DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Born and raised just blocks from The Escape, Eric's desire to see the Mid-Ohio Valley thriving was homegrown. After a few years of part time youth ministry for the church in which he had grown up, Eric made serving as Director of Escape Student Ministries his primary work in 2015 when The Escape was still a church based youth ministry. In 2025, when The Escape became an independent organization, Eric assumed the role of Director of Operations for Escape Community Ministries, Inc. 

In addition to Eric's work with students through The Escape, he has also volunteered and substitute taught in local public school systems since 2013 and now sees clients (primarily middle and high school students) at a local mental health counseling clinic a few days a week. Eric's wife, Olivia--a public school librarian--and daughter, Emberlyn, can often be found serving students shoulder to shoulder with him and the rest of The Escape team. Eric's desire is to give middle and high school students such a good experience with Jesus and his church that they choose to make a relationship with God part of their adult lives.

Eric graduated from Appalachian Bible College with a double major in Theology and Youth and Family Ministries in 2012 and from Malone University with a master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in 2025. 

2 Corinthians 5:13-14a

“If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. Either way, Christ’s love controls us.”

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

Naomi Kanios grew up in Marietta, Ohio with her parents and five siblings. Through many unforeseen twists and turns in her life, she found herself attending Liberty Street Church of God in Parkersburg, WV in 2016. It was here that she was first introduced to the Escape. At the time, it was the youth ministry of the church, and she served as a volunteer there for the next 8 years. The stories she heard from the students broke her heart and made her question how she could help. God, of course, had a response: “Start a nonprofit. Be the answer to these kids’ problems.”

Terrified, but sure of what she needed to do, she got a degree in nonprofit management in 2021 through Colorado Christian University and began brainstorming ideas to meet the needs of the MOV youth. As the years passed, she felt the Holy Spirit saying ‘no’ every time she tried to plan something. She continued to serve at the Escape and share her hopes with those there until one day, she got a text from Eric Tucker saying he was starting a nonprofit to help the youth of the MOV, and he wanted her to jump on board. And jump she did!

Naomi is beyond honored to be a part of what God is doing at the Escape during this new chapter of its life. Not only does she get to do more and better things for Jesus through the Escape, but she gets to share it with her amazing husband, Alex, and their baby girl, Elora. Both can be found around the Escape serving and putting smiles on faces.

Romans 12:2

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”