John M. Vitek (he/him/his), National Speaker John’s concern for religion and young people has spanned a career of forty-one years. He has served in leadership positions from the local church youth ministry level through diocesan, regional, national, and international positions of church and academic leadership. From 2001–2023, John served as
Thomas Carlton (he/him/his), Content Marketing Copywriter Thomas is a copywriter who creates and deploys digital content for Springtide. Before Springtide, Thomas held a number of roles gaining experience in e-commerce, advertising and marketing. Thomas aims to “maintain a sense of curiosity about the world around me and apply that curiosity
Rabbi Elan Babchuck (he/him/his), Research Advisory Board Rabbi Elan Babchuck is a rabbi and entrepreneur who spends much of his time exploring the rich intersections between these two traditions. He’s committed to leaving behind a world that is more compassionate, connected, and just than the one he found, and—in pursuit
Speaking Coordinator As part of her work as Director of Creative Delivery at Lasallian Educational and Research Initiatives, Cären also serves as Speaking Coordinator for Springtide. A gifted creative, Cären has spent the last 20 years leading the design and production team to create best-in-class products for Saint Mary’s Press.
Adam Koskovich, (He/Him/His) Adam joins Springtide as a research intern. He was drawn to the internship based on Springtide’s research on how young people discover meaning and belonging, something he struggled to find as a teenager. Adam is a senior at Augsburg University majoring in clinical psychology with a minor
Kaitlyn McCracken (she/her), Research Assistant Kaitlyn originally joined Springtide as a research intern. Now, she works with the research team as a Research Assistant. She appreciates Springtide’s focus on teenagers and young adults and the opportunity to analyze stories through a research lens. Kaitlyn graduated from Asbury University, majoring in
Aimee Chao (she/her), Marketing Intern Aimee joins Springtide as a marketing intern. As a current member of the Springtide Ambassadors Program (SAP) 2024 cohort, she was drawn to the internship based on experiencing Springtide’s values of humility, compassion, and focus on strengths. Aimee graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a
Christian Camacho (he/him/his), SAP Leadership Fellow Christian Camacho is the current Springtide Ambassadors Program (SAP) Leadership Fellow after serving as a member of the inaugural SAP cohort. Christian helps plan and facilitate monthly SAP meetings for Ambassadors ranging in ages from 13 to 25. Describing his involvement with Springtide, Christian says, “It’s a
Claire Nelson (she/her/hers), SAP Leadership Fellow Claire Nelson serves as the current Springtide Ambassadors Program (SAP) Leadership Fellow; she joined Springtide as an ambassador with the 2023 cohort. Claire helps facilitate monthly SAP meetings and finds creative ways for current and past Ambassadors to stay connected with the work of Springtide.