CRYSTAL WACKER KNAPP  (Founder; Editor-in-Chief)

Crystal Wacker Knapp graduated from Vanguard University with a B.A. in Christian Education. Over the years she has served as a teacher, children’s pastor, and marketing assistant. She credits all of these roles — as well as nine years living and working in East New York, Brooklyn, one of the most dangerous inner-city neighborhoods in the U.S. — for shaping her current focus and passion: Reach UP Magazine.

In New York, Crystal lived in government housing and worked with an aggressive children’s outreach that reached more than 20,000 children a week, plus their families. There she honed her writing through donor communications and learned the importance of identifying with the people she served by living in their community and visiting families weekly in her six-by-eleven–block territory.

After speaking at a women’s conference on “Peace in the Home,” the seed-thought for a magazine specifically targeting marginalized women was planted. With no funds but many relationships and much enthusiasm, Reach UP debuted on December 6, 2007. Today, Crystal continues to lead Reach UP with a heart to bring dignity, hope, and practical help to women in hard places.

Crystal and her husband, David, along with her sister, LaNay, make their home in Springdale, Arkansas, and are the proud grandparents of 28 grandchildren and a growing number of great-grands.

DAVID KNAPP (Business Manager; Contributing Writer)

Following Bible College and Seminary training at Calvary Bible College in Kansas City, David Knapp joined the ministry of Ethnos360, a missionary sending agency for primitive cultures of the world. His roles have included President of two training schools including a junior college level Bible school. He has also functioned as a PR field manager, recruiting representative and fundraiser for NTM over his 40-year career with NTM. His experiences have also included managing rental properties, operating a ranch and being owner of a carpet cleaning business. Knapp’s doctorate was awarded from Penial Baptist Seminary. Having been twice widowed and becoming a student of grief, David self-published his first book which made Amazon Best Seller list, I Didn’t Know What To Say. Soon after, he and Crystal co-authored  a grief journal, Recording My Sorrows. He speaks nationally and internationally on the broad, universally experienced subject of grief. www.griefreliefministries.com

ROBERT GIBSON (Graphic Artist)

Bahamas born and raised, Robert Gibson, graduated from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Interactive Media Design. As his client list grew Robert formed his own company, Square1 Media Group. Gradually he formulated his personal mission “to give start-up businesses who have quality products and services the look they otherwise couldn’t afford” and free-lanced utilizing his artistic skills. Reach UP Magazine’s vision resonated with Robert and has become one of his frequent free-lance jobs. Besides, song-writing, web and graphic design, and worship team, Robert currently serves as Landrail Point (Crooked Island, Bahamas) Local Government Councilman.

CHRISTINA WILLIAMS (Editor)

Christina Williams is a full-time volunteer Adult Ministries Coordinator for City Church in Sanford, FL. She oversees discipleship and small groups, helping people grow in Christ. Prior to that she worked freelance for a Christian publisher, writing church curriculum, and ghostwriting and editing books. Christina has written adult discipleship curriculum for her church, and has taught classes extensively. She currently facilitates the biblical education for her church’s intern program. Christina and her husband, Kip, love spending time with their grandkids or snorkeling in the Florida waters. She has been the volunteer editor for Reach UP Magazine since its inception.

KAREN ROGERS DUCKETT (Content Director; Reach UP TV Director; Board Member)

Karen Duckett lived and worked in New York’s inner city for 23 years. Visiting the children and families in their homes and connecting them with God was her passion. Seeing the need, she also fostered twelve children, and adopted two. In both New York City and Detroit, Karen headed up neighborhood outreach, trained staff, volunteers, and interns, and led short-term missions teams. Karen also created ministry videos and training videos that helped spawn like-ministries in many parts of the world, wrote children’s curriculum, and co-wrote a ministry manual on reaching your neighborhood with God. She has been an active board member on behalf of Reach UP since the start. 

MONA RÉ SHIELDS   (Spanish Editor)

MonaRé Shields was raised in LaPaz, Bolivia. Upon her graduation from high school in Bolivia, she entered North Central University where she earned a B.A. Degree in Christian Education. She has her Masters degree from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN, in Spanish and Education. Currently she and her husband are now the directors of the Latin American Advanced School of Theology which serves all the Spanish speaking countries of Latin America and the U.S. As such they travel extensively. Mona’s passion is to reach women and ministry leaders with Biblical truth that can bring joy, fulfillment and meaning to life. Since 2009 MonaRé volunteers as the second editor for the Spanish translation of Reach UP Magazine ensuring accuracy and comprehension for a broad spectrum of Hispanic cultures.