Elder
Board
2025-26 //
Board of
Elders
The spiritual leadership of Blackhawk Church, under the headship of Christ, is provided by the Board of Elders consisting of four to eight lay elders elected by church members, and the senior pastor.
John Smalley (Chair)
John Smalley is a native of Evansville, WI, and a 1981 graduate of UW-La Crosse. He and his wife Barb met on a blind date in Mason City, Iowa, and were married in 1985. They have four adult children: Rachel (Mike) Lamps, Andrew, Emma (Erik) Olsen, and Abigail, and two grandchildren, Elizabeth and Brandon Lamps. After a 40-year career working at newspapers in the Midwest (Mason City, La Crosse, Carbondale, Ill. and Madison), John retired as editor of the Wisconsin State Journal in August 2020 and does some occasional freelance writing and editing. Barb, originally from Dayton, Iowa, has been very involved with BKids over the years, and John and Barb have enjoyed leading a Young Adult Community Group in their home in Verona on Sunday nights and an Empty Nester Community Group on Monday nights.
Mike Anderson
Mike Anderson was born in Minneapolis. He earned a degree in History from Cornell University, and a Law degree from Washington University in St. Louis. Married to Gail since 1977, they have two married sons, Steven (Luisa) and Mark (Larissa), and four grandchildren, Dane, Aria, Knox, and Maxwell. A partner at Axley Brynelson LLP law firm where he has practiced since 1980, Mike represents a dairy equipment manufacturer, religious nonprofits, and injured people. His wife, Gail, is a retired school psychologist and a leader of the Blackhawk Bible Study. Members at Blackhawk since 1994, they lead a Community Group and volunteer as ushers at Blackhawk Fitchburg. Mike and Gail like to spend as much time as possible at their house on Green Lake.
Rick Badger
Rick Badger is a native of Philadelphia, PA. He earned his B.A. Degree in Social Work and Government from Ohio University in 1976. After completing a one year program from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Il in 1978 and a Graduate Degree in Counseling Psychology from Wheaton College in 1983, he became an Ordained Minister and served congregations as an Associate Pastor & Senior Pastor in Illinois and Wisconsin for 34 years. In 1989, he moved his family to Madison, WI to work as a Federal Probation Officer for the Western District of Wisconsin. Rick pastored New Beginnings Alliance Church (multicultural) from 1998-2017 on the East side of Madison, WI. He retired from Federal Service in 2009 and is currently a Licensed Professional Counselor with Samaritan Counseling Center and Anesis Center for Marriage & Family Therapy. Rick and his wife, Deborah, are active in service to Blackhawk Church in BAAM Leadership and in the Gospel Fusion Venue. Deborah has worked in nursing for over 30 years and is currently a job coach for disabled adults. The Badgers have four adult children and four grandchildren.
Kyle Buchmann
Kyle Buchmann was born in Spooner, Wisconsin and received his BBA from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Kyle met his wife, Leah, in college and they married after graduation. The couple spent three years in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and three years in Eau Claire, Wisconsin prior to moving to Madison in 2012. Kyle is a Senior Vice President of Development at the University of Wisconsin Foundation where he focuses on assisting alumni and friends of the University in making an impact with their philanthropic gifts. He is active in the BKids Launch Ministry, men’s community group, and leads a Blackhawk Fitchburg Community Group with Leah. The couple has three children: Owen, Addison, and Ezra.
Tom Crenshaw
Tom Crenshaw grew up on a small family farm in west Tennessee. Tom’s wife, Connie, is also a native of Tennessee. After completing graduate degrees in animal nutrition at the University of Nebraska, Tom and Connie moved to Wisconsin in 1980. Tom is motivated by research and enjoys
opportunities to engage and advise students in his research and teaching position the UW Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences. Tom and Connie’s two adult children and their spouses have blessed them with seven grandchildren and one grand-son-in-law. Blackhawk has been their church home since 1999. In addition to serving Blackhawk as an Elder, Tom and Connie have enjoyed serving together as community group leaders, marriage mentors and greeters. Connie currently serves on the Care Response Team.
Dan Hummel
Dan Hummel was born into a missionary family, spending some of his childhood overseas and eventually ending up in Colorado. He met his wife, Veronica, in high school and they both attended Colorado State University, where Dan earned two degrees in History. They moved to Madison in 2010 so that Dan could pursue PhD work in American religious history, which he completed in 2016. After fellowships that took the family out of Wisconsin and then back again, Dan now works at the Stephen & Laurel Brown Foundation, directing the Lumen Center (located at Upper House), which includes writing and speaking about his areas of expertise in American religion, culture, and politics. Veronica works at Blackhawk as an Associate Director of Spiritual Formation. Together they have been part of Blackhawk since 2010 and have served in various roles including as Community Groups Leaders. They attend the Brader Way site. Dan and Veronica have three young boys: David, Jack, and Benjamin.
Tiffany Litscher
The first Bible verse Tiffany Litscher ever memorized as a child was John 3:16— and God’s love for the world has shaped her faith ever since. That love became even more personal after studying abroad in Seville, Spain. Struggling with reverse culture shock and a deep sense of disconnection, God used that season to draw her back to Him—and to Blackhawk Church, where she found renewed community and belonging. For over 20 years, Tiffany has served at Blackhawk in many roles, including leading women’s bible study groups, serving in multicultural ministry, and volunteering with Global Impact, BKids, the Welcome Team, and LOVE Madison. She has a passion for cross-cultural relationships and encouraging others in their walk with Jesus. Professionally, Tiffany leads a consulting firm that helps values-driven organizations build healthy cultures, cohesive teams, and strong leaders. She previously worked globally with credit unions to expand access to affordable financial services in underserved communities. Tiffany and her husband, John, met through Blackhawk and have two children, Addy and Conner. Together they enjoy traveling, the outdoors, and spending time with family and friends.
Sue Nondahl
Sue Nondahl grew up in Greendale, a suburb of Milwaukee. She met her husband Dave as an undergraduate at UW-Madison, and they started attending Blackhawk in the late 1970’s. They have two adult children and five grandchildren. Before retiring in 2016, Sue worked as a pediatrician at Associated Physicians Clinic in Madison, and Dave worked as a statistician for the UW Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. Sue has volunteered in Blackhawk Kids for over 20 years, and she participated in two short-term mission trips to Honduras. Dave served as an elder at Blackhawk in the 1980’s and has volunteered in a variety of ministries including the Infrastructure Task Force, the Connections Team, and One-to-One Care. Sue and Dave previously served as marriage mentors and life group leaders, and they currently serve as life group hosts. They enjoy hiking, reading, and spending time with their grandchildren.