ERIN FOLZ

Erin and her husband Steven have a heart for the nations and, early in their marriage, considered serving abroad. However, in 2013, God drew them to Raleigh instead. They began attending Christ Covenant