Derrek Belase

The Rev. Dr. Derrek Belase is the director of Connectional Ministry for the Oklahoma Conference of the United Methodist Church where he assists more than 470 Oklahoma United Methodist churches as they build capacity to make disciples in their local settings. A lifelong Oklahoman, Derrek graduated from Carnegie High School, University of Central Oklahoma, Oklahoma City University and Saint Paul School of Theology. He also studied at the Center for Socio-Legal Studies at Oxford University. He has degrees in criminal justice and theology and is also a certified police officer in Oklahoma. Before entering full-time ministry, he was the criminal justice coordinator at the Caddo Kiowa Technology Center in Fort Cobb. Derrek has served in full time appointed ministry for seventeen years and has been a QPR trainer for 4 years.

John Cheek

Rev. John Cheek is an Arizona native.  He served as a police officer in southern Arizona for twenty-four years, after which he was ordained as a Presbyterian pastor, serving churches for twenty-six years.  He has been a member of the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance National Response Team since August 2011.

Sean Coffman

Sean Coffman is a 7th generation descendant of German-Irish immigrants who made their homes in New York, Ohio, and Virginia. He is the son of a military family and the oldest of two boys. Before transitioning to Long-Term Recovery with the Lutherans, he began his disaster work in response in 2011 with the American Red Cross. Training and education were core to his work, and he is excited to bring his experience and excitement to Lutheran Disaster Response, where he has been the Program Director for Training and Networks since 2023. Sean lives in Fargo, ND, with his wife, Sonya.

Kristyne Duffy

Kristyne Duffy is the Program Manager for Training & Network with Lutheran Disaster Response, developing their training courses and catalogs. She has over a decade of experience in the social services fields, volunteer management, training & development, and serving vulnerable populations. Kristyne grew up in Sioux Falls, SD and graduated from Augustana College in 2011 with a B.A. in Sociology and Psychology. With a love of diverse cultures and humanitarian justice, she joined Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota (LSSSD) in 2014, working in their refugee resettlement program before transitioning to Disaster Response Coordinator in 2018. During her time at LSSSD, she assisted more than 50 disaster-impacted communities and participated in multiple declared and undeclared disasters across South Dakota and served as President and Secretary of the SD VOAD. In 2023, Kristyne joined LDR full-time. When not working or traveling for training, you can find Kristyne listening to history podcasts or raising her vivacious and imaginative 5-year-old daughter.

Caroline Hamilton-Arnold

For nearly a decade, Rev. Caroline Hamilton-Arnold has served as the Associate Director for Domestic Disaster Response with Week of Compassion--the disaster response ministry for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Caroline helps churches in the United States and Canada prepare for and respond to natural, climate, and human-caused disasters. She also oversees the disaster recovery grant and volunteer programs for Week of Compassion, which focus on promoting equitable, community-led, long-term recovery with particular focus on community resilience and affordable housing. She lives with her spouse and two sons in Houston, TX.

Katie Howe

a. Katie Howe serves as the Minister for Disaster Response and Recovery with the National Ministries of the United Church of Christ. She holds a Master’s in Public Health in Epidemiology from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. After working as an epidemiologist for the state of Rhode Island and a life-long member of the UCC, she is grateful to have a position that combines her passion with public health and preparedness work with her faith background. Over the past two years she has been working with churches and conferences across the UCC on all components of disaster preparedness and response, from local church preparedness workshops, emotional and spiritual care for people who have been impacted by disasters to long-term recovery for communities that experienced disasters many years ago.

Mary Gaudreau Hughes

Rev. Mary Gaudreau Hughes is a licensed professional counselor, ordained United Methodist deacon, and nationally known disaster response specialist with more than 25 years' experience working in crisis and disaster response. Rev. Hughes currently serves as the Executive Director for Crisis Care Ministries in Oklahoma. She also sees counseling clients in her private practice office.
A frequent teacher and presenter, she has authored and provided key leadership in developing numerous curricula, resources, webinars, and national operational and ethical guidelines for disaster spiritual and emotional care. She has provided training, consultation, and technical guidance in more than two dozen states and has facilitated the establishment of dozens of regional and local disaster emotional and spiritual care teams.

Suzanne Malloy

Rev. Suzanne Malloy is a retired hospital trauma chaplain and police sergeant. She is a 16-year volunteer member of the National Response Team for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, and has offered a ministry of presence at a variety of disasters, both natural and human-caused. Suzanne was certified as a Psychological First Aid instructor by Dr. Robert D. Macy of the International Trauma Center, and has taught PFA and Disaster Spiritual Care with the American Red Cross. 

Stephanie Montes

Stephanie Montes is a proactive servant leader passionate about empowering marginalized individuals. Experienced in applying evidenced-based behavioral health and wellness interventions in an integrated setting. Successful history of providing workforce preparation training and employment counseling. Highly motivated to build, enhance and maintain community networks. Supportive, goal-focused team member driven toward developing high functioning organizations.

