Word of Hope's Executive Members
Executive Director: Grace Kern (LCMS), a social worker and a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors, has been involved in pro-life work for over 27 years. She first served as president, counselor, and speaker for the Care and Counseling Center of Downers Grove, Illinois, and then as Director of Healing Hearts since its founding in 1991. Through her ministry, she has helped women and men struggling with a crisis pregnancy or a past abortion in congregations, communities, prisons, and military bases throughout the country. In addition to counseling, Grace is an educator and teacher. She trains others in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and works with deaconesses through Concordia University, River Forest. Grace started an abstinence-centered education program that has reached well over forty thousand teenagers. She has written a number of articles for LifeDate, and has been a guest on national talk radio programs such as Mid Day Connection, Prime Time America and Woman to Woman.
Director of Outreach: Linda Bartlett is the author of "From Heartache to Healing," "No More Weeping," "Men, Women, and Relationships," and other publications for women who grieve past choices and want to start over. She is a national speaker, and has been involved in pro-life and family ministry for many years. Linda is an encourager for those who have been hurt by the half-truths and deceptions of the world. She has been involved with the Word of Hope ministry since its beginning, and serves in a number of capacities. Linda is the founder of Titus 2 for Life, the mentoring ministry of Word of Hope.
Director of Counseling: Jennifer Knox, MA, a licenced clinical professional counselor, has been involved in pro-life work for over 10 years. She recieved both her bachelors and masters degrees from Concordia University in River Forest, IL. Prior to persuing her degree in counseling, Jennifer was an elementary teacher in a Lutheran school. She is currently a Certifified Domestic Abuse Counselor and trained in EMDR. Jennifer has worked with men, women and children both individually and as a family.
