Our Associates
All of the associates of Salter McNeil & Associates, LLC (SMA) have a passion for reconciliation and a desire to be instrumental in bringing about racial healing. These associates are trained and certified by SMA to assist Drs. Brenda Salter and J. Derek McNeil to effectively serve a diverse clientele. They provide valuable expertise in the assessment process, multiethnic leadership team development, and training to help SMA successfully guide various institutions and organizations through the reconciliation process.
Erica Hunt
Thomas Hurley
Diane Murphy
Sandra Van Opstal
Erica Hunt
Certified SMA Associate & Assessment Specialist
Erica Hunt has been personally and professionally committed to racial reconciliation for over 10 years. It is through writing that Erica has found the most joy and satisfaction in demonstrating her passion for reconciliation. In both professional and volunteer capacities, Erica has written several units of children’s curriculum, devotion booklets, training workshops and manuals.
Erica received two Bachelor of Arts degrees from Bethel University in St. Paul, MN, where she studied history and education. While a student at Bethel, she capitalized on her position as Student Body President to host events and serve on committees that addressed racial justice issues on campus.
She has since worked with both rural and urban populations, educating and empowering children, youth and families in under-resourced communities. She currently serves as Student Ministries Associate Pastor at Woodland Hills in St. Paul, MN and is an active volunteer in her neighborhood.
Erica’s most challenging and fulfilling volunteer experience has been serving as the leader of her church’s Multi-Ethnic Resource Team for three years. It was this experience, which introduced her to Salter McNeil & Associates, LLC (SMA). Her unique perspective as a client of SMA is invaluable in her role as an Associate.
Erica’s husband, Dan, shares her passion for reconciliation. They live and work in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area with their three young daughters.
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Thomas Hurley
Certified SMA Associate & Training Specialist
Thomas Hurley is a graduate of St. Norbert College in Wisconsin, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Organization Communication in 1985. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Human Services Administration. Tom is currently the Midwest Regional Manager for BI Incorporated, a private national community corrections company overseeing reentry centers for high risk probationers and parolees in the states of Illinois, Kansas and Missouri for state and county departments of correction. He has spent over 16 years in the field of community corrections starting with the Cook County Adult Probation Department before moving on to working for BI Incorporated, the nation’s leading provider of offender monitoring and reentry services.
While in college, Tom built a solid foundation for his professional career with his undergraduate experiences, which included a steady balance of academics, campus ministry, work study and civic leadership.
Tom has continued to build on his foundation by serving God through a variety of ministries. He is a gifted teacher and trainer with over 15 years of experience working in youth ministry, urban ministry, racial reconciliation, evangelism and adult spiritual education. For the past 10 years Tom has worked with Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil helping to plan reconciliation conferences and to provide diversity training in a variety of settings.
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Diane Murphy
Faculty & Multicultural Education Specialist
Dr. Murphy brings a wide range of experience as an educator and expert in the field of multicultural education to Salter McNeil & Associates. As a professor at Northwestern College (Orange City, Iowa); Whitworth College (Spokane, Washington); San Diego State University; and Seattle University, she focused on the psychology of learning and multicultural education. She currently serves as an adjunct professor at Seattle University.
Dr. Murphy is a graduate of Wheaton College, holds a Master’s Degree from Northern Illinois University, and earned a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in multicultural education from The Joint Doctoral Program in Education at The Claremont Graduate School/San Diego State University.
Dr. Murphy is married and has served 12 years as a pastor’s wife. She and her husband are especially proud of their two children and three grandchildren.
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Sandra Van Opstal
Urban & Cross-cultural Training Specialist
Sandra Van Opstal is a Chicago-born, second-generation Latina, who is an urban minister and cross-cultural training specialist. She received her undergraduate degree in Music Business and Vocal Performance from Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois in 1996. After working as a business consultant for a short time, Sandra was called to full-time ministry. She served on staff with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship for ten years as a campus staff member and team leader at Northwestern University, in Evanston, IL.
Sandra currently works with InterVarsity as the Director of the Chicago Urban Program in Chicago, Illinois. This is an internship program for Christian college and university students to receive training in urban and cross-cultural ministry while working with children in under-resourced communities. These college interns live in an intentional, Christian community while they examine issues of justice, poverty, racism, racial identity, and reconciliation in the context of giving service and participating in evangelism.
Sandra is also a gifted speaker and worship leader. She preaches and teaches on urban ministry issues and is passionate about creating a worship experience where people of different cultures can come together to experience the presence and power of God. Sandra has been a part of multiethnic worship teams at Urbana Missions Conferences, CHIC (Evangelical Covenant Denomination’s Youth Conference), and Willow Creek Association conferences. She also regularly leads worship at New Community Covenant Church, which is a multiethnic urban church in Chicago, IL.
In addition to working with Salter McNeil & Associates LLC, Sandra is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity degree at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. She is married and enjoys living in the Chicago with her husband, Karl.
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