FIVE18's leadership is committed to the mission of reconciliation.

Thank you for your willingness to advance the ministry of FIVE18 Family Services through your financial gift.

Jim Herron serves as the Chief Strategy Officer. He is passionate about helping those who care about the hurting so they are able to support and promote mental and emotional healing. Jim’s role allows him to leverage his training and experience, along with his passion for children and families, to empower others to heal and grow. From a rich reservoir of experience in family dynamics, church leadership, and community mental health services, Jim guides the application of Biblical truths into real life.

Jim and his wife, Ruth, have six adult children, three of whom joined their family by adoption. They provided foster care for many years in Ohio and Virginia, and hosted over 50 placements.

Claudia Fletcher serves as the Chief Program Officer. She began serving as a child welfare professional in 2000 with a focus on adoption and foster care. Claudia provides training on the national, state and local level to foster/adoptive parents and foster/adoptive professionals related to adoption and parenting adopted children.

Claudia and her husband, Bart, are adoptive parents of twelve children. Their personal journey has created a passion ensuring that children do not enter adulthood without a meaningful relationship, which prevents cycles of child trauma from continuing.

Jeff Nitz currently serves as the Chief Operations Officer. He has been involved in child welfare services for over 35 years.

Jeff deeply believes that, when fulfilling God's great calling, the local church is the hope of the world, and he's excited to see the Church take its rightful place in meeting the needs of children and families in our community. He and his wife, Cheryl, have been married for over 30 years and have four children, including two through older-child adoption.

Robert Day serves as the CEO, which in most cases stands for “Chief Executive Officer,” but he also refers to himself as a “Chief Executive Orphan.” Born to a teenage mother, who was herself a ward of the state, Robert survived over 35 homes, abject poverty, neglect, and abuse before his unlikely graduation from high school. Today, through God’s grace and with two Master’s Degrees in hand, his life work is dedicated to keeping children safe and families strong.

Robert’s inspiring testimony, together with his unique and timely perspective, has made him a sought-after speaker for conferences, churches, civic audiences, and beyond. In addition to his testimony, Robert loves to speak on Child Welfare, Overcoming Poverty, and the process of Social and Organizational Change.