Bram Floria, the current Speaker and President of the Compassion Radio team, met his wife Sandi in 1984 while doing missions work together in EasternEurope. Apart and together, they led teams of Christian musicians on evangelistic tours throughout Western Europe, the Soviet Bloc, Africa and Southeast Asia. As a Development Director for Continental Ministries and Christian Artists, Inc., Bram helped advance the arts in creative worship on three continents.

Today, the Florias live on 30 acres of what they call their ‘Texas Paradise’ where they’ve raised their four children. The oldest daughter, Dempsey, has a Bachelor’s degree from BIOLA University in Journalism and Intercultural Studies and is now working on a M.A. in Theology and Organizational Leadership at Gonzaga University. Their second daughter, Lyric, is studying Linguistics and International Development at Calvin College. The Florias’ son, Cadence, is an accomplished Orchestral Composer and Worship Leader at his Church. The youngest Floria, Canon, is in 6th Grade and a master of anything electronic.

Bram and Sandi have devoted themselves to fulfilling the vision Dr. Nelson established of making Compassion Radio ‘The Radio Voice for Global Mission.’ In the first year alone they traveled to Europe, Africa and the Middle East to bring home the stories of God’s Victory through his Church in some of the most unlikely places.

Cher Nelson was born a preacher’s kid, and grew up from coast to coast as her father started new churches of a national denomination.

She accepted Christ as her Savior at the age of three. And committed her life to full-time service at a high school camp when she was 15. Since then, she has been serving the Lord in a variety of capacities.

Cher holds a Master’s Degree in Christian Counseling; is ordained; is a Licensed Clinical Pastoral Counselor and a Licensed Temperament Therapist. She is a Professional Clinical Member of the National Christian Counselors Association; and a Charter Member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. She has concentrated her counseling on Junior High, Senior High, and College age young adults and family related issues; both counseling and teaching communication techniques. Her method is based on teaching Biblical life skills to be applied to solving individual problems.

When Bram Floria was named President and Speaker for the daily Compassion Radio Broadcast, Cher was elected Chairman of the Board. And she continues to serve in that capacity. She remains Director of Creative Projects and Donor Management as well as frequent Co-Host of the daily broadcast.

Cher spent years of performing with evangelistic music groups around the world, and on national TV. She traveled for many years speaking – to High School and College audiences on Biblical Self-Image; to Women’s groups on Self-Acceptance and on The Purpose of the Family; and to TV audiences on related subjects.

She has been an international seminar leader, dealing with performance techniques, personal relationships and motivation. She has also had the opportunity to host a talk show and appear in 2 Christian films.

Cher has co-written two children’s musicals, Enchanted Journey, and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, which was nominated for a Dove Award for Best Childress’s Musical of the Year. She has recorded an album of her own poetry entitled Sometimes I Have Doubts.

Cher and her late husband, the Rev. Dr. Norm Nelson, have 7 children by birth and six “by love” (two sons- and four daughters-in-law), 7 granddaughters, and 8 grandsons. Cher works from the Texas studio and is located in the Austin, TX area.

For almost 40 years, Norm Nelson was the President of Compassion Ventures, Inc. and host of Compassion Radio, a unique faith-based, boots-on-the-ground activist media ministry based in Lake Forest, California. The program is heard daily in most major markets across the United States, and in Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. Its humanitarian projects have been carried out in 30 countries.

Norm’s pioneering vision was to move beyond the traditionally passive “I talk, you listen” broadcasting formula, to involve listeners in responsible servant outreach to the neediest people in the toughest places on earth. In keeping with this vision, Compassion Radio has mobilized its listening partners to launch and support dozens of Compassion Projects around the world.

Dr. Nelson was uniquely prepared to develop and lead such an activist ministry. He held a B.A. from Westmont College, an M. Div. from San Francisco Theological Seminary, a Th. M. from Princeton Theological Seminary, and completed doctoral studies in Religion, Diplomacy, and Conflict Resolution at the Graduate Theological Foundation. He pursued graduate studies in Islamics at Oxford University and held post-graduate certificates in Human Rights and International Law from the International Institute of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, and from American University in Washington, D.C

He also served as a regional board member for such organizations as the American Red Cross, the Heifer Project, and Partners of the Americas. He was a trustee of several Christian human rights organizations, including Evangelicals for Middle East Understanding (EMEU), and a Board of Advisors member of service organizations in India and Egypt. Late in his career he was named to the national Mission Network Task Force on Iraq of the Presbyterian Church USA.

Norm was a published author, a contributor to numerous books, magazines and journals. He is also frequently spoke at churches, colleges, universities, schools and conferences.

The Right Rev. Dr. Norm Nelson passed to Glory on April 10, 2017 after a illness. Highlights from the Best of Dr. Nelson’s teaching are still heard on a frequent basis as ‘Compassion Radio Classics’ and continue to inspire the Compassion Radio Family to do the Word, not simple hear it. His wife, Cher, continues to serve the Ministry as Chairman of the Board, as frequent contributor to the Compassion Radio Broadcast, and as Donor Relations Director, continuing a very personal ministry to the thousands of Compassion Radio Giving Partners.