MEET THE TEAM
Senior Leadership Team
Lee Bramlett
Executive Director
lee.bramlett@fatherhoodfoundations.com
972-935-4613
He holds an MA in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University and a BA in Biblical Studies from John Brown University. His goal is to reduce the level of fatherlessness and equip men to be...
Derek Bereit
Senior Facilitator and Grant Writer
derek.bereit@fatherhoodfoundations.com
Born in Oxford, England, and raised around the world as a military brat, Derek served as the Executive Director of Fatherhood Foundations from July 2024 to February 2026. He first joined the organization as a cook in its inaugural class and later facilitated programs across several key KCMO partnerships...
Arnie Pizzutelli
Senior Facilitator
arnie.pizzutelli@fatherhoodfoundations.com
913.368.2852
Arnie Pizzutelli and his wife Pat served as career missionaries in mainland China for over 25 years. Arnie currently serves as an associate pastor at Hope Family Fellowship in Kansas City...
Executive Board Members
Don Lewis
Board Chair, Founder, Facilitator, & Mentor
don.lewis@fatherhoodfoundations.com
Pastor Don served as senior pastor of Cross Points Church for eleven years, and seven years as an associate pastor of the same church with an emphasis on fatherhood to the urban communities...
Larry Richard
Facilitator & Analyst
larry.richard@fatherhoodfoundations.com
Larry Richard was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, and has been married for 24 years with two beautiful daughters. He is a retired United States Marine with 26 years of faithful service and currently works as a licensed insurance agent. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in organizational management from Ashford University in San Diego, California...
Karl Ploeger
Director of Development, Healing House KC
kploeger@healinghousekc.org
Karl Ploeger is a dedicated nonprofit leader and advocate for marginalized communities in the Kansas City area. He currently serves as the Director of Development at Healing House KC, a key partner of Fatherhood Foundations, where he plays a pivotal role in advancing the organization's mission to support individuals in recovery...
Tom Hayes​
Founder, The Hayes Company
tom@thehaysco.com
Tom was raised in Belleville, Illinois and graduated from the University of Kansas. He is the founder of The Hayes Company, which began in 1978. He is on the National Insulation Contractors Exchange Board...
Samantha Russell Bereit
Women's Program Co-Founder
samanthabereit@gmail.com
Samantha is a pediatric psychiatric nurse practitioner with experience serving children and
families through her work with Marillac and the University of Kansas Health System. She brings
a practical, steady approach to mental health care, with a focus on helping young patients and
their families navigate real challenges...
Lynn Johnson
Principal & Founder of JDG
lynn@jdgprojects.com
Lynn Johnson is a visionary leader, author, and strategist shaped by faith, experience, and an enduring belief in the potential of people. His leadership story did not begin in a boardroom, but in the quiet places where family, community, and purpose first took root. ...