Chris Croswhite, Executive Director
Chris began ministering at the Rescue Mission in February of 2006. He has over 28 years of ministry experience serving as a missionary with CRU, as a pastor of churches in the Salt Lake area, Vancouver, British Columbia, and at the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake. He is a graduate of Utah State University with a degree in Business Management and a minor in Economics and Regent College (Vancouver, B.C.) with a Master’s of Christian Studies in Applied Theology. He is also certified as a Genesis Addiction Recovery Counselor.
Chris moved to Utah in 1980 and has strong ties to the community. Chris gave his first sermon in the late 1980s as a guest speaker during a Chapel Service at the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake. Then in the mid-1990s, he returned to the Mission with three youth groups from local churches leading a weeklong outreach to the homeless community. He also led service projects at the Ogden Rescue Mission during youth mission trips in the Ogden area. As an ordained pastor with Calvary Chapel, where he actively attends, he continues to speak at area churches.
Chris noticed a trend in his ministry of being involved with the hurting and marginalized of society; the realization became a natural transition for him when he became a part of the staff here at the Rescue Mission. He has a passion for sharing the love of God and how it makes an eternal and tangible transformation in one’s life. As Executive Director, Chris oversees the complete ministry and operations of the Rescue Mission’s men and women facilities, transitional homes, as well as, the Ogden Rescue Mission.
Eileen Crist, Chief Financial Officer
Eileen joined the staff team at the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake in July of 2012. She grew up in Ohio but has lived in Utah since 1994. Before serving at the Rescue Mission, she was an Operations Officer for a large national bank for 17 years; she and her husband owned and managed an internet company and a restaurant; and, most recently, she served as Treasurer and Church Administrator at her church. Eileen studied Finance and Marketing at Wright State University and Accounting at Miami Jacobs Junior College. Additionally, Eileen counsels individuals and families in areas of financial stewardship, budget preparation, and debt-free living.
Eileen is zealous in her love for God, His word and His people. She focuses on being a positive support at the Rescue Mission and all who walk into her office.
Dennis Dickerson, Director of Community Relations
Dennis loves serving the local community and building relationships with partners who care about the homeless. Dennis joined the Rescue Mission having worked for and volunteered with non-profit organizations his entire adult life. His strength is in development and community relations, having served both national and local organizations, and Christian ministries.
Dennis grew up in Arkansas, graduating from the University of Central Arkansas with a degree in Sociology. In 1995 he moved to Utah with his family. He is a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, where he currently serves as president of the congregation and on the missions committee. Dennis has participated in numerous short-term mission trips and considers his life to be an ongoing opportunity to share the love of God on a daily basis.
Stuart “Mac” Saunders, Community Engagement Officer
Stuart “Mac” Saunders was born and raised in Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C. Lived in Southern California for 8 years and moved to Utah in 1994 and where he raised his family. Mac has been a volunteer Chapel Provider at the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake for nearly 20 years, and in 2022 transitioned from a 21-year career as an Executive Vice President of Sales, and Training for a private company in Draper, UT to serve at the Rescue Mission full-time.
In 2022 Mac sensed a deeper nudge from God to invest his life in full-time ministry at the same time the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake began looking for a Community Engagement Officer to further develop resources to help hurting people know Jesus and off the streets.
Mac considers it a blessing, an honor, and a privilege to be able to devote his life, skill sets, time, focus and energy to such a needed, compassionate, and serving ministry. In the world we live in today, the Rescue Mission stands as a beacon of hope and restoration for lost, broken, and hurt people. Mac often shares that he is amazed at how serving at the Rescue Mission has become the career he has longed for and best ‘job’ he has ever had, as he not only serves our homeless friends, program members, but also our generous donors who keep our doors open and help make it all possible.
Judy Doud – Director, Ogden Rescue Mission
Judy has been involved with leadership and operations of the Ogden Rescue Mission for over a decade. She has lead thrift store operations, bookkeeping, and the women’s recovery program. Recently she has led the process within the Ogden Rescue Mission to formally join with the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake. Today Judy remains the Director of Ogden Rescue Mission overseeing daily operations, community and outreach efforts, as well the Ogden business office.
She is excited about broken people coming to know Jesus and leaving their life on the streets. She is quick to set down her pen or push her keyboard aside to meet the spiritual and emotional needs of the person before her – no matter who they are.
Cyndi Harris – Program Director, Rescue Mission Women’s Center
Cyndi’s delight is for one-on-one counseling, but her unique role means she coordinates and facilitates the daily operations at our Women Center. With a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Utah, she has been certified as a licensed social worker in Utah. She has experience working with physically ill clients as well as those with mental health and substance abuse disorders. Cyndi is passionate about helping women find faith in God, learn their unique identity and life away from the streets.
Don Nicholson—House Manager, Rescue Mission Men’s Center
Don is the man who makes sure the Mission Men’s Center runs smoothly. Don oversees Guest and Emergency Services, intake applications to the New Life Program and many other aspects of the Rescue Mission’s Men’s Facility day to day operations. Don is in recovery from his struggle with addiction and a graduate of our New Life Program and thus brings a unique perspective to working with our homeless friends and the students in the New Life Program.
Don is active in his church, Calvary Salt Lake and is passionate about helping our students and homeless friends alike build healthy relationships outside of the homeless community.
Rescue Mission Board of Directors
Chris Croswhite, Executive Director
Bill Klemon, Chairman
Tony Rehmer, Secretary
Alex Hallien, Treasurer
Brad LaVoie
Robert Buckley
Rich Spence
Steve Schwab
Special Advisors
Pamela Atkinson
Brian Baker
Richard Stewart
Scott Price
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