Cari grew up in the Bay Area, where she married her husband Tim at only 18 years old. She was faced with the greatest pain she had ever known when he died suddenly, seven years later. She became a single mother and widow at the age of 26. During this difficult time, Cari grabbed ahold of God and walked through the process of grieving. She learned how to overcome loss and find life on the other side. Cari hopes to use her pain to help others overcome grief and find their path to healing.

Cari is an Operations Director and Pastor at Gateway City Church in San Jose, CA, and has served on staff for 16 years. She is a third-generation Pastor, following in the footsteps of her mother and grandfather. She leads the Young Professionals ministry and has a passion to teach, preach, and mentor women to become all they were created to be. Her greatest joy is seeing a life healed and transformed by the power of God. 

Cari is a type 3 on the Enneagram scale, which translates to running with too many projects and winning every board game. She loves to travel and is always up for a spontaneous weekend trip. Her favorite activities are lounging in the pool, perfecting her cooking skills, watching movies and spending time with her family and dogs. She resides in the Bay Area with her two grown daughters, Micaylah and Chelsey.