Our Team - Christian Family Care

Leadership

Mark Upton

President / Chief Executive Officer

Mark joined CFC in 2007. He has a deep and abiding love for our Lord, a love for children and families, and a passion for excellence. Previously, he served as executive vice president/provost of Phoenix Seminary. He and his wife of over 43 years enjoy their three children and 12 grandchildren, four of which were adopted.

Pam Giardina

Chief Programs Officer

Pam’s passion is to bring help, healing, and wholeness to hurting children and adults through the opportunity of experiencing quality social and clinical services. She brings seasoned leadership to CFC’s programs and shares her child welfare expertise with various affiliations: Arizona KIDS Consortium, Council on Accreditation, Arizona Foster Family Treatment Association, and Arizona Council of Human Services Providers. She and her husband of over 44 years have two daughters and one granddaughter.

Jeff Fellman

Statewide Director of Foster Care

Jeff holds degrees in Public Health from the University of Minnesota and a Master’s of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary. His experience includes developing Christian mental health centers in both Tucson and Phoenix, and pastoring churches for 12 years in Minnesota and Arizona. He was a child abuse investigator with Arizona’s Child Protective Services for nine years and also worked at CFC as a Foster Family Specialist in both the regular and high-risk programs for four years.

Dan Utrera

Statewide Director of Clinical Services

Dan brings to Christian Family Care an ability to build relationships, as well as a passion for training and development. Since 1993, he has served in various behavioral health, social service, and educational organizations. Most recently, he spent six years with a Fortune 500 company which provides behavioral healthcare services for government healthcare programs. He and his wife, Tia, have one son.

Don Bishop

Statewide Director of Youth in Transition

Don has been with Christian Family Care since 2015. Prior to his role at CFC, he developed and managed residential housing programs for homeless veterans and other high-risk homeless populations with a clinical focus. He has also worked as a Mental Health Therapist for adults and adolescents. Don is a veteran of the United States Army where he served as a combat medic.

Rachel Lohrman

Director of Family Services

Prior to joining CFC in 2015, Rachel worked in an adolescent residential treatment center and a children’s crisis shelter. She went back to school for her master’s in professional counseling and began work at CFC in the pregnancy counseling program. Rachel has a heart for those wounded by trauma and a passion to see lives transformed through adoption. She and her husband adopted three siblings from the foster care system.

Gary Miller

Director of Marketing & Advancement

Gary brings over 35 years of marketing, development, design, and communications to Christian Family Care. His passion is to communicate and market CFC’s amazing work and changed lives, all for the glory of God. Prior to joining CFC in 2012, Gary was founder and president of The M. Group, a Phoenix-based identity management firm. Gary and his wife, Amy, have four sons and two daughter in-laws.

Sharon Brown

Human Resources Manager

Prior to coming to Christian Family Care, Sharon served as the director of human resources for Phoenix Seminary for seven years. Sharon has a passion for serving the Lord and people through providing human resource services to faith-based ministries. She is married to Jim and has six wonderful children and three grandchildren.

Board of Directors

Mark N. Upton, President
Steve Whiteman, Board Chair
Dennis Wilson, Vice Chair
Bob Stave, Treasurer
Brad Edson, Secretary
Michael Hunter
Julie Bartolini
Linda Bowers
Huron Claus
Sheila Mengarelli
Doug Napier
Tony Muller

Southern Arizona Advisory Council

Warren Braun
Evan Carlson
Robert Davis
Jen Anderson