Meet Our Team
Pastor Mary Johnson
Lead Pastor / Executive Director
was raised in Northern Michigan and moved to Bay City with her family in 2005. A mother of 4, she lives in Bay City, MI. Mary has a passion for helping those in need and in 2010 she began organizing the Amazing Race for Rescue event to benefit the Good Samaritan Rescue Mission. By 2013, she realized that the community needed more of an outreach to help people with transition periods in their lives, and formed a 501c3 organization called HELPeople, INC (Heal, Educate, Love on People). The main goal being to create a Dream Center to help fill in the gaps between already established outreach programs.
Pastor Mary has studied Child Development, Biblical Studies, Leadership, and Counseling. She has earned a Bachelors Degree in Christian Counseling from Christian Leadership Seminary and a Masters in Biblical Studies. She is an ordained pastor who preaches the gospel. Mary is also known as a pro-life speaker, as well as teaching a variety of classes. Her greatest desire is to help Christians learn how to live their lives to the fullest and out of their abundance help those in need.
Mary Johnson began helping at the Good Samaritan Rescue Mission in 2010. There she raised money, taught parenting classes and ministered to many in the chapel. By 2013 she need Bay City needed to offer those in need something more. After gathering a group of supporters the journey began, which resulted in Dream Center you see today. She wants to do so much more, and she hopes you can help! Click here for more information about Mary and her DREAM.
Pastor Aaron Johnson
Outreach Pastor
is new to the Great Lakes Dream Center, but he is not new to ministry or outreach! Pastor Aaron began serving in his local church and surrounding areas, through evangelistic programs at a young age. In his 20’s while living in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, he began working with youth and developing his worship gifts. While there he worked in the IT industry, but his call to ministry became very evident. In 2002 he moved to Elkhart, Indiana where he pursued a bachelor’s degree in Biblical Ministries at Bethel University, all while working in IT and serving as youth leader at local churches.
In 2016 he moved to Bay City, MI to serve in full time ministry at New Life Missionary Church as an associate pastor. There he was licensed and ordained as a pastor. Pastor Aaron spent over a year at Davison Missionary church as their Outreach Pastor, while also serving as their Worship leader and all around “Tech Guy.” He helped with the Sunday morning congregation of 400+, while helping develop a second campus church at “The Hub”. Pastor Aaron moved back to Bay City, MI and began working alongside Pastor Mary in 2024. Today he serves weekly in the Bay County Jails, twice a month with the Children’s Grief Center, and monthly in the Good Samaritan Rescue Mission. He also co-pastors the Great Lakes Dream Center with Pastor Mary and leads worship weekly, preaching every other week at their Sunday Evening Service.
His call thrives with the work he does as the President of the Bay Area Community Churches (BACC). His gift of HELPS is used to assist local pastors with their worship, tech, youth or outreach desires. He is also leading churches to work together and love on the community through events such as Party at the Park, and Mega Sports camp. Email Pastor Aaron
Laura Ketchum - Jahn
Communication Director
loves connecting with the people we serve and the community who supports our work at the Dream Center. Her role involves answering phones, messages, and sharing information with the public on social media. While relatively new to Bay City, she and her family have enjoyed getting to know this area and its people. She was initially drawn to Great Lakes Dream Center because she is able to be on the frontlines, living out her faith by assisting people in need. Recognizing what can be “a very rough and unkind world,” Laura is happy to work at a place that greets people with compassion and grace. Her background in counseling helps her to understand that everyone has a story---his or her own “set of experiences, world views, relationships, and struggles that shape who they are and where they are at this point in their lives.” Working with staff, volunteers, and donors reminds her that “There are good people with giving hearts out there.” When you call the Dream Center, Laura will strive to answer your questions, look for solutions, and make you feel welcome.
Leillani Rager
Administrative Assistant
is quickly becoming the central source of information about resources and programs for those coming to the Center. Leillani began working part-time at the Dream Center in the spring of 2025. She handles much of the paperwork, attends the phones and speaks with the individuals that come, and she is usually involved with the preparations for big events, such as the Mega Sports Camp, Party in the Park, or the Community Christmas Party for Jesus. She also pitches in with the nonfood pantry and other services as needed. “I am looking forward to helping with warm coats and needs of the community this winter.”
What are her loves? Leillani loves interacting with people; travel is her passion, she even enjoys skydiving! She has been married for 28 years and has three children that are now adults. Over the years, her home has been the hub for teenagers and young adults, the ages of her kids; she loves the activity and the life that exudes from the mixing of minds and perspectives.
Why does someone like Leillani choose to work at The Great Lakes Dream Center? She is absorbing the first-hand gratitude of the people that she helps. She hears the stories and sees the progress as individuals are uplifted by the Center and other collaborative resources—individuals who come in great need and are helped and then come back to help others.
She understands what it is like to need a little help. When her family was young, Leillani’s husband pastored a small church. They had what they needed, barely, but they were often helped by family members that lived close by. When she sees other young families and individuals who are all alone, she feels compassion and gratitude that they can find help here at the Center, and we can “take a small bit of their worries away.”
The next time you come to the
Sandra Hartwig
Accountant
grew up in Bay City not far from where I’ve lived for the past 29 years. Sandy has three children, six grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. She is blessed to have them all live nearby and loves spending time with them. They are always up for an adventure.
Sandy graduated from Delta College with an associate degree and then attended Northwood University for a Bachelor of Arts degree. She worked for a local bank for almost 20 years in accounting, consumer lending, and the appraisal department. After her job at the bank she was transferred out of Bay City where she went to work at The Dow Chemical Company for 15 years before retiring in 2016. Some of the positions she held at Dow were in accounts payable, accounts receivable, finance/marketing, and supply chain.
She enjoys many hobbies, such as knitting, sewing, baking, and gardening. Running is a passion of hers. Over the years she has ran two half marathons, several 10K’s and many 5K’s. St. Pat’s and St. Stan’s are two of her favorite races. You can find her working out at The Dow Bay Area Y where she has met so many wonderful people.
Sandy has been a part of the Dream Center ever since it opened in 2017. She met Mary while walking her dogs one day. She has volunteered in many several areas since then, like the pantry and the coats and blankets. But for the past couple of years she has been working as the accountant. She enjoys being part of the Dream Center.
