Our Staff

A warm blend of personalities bringing lots of different life experiences to their jobs.  Amazingly capable individuals who love the Lord and desire to serve Him.  A group of people who are hungry to see God’s work carried out here and now and are ready to lead the charge.  This is a description of the staff of GEECC.   Click a name to learn more!

Our staff always welcomes questions and comments.  To contact the church office, call 1-630-469-5405 by phone, 1-630-469-4505 by fax, or info@gecovenant.org via email.   To reach a staff member directly, use the phone extensions listed below.  Staff email addresses follow the format firstname.lastname@gecovenant.org.

Judy Barg – Interim Administrative Assistant

She never imagined when she was a young girl of five participating in our church’s Lucia service that she would one day be the face of the church.  Judy’s love for the Lord and her compassion for His people come through in all she does.  She literally seems to be filled with His joy!  Her warm personality, encouraging demeanor, and ability to make everyone feel at ease make her the perfect person to receive visitors, answer the church phone, and keep things in order at the front desk of the church.

Brittany Borgeson – Director of Student Ministry

As one of the senior members of the staff in terms of tenure, Britt brings a historical context to her position.  But perhaps her greatest value comes from the wisdom she has gained while serving a growing and vibrant ministry for the past five years here at GEECC.  Her love for her students and the way we see her shower that love upon them shows each of us how to interact with one another and serve together.  In addition, Britt is completing her graduate degree in Christian Formation & Ministry at Wheaton College and brings a wealth of knowledge from her coursework that has real-life application here at the church, in the way we worship, the way we are lead, and they way go about our daily business.

Doug Cederberg – Senior Pastor

Being born in the Swedish Covenant Hospital in downtown Chicago, some might say Doug’s call to the ministry was inevitable.  Others might say that God was simply preparing him for the life He had planned for Doug.  The newest staff member, Pastor Doug is quite familiar with our church, having spent his early years as a father here as well as serving here for his internship during seminary.  Following a detour to Long Island, NY, the UP of Michigan, and the past six years in Massachusetts, Doug has returned to GEECC.  His humility, sense of humor, and passion for God’s Word are just a few of the qualities that make him a wonderful shepherd of the flock here at GEECC.  And being a member of the North Park University Hall of Fame for his years on the football field is a bonus!

Genevieve Garreau – Interim Director of Children’s Ministry

Spending three years as a missionary in Kyrgyzstan teaching in an MK school has given Genevieve a unique and refreshing view on the work of the church.  Combine this perspective with her childhood  in France and Canada, and Genevieve is truly a woman who sees the big picture – beyond the walls of this church to God’s kingdom as a whole.  She has a love for the Lord and His children that is deep and wide.  Her creativity in teaching children to love the Lord is only matched by her passion for them to know Him as their Heavenly Father.  

Vicki Heise – Officer Manager

Her extensive experience serving in human resources in corporate America means Vicki has a depth and breadth of knowledge to bring to her role as Office Manager.  Combine that with her three years of service on the church’s Leadership Team, and she is a perfect fit to manage the daily operations of the church.  In addition, Vicki brings a compassion and understanding to her interactions with staff and church members alike, recognizing that every voice should be heard and every person encouraged as they work to serve God in the church.

Dawn Lauber – Interim Worship Leader – Choir

A professional singer and mother of three, Dawn’s vocal abilities have won critical acclaim.  Though classically trained, Dawn believes in combining worship styles, traditional and contemporary, to the glory of God.  But more than her musical abilities, Dawn’s love and care for those she leads in the choir are an inspiration to us all.  She knows their stories.  She knows they have much to offer the church body and she seeks opportunities for them to reach out to others – as she also seeks to involve the youth in worship.  In addition, Dawn’s love for the Lord extends beyond our church walls to those in need around the world.  

Dee Pierce – Communications

Having worked in politics and in communications for one of the world’s top four public accounting firms, Dee understands the power of the written word.  She has a passion for ensuring people in the church are aware of its activities and direction because she believes that if they have knowledge they will be engaged and see themselves as part of the process.  She loves color and the use of graphics because some of us benefit from the use of visuals to understand concepts and are more likely to remember a picture than a paragraph.  In addition, Dee’s past experience translating political or accounting jargon has helped her ensure that the language we use as a church is understandable, even to those who don’t speak “church.”

Ron Salzman – Staff Accountant

Ron’s voice carries the wisdom of years of experience working in and around religious organizations, including several years as Director of Missions for another denomination where he traveled extensively overseas working directly with missionaries.   His words are full of knowledge and are delivered with a gentleness that can only come from a truly loving heart.   He brings his inquisitive nature, no doubt developed during his years as a math teacher, to his job, seeking the right answers to the financial issues of the church just as surely as he does to our weekly staff time spent discussing Bible passages.  His involvement in our men’s ministry is an encouragement to the others in his group who benefit from his wise counsel and tender heart.

Donna Svensen—Director of The Ark Preschool

Enthusiasm.  Creativity.  Love.  These are the qualities Donna brings to her position as the Director of our preschool.   Donna grew up in our church, learned to sing Jesus Loves Me here, and as a teen portrayed Lucia in our annual service marking this beloved tradition.  As she speaks with parents about our preschool she glows with the love she has for the Lord, which she learned within the walls of Glen Ellyn Covenant.  Donna spreads this love to all she encounters.  Since taking this position a year and a half ago, Donna has worked hard to find connections between the church and the preschool, between the two staffs, and with families from the church and school.  She has tackled a number of technical issues, including …..  We benefit greatly from her expertise in this important role and are blessed to have her represent our church in this position of community outreach.