Say hello to a team with the expertise & compassion to meet you where you are.
Meet Our People
FOUNDER / TRAUMA-INFORMED TRAINER / MOM
Meredith Shuman, MSW
Meredith Shuman is the founder of James Trail, an organization supporting the unique needs of families and organizations impacted by trauma. Meredith has over 28 years of experience serving as a therapist, trauma-informed trainer, and as a mom. She holds a MSW from the University of Texas at Arlington, and is a TBRI Practitioner. She and her husband Dan, a global health physician have been married over 30 years, and they have 5 children, 4 of whom are adopted. Meredith loves a passport with lots of stamps, a water bottle with lots of stickers, a table with lots of people, and a mountain with lots of trail.
GLOBAL HEALTH LEADER / FOUNDER, JTMED
Dan Shuman, D.O.
Dan Shuman is the director of James Trail’s medical practice (JTMed). He holds degrees from Baylor University and UNTHSC at Fort Worth. He is Board Certified in Family Medicine and brings his 26 years of Global Health and Family Medicine expertise to caring for James Trail clients and brings support of our nonprofit partners around the globe. Dan and his wife, James Trail founder Meredith, have been married over 30 years, and they have 5 children, 4 of whom are adopted. When not providing medical care or mentoring other caregivers around the world, you can find Dan Jeep-trekking through the mountain trails of Colorado.
TRAIL GUIDE
Neva Ringdahl
Trail Guides follow-up with trauma-informed training, with an emphasis on application of the content to your situation. Neva has over 34 years of experience as a foster/adoptive mom. She and her husband, Jim have 8 adult children, 9 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild. Neva was a public school teacher for 16 years in California. Neva holds certificates and training in Soul Care, Grief Death and Dying, Prepare/Enrich, Trauma Informed Caregiving and Formational and Healing Prayer. In addition she is well versed in TBRI and is a licensed chaplain.
Neva has a passion to walk with people on the trail. She also loves reading, hiking, Pilates and enjoying a great meal with friends.
VIDEO + PODCAST PRODUCTION
Zach Lucero
Zach Lucero is an independent, freelance creative, offering services in cinematography, photography, editing, audio production, and consulting. Originally from Olathe, KS, he went to Southern Nazarene University in Oklahoma City where he received a B.A. in Commercial Music Production. He spent 7 years in full time pastoral ministry before jumping head first into his business. His wife, son, and 3 pets (Marvin, Chimichanga, & Nobu) are the greatest loves of his life. Powered by sour gummy worms and an active imagination, Zach is the go-to for anyone looking to infuse their projects with authenticity and excellence.
OPERATIONS COORDINATOR
Gretchen Schrock
Gretchen is the Operations Coordinator for James Trail and strives to be a support for the team. She graduated with Bachelor’s degrees in Social Work, International Studies, and French from the University of North Dakota. During her studies, she learned about trauma informed resources and the impact they have in empowering people to thrive.
In North Dakota, she and her family are thankful for every warm sunny day while finding indoor activities to occupy all other days. During her spare time, Gretchen enjoys finding a cozy place to read a good book, playing piano, or working on various creative projects supervised by her cat, Frodo.
TRAIL GUIDE
Lynn Sprunger
A reluctant student of resiliency, Lynn has walked the path of trauma and grief unique to pastor’s families. Believing there is eternal purpose within our trials and knowing there is healing in community and vulnerability, Lynn has a heart for walking alongside and supporting pastors, spouses, and their families who have experienced trauma. She is a pastor’s kid, a pastor’s wife and a mom with nearly 40 years of experience in full-time ministry, currently serving with her husband and their congregation in the beautiful state of Oregon. Her ideal afternoon would be sitting in the sun with a fruit smoothie in one hand and a trip itinerary in the other.
MARKETING DIRECTOR
Liz Ramsdell
Elizabeth is a long-time Colorado resident, and has a passion for supporting the mission of James Trail through creativity, digital strategies, and compelling storytelling. With a degree from Oral Roberts University, she has worked in the digital marketing space for seven years and is thrilled to employee her gifts and talents at James Trail. In her free time she loves spending time outdoors, hanging out with friends, and running a floral business.
MARKETING ASSISTANT
Griffin Shuman
Hailing from down south in Houston, Texas, Griffin Shuman is the Marketing Assistant for James Trail. Growing up in a trauma-informed family gave Griffin the perspective of empathy and self-awareness that he carries into today. He has four siblings - all adopted, and his wife is an adoptee, as well. He has spent the last nine summers involved in summer camps, which has cultivated a passion for video, media, and camping as a ministry. When not cooking up his next video project, you can find Griffin taking long dog walks with wife Emily, or getting ready for his next Dungeons and Dragons session!
BOARD MEMBER
Joshua Kreimeyer, PHD, LPC, LMFT
Dr. Joshua Kreimeyer is a Professor in the Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Colorado Christian University in Denver, Colorado. He is also on the faculty at the Міжнародний Інститут Післядипломної Освіти in Kyiv, Ukraine. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Dr. Kreimeyer served in the US Army as a Linguist and deployed to Kosovo (1999) and Iraq (2003). He has worked in community-based outpatient clinics, private practice, a residential drug and alcohol program within the US Bureau of Prisons, and several years as a Family Therapist within the US Department of Veterans Affairs. He has also been a part of advocacy efforts in the United States and Ukraine, for effective mental health services and access to care for military veterans and their families. Dr. Kreimeyer is, also, an AAMFT-approved supervisor.
BOARD MEMBER
Irasema Rentería, BS
Irasema is a psychologist that has been working with Back2Back ministries for the last 8 years. She has worked as a one-on-one therapist for teens coming from hard places, as well as in a training role. Irasema is a key member of the Child and Family Development Team, where her main focus is to teach Trauma Competency to biological/foster/adoptive parents, teachers and caregivers. She is a TBRI and EMDR practitioner who feels passionate about bringing the "Trauma Friendly'' approach into every aspect of life, knowing how valuable it is in the lives of the most vulnerable. Irasema and her husband are raising a 8 year old girl, and share a passion to serve the Lord.
BOARD MEMBER
Roy Sprunger, MRE
Raised on a SW Kansas farm, Pastor Roy Sprunger has been in full-time ministry serving churches in Missouri, Kansas and Oregon over the last 33 years. An avid bicyclist and hiker, he never meets a stranger & enjoys intentionally connecting with those he meets along his path.
Roy received a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Warner Pacific College in Portland, OR and a Masters of Religious Education from the Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City. He currently serves as Senior Pastor at a beautiful church along the Columbia River in NW Oregon where he lives with his wife of 34 years. Together they have one amazing adult daughter.
BOARD MEMBER
Daniel Ziegler, BA
Daniel graduated with a design degree from the University of Cincinnati and spent the next 6 years working in marketing for Back2Back Ministries, a global non-profit dedicated to giving a voice to orphaned and vulnerable children. He brought his photography, video, and marketing experience to launch Next Door Photos, a real estate photography company, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He’s passionate about Next Door Photos' mission to provide employment to survivors of human trafficking. When Daniel is not helping realtors delight their clients with high quality media, you can find him playing outside with his wife, two sons and a daughter, or tackling that next big DIY project at home.
Help us walk the trail with families in need.
Be part of the work of James Trail today! Our giving model allows you to directly support our mission in a way that resonates most with you.
