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Our Staff
Our Advisory Board
Clay Elliott
Founder/Director
When Clay was 12 years old he prayed a God-inspired prayer that went something like, "God, if you'll let me, I'll speak for you." God honored that prayer and carried him all the way to the minor leagues in baseball. Clay was never called up to the big leagues of the MLB, but he used (and continues to use) his platform as a professional baseball player to speak in to the lives of leaders and those in the athletic world. He has served in ministry as a youth pastor and parachurch director for over 40 years. After all this time, God prompted him to found the ministry of Called Up. He has as much passion and excitement as ever for how the LORD is using this ministry to guide people in living out their God-intended design. ​ He's married to Kelly, who has served alongside him in ministry for their entire marriage and recently retired. Together they have 4 grown children, 3 kids-in-law, and 10 grandkids.
Darren Johnson
Director of Training
Darren has been involved in vocational ministry in the Bay Area for over 25 years serving as a pastor in several churches and other ministry contexts. He is currently pastoring a church in the Cambrian Park area of San Jose. Darren has been married to Cheryl since August of 1995 and they have four children, Justin (2000), Zachary (2002), Trey (2004), and Kate (2006). Darren has a passion for spiritual formation, discipleship and training. Seeing people grow into their new creation status as followers of Jesus is his life’s work. Darren and his family have been involved in various collegiate and high school athletics including baseball, basketball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, and field hockey.
Alex Miley
The Place Property Manager + SCU Director
Alex "Milo" Miley is the property manager of The Place and the Called Up Santa Clara Director. He and his wife, Brie, both Minnesota natives, went to school on the East Coast, married in July of 2022, and moved to the West Coast the week after. Milo ran at Santa Clara as a graduate student, while Brie taught and continues to teach at a local school. They joined the Called Up team in the Spring of 2023, had their first child in 2024, and today they pour into our athletes at Family Dinners both at The Place and on SCU's campus.
Whitney Fiock
Bay FC Chaplain & Director of Communications/Development
Whitney gave her life to Christ as a little girl and used to share the Gospel with her friends on the playground, in the bathroom, at camp... but it was in her college years that she truly fell in love with Jesus. While attending Biola University and serving at a houseboating camp (Sonshine Ministries) in the summers, she spent significant time in God's Word, connected deeply with His people, and served him regularly. It was in these years that she truly learned what it meant to die to herself so that Christ could live (Galatians 2:20) and the joy that came with that. Whitney's heart is for those that are far from Jesus. She stepped in to full time ministry right after college as an intern with Sonshine (2009-10), then an FCA area rep (2010-2019), and now with Called Up (2019-). She served as the SCU Director for 4 years before stepping in to the role of Director of Communications & Development. In the Spring of 2024 she became a co-chaplain for Bay FC along with one of her closest friends, Melissa Charloe. What a dream! ​In March 2017 Whitney married the love of her life, Rob. Together they have four little rascals that bring so much joy to life - Colt, Wells, Scarlet, and Rhodes!
Debbie McManis
Family Dinner Chef
Debbie is a native Californian transplanted from SoCal to the Bay Area in 2001. She graduated from The Master’s University in 1990 and followed up her degree with a teaching credential. She and her husband have been answering the call to church plant Creekside Bible Church in Cupertino. There Cliff serves as lead pastor and Debbie helps with various ministries throughout the year. They have four grown children and one adorable grandson. Debbie retired from teaching at a local Christian classical school after sixteen years and felt the call of God to free up her calendar. Shortly after her retirement she accepted the position as cook for Called Up family dinners on Monday evenings at The Place.
Lynette Furstenberg
Accountant
Lynette has been working in the accounting world for years. She joined our team as a contracted bookkeeper in 2020. After a couple years we hired her to take the role of Accountant on our staff and we're so grateful to have her! She loves the Lord and wants to use her gifts to build the Kingdom of God. She has 3 great kids and a wonderful son in law.
Melissa Charloe
Bay FC Chaplain
Melissa grew up as an elite, competitive soccer player and continued her career into D1 and professional soccer. It was her freshman year at the University of North Carolina where she was first introduced to Jesus when her teammate invited her to a campus ministry for student-athletes. By her senior year, she fully accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior and been so grateful to God since. Melissa’s heart is to support and encourage others in getting to know, trust, and love God. She has voluntarily done this in various capacities while being a teacher and a D1 and D2 soccer coach. Melissa is passionate about helping others find their true identity in Christ and experiencing the freedom and purpose that it brings. In 2013, Melissa married Kevin Charloe when they vowed to help spur each other on to live a life worthy of the gospel of Christ (Phil 1:27). They now have two children, Riley and Grayson and are fostering a baby boy.