Emily Morrow

Emily Morrow is a Senior Prevention Programs Manager at the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. Throughout her almost ten-year substance misuse prevention career, she has worked to ensure evidence-based prevention programs, policies and practices were implemented effectively for local and state-wide change. In her current role, she works within the faith, family and workplace sectors, supporting and equipping leaders in these areas to address risk and protective factors that will protect Oklahomans from the harms of substance use or mental health problems. This includes guiding congregations, family serving agencies and local businesses across the state to assess community needs and develop effective, well rounded prevention services that will lead to sustainable community change. Prior to working in faith, family, and workplace prevention programming, Emily had a long career in working with Community Coalitions and higher education institutions to implement evidence-based prevention programs, as well as serving as the State’s Synar Coordinator focusing on reducing the noncompliance rate of retailers selling tobacco products to minors. Emily’s goal is to continuously create better and healthier communities for all Oklahomans. 

Maryn Olson

Maryn Olson (she/her) serves as the Director for Lutheran Disaster Response, the humanitarian and crisis response ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), a position she has held since November 2022.  In this role, she oversees the LDR global (international and domestic) grants and programs. Internationally, she collaborates closely with the ELCA area desks in responding to disasters; domestically, Maryn works with synods, social ministry organizations, community-based groups, and tribal nations.  She also represents the ELCA in various settings with ecumenical partners. Maryn has always had a strong sense of justice, and this passion motivates her work.  She has more than 20 years of nonprofit experience and has served in a variety of disaster related roles.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Valparaiso University and a Master of Science (MSc) in Public Health in Developing Countries from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.  Maryn and her wife, Angela, live in St. Louis, MO.  

Dana Parker

Dana Parker is the Associate Director of Connectional Ministry for Community Engagement and Disaster Response

Kathy Riley

Rev. Kathy Riley is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) who serves as the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Associate for Emotional and Spiritual Care. Kathy was a volunteer with the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) National Response Team for five years and has responded to natural and human caused disasters. She served seven congregations in interim/transitional ministry following a career in clinical psychology. Kathy is a member of the Emotional and Spiritual Care Committee for the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD).

Marilyn Stone

Marilyn Stone is a retired special education teacher residing in Burlington, WI. For over 8 years, Marilyn has served on the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) National Response Team, serving on the emotional and spiritual care ministry team, as well as preparedness and hosting. In addition, she serves on the PDA Advisory Committee. Marilyn is an elder at Apostle Presbyterian Church in West Allis, WI where she is actively engaged.

Dale Suggs

Dale is a graduate of Texas Christian University (BA, ‘83) and Brite Divinity School (MDiv., Spiritual Formation, ‘87) and was ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in 1987. Dale received a Graduate Certificate in Spiritual Direction in 2007 from the University of San Diego. He received Certification as Facilitator of the Compassion Practice in 2018 from the Center for Engaged Compassion. The core values that shape Dale’s life and work are grace, inclusion, and compassion. These values fuel Dale’s passion for creating compassionate space for individuals and families struggling with mental health, for the LGBTQIA+ community, and for those excluded or injured just because of who they are. Dale is committed to making radical compassion a way of life and teaching others how to do the same. Professionally, Dale has served 30 years as a congregational pastor, four years as a Hospice Chaplain, 17 years as a Spiritual Director, and eight years as a teacher and facilitator of the Compassion Practice.

Victoria Villa

Victoria Villa is the Disaster Relief Coordinator for the Southwest California Synod of the ELCA, where she supports congregations and communities in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters. She holds a Master of Social Work and a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from California State University, Long Beach, with a minor in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and a Certificate in Peace and Social Justice Studies. Victoria brings extensive experience in social services and community programming, including grant writing, educational equity, work with unhoused communities, senior care, and grief support. She’s passionate about helping communities come together and find creative ways to use what they have to build strong, supportive networks for everyone.

Zach Wolgumuth

Zach ‘Wolgemuth is the EPRR Director at Church World Service. He is passionate about making 'STONE SOUP' and has perfected his craft by drawing on unique experiences, an extensive network, and an entrepreneurial spirit that drives him to innovate. His track record designing developing implementing and scaling uniquely impactful programs with diverse groups of people in unique settings and under extreme conditions is noteworthy. As a natural problem solver with, non-profit management, disaster recovery, humanitarian development, food insecurity, volunteer management, and fundraising experience, in the US and abroad, he has learned to draw best practices from each for the betterment of his team, the projects he lead and the people he serves.

Paul Zaharas

Since 2020, Rev. Archdeacon Paul Zaharas has served as the US Country Representative for International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) and he heads its team specializing in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery across the country. He has a deep understanding of congregational and community dynamics built on twenty years of church administration. Since 2013, Paul has participated in IOCC's Frontline program offering emotional and spiritual care following natural and complex disasters. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Sciences and Mathematics from the University of Wyoming and a Master of Divinity from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. Paul and his family live in Colorado where he enjoys the outdoors and he is an avid fly fisherman.

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