Adam and Anna Grundhoefer – Executive Directors

Adam and Anna love adventure and have a heart for helping teenage boys. They both have a passion to serve and mentor teenagers to empower them to live the life God has planned for them. Adam is originally from Atlanta, Georgia and has been with Teen Challenge for almost 10 years. Adam attended and graduated from Emerging Leaders College and holds a nationally recognized credential as a Child Care Administrator (CCA). Once Adam was a troubled teen himself. After giving his life to God he wanted to do whatever possible to help young men caught in this snare of behavior. Adam states that behavior is an outward expression of an inward problem, and desires for young men to be set free from their bondages. Adam has also served as administrator of the Teen Challenge Lakeside Retreat and Event Center. While at Lakeside, Adam helped facilitate youth events as well as Teen Challenge staff training events. Adam brings enthusiasm and excitement to the staff. Adam’s boldness and sense of confidence in Christ is displayed daily in the way that he relates with both he kids and the staff members. In his free time, Adam enjoys hunting, fishing, reading and spending time with Anna.

Anna is originally from Montgomery, Alabama and has been with Teen Challenge for seven years. She met the Lord at a young age and has strived to serve him ever since. Anna considers herself a lifelong learner and has studied Education and Sociology. Anna has served Teen Challenge in the areas of education, direct care, Program Assisting, and Training Facilitator. Through all of this, Anna gained an in-depth knowledge of the program structure and on the job experience. Adam and Anna are happily married and enjoy serving in the will of God by extending hope to hurting families and teens. Their lives were changed completely by the power of God and they fully believe God can still redeem and restore and the lives of others.

Michael Lindsey Smith, M.T. – Lead Counselor

Lindsey was born in Columbus, Georgia. In 1983 he went to Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee where he earned a B.S. in Biblical Theology. Following his graduation, he and his wife founded a church where he was senior pastor for thirty years. While there, he earned a Masters in Theology from Beacon University. In 2015 he and his wife moved to Vero Beach, Florida continuing in ministry through missions work in Haiti. In 2018, he joined the team at the Ranch as a counselor. Employing 38 years of ministry experience, 34 years of marriage, raising 3 children to adulthood, and being a devoted Christian for 42 years, Lindsey offers a seasoned and empathetic biblical and pastoral approach to the young men and their families taking advantage of this compassionate opportunity at TCBA Vero Beach.

Daniel Love – Teacher

Daniel has 15 years of experience working with teenagers as a Youth Minister, substitute teacher and a school teacher for elementary and secondary schools. He enjoys working with young men, and desires to see them reach the full potential God has in store for their lives, both academically and spiritually. His desire to create a love for learning is evident in his passion for teaching toward each students individual learning style. He believes that the Lord has orchestrated every season in his life to prepare him for his service here at Treasure Coast Boys Academy.

Daniel and his wife Rebecca moved to Vero Beach from Jacksonville in July 2018. He has a daughter, Elizabeth, and two sons, Benjamin and Gabriel.

Adam Crocker B.A – Direct Care

Adam Crocker is 24 years old and from Gadsden, Alabama. He accepted Christ at the young age of seven, which catapulted him into a life of constant missions and service. Since Adam was young, his parents have always done something in Ministry, whether it be his Dad being the Student Pastor, or his Mom teaching Sunday School, he saw the Lord really guide them in the way they live. Adam also lived in Bolivia for four years, when he was young. At the age of 17, Adam received the call to Ministry. Adam attended College and immediately got involved with the BCM (Baptist Campus Ministries) at both of the schools he attended. Being involved with that Ministry gave him opportunities to see God’s direction and calling to Youth Ministry. Adam graduated in December of 2018 with a B.S. in Recreation Leadership, and a minor in Coaching, from Jacksonville State University.

Adam found out about the opportunity to work with Teen Challenge, and was immediately drawn to it, because of his passion to impact young people with the Gospel. After growing up with parents who fostered many children over the years, with multiple cognitive and behavioral issues, Adam sees this as an opportunity to be able minister to the young men here.

