We are thrilled to introduce Dree Hogue as Stand in the Gap’s new Executive Director! Dree brings deep experience in ministry, education, and family advocacy, along with a contagious love for people and the gospel. Her story is one of faith, resilience, and purpose. Get to know Dree and her heart for the mission of Stand in the Gap in this conversation below.
How did you first hear about Stand in the Gap?
While working at 111 Project, I was introduced to some of the Stand in the Gap staff by Chris Campbell. I learned about all that SITG does and was so grateful that someone had created a trauma-informed mentoring program. Life Launch was actually the first program I got to know.
Before that, I served for many years as a Children’s Director at Believers Church, worked in education at ORU and Metro Christian Academy, and then began my journey at 111 Project in 2021, which was deeply aligned with family advocacy work.
How would you describe yourself in three words?
That’s a hard one! I would say…
- Fun. I love to have fun. When you are working in a serious space of advocacy, it is important to remember how to laugh and enjoy yourself.
- Decisive. I do not take a lot of time to make decisions! By that, I mean- I make thoughtful decisions quickly. I value listening to others and gathering input, but I do not linger in uncertainty. Once the vision is clear, I move forward.
- Caring. I have been well loved and shown great kindness, and I want to be that for others.
Walk us through a day in the life of Dree.
I wake up to my alarm and start the day by giving thanks for my husband. I ask Jesus to draw others to Him through our family. I thank Him for my kids and ask for help for the day.
Then it is time to get ready, take my son to school, and head to work. Some days are full of meetings; most days I am in the office, though I occasionally travel to OKC. I meet with stakeholders, constituents, program directors, staff, community advocates, leaders, and donors. I love all the people!
After work, I usually pick up my son, take him wherever he needs to go on a given day, and keep working a bit. Then it’s dinner, dishes, and laundry before winding down for the evening. Winding down looks different depending on the day. I especially love when my two daughters are home, and I always enjoy an evening walk with my family.
What does your role at Stand in the Gap consist of?
As Executive Director, I oversee operations across all three programs, manage the budget and strategic plan, and drive fundraising and donor relations. My responsibility is to make sure we are fiscally healthy, programmatically strong, and moving forward with clear vision!
I also focus on staff care, making sure our team is thriving and developing. That is one of my favorite parts, because in case I haven’t already mentioned it, I genuinely love people. I am an insatiable extrovert, so the many meetings and connections energize me.
Right now, I am in a season of discovery as I learn the organization, meet new people, and begin shaping strategic plans for the future. I love it.
Tell us about your upbringing.
Well, my childhood was marked by both hardship and hope. My biological father was a drug addict, and my mom lived in a severely abusive situation with him. The abuse started when she was pregnant with me, so my early years were unsafe and fragile.
My mom is fiercely strong. She eventually moved us out of that situation and in with my grandparents. Although my family knew about church, faith was not part of our world. I grew up with a single mom, which brought its own challenges: financial struggles, instability, and other risks.
I met Jesus as a teenager. I had never heard the gospel before, and when I did, it was a true revelation. I quickly (and naively) believed and became hungry to learn more. Romans 12:1–2 talks about the renewing of the mind, and that’s really what happened for me. Through the truth of scripture, my old patterns began to change into something new. I was intentionally discipled by my youth pastor and his wife, which completely changed my direction in life. Over the years, I have had to earnestly pursue healing from trauma- physically, mentally, and emotionally- and I have learned to keep a posture of teachability and growth.
What do you value most, and what shaped those values?
The Gospel. I would be nothing without it. Living a gospel-centered life reminds me that we are all the same at the foot of the cross. We all have the same promise of redemption and hope. I want to live in a way that invites others into that, holding onto hope and weaving the gospel into everyday life.
Family. Family is the first community God calls us into. I believe I have a generational legacy to leave- one that honors God and pursues freedom.
Community. I deeply believe the local church is meant to be the visible revelation of the gospel to the world. Ephesians 3 tells us that. I want to celebrate and participate fully in that mission.
What is your favorite Bible verse?
Ephesians 3:14–19 – “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
It speaks to the love of God that shapes us, but also to the beauty of community- together with all the saints! That truth brought a lot of healing to me. His love is so expansive that I cannot comprehend it, and even someone like me still has a seat at the table.
What are you most looking forward to in your new chapter here?
Well, I really believe that the Church is at her most beautiful when she is serving the most vulnerable. Stand in the Gap seeks to care for three vulnerable populations, and there is so much promise in Jesus’ words: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” I am most looking forward to watching the Church serve these populations and be changed by it, while seeing the lives of those we serve transformed as well. I love the phrase, “Let’s make heaven crowded.”
Even in my short time here, I have already been challenged in my faith. When you meet people who have received forgiveness at deep levels, they give it out in big ways. Their stories are powerful and humbling.
If you could pick anyone to be your mentor (besides Jesus, of course), who would it be?
I already have some incredible mentors! Jonathan and Suzy Weibel continue to encourage and support me. They took me in and discipled me in my early years as a Christ follower. Cheryl Booth has also been a lifeline. She is wired a lot like me, just a few steps ahead in motherhood, marriage, and leadership. Her insights and wisdom have been such a gift.
