Leadership
Meet the Team!
One of our five pillars at Chi Alpha is Discipleship - intentionally mentoring others to follow Christ. Our team wants to support each student wherever he or she is in his or her journey of faith with the desire that each student would grow to become a passionate disciple of Jesus who makes more disciples.
Everyone on our team, which is comprised of full-time and part-time staff and student leaders, is excited to follow in the Master's (Jesus') footsteps in leading others closer to Him. But more than that, each one is passionate to pursue the specific areas of growth that God has placed on his or her heart. That being said, let's meet the team!
Meet Our Team
Derik Buescher
I am in my 15th year as the director of Chi Alpha Campus Ministries for the University of Wyoming. I am the father of Zane (8) and Truett (5), and the husband of Sonja for the past 13 years. I attended Chadron State College, and it was there where I got my first introduction to Chi Alpha. I transferred to North Central University (AG Bible College) and graduated with a pastoral studies and youth ministry degree. I love everything about college and get to enjoy most of its perks without the classes and homework. I live with the passion that if you can touch the university, you can change the world.
Sonja Buescher
I am married to Derik, the director of Chi Alpha, and we have two awesome boys, Zane and Truett. While taking care of those three is my full-time job, I assist Chi Alpha by supporting the staff team and doing behind-the-scenes work. My favorite thing about serving with Chi Alpha at UW is having the opportunity to meet and make friends with people from all around the world. I truly believe that from little Laramie, Wyoming, we, as Christ's ambassadors, can transform the university, the marketplace, and the world!
Perri Freeman
I am from Hanna, Wyoming, a small town of 650 people about an hour's drive west of Laramie. I graduated in December 2021 with my bachelor’s in Kinesiology and Health Promotion and am currently applying for Graduate School to be a physical therapist. I first got involved with Chi Alpha after students came back from Covid in 2020 and was called to give my gap year between undergraduate and graduate to ministry.
Chi Alpha has been a great influence on my spiritual life, and I am so glad that I am able to give back to the ministry that has been such a blessing in my life. I am currently living at the Chi Alpha house with my fur baby Apollo and attempting to keep the many plants alive that I inherited. I have loved getting to work with Chi Alpha, and I am excited to see where God is leading me for serving in Chi Alpha and going forward into PT school.
Matteo Ricciardi
All about Matteo