Staff Team

Monty Sharp

Monty Sharp has served as the director of Student Venture (The high school ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ) in the Riverside County area of Southern California over the last 27 years. Each year Student Venture works with over 2500 teenagers (Junior High to College), and their families, as they minister on 28 public school campuses through on-campus clubs, discipleships, mentoring, outreaches, conferences, etc. 

Monty has a strong educational and experiential background in organization management. He created and served as Executive Director of the Committee 300 that runs all the ancillary events for the Long Beach Grand Prix. He served as director of the Government & Community Affairs Department for the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce. He has coordinated and served on a variety of Congressional, State and City Commissions and Committees, including an Advisory Board for the Congressional Study on Peer Group Influence, Senate Select Committee on Small Business Enterprises, Mayor’s (Blue Ribbon Charter Revision) Committee Commission on Youth, T.E.A.M. and several other City budget and Coastal planning studies.

After working in the political, governmental and business realm for 10 years with high hopes of positively influencing the world, Monty subsequently realized there’s no segment of society that has greater potential for positively impacting the world than teenagers. They combine the best of zeal, commitment, creative thinking, energy and idealism. Jesus has given Monty a deep love for teens which he uses in combination with the truth of the Word of God to help direct their lives in a positive way.

In addition to working with teens and their families, Monty has had the privilege of training church and ministry’s staffs from Mexico City to Moscow, and speaking regularly at national and local youth and family conferences, churches, and community functions (i.e. Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast, etc.).

 “I’ve tried politics, I’ve tried government and I’ve tried business, but nothing can change a world like changing a teenager’s heart,” says Monty.

 Monty has been married 39 years to his wife Karen. They have two married grown children and four beautiful grandchildren. Their children also work with them in Student Venture.

Karen Sharp

Isaac & Angel Amirian

Before joining Student Venture, Isaac had been working in youth ministry for over 14 years, mostly in California. He was an interim youth pastor in Moreno Valley, helped plant youth ministries in San Diego, and traveled all around the United States on tour speaking and performing music.

Angel majored in English Literature at Stella Maris College in India and is fluent in 3 languages. Since their marriage in 2008, Angel and Isaac have been youth leaders at their church in Temecula and volunteers with Student Venture.

Isaac and Angel are excited about being on staff at Student Venture because they have a chance to work with school clubs and churches to reach students through the same gospel that transformed their own lives. They are especially interested in helping youth ministries reach students who are outside of the church, or who are living with difficult circumstances.

Chuck Boatman

Nate Bryan

I became acquainted with Student Venture because students at my church told me there’s a Christian club at their school. I met some of the leaders and began helping out with the ministry as a volunteer in 2003, praying with students at Temescal Canyon High School and helping their club & student leadership meetings. My wife and I met through this ministry, as she is on staff full-time with Student Venture. I’ve been enjoying leading a Bible study (discipleship) group for high school boys this year and I’ve always helped my wife with after school activities as much as possible. I feel called to minister to youth because I enjoy it and because the Lord has put that desire on my heart.

Campuses: Lakeside High
I was born in Vienna, Austria.
My favorite movie is Ratatouille.
My favorite vacation spots are Austria, the California desert, and Cancun.
My favorite books are The Last of the Breed by Louis L’Amour and Spiritual Discipleship by J. Oswald Sanders.
My favorite verse is Psalm 34:8.

Shay Bryan

I have seen the ministry of Student Venture as a student, a student leader, a volunteer intern, and now a full-time staff member since 2005 and I really like its philosophies and the way it does things such as summer mission projects and an emphasis on evangelism and personal discipleship. God used Student Venture to help mold me into the person I have become. As I delight myself in the Lord, it is the desire of my heart to work for Him full-time (Ps. 37:4) and bless others as I have been blessed through the ministry of Student Venture. My vision is to give every student several chances to hear the Gospel in a way that’s relevant to them and to help them use their spiritual gifts within their own sphere of influence.

Campuses: Elsinore High & Lakeside High
Favorite Movie: Princess Bride
Favorite Vacation Spot: Yucatan Peninsula
Favorite Book: Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders
Favorite Quote: "When we work, we work; but when we pray, God works."

Michele Cormack

Michele has worked with Student Venture for the past 15 years. She first volunteered with Student Venture when her 2 daughters became involved in their teens.

Prior to working with Student Venture she volunteered in a variety of community organizations including co-founding a local preschool, serving on the boards of parent organizations, and softball league. She’s also worked in administrative and sales capacities for southern California businesses. She now serves as a campus team member as well as in an administrative capacity for the ministry. Michele has been married to Bob for 30 years and is the mother of 3 grown children and 10 grandchildren (Yes, 10!).

Michele’s heart for teens is reflected in Hosea 11:4, “I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bend down to them and fed them.”

Anne Crosby

Steve Drohan

Chelsea O'Rourke

Chelsea has been on Student Venture staff (at Paloma Valley High School) since she graduated from Northwestern College in 2008. She is married to Frankie O’Rourke and is pregnant with baby number 1 who is due to arrive in February! With a passion for seeing girls hearts gain a greater understanding of and love for their Heavenly Father, Chelsea’s biggest focus in ministry is relational discipleship. She desires that they would come to know the truth of God and  the truth of their identity in Him. Her time is spent enjoying a good cup of coffee, time with her hubby, family and friends, music, and good spicy food!

“My heart’s desire is to follow Jesus unabashedly, completely selflessly, and fearlessly obediently wherever and however He leads for His glory and the benefit of the Kingdom of God.”

Deena Szczypiorski

Deena Szczypiorski graduated from Azusa Pacific University in 1996 and began working with Student Venture. She is a campus coordinator for Paloma Valley High School club, disciples several groups of girls weekly, speaks at youth groups, women's groups, youth camps and conferences. In 2008 at the age of 34  she married Jay, the man she had been praying for since Jr. High and a year later had their first child, Tre. Deena's greatest desire is for students to fall in love with Jesus, and out of the abundance of their hearts, their mouths will speak truth of who He is to others.