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Our Board of Directors

Board Officers

President
Rev. Deborah Chambers
First Baptist Church of Glenarden

Reverend Deborah Chambers is a development and fundraising professional who is in her 12th year as Vice President for Development & Partnerships for Central Union Mission, a 135+ year-old homeless shelter in Washington, DC.

Prior to that role, Deborah had over 25 years experience in financial planning, sales and strategy development. She served as executive director and campaign manager for two capital campaigns helping to raise over $30 million. Deborah was also a financial planner with American Express Financial Services, where she marketed and negotiated financial planning packages, securities and insurance policies.

She is an ordained associate pastor at First Baptist Church of Glenarden (Glenarden, MD) and Board Member with One Warm Coat, a national non-profit that provides free coats for people in need. Deborah also serves as a clergy ambassador with the U.S. Attorney’s office for the District of Columbia. She is also a member of the Ministry Collaborative, a capacity-building cohort of a diverse group of local pastors.

Vice-President
Vonice, “Voni” Harrison 
Hope Christian Church

Vonice, “Voni” Harrison, a native of Washington D.C., works for the federal government for over the past ten years. She's currently works for the Department of Energy, DOE and has worked for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) prior to DOE.

Voni earned a dual degree of Bachelor’s of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies combinING with Biblical and Theological Studies and Pastoral Ministry, with a concentration in Pastoral Counseling. She also earned a Master’s of Science in Organizational Leadership which catapulted her to start her own creative design business called: “Ready. Set. Create! LLC”, licensed in Maryland since 2012. She is the CCO (Chief Creative Officer, Creative Director and Designer).

Secretary
Richard Eisendorf
Certified Fund Raising Executive

Mr. Eisendorf is a Certified Fund Raising Executive with experience in every phase of organizational management and development – from assessments and new business development to project implementation and evaluations. He has worked with homelessness and hunger in Washington, DC as Philanthropy Advisor for Central Union Mission for the past five years. Over his career, Mr. Eisendorf has raised and managed over $50 million from government agencies, foundations, corporate donors and individuals. His work experience includes director of new business development with an international community media development organization, fundraising for a DC-based inner city education program, leading an affiliate of an international landmine removal organization, and running peacebuilding and democracy programs in the Middle East. Mr. Eisendorf holds a BA in Anthropology from the University of Massachusetts, attended post-graduate studies in International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Treasurer
Dayan (Dean) Stewart 
Our Savior Lutheran Church

Dayan is a member of the Our Savior Lutheran Church. He started his career in accounting and audit with Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) as an audit supervisor. Then, worked in the multi-national non-for-profit industry, specializing in human rights and refugee resettlement for over 11 years as a financial manager. Travelled to offices overseas (Kenya, Chad, Uganda, Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama), where he provided training to the finance and project managers on accounting and financial management, with emphasis on financial integrity in the field and reporting (for human rights and refugee resettlement). Dean will bring his skills and knowledge to New Day’s main services. He holds a BS degree in Accounting from City University of New York (CUNY) Lehman College and is currently pursuing his MS degree in Accounting and Financial Management at University of Maryland University College (UMUC).

General Board Members

Edd Beavers 
Bethany Community Church

Edd has been a resident of Laurel for over 36 years. Edd serves as Web Content Manager for Central Union Mission, Washington DC.
He grew up in southwest Virginia and served in the US Army during the Vietnam Conflict. He attended the New York Institute of Technology. He worked for 3M for many years then partnered with a former associate to form a technology business in Laurel. They worked as integration specialists for NOAA and the FBI and a number of US and Canadian crime labs. In 1992 he went to work as a Designer and Software Development Manager for a Construction Software maker in Maryland where he worked until retiring in 2014.

Hank Crosswhite 
Bethany Community Church

Hank is a member of Bethany Community Church. Hank recently reduced his employment to part time as an engineer supporting the FAA’s acquisition of airport and enroute radar systems. This has allowed him time to be centrally involved with the First Friends Breakfast ministry. He is also a leader at Bethany Community Church, working with the Compassion Ministry and a men’s group.

Reverend Michele L. Williams 
First Baptist Church of Glenarden

An Associate Pastor at the First Baptist Church of Glenarden, a Professional Certified Life Coach and Mentor, and a Bible Teacher and Preacher of the Good News. Holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling from Regent University.

Rev. Williams is the Founded and Owner of In His Own Image Outreach Ministries LLC, established in 2016, to minister to holistically to people who have experienced various types of abuse. Hurting people are helped by attending the annual Scarred But Healed conferences and workshops. In her passion to reach people, Rev. Williams provides weekly dialogue through social media Live Chat broadcasts to the Scarred But Healed Tribe and has created a library resource of these videos in her Scarred But Healed Live Chats YouTube channel.

Board Advisors

Pastor Peter Demik
Our Savior Lutheran Church

Pastor Demik was born in D.C. and grew up in Arlington Virginia. He graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and Humanities from Valparaiso University in Northwest Indiana. While at Valparaiso, Pastor DeMik served as the Assistant to the Dean of the Chapel of the Resurrection and he also met his wife, Michelle. The two were married in 1997, and proceeded on to Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, where Peter earned his Master of Divinity Degree. Peter has served as Vicar (Intern) at Peace Lutheran Church in Arvada, Colorado, prior to his first call to serve as Associate Pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Laurel, Maryland in July of 2001. On February 16, 2014 Pastor DeMik became the Senior Pastor at Our Savior Lutheran Church.

Pastor Gregory Strong
City of Zion Church

Pastor Strong is a native of Cleveland, Ohio. He accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior at a very young age at the Mt. Haven Missionary Baptist Church. After completing High School, Pastor Strong joined the United States Marine Corps and rendered seven years of dedicated service. Upon leaving the Marine Corps in 1990, he relocated to the metropolitan Washington, DC area where he now resides. Pastor Strong was licensed in the Gospel Ministry at the Metropolitan Baptist Church of Washington, DC and later ordained at the Triumphant Baptist Church of Hyattsville, Maryland. Pastor Strong has earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree and a Master of Arts Degree in Biblical Studies from the Maple Springs Baptist Bible College and Seminary. In January of 2004 the Lord blessed Pastor Strong and his wife Minerva to organize the City of Zion Church in Laurel, Maryland. This is a non-denominational, progressive and growing church that specifically targets the "unsaved and unchurched." City of Zion Church has a number of ministries which help implement their vision which is "Making Disciples, Serving Jesus Christ and Living Abundantly." Pastor Strong’s passion is teaching God’s people to "Walk by Faith." He is indeed an End-Time Pastor with an End-Time Message for an End-Time Generation.