Meet Our Team
Steve HeilshorN
Executive Director
Steve Heilshorn is an ordained minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the course of his over 30 years of ministry he has served as a staff director with the Defiance Area Youth for Christ for 10 years. He served 13 years as a youth/associate pastor at Trinity Friends Church in Van Wert. Just recently Steve served as the Senior Pastor at Dupont Church of the Brethren for four years. In November of 2021, he became the Executive Director of Children’s Lantern here in Defiance. He brings to this ministry a heart for kids and families in foster and adoptive care with the love of Christ. His experience of ministry over the years has helped him in areas of fundraising, counseling, leadership, networking and telling others of the hope we have through Jesus Christ. His purpose in life is to help others and point them to the Kingdom of God. Steve and his wife Leslie live in Paulding, they have two boys, Samuel married to Marissa (Westerville, OH) and Benjamin (Columbus, OH). Lastly, Steve and Leslie are the grandparents of the most perfect little girl, Lucia.
Email: Steve@childrenslantern.org
Chris SiLLIMAN
Chief Financial Officer
She has lived in Defiance all her life. Her and her husband loved to end each day with a card game such as their favorite 2 hand euchre. She has 3 kids and 5 grandchildren. She values quality time with her family. She loves that she gets to work for an organization that values family as well.
She worked at GM in HR for 45 years. She made her transition to Children’s Lantern after she retired. When she is not working, she likes to sew and volunteer at her church.
Email: Finances@childrenslantern.org
Tonya Briseno
Family Care Director
Tonya Briseno is a Defiance Native. She loves the community values of this small town. She has a 2 beautiful kids along with an amazing husband. She has attended Family Christian Center for over 22 years and loves her church family.
Her calling is to work with foster, adoptive, and kinship families in the community. She found this passion while working for Youth for Christ for 19 years. Her and her husband fostered through Adriel as well as taking in kids in need from their own community. She values the quality relationships that she has been able to make while fulfilling her calling.
Email: Familycare@childrenslantern.org
Marissa Rosario
Marketing and Communications Director
Marissa was born and raised in Toledo, OH. She move to the Defiance Area in August 2020 for love. Her husband and herself serve as the youth pastors at Xperience Church. They both invest in the youth of the community daily, and believe that they are the leaders of TODAY. They are very excited to see what this next generation will do for the Kingdom of God. Additionally, Marissa is a realtor at Realty Five, and loves to serve her community in finding or selling homes.
Outside of work, you will find Marissa jogging, drawing, playing piano, or singing. She loves traveling and is a foodie. She is always up for an adventure, and trying new things.
Email: Marketing@childrenslantern.org
COurtney Rittenhouse
Transitional Care Coordinator
Courtney grew up in Defiance. Her and her husband (Hoshea) are high school sweethearts who just celebrated 15 years of marriage. She is a boy mom of three sons who keep her busy with their different activities. After her first son’s first birthday, her husband served 7 years in the Navy as a nuclear reactor operator. During that time, she served two terms as treasurer for her husband’s aircraft carrier’s family readiness group where she got to met and support the families of sailors. After her families time serving, they lived outside of Columbus for 4 years before making the decision to move back to the area 2 years ago to raise their kids surrounded by their families and the support of those at First Church of God where her and her husband attended prior to the military and currently attend and serve.
Email: courtney@childrenslantern.org