Team

A Team Built on Real-World Results 

Free Up’s leadership brings over a century of direct experience across homelessness services, behavioral health, addiction recovery, law enforcement, government systems, faith-based organizations, and the private sector.

We are not theorists. We are seasoned operators who have designed, led, and scaled programs that deliver measurable impact. Our team has navigated the complexities others only write about, and we are prepared to help communities nationwide implement solutions that work.

A person sitting on a concrete block outside a building with large white columns, holding a yellow bag and surrounded by backpacks and belongings.
Scene of a crash site with a toppled vehicle and emergency responders investigating in a grassy area during daytime.
A pile of trash including a large black trash bag, a blue tarp, a small orange traffic cone, and miscellaneous items on the sidewalk next to a tree and parking meters in front of a brick building with large windows.

Meet the Team

  • A middle-aged man wearing a cowboy hat, brown blazer, orange shirt, and a sheriff's badge necklace.

    Andy Bales

    Founding Member, Des Moines Operations
    Andy’s work has centered on one mission: to meet suffering with action, despair with hope, and homelessness with solutions that restore human lives

    Read Bio
  • A smiling elderly man with white hair and a beard, wearing a dark sweater, against a light blue background.

    Jeff Connally

    Founding Member, Technology and Scale

    He is dedicating his time and talents to Free Up Foundation to help bring hope, restoration, and pathways to self-reliance for individuals struggling with homelessness. . .

    Read Bio
  • A man in a dark suit, white shirt, and patterned tie smiling outdoors with trees and greenery in the background.

    Justin Griffin

    Communications

    At Free Up, he is driven by the organization’s clear focus on accountability, recovery-centered care, and expanding genuine opportunity for those too often left behind . . .

    Read Bio
  • A middle-aged man with white hair and a mustache, wearing a black uniform shirt with a badge and the name tag 'MCANGUS'.

    Drew McAngus

    Founding Member, Austin Operations

    Drew’s career reflects a simple conviction: every life is worth fighting for, and real change happens when compassion and accountability work hand-in-hand.

    Read Bio
  • A middle-aged woman with blonde hair smiling, wearing glasses on her head, gold earrings, a gold necklace, and a patterned jacket.

    Michele Steeb

    Founding member, CEO

    Michele’s work is rooted in a simple conviction: true compassion restores people. She has spent her career fighting for approaches that move individuals from crisis to stability to purpose and for communities to replace failed models with proven models that heal, empower, and transform lives.

    Read Bio
  • A woman with short blonde hair wearing a blue top, pearl earrings, and a colorful necklace, smiling outdoors.

    Leah Stradley

    Chief Financial Officer

    Leah has served small businesses and nonprofits through tax preparation and accounting management, offering thoughtful, dependable guidance. She remains committed to helping organizations operate with clarity, integrity, and long-term financial health

    Read Bio
Clothes and belongings scattered along a city sidewalk, with a chain-link fence behind it and a sign that reads 'Sidewalk Closed Ahead.' In the background are tall city buildings, and a bus is visible on the street.

Join the Mission for Recovery & Self-Reliance

Free Up’s model, when fully implemented, is built to reverse a region’s homelessness crisis within five years— efficiently and cost-effectively. As homelessness declines, excess infrastructure is dismantled, freeing resources for other regional priorities. 

Join Our Mission
A man with a bald head and gray beard smiling and making a peace sign gesture at the camera in an indoor setting, dressed in a camouflage jacket with orange lining and blue plaid pants.