OUR STAFF TEAM
We have an incredible staff family here with Cru at Washington, DC. These men and women serve full-time to ensure that every student has an opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel. You can read a little about them here, but they would love to meet you in person.
Andrew Powars
Andrew has served with Karlayne as the Directors of Cru in DC since 2010. He grew up in the DC area (on the Virginia side) and graduated with a degree in Computer Information Systems at James Madison University. He loves playing sports, watching sports and reading about sports (in that order). Naturally an introvert, he is known to not like coffee, chocolate or fun. He also thought Christianity was absurd until God changed his heart, his mind and his life in college. Now he loves seeing lives redeemed by the Gospel.
andrew.powars@cru.org - 571.425.8607
Karlayne Powars
Karlayne has served with Andrew as the Directors of Cru in DC since 2010. She grew up in the Washington DC area (on the Virginia side) and graduated from James Madison University with a degree in Marketing Information Systems. She enjoys coffee, running, traveling and adventures. She has been to all seven continents, over 40 countries and still has a long dream list of places to go. She fell in love with Jesus highschool and loves to talk to people about Jesus, what he has done and continues to do in her life.
karlayne.powars@cru.org
Also part of the staff team are these four delightful and energetic Powars children!
(From Left to Right) Titus, AvonleaGrace, Judah, Behrens
Brooke Wheeler
Brooke grew up in Lancaster County, PA, and went to American University to study Public Health, Statistics, and Community-based Research. While at American she got involved with DC Cru and was captivated by Christ and the community she found in Cru. She joined as an intern after graduating and then transitioned onto full-time staff in 2023. She is excited to serve the Lord and other college students who are in the same place she used to be. Brooke loves to run, hike, and do almost anything outside.
brooke.wheeler@cru.org
Matt Caspero
Matt grew up in northeastern Maryland and graduated from the University of Maryland in 2018 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. While involved in Cru as a student at UMD, he thought full-time ministry was interesting but scary and got a job in engineering instead. But over time, he started to understand that working in ministry was a blessing–not a burden–and joined staff in 2020. Matt's favorite part of his new job is watching students come to the same realization, that following Christ always results in a more joyful life. In his spare time, Matt likes to explore D.C. for places with good and cheap food as well as great hiking trails with his wife Becca, and their dog, Libby.
matt.caspero@cru.org
Ian Cox
Ian was raised in Virginia and got a degree in Film at George Mason University. He got plugged in with Cru the first week of freshman year and was blessed by the way God grew him through that community. He felt God’s calling into full time ministry after a summer mission and has enjoyed the opportunity to love the Lord and love others through his ministry. Ian loves his wife Emma, games of all sorts, and listening to subjectively good music.
ian.cox@cru.org
Emma Cox
Emma grew up in Virginia, about an hour outside D.C. and studied Creative Writing at George Mason University. While there, she got involved with Cru and felt God call her into full time ministry. She loves seeing lives transformed by the gospel as Jesus continues to transform her. Emma and Ian got married in 2020 and love doing life and ministry together. Emma’s perfect day would be spent traveling to a place she’s never been, or reading a good book on the beach.
ian.cox@cru.org
Sarah Farrell
Sarah grew up in northern Virginia and graduated from Marymount University in 2019 with a degree in Interior Design. While at Marymount, she was introduced to Cru and was blown away by the community she found that was committed to pursuing authentic relationships with Christ and one another. This transformed her view of what it looked like to truly walk with the Lord. After graduating, she worked in Interior Design but wrestled with her passion for ministry. Finally, after several years, she felt called to leave her job and intern with Cru. Now she is excited to help cultivate an environment where other students can feel deeply known by God and by others. She is pictured here with her husband David and they can be found playing pickleball, hosting board game nights, trying new restaurants in DC and cuddling with their cat.
sarah.vaneck@cru.org
Heidi Esau
Heidi is a Canadian who grew up near Toronto. By the end of her college years Heidi found herself with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture as well as a newfound love for Jesus and for helping students know and follow Him. She served as campus staff in three other cities prior to coming to the US in 2023. She moved to DC with her husband Paul after he got a job at a NGO downtown. They live in an 1890s brick row house in NE DC with their daughter Zoe and play a lot of family disc golf! Heidi is also passionate about ringette (an obscure girls ice sport that you’ve now finally heard of) and going to the National Arboretum to unwind.
heidi.esau@cru.org