Young Adult Ministry Team

Mae Helen Jackson

she/her
Interim Program Director, YAGM Leadership Formation &
Manager, Young Adult Outreach & Placement

Mae Helen Jackson currently serves as the Interim Director for YAGM and the Outreach and Placement Manager for Young Adult Ministries. A life long Lutheran, she has had the pleasure of working for the ELCA in an official capacity since 2017. She was a YAGM herself, serving in the Southern Africa program in 2014-15. Working with young adults is her way of living out her faith and she is so excited to accompany you on this journey. She is the mom of an awesome 2 year old and loves astrology and all things Marvel.

Email: maehelen.jackson@elca.org

Jenna Leazott

she/her
Manager, Young Adult Networks and Alumni Engagement

Jenna is the Manager for YA Networks and Alumni Engagement, so you'll be seeing more of her once you come back! She studied Sociology, Political Science, and Women's and Gender Studies at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin and her parents are very surprised that she is gainfully employed. She spent her YAGM year in Mexico City accompanying migrants at a shelter and eating more tortillas than man was meant to consume. She loves to connect young adults with what they're passionate about and thrives in holy troublemaking. Jenna considers herself to be a fanny pack aficionado and loves reading, embroidering, cross-stich, and generally any other old lady activity. Her favorite activity is napping, butterflies are her #1 enemy, and she will talk your ear off about nuclear proliferation, asylum law, and Marvel. Jenna lives in Orlando on unceded Seminole land with her two coworkers (cats), Oliver and Beanbag.

Email: jenna.leazott@elca.org

Daniel Kirschbaum

they/he
Senior Director, Young Adult Communities

Daniel Kirschbaum is a strategic dreamer, a board game player, and finds joy in being fiercely present. They love to be in and near the water and hates all comedy. Daniel likes to create charcuterie tables and is afraid of cranes (the bird). They serve as the Senior Director for Young Adult Communities and as a young adult representative of North America to the Global Young Reformers Steering committee partnered with the Lutheran World Federation.  In his spare time, he walks alongside several congregations as they reimagine and reshape faith community. Daniel grew up in Wisconsin but calls Colorado Springs home with his husband Jonny. They both love to be hiking or skiing in the mountains.

Email: daniel.kirschbaum@elca.org

 Brooke Helfers

she/her
Communications Coordinator

Brooke Helfers (she/her) is an administrative assistant for the team doing anything from contracts to social media to booking flights to DIP! In her free time, she loves to read, explore new coffee shops and scout out vintage vinyls at thrift shops. She lives in Dallas, Texas with her cat Johnny who both happen to be Aries.

Email: brooke.helfers@elca.org