Justin Larson – Program Assistant

One morning Justin woke to a conversation with his parents telling him that they were separating. It was one of the hardest conversations he has ever been a part of. Justin did not know who to blame so he just got mad at everyone. His anger started to cause him to act out at home and at school. His parents saw Justen heading down a bad path. They decided to reach out to Teen Challenge for help.

Justin resented his parents in the beginning for their choice. Through the course of the program, Justin’s life was changed. His relationship with his family was restored. As Justin got closer to graduation he decided he wanted to come back and help other kids just like him. He graduated the program, did a year internship, and came back as staff. He works as Direct Care, helping oversee evening schedule and activities.

Rev. Nicholas Wagner – Direct Care

Nicholas is from upstate New York and relocated to the Treasure Coast. He has lived a life pursuing many passions from varsity sports in high school to attending college in pursuit of his childhood dream of being a meteorologist. Like many young people in college, he drifted from the path of pursuing his goals to a life that lacked direction and guidance. It was during this time that he came to know and love the Lord. This is when his true desire was born to see and help students like himself who have lost direction and given themselves over to life controlling issues. He is passionate about helping to provide direction and guidance to young men so that they can achieve their goals and dreams. He’s worked at Treasure Coast Academy for the last two years, is a credentialed minister, and is currently finishing his degree at Indian River State College.

Rev. Shane Benfer — Direct Care

Shane is 29 years old, and grew up in Lancaster Pennsylvania with a very loving family. Shane started with moderate drug use in high school. This then led to opiate addiction forcing him to lose the vision that he and his family had for his life. After years of addiction and various programs, Shane found freedom when he came to Teen Challenge himself as a student and graduated. It is with his great love of Jesus and the Bible, along with his Teen Challenge experience, that led him to his true passion of helping others who are struggling with the things that he went through himself, and helping them find true freedom.

Victor Rodriguez – Direct Care

Victor was born and raised in Central Florida. He grew up in Kissimmee amidst the hustle and bustle of Florida tourism. Trouble was never too far or hard to find. Sports kept him busy in high school and out of the worst of it all. After graduating, life took an interesting turn. Amidst family turmoil and divorces, Victor broke his ankle, derailing his plans for the future. He struggled with depression and anxiety until having an encounter with Jesus that changed him forever. After that, Victor gave his life to working with troubled youth like himself and has been doing so for the last six years. Victor worked with youth at Life for Youth Camp and interned at a local church before coming to work with Treasure Coast Academy. Victor is passionate for change in this generation and believes that it starts with our youth today. He loves to read in his free time and his friends would describe him as passionate and determined.

Elias Hindi – 6th Generation Cowboy

Elias Hindi is a seasoned horse trainer who hails from Gunnison Colorado. He has grown up with horses as a 6th generation horse trainer on his father’s side and a 2nd generation horse trainer on his mother’s side. Elias has worked alongside his father breaking and starting young horses since his youngest ages and officially kicked off his career by starting some colts for a family friend at the age of 12. His mother, Deborah Hindi, is a licensed USDF trainer who specializes in performance dressage horses and has helped to refine Elias’ riding skills and broaden his training methods.
Elias’ training did not stop with his parents. He continued his training under Johnny Leverrett who specializes in starting young horses and rehabilitating troubled horses. Elias then came to Florida with his mother and her competition horses to get away from the cold of Colorado and continue his training. While here in Florida, He assisted Leah Winston, a dressage trainer at Martin Downs Equestrian Center, start her talented Oldenburg colt and continued working with her starting other young horses. He also rode under Christian Schacht who is a world renown dressage trainer and clinician from Germany.

Elias believes that each horse learns in its own unique way and should be treated as an individual. His goal is to create a working partnership between horse and rider. For this reason he uses a combination of methods from his cutting, reining, working cow horse and dressage backgrounds. He currently specializes in all those areas in addition to offering spook training. He believes that by using multiple methods his horses will be well-rounded, have better work ethic and will excel in their respective jobs. While being able to train horses, he believes that the youth of today have an opportunity to experience the unique relationships that people can have with horses. He also believes horses have the ability to build a therapeutic report with todays youth and help overcome boys behavioral challenges.