Rob Ralph
Director of Inland Empire
Rob and his wife Michelle have been in the Coachella Valley for over 25 years. Hired in the valley as a Paramedic in 1993, Rob and Michelle began to plant themselves in the local community through church, coaching and Michelle as an educator. Rob became an assistant baseball coach for La Quinta HS in 1996 and was a 3 year head coach for Desert Christian Academy until 2013 when he went into full time ministry. Through God’s abundant blessing and favor over 20+ years of coaching, Rob has been able to develop many rich relationships on campuses and in the community. Rob is a character coach for a couple of HS teams and a mentor for young coaches. He is passionate to accomplish the Called Up mission of guiding people into living out their God-intended design with anyone wanting to grow and develop in their relationship with Jesus. Rob and Michelle have three children, Robbie, Raquel and Grace. They reside in the desert city of La Quinta.
John & Anna Basanese
Board Chairman + Wife
John is a Bay Area native who played Football and Soccer collegiately at Azusa Pacific University and serves as the Chairman of the Called Up Board. Anna was raised in Lake Oswego, Oregon and played collegiate basketball at Santa Clara University. John and Anna married in 2009 and have 3 kids.
After their playing careers Anna and John both spent time coaching - Anna at Santa Clara University and then Valley Christian HS Varsity, and John at Valley Christian HS - Men's Varsity Soccer. The Basanese's attend Westgate Church. Faith and athletics are central to the Basanese's and Called Up brings the message of God's love to athletic departments and leaders. John and Anna joined the board to support the team in delivering on this vision.
Gary Carroll
Board Member
Gary was born and raised in Los Altos, CA. He is married to Betsy where they are the parents of four beautiful young ladies - one of whom is married to a great man and has a beautiful daughter. He is the Founder and President of Golden State Communications whose base is right here in the Bay Area.
Gary is one of the founding Board members of Called Up and was a part of Clay’s original Fellowship of Christian Athletes Board that began in September of 1999 as well as one of his stalwart volunteers for the First Baptist Church of Los Altos youth group. He is a former standout athlete at Homestead High School and coached the highly successful female volleyball team at the same school for many years winning many league championships and beyond.
Greg Eby
Board Member
Greg was born and raised in York, PA and moved to the Bay Area in 1995 via a job opportunity in high tech. Soon after the move to CA he met and married his wife Marilou, and they raised two boys: Michael and Mark. As a life long athlete, he realized the importance of sports and how it teaches life lessons, so he started using his talents and passion to coach youth sports. Since 2005 Greg has been coaching baseball, basketball and football in the community of Almaden influencing the lives of hundreds of youth. In 2013 he began praying that God would use him to make a difference for the Kingdom through sports. Soon after, he met Clay and the two formed a youth football camp at San Jose State that lasted 5 years. Since then Greg has joined the board of Called Up and is looking forward to continuing his mission of mentoring and preparing kids for life through sports as well as supporting Called Up with his time, talent and treasure.
Travis Johnson
Board Member
Travis was born and raised in the Bay Area. He attended the Kings Academy in Sunnyvale and then went to college at San Jose State, where he played football. Over his four years there, he helped the program move from 1 win his sophomore year, to winning the Military Bowl and being ranked top 25 in the country his senior year. Throughout his time at SJSU, he was involved with FCA and enjoyed many family dinners along the way. He married his high school sweetheart Hannah after graduating college and they now have 2 daughters.
He has joined the Called Up Board, to be a part of how God is going to impact the next generation of athletes.
Guy McIntyre
Board Member
Guy McIntyre is in the director of alumni relations for the SF 49ers. He was a 3rd-round pick (73rd overall) in the 1984 NFL Draft by San Francisco, and played with them for 10 seasons. A three-time Super Bowl champion (1984, 1988-89), Guy earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in five consecutive seasons (1989-93) throughout his time with the 49ers.Guy is married to his wife, Kimberly, and has five children, Dejon, Mallory, Arial, Alexa and Bailey, and two grandchildren.
He has joined the Called Up Board to reach the lost for Christ through athletics.
Jack Myers
Board Member
Jack was born and raised in northern California, attending and playing football for Los Altos High School. He became a Christian at the age of 17 due to the influence of friends. He went on to play football and tennis in college and has has coached a few high school teams. Jack still plays a lot of tennis, has taken up pickleball and is a huge sports fan. Jack met Cindy in college and they have been married ever since. They have two grown children and five grandchildren. Jack feels that reaching students through Called Up, sports and Christian coaching is the absolute best way. He has known Clay Elliott since high school and has been on the Board since the beginning. Jack and Cindy are excited to be a part of what Called Up is doing in the lives of students.
"I believe that a student’s time in college is probably the most influential time in their lives. Called Up is one of the greatest evangelistic organizations for reaching these students for Christ. I am glad to be a part of what God is doing through this ministry." -Jack Myers
Ray & Raelene Rodriguez
Board Members
Ray and Raelene were both born in SoCal and brought to the Bay Area for college at SJSU, which is where they met. Ray played on a football scholarship and was part of the 2013 Military Bowl championship team which is how he became involved with Fellowship of Christian Athletes. At various times throughout college, both Ray and Raelene have lived with the Elliott family, and you could call them “Kelly’s adopted children.” Ray and Raelene married in 2014 and believe that the work God did in their lives during college strengthened their relationship with Him and each other, and ignited a calling to continue serving with Called Up. They have 2 daughters.