The hands and heart of our ministry.
Helping just one orphan attain family life and develop healthy relationships is a big undertaking, and Orphan’s Tree touches hundreds of orphans each year. To do that and do it well takes professionals, volunteers, and other orphans from both the US and Russia. Our staff includes Americans, Russians, and Kazakhs working to enable the ministry of Orphan’s Tree. Combined, our staff has more than 200 years of experience working with Russian and Kazakh orphans. Our US headquarters is in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Our Team
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George Steiner, President
When George went to Russia in 1991 as a staff member with International Bible Society, he did not know how life-changing that trip would become. While distributing scriptures in Russian orphanages in 1993, George knew something more had to be done. In 1994 he started Children’s HopeChest to address some of the overwhelming physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of children in Russian orphanages. Seeing a significant changing environment, in 2008 George started Orphan’s Tree to minister to teenage orphans after they left their orphanages. In 2024, he initiated the expansion of ministry to Kazakhstan.
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Jenya Haps, Vice President
Born and raised in Moscow, Jenya had a successful career as an interpreter in perestroika-era Russia before her call to serve orphans full time. She joined George Steiner to work with orphans in 1994, raising funds and awareness in both her homes, America and Russia. She oversees program partners both in Russia and Kazakhstan on behalf of Orphan’s Tree.
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Pastor John Smith, D.Min, Church Liaison
While serving as Senior Pastor of Concord United Methodist Church near Pittsburgh, PA, Pastor John made his first trip to Russia with George Steiner in 1995. He later said that Russia was far down on his list of places he wanted to go on a mission trip, but went because of his friendship with the Steiner family. He planned to do one trip. That was more than 30 trips ago. God gave Pastor John a heart for Russia and its orphans.
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Dawn Frager, Financial Operations
Dawn Frager joined the Orphan’s Tree staff in May 2019 after working as Director of Financial Operations at another ministry for 15 years. Dawn is a graduate of the University of Colorado. She enjoys reading and hiking in beautiful Colorado. Dawn is married to her husband, Scott, and they love spending time together with their two young adult daughters.
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Rebecca Peterson, Partner Relations Director
Rebecca Peterson serves as the Partner Relations Director for Orphan’s Tree. In that role she manages the ministry’s communications and development. Having traveled to Russia numerous times since she was 17, Rebecca has a huge heart for orphan care and works to find and encourage others with that same passion. After earning a degree in Elementary Education, Rebecca joined the staff of Orphan’s Tree in 2012.
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Katie Rizzo, Administrative Assistant
Katie first visited Russia to work with orphans in a summer camp in 1995. After many years teaching school overseas, Katie settled back in Colorado Springs and began working for Orphan’s Tree in 2019. Katie enjoys traveling around the world.
The orphans we serve.
Orphan’s Tree focuses on orphans who are out of orphanages—typically kids who are over the age of 16. Most would be considered social orphans, meaning they have at least one living parent who lost their parental rights, frequently due to crime or abuse. Most are also the grandchildren and children of orphans; it’s a cycle that keeps repeating.
We work both with kids just out of orphanages, as well as older orphans starting families. Some will stay in touch with us for decades. Others will work with Orphan’s Tree just for a season.
Board of Directors
Orphan’s Tree believes in accountability and learning from the wisdom of others. It’s why we have a board of directors with financial, programmatic, and staff oversite. Our board includes voices from both Russia and the US, and is comprised of some of our most committed and experienced volunteers.
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Tom is a successful banker in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Together with his wife Sue, they founded First Oklahoma Bank in 2009. Previously they pioneered Oklahoma National Bank in 1994 and sold it in 2007. Tom has degrees from Oklahoma State University, MPA from Harvard and PhD from Oklahoma State University. He and Sue have been very involved in promoting business in Oklahoma for many years.
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Raised in the Chicago area, Jay studied Russian language and culture in high school and at the University of Illinois. He resided in Estonia for a while during the 90’s and later served with a Chicago-based development agency working with partners around the globe. Now serving as Pastor of Mission and Discipleship at King Street Church in Chambersburg, PA, Jay enjoys resourcing churches and ministries in many parts of the world. He holds an M.Div. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
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Chris hails from the small town of New Brighton in Western Pennsylvania. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he now lives with his wife of 50 years, Linda. Chris earned his MBA from the University of Tulsa, and has served in executive capacities as well as starting several small businesses. He is the founder and CEO of LightQuest Media, Inc., a company that serves ministries and nonprofits by extending their outreach.
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Mary Louise is from Atlanta, GA and has traveled and/or lived in Russia since 2000. She has education and linguistic degrees/certificates from Samford University, GA State University and Vladimir State Pedagogical University. She enjoys developing and maintaining relationships with our Russian staff and young people, many of whom she's known for years.
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Brooke lives in Zelienople, PA with her dog, Martha. She graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 2002 and is currently serving at Harmony Zelienople Global Methodist Church as Director of Kids and Student Ministries. Her first trip to Russia was in 2008 and she has returned over a dozen times since then. She has also traveled to Kazakhstan and has returned numerous times to minister there with teams from her church and community.
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Mark lives in Wilmore, Kentucky with his wife Darlene. He is a retired professor of history having taught at Asbury College, Wheaton College (IL), Samford University and Southern Wesleyan University. While at Wheaton College he served as director of the East-West Christian Studies for 13 years. And during his tenure at Samford, he served for six years as the director of the Global Center at Beeson Divinity School.
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Cathy is a retired Associate Pastor in the PC (USA). She took her first trip to Russia in 2005 and has been several times since to work with older orphans in our orientation camps. She traveled with our 2024 assessment team to Kazakhstan to meet orphans and prospective partners. She especially enjoys spending time with her grandchildren.
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Stacy was raised in Northern California and attended UC Davis where she earned a BS in Human Development. She then went on to Cal State Los Angeles to earn her teaching credentials. Following that, she taught for five years in the Los Angeles area before starting her family. She and her husband Rob moved to Colorado in 2004. Rob is self-employed and owns Blue Peak Solutions.
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Meredith resides in Portland, OR with her husband John and stepson, Brooks. She graduated from the University of Colorado and is currently the Managing Director of a Portland-based digital marketing agency. Meredith has traveled to Russia a half-dozen times since 1994. Over the years, she has worked at a camp in Vladimir, visited orphanages in Kostroma, Ivanovo and Vladimir, and partnered with a number of ministry centers.