Our Mission

We are “others centered” focused on uniting, connecting, and supporting in three vital ways.

We desire to...
Inspire

Re-frame how we prioritize and value marriage.

Resource

Help marriage resources reach deeper into the heart of every community.

Empower

Help people use their unique talents to work in their highest and best roles.

How did the San Antonio Marriage Initiative get started?

In 2009, the San Antonio Marriage Initiative (SAMI) officially started with a season of prayer after a vision from its Founder was created to rally people in the community around the hopeful message for marriage.

In its first three years, there were coffee discussions held with over 270 people from 75 churches. The pivotal question asked was, “How can we help you help couples?” This resulted in a valuable time of listening and learning from those in the trenches helping couples and marriages.

The key takeaway was that to truly impact a community; those working towards the same goals need to get to know one another, talk, share, and help each other.

And so began the work of mobilizing the community by cultivating trust and a sense of empowerment among these San Antonio marriage leaders, so that they found they had a common shared purpose in their desire to help couples.

As a result, churches and marriage ministry leaders in our city now come alongside one another and work together; learning, supporting, and networking in the pursuit of helping create healthy marriages in every home. 

Through this desire to encourage and help each other, the San Antonio Marriage Initiative is now reported to be the “best resourced city in the country for marriage,” and it is our honor, joy, and mission to serve you.

Our Vision

The restoration of family, by strategically investing in marriage, for the strengthening of communities and the glorification of God.

What We Do

SAMI seeks to be a local presence connecting and uniting people across our community with the shared vision to serve marriages.

We bring together authors, researchers, counselors, pastors, podcasters, marriage leaders and more.

In addition we maintain a faithful presence in our community to elevate available resources for couples that highlight the value, importance, and hope that is available for all marriages.

Statement of Faith

We believe…

The Bible is the divinely inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God.

(2 Tim: 3:15-17; 2 Pet. 1:21; 1 Thess. 2:13)

We believe that God delightfully created and established each person as either male or female. These two distinct, complementary sexes together reflect the image and nature of God (Gen. 1:26-27). 

We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as described in Scripture (Gen. 2:18-25).

We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other (1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb. 13:4).

We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, or use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Matt. 15:18-20; 1 Cor. 6:9-10).

We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Cor. 6:9-11).

Meet the SAMI Team

  • Carl Caton

    PRESIDENT & FOUNDER

  • Nora Rodriguez

    CHURCH LIAISON & MINISTRY DIRECTOR

  • Carlos Rodriguez

    CHURCH LIAISON & MINISTRY DIRECTOR

  • Dionna Sanchez

    DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

  • Eliseo Sanchez

    DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

  • Kay Hanson

    DIRECTOR OF MARRIAGE LEADER NETWORK

  • Steffanie Oltmans

    DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY MARRIAGE INITIATIVES

  • Amy Salzwedel

    HR/FINANCE DIRECTOR

  • Tausha Hamilton

    ASSISTANT PROJECT MANAGER

  • Anna Panter

    DONOR DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

  • Amy Morgan

    FEATURE WRITER

  • Taylor Abrahamsen

    RESEARCH AND NEWSLETTERS

  • Megan Frommel

    SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

  • Jina Rios

    SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

  • Rickari McCain

    COMMUNICATION ASSISTANT

  • Addison Oltmans

    VISUAL DESIGNER

  • Tamlyn Sheng

    GRAPHIC DESIGNER

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

  • Carl Caton, PRESIDENT

    Businessman

    Board Member - NARME National Association of Relationship & Marriage Educators

    Managing Director - National Marriage Week

  • Nora Rodriguez, SECRETARY

    Co Founder - The Relational Wellness Center

    Certified Life Coach and Pastoral Counselor

    Certified Prepare Enrich Seminar Director

    Certified by Family Dynamics Institute

  • Jeff Kemp, BOARD MEMBER

    Founder, Men Huddle Ministry

    Board Member - Fatherhood CoMission

    Author, Facing the Blitz

    Jeff and his wife, Stacy, are also Weekend to Remember Speakers

  • Dennis Stoica, BOARD MEMBER

    Businessman

    Board Member - Live the Life - Florida

    Board Member - NARME National Association of Relationship and Marriage Educators

    Co-founder of the California Healthy Marriages Coalition

    Founder of the Orange County Marriage Resource Center

    Smart Marriages IMPACT Award Winner

Let us guide you to strengthen your marriage