has since worked with an interdenominational missions sending organization to mobilize potential candidates for ministry overseas. He has also facilitated strategic partnerships throughout Latin America. Philip is glad to bring his personal experience and calling in mission into a deeper relationship with MTES through service on the Board of Directors. He is active serving in his local church as part of the Missions Committee, as a part-time Worship Leader, and as an ordained Deacon. (pictured second from right)

Dennis Nikkel, Board Member

Dennis is a senior business consultant with over 35 years of experience helping companies across various industry types. He has been a key part of numerous projects relating to the implementation of the ERP software from the Design or Blueprint phase to the Production/Go Live. Dennis has been serving in El Salvador as a volunteer for many years. He and his wife Valerie spent two years living in El Salvador and working as missionary staff before moving back to Canada. They previously had ten years of experience volunteering in a rural part of the country on a short-term basis. Dennis continues to support MTES as part of the Board of Directors. He and Valerie have two sons and three grandchildren and are activity involved in ministry to those facing homelessness. (pictured far right)