Board of Directors
The volunteer board of directors works collaboratively with our Myanmar leadership to set the strategic direction for the mission. Under the board guidelines of care for vulnerable children, we nuture existing ministries and strategically expand these ministries. We develop partnerships with churches, foundations, parachurch organizations and individuals to further a holistic approach in spreading the Gospel in Myanmar.
Kathy is passionate about missions and serving God both here and abroad. Her knowledge of nutrient-dense foods and their impact on health has led her to focus on improving nutrition for orphans and students in ACM facilities. She and her husband, Gene, live in Denver, CO. They have four grown children and five grandsons and 1 granddaughter.
Jim has worked for Indiana State Parks for 34 years, retiring as of April of 2021. He has been Secretary for Owen County Christian Programs for 13 years helping spread the Gospel to the elementary school children. They have 5 daughters, one son and 12 precious grandchildren.
A real prayer warrior, Todd is an RN with more than 30 years experience in the health care industry. He helps ACM coordinate with major donors in Indiana. His work helped establish a new church in an area that previously had none. He and his wife Lisa have two adult sons.
Dawn is a retired Speech Language Pathologist who greatest joy came from working with the birth to age 5 population. Her career led her to be involved with the education of children with all types of disabilities. Dawn resides in Mitchell, Indiana and has 2 sons and 3 granddaughters. She leads the Missions Team at her local church which she has attended for 30 years
Born in Yangon, Myanmar, Sandar moved to the U.S. at age 15. She was raised Buddhist, but became curious about Christ when she learned that Jesus died in our place. Over time, she met many devoted Christ followers who brought her closer to God. Her service on the board reflects the love she has for Myanmar. She and her husband, Jeff, live in North Carolina with their two children.
Gene DiPietro was born and raised in San Diego, California. Gene worked as a Mechanical/Electrical Engineering Technician where he spent his time troubleshooting engines and control systems on US Navy ships. Gene retired in 2006, his career has made him well suited to act as the Treasurer for Asian Children’s Mission, his attention to detail and gifting with numbers makes him a welcome addition to the team. Gene is a devote follower of Jesus and has a passion for Myanmar and its people. Gene and his wife Kathy live in Denver, Colorado and love spending time with their 5 grandsons and 1 granddaughter and enjoying the beautiful outdoors.
Myanmar Staff
All our paid staff are based in and native to Myanmar. They receive all or part of their financial support from ACM.
Josiah is a graduate of Eastern Bible Institute, earning both undergraduate and graduate degrees in theology. He taught at Berea Bible School in Myitkyina, and returned to teach at EBI for several years. In 2006, he started relief work. He began working with refugees in 2012.
He and his wife Phoebe founded Hope Children’s Home in 2008, which has since expanded to include a church and a preschool. Additionally, Josiah oversees the work at the Myanmar Community Development Center. He also assists with translation and coordination for short term mission trips sponsored by FAME, A Generous Life and Bring Good News International.
Born in a small village in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains in northern Myanmar, Maeram is a member of the Rawang ethnic group. Her parents were first generation Christians, and her father was a teacher and evangelist. Like many people from the region, the family was poor: Maeram remembers being barefoot in the snow. Despite the poverty, she excelled in school and had the opportunity of studying at Atlanta Christian College.
Today, Maeram is a leader in Rawang literacy. She has translated many Christian books as well as working on a Rawang handbook. She has helped establish many kindergartens, and is a sought after speaker and trainer at women’s conferences. She also assists with work among refugees displaced by the ongoing civil war in northern Burma.
Joel received a bachelor’s degree in geology from Myikyina College, followed by a degree in theology from Putao Christian Bible Seminary. After briefly working for local government, he went to India to receive advanced theological training at Bharat Bible College in Andra Pradesh. Returning to Myanmar, he married Nangram Shikhun in 2001.
Joel joined Asian Children’s Mission leadership team in 2010 to assist with Community Health Evangelism (CHE). After a CHE internship in the Philippines, he and Nangram implemented several projects, including opening two preschools. Joel and Nangram will also oversee the first Joshua School.
Phoebe holds a masters degree in theology from Eastern Bible Institute. After graduating, she taught Christian Education and Christian Ethics at EBI for 13 years. She left EBI to found Hope Preschool in 2017, also overseeing two preschools in the Putao region. Phoebe oversees the day-to-day operations of Hope Children’s Home and is also a sought-after speaker and leader. She has still found time to learn gourmet cooking, and is a gracious hostess to the many visitors to her home on the Hope campus.
Namgram is a graduate of the Myanmar Bible Institute, with a master’s degree from Mandalay University. In addition to overseeing two ACM preschools, she is the lead teacher for ACM’s first Joshua School. Nangram has also led a ministry to women in prison. She teaches sewing classes and is a sought after speaker for women’s events.
Lucy has broad experience both within Myanmar and internationally. After receiving her nursing degree from Yangon General Hospital, she worked in a variety of settings, including a hospital in Singapore. Prior to founding Samaritan, Lucy was the principal at a nurse’s aid school in another Myanmar city. Lucy and her students assist in many medical outreaches.
La Wu Par Par holds a Bachelor’s degree in Theology from the Kachin Bible Institute, and a BA in history from Myitkyina University. He has significant experience in children’s and youth ministry.
Bzan Bzan was one of the first converts to Christianity among the Mro people group. He studied at the Putao Christian Bible School. He has served as a minister in various churches in Rahkine State, and is involved in Mro literature work. The Mro leaders have chosen him to work with students at the new Mro Christian Center in Ponnagyun: a youth hostel for Mro children attending high school as well as the first church in a city of more than 100,000 people.
Ashar ministers to women and children in the remote town of Konglapu, close to Myanmar’s border with China. She is a leader in women’s ministry in the area, and has started three kindergartens in nearby villages. Ashar studied at the Putao Christian Bible School in Putao, Myanmar.
Leading Star is a boarding school for high school students in the northern Myanmar city of Putao. It serves students, many of whom are desperately poor, from remote villages where there are no high schools. Leading Star was opened by Ah Naung and her late husband, with the help of the local church. Now assisted by Asian Children’s Mission, between 40-65 students attend each year. Ah Naung holds a BA from Myitkyina University.
Ma Soe teaches more than 50 students in the remote village of Taung Minglar. She has taken in many children whose parents are unable to provide for them. She feeds, educates and cares for them while teaching them about Jesus, and shows her love to everyone, Christian or non-Christian.
A graduate of Myanmar Bible Institute, Mary is a licensed teacher, and was also trained at the Eden Centre in Yangon concerning care of disabled children. She has been a regular caregiver to Tinman, Joel and Nangram’s physically challenged son. She is a teacher/therapist at the Joshua School in Mandalay.
Maeninn is an undergraduate student at Mandalay University, majoring in philosophy. A licensed preschool teacher with two years’ experience, she has had special training in caring for disabled children at the Eden Centre for Disabled Children in Yangon.