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Mary Petersen’s life was transformed during her freshman year at the University of Michigan when a fellow student shared the message of Christ with her. After graduation, she joined the staff of Cru. She spent five years working on university campuses in Pennsylvania and Delaware, engaging students in meaningful conversations and challenging them to live with eternal purpose. It was at a staff retreat for singles that she met her husband, Scott. They soon discovered their shared passion for bringing the gospel to unreached people groups, leading them to move to Paris, France.
For the next 21 years, Mary and Scott focused on ministering to people from North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Mary built relationships with international students in Paris, served on a regional leadership team overseeing 22 countries in the region, developed expertise in crisis management, and coached national ministry leaders and teams.
In 2010, Mary and Scott returned to the U.S. with their four children. Mary became an assistant to the Chief of Staff of the President, continuing to be involved in crisis resolution efforts around the world. To deepen her expertise in crisis care, she earned a degree in counseling from Reformed Theological Seminary. Following her graduation, she led the Global Crisis Management team, helping leaders prepare for crises, conducting trainings, and managing ministry response to a wide range of situations, including natural disasters, cyber-attacks, and the COVID pandemic. She also played a crucial role in strengthening the organization’s crisis care capacity.
Prior to her current role, Mary led a team focused on providing leadership development and human resource support to global leaders, while continuing to provide crisis debrief training and care around the world.
Appointed Chief of Staff in 2024, Mary remains passionate about using her gifts to fulfill the Great Commission while living out the Great Commandment. She enjoys hiking in Colorado with Scott and spending time with their four adult children and grandson.
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