Mark Smith

Chairman of the Board

Mark is married to Neuzi Olivia Camara Smith, who is a full-time mother, homemaker, and artist, and they have a daughter, Isabelle Elena Smith, who is in her early years of elementary school. He is a 1978 graduate of Iowa State University with a Bachelors of Arts in Architecture. Mark has over 27 years of experience in the building construction industry and has been a Registered Architect since 1985 with licenses in nine states. Mark works as Vice President of Architecture services for an architectural/environmental consulting firm in Nashville, Gobbell Hays Partners, Inc.

Mark is involved in Providence World Missions because he has felt led by the Lord to a service that can be performed in this area to spread the Gospel by showing Christian love to orphans and widows. Mark has a strong philosophy of utilizing Paul’s tent making approach to mission service and had been searching for some time for an area where he could use his professional experience to serve the Lord more fully. Once he heard Alfredo’s testimony, the Lord moved in his heart to be involved and that was all that was needed to get started.

Mark and Neuzi’s only option for a child was through adoption and Isabelle has been a great joy in their life. This experience along with having experienced many parts of the world where children are systematically abandoned and left to the streets has given Mark a sense of urgency to provide family for orphans in need. Therefore; he sees value to the mission of PWM and hopes with the Lord’s blessing to be able to serve as faithfully as possible to help fulfill at least a small portion of the need that exists in the world today.

Michael McKerley

Treasurer

Michael B. McKerley, his wife Susan, and their four children — Hannah, Benjamin, Rebekah, and Samuel reside in Franklin, TN. Michael received a Bachelor of Science and Masters of Accountancy Degree from the University of Tennessee. Michael then began his career with Ernst & Young, and then spent 9 years with the local firm Price and Associates. For the past 8 years Michael has owned his own firm, McKerley & Noonan.

“In the midst of raising 4 children of our own, and understanding that I am an adopted child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, the Lord has given me a burden for the children of Honduras. Children not yet born have been hand picked by God Almighty before the creation of the world to be raised in this Orphanage in the Love and Admonition of the Lord. I have the privilege to participate in this amazing process. My initial reason for serving on the Providence World Ministries Board was to expose my children to missions and the greater world outside of middle TN. I now view it as something much larger —my life mission.”

Craig Burford

Craig Burford is married to De’Anne and they have three children — Maddie, Catherine, and Sam. Craig received his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Texas Tech University. Craig is the Manager of International Business Development for Square D Company (Schneider Electric). He has fifteen years of experience in international business, having spent 6 years with his family in positions in SE Asia (Indonesia & Singapore).

“During my travels around the world the one thing that consistently stops me in my tracks is the site of street children and the seeming lack of hope in their eyes. The hopelessness in the world is truly oppressive with the sheer numbers of orphans causing one to wonder if anything can really be accomplished. This, in addition to the abandoned & helpless widows on every continent, really provides a test of our faith in action. I really believe in the mission of Providence World Ministries and can easily envision its impact on the global community, one person at a time.”

Phil Darke

Phil Darke, his wife, Becca, and their four children, live in Folsom, CA. The Darkes are also is in the process of adopting a beautiful little girl from China, who they hopefully will bring home by 2011. Phil received his Juris Doctor Degree from Vanderbilt University, and his B.A. Degree in Rhetoric and Communications from U.C. Davis. In October 2008, Phil left his position as an attorney with Downey Brand LLP in Sacramento, CA to raise financial support for and begin working in his position as Director of Research & Development with PWM. Before his position at Downey Brand, he worked as an attorney in Atlanta, GA, and as a clerk for a federal judge in Honolulu, HI. Phil currently serves as the Director of Missions and Orphans Ministry at River Rock Church in Folsom.

“Over the past two years, God has captured my heart and given me a passion for orphans, widows, the sick, the poor and the oppressed throughout the world. In furtherance of that ever-growing passion, God has blessed me with the tremendous opportunity to serve alongside Alfredo and the rest of this Board. After visiting Alfredo and the rest of the team in Siguatepeque in August 2006, God made it clear to me that He has called me to be a part of this ministry for many years to come.

“It is my prayer that God will use me, the rest of the Board, and PWM to make much of His name in Honduras and throughout the world every minute of every day. I also pray that, through PWM, we will all stop living ‘comfortable’ lives and start going where we can only go if God is with us. That we will make goals that will be fulfilled only if God is behind them and is their source and driving power. We need to make our dreams as big as our God! ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible’ (Matthew 19:26).”

Dr. Dante Graves

Dante Graves, MD, his wife Karen and their two boys, Matthew and Andrew, live in Franklin, TN. Dante received his undergraduate degree from Western Kentucky University; he then went to medical school at the University of Louisville. Having performed his fellowship in Cardiology at Emory University, Dante currently works at the St. Thomas Heart Institute, where he has been for 12 years.

“Our passionate heart and concern for orphans has been cultivated and brought to fruition through direct personal involvement with Alfredo and his family, as well as other relationships that have been created in Honduras.

“I consider it as honor to serve on the PWM board of directors. I appreciate the Godly wisdom and insight that each board member brings to the group. To be working single minded for such a special purpose is an incredible joy for me. I want to use my God given talent to minister to the sick as this is a natural and logical extension of my vocation. With much excitement I look forward to the great things God has in store for us. I am especially excited about the medical mission trips that we will be taking to La Providencia in the spring of 2007.”

Tom Courtney

Tom is single and resides in Nashville, TN. He is a general Pediatrician practicing in a Christian not-for-profit pediatric practice called Mercy Children’s Clinic. He has traveled to Honduras and worked at Providence as part of two medical teams over the past two years. He has felt a strong calling on his heart from the first day he arrived at the orphanage. Tom has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering as well as his M.D. and Board Certification in General Pediatrics. He has served on the executive committee of American Academy of Pediatrics section on computers and other technologies as well as teaching pediatrics at several medical schools.

Tom has a strong desire to help underprivileged and oppressed children. This desire has been magnified by seeing the great possibilities offered in Providence’s “best practices” model for an orphanage. He is very active in West End Community Church in Nashville as well as other ministries.

John Batelaan

John, his wife Tracy, and their two sons (Cory and Zachary) reside in Folsom, California. John received his BS degree in Criminal Justice from California State University, Sacramento and his Juris Doctorate from Lincoln Law School of Sacramento. John spent 11 years working in the Sacramento Superior Courts and a brief time as a prosecutor for the Sacramento County District Attorney’s office. For the past 8 years, John has operated his law practice in Folsom.

“After visiting La Providencia in Honduras for the first time in 2007, myself, my wife Tracy as well as our oldest son Cory fell in love with the work taking place in Siguatepeque. The passion of those that were dedicating their lives to the ministry at La Providencia was contagious. It was evident that God was loving the children of Honduras through these people and we desperately wanted to be used by God in this ministry. My family continually asks God to show us further opportunities to serve Him at La Providencia and we of course look forward to every chance we get to go and visit our ‘Extended Honduran Family.’”