Expression Leaders

Michael VanDerAa

Create'v Director
Having spent eight years as owner of Royal American Charter Lines, Michael combines incredible leadership ability with his lifelong passion for design. During his tenure at the helm of Royal American, Michael saw the company flourish, managing mergers and key negotiations while also leading an internal management team; by the time he sold the company in September of 2007, their fleet of buses and number of employees had quadrupled. Michael, who studied art studio with a focus on photography and graphic design at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois, has designed for Koinonia House National Ministries, the Power of Freedom event at Angola Prison in Louisiana and the Brooklyn Tabernacle. In addition, he has also served as project manager on a significant church building project, working closely with the architect on interior and exterior design. Now at CHANGE, Michael provides organizational leadership, cultivates artist development and leads the creative process. He leads the expression team of designers and project managers to provide the best possible solution for clients such as Moody Bible Institute, Barnabas, the EFCA and The Willow Creek Association. 

Melissa Groot

Web Director
With more than seven years’ experience in marketing and communications, Melissa brings creative insight and attention to detail to every aspect of the projects she oversees. Before she came to CHANGE, Melissa was an integral member of the marketing department at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois, where she excelled in graphic design, photography, content editing and management and creative direction in her role as director of publications. At CHANGE, Melissa leads the web department by providing strategic oversight, creative direction and project management for all web projects. She is the “go-to” web director who encourages and coordinates the web team, assigning, managing and allocating projects according to their priority and requirements. Melissa’s experience and diverse abilities, especially in organization and commitment to delivering quality, contribute to her value as a manager and leader in serving clients such as The Willow Creek Association, The Back to God Hour, FirstChurch, the Spaulding Center for Transportation and WaterStone.