National Cru Arts and Culture Staff
Joe Schlie
Joe Schlie currently serves as the Executive Director of Cru Arts and Culture and is based in the Chicagoland area with his wife and three children. He lived for 16 years with his family in France and served as the director of Agape Paris and Agape Art. His interests lie in the realms of history, art and faith. He is particularly drawn towards the fight for civil rights, the Harlem Renaissance and the role of faith and the arts in these movements. During his years in France, he collaborated on multiple projects around the themes of justice, peace and reconciliation as well as the life and faith of Martin Luther King, Jr. Joe received his Bachelor’s degree in journalism from Indiana University. As well, Joe received his Master’s degree in Theology from Bethel Seminary, with an emphasis on global theology.
Bonnie Sanders
Bonnie Sanders has served with Cru for 30 years and she specializes in Design Thinking, creativity and visual storytelling. She also serves on the Gospel in Action team and helps to lead partnership efforts with the International Justice Mission in India and Ghana. She loves to travel and tell stories in the world through photography. Her current work has centered around children rescued out of slavery, communities receiving the gift of clean water, and teenagers raising their voices to stop the violence against Indigenous women. Her photos have been displayed in various venues as well as local and national events that center around human trafficking. In 2018, twenty of her photos were on display in Florence, Italy to celebrate International Women’s Day. She loves Italian pasta, reading good books, and coaching gymnastics. Along with husband, Ron, and two children, she lives in the San Francisco Bay area. Creativity and whimsy define their family culture, as well as traveling with purpose. You can reach Bonnie at Bonnie.Sanders@cru.org and click here to view some of her recent projects.
Suzy Schlie
Suzy Schlie has had the joy of living her passion in Paris and Toulouse, France for 17 years with her husband, Joe, three daughters, and gifted, multi-cultural teams. She helped to launch Agape Art and participated in numerous collaborative exhibits in Paris. She loves connecting with people of different cultures and learning and creating in community. Her artistic work is inspired by the intersection of personal reflection, encounters with people and stories while living in a multicultural world. She currently resides in the Chicagoland area.
Daniel Du
Daniel Du is an artist based in Vancouver, BC. After having studied at the University of Texas, he lived and worked in New York as well as Portland before continuing his studies in art and theology at Regent College. In between the brunching, happy hours, and study, he gets to work on some art! Daniel recognizes that there is so much anxiety, despair, and hopelessness in the world and in his community that he hopes to add a little beauty through what he does. His work can evoke a sense of wonder or maybe just a smile when you take a look.
If you have any questions or would like to get involved, contact us at cruartsandculture@cru.org.