Our Team
Trace James
Trace James is principal founder of Studies in Grace, and serves as lead instructor. A gifted speaker and bible teacher, Trace has been teaching adult and youth Christian education classes within the Minneapolis/St. Paul area for over 35 years. He brings a deep knowledge of the scriptures and historically pertinent insights to all that he teaches. In the 1970’s, Trace served as associate staff with the Young Life campaign in the western Minneapolis suburbs and served as Coordinator for Christian Nurture at Faith Presbyterian Church, Minnetonka. Together with the Studies in Grace Board of Trustees, Trace launched Studies in Grace in July 1999. From January 2001 until August, 2003 he was also serving as Teaching Pastor at Faith Covenant Church in Burnsville. Over the past several years, Trace has been involved in many aspects of adult Christian education and discipleship training. He has been active with Unidos En Cristo (Cursillo) and its prison ministry Charis, and actively serves in a prison ministry.
Vicki Groth
Vicki manages the Studies in Grace office and has a background in ministry and administration. She uses her organizational and leadership skills to keep the many Studies in Grace programs running smoothly and to meet the needs of the participants. Vicki and her husband, Dean, have been married over 25 years and have two adult sons..
Board of Trustees
Lee Wyman
Lee is retired from a management position with a computer manufacturer. He is a graduate of AYB (A Year in the Bible) and is currently a group leader for AYB classes. Lee has also been a teacher of adult classes at his church for many years.
Mary Meyers
A stay-at-home mom, Mary is a graduate of AYB and a frequent group leader. Mary’s husband Dan is also a gradudate of AYB. They have two grown children and two grandchildren.
Charlie Pickard
Charlie was a member of the very first AYB class, and has been on the Studies in Grace board since its inception. His career experience has ranged from film & video
production, computer software development, and most recently, to installing residential solar energy systems.
Christopher Erickson
Christopher, an AYB graduate, has a photography business and also promotes Safer Living products. He and his wife, Kristine, have two daughters.
Paul Michaelson
Paul is an AYB graduate and works for an educational software company where he leads a small group version of AYB. Paul and his wife, Cathy, have three children.
Kirk Dunbar
Kirk is an AYB graduate, and is an air quality engineer for a national engineering/architecture consulting firm. Kirk and his wife, Michele, have been married for over 16 years and have three children.
Peter Strommen
Peter is a graduate of AYB, and is the president of Process Displays. He and his wife, Pamela (another AYB graduate), have three children.
