Meet our little team of disciples. Each woman has a unique calling, way of life, and background to enrich this site and connect with people from all walks of life. What we share is a common mission — to use our collective gifts and narrative to aid in the restoration journey of fellow pilgrims.
Founder, Writer, Speaker
Lisa is a writer, entrepreneur, and our founder. A big foodie, she’d be the #4 Sweet & Spicy on a combo meal menu — born in Metro Detroit and raised daddy’s princess with three older brothers. She now calls Austin, Texas home and loves to travel through life and around the world with her mountain-man husband, Mike. A fusion of creative and strategic with a penchant for storytelling across the digital landscape, this Franciscan University grad studied writing, mental health, and theology. Through her non-profit, iAmplify, she helps organizations address the challenges of modern ministry and serves those serving the Church. She is working on a project to help others suffering from infertility. Lisa’s calling is to bring restoration in Christ to the brokenhearted. Learn about her work here.
Read Lisa’s blog posts here.
Editor
Caitlyn is first and foremost a beloved daughter of God and uses her gifts as a co-creator for love of Him and His Body, the Church. With degrees in Creative Writing and Theology, she loves to get at deeper truths through telling stories in various forms, including novels, poems, plays, and songs. She shares her visual art, in addition to reflections on diving ever deeper in love with God, at Heart to Sacred Heart.
Read Caitlyn’s blog posts here.
Contributor, Social Media Manager & Designer, Speaker
Alyssa is a 24-year-old master’s student studying communications. She lives at home in sunny Florida, enjoys watching movies and binging tv shows, hoping to one day produce films of her own in which to act. Creatively she enjoys writing in any medium, fashion, doing makeup and dressing up in costumes. She loves to travel by plane, train, car and especially cruises, and hopes to see the world. Caring, kind and loving, she tends to see the good in all people. Alyssa’s calling is to make people smile through her creativity, sharing God’s message of love through how she lives. Her motto is a quote by Padre Pio, “Pray, hope and don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer.”
Read Alyssa’s blog posts here.
Sales & Marketing Associate, Contributor
Citlalin “Tati” Ossio is an avid fantasy writer and reader, whose work is heavily inspired by her Catholic faith, her Mexican heritage, and Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda. Her fantasy short stories have been featured in various anthologies, and one, She Has No Voice, won second place in the Prose category for Rehumanize International’s 2021 Create | Encounter. She is a joyful single living in Texas with her family and enjoys creating art, playing video games, and watching anime and Korean dramas. When she’s not writing or spending time with her loved ones she’s on Instagram @citlalinossio, or dreaming about raising a panda army.
Read Citlalin’s blog posts here.
Contributor
Bridget is a deep-thinking compassionate caregiver with a love for color, culture, travel, kindness and the encouraging word. Called to seek out and serve the lost, vulnerable, broken and oppressed. A pediatric nurse, she has worked in numerous inpatient and outpatient settings, and with the underserved domestically and internationally. She carries a particular call to stand with the impoverished, whether they be affected materially, emotionally, physically or spiritually. She currently lives in Austin, TX with her dogs Nigel & Callie.
Read Bridget’s blog posts here.
Contributor, Speaker Tammi has a heart for people and a need to communicate her love through blogging about parenting, homeschooling, marriage, and her faith journey as a Catholic. As a former teacher and now homeschooling mom of five, Tammi sprinkles humor and sarcasm into many of her Instagram posts and personal blogs. Both Franciscan University alumni, she and her husband of over 22 years live in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Through her authentically Catholic blog she strives to “fill the banquet table of the Lord” through writing about His whispers of love and faith.
Read Tammi’s blog posts here.
Check out her blog: whispersofloveandfaith.com
Contributor, Speaker Kelli’s life changed when she met Jesus for the first time on an 8th grade retreat. Since that time, she has been on a faith adventure which seems to keep her and those around her on their toes. The Lord rescued Kelli from a disordered life of anxiety. Out of love, He has been reordering and restoring Kelli’s life for more than a decade through a journey of healing, transformation, and empowerment. Now, she is doing her part to help others discover the joy in little things while overcoming life’s challenges with Jesus by our side. Kelli is a wife who likes to keep her husband laughing. She has developed a deep appreciation for using the Word of God as our daily medicine, for learning how not to take ourselves too seriously, and for listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit for help in everyday circumstances. Through 25+ years of experience in her faith adventure, she communicates simple and practical ways for individuals to find hope, joy, and God’s presence in everyday life.
Read Kelli’s blog posts here.
Contributor – Special Projects
Sefanit is a seeker of Truth, new wife and mom, favorite sister and friend. Citizen of this world, she’s originally from Eritrea, born in Rome, and raised in Dallas, Texas. Her upbringing in an Eritrean-American home shaped her worldview, which taught her that she is part of a greater community. Her joy is being with family and friends, especially cooking and baking them real food. She enjoyed traveling and experiencing new cultures before this new and very full stage of her life; hopefully, the future holds new travels with a bigger crew. She loves making people feel at home in her presence and to introduce others to the generous love of God that she has experienced, which is her calling in life. She experienced the best of both worlds as a graduate of both Texas A&M and Franciscan University and has worked in fulltime ministry for the last ten years. Sefanit lives in Dallas with her husband and two darling boys. You’ll find her seeking joy and gratitude amidst changing diapers and cleaning food off the walls.
Read Sefanit’s blog posts here.
Summer Intern
Annalyse was born and raised in South Florida by her parents who have been married for 30 years. She is one of three siblings, with an older sister and a twin brother who are her best friends. Anna is preparing for her fourth year of studying Clinical Psychology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville.
Attending Franciscan has helped to open her ears and heart to the Lord’s will. Listening to the Lord and His will has also opened many doors for her, such as this internship–for which she feels honored and grateful. Annalyse is enjoying the summer in Austin, working and learning under our Founder, Lisa Martinez.
PREVIOUS CONTRIBUTORS: Read the blogs of our past Little With Great Love contributors here.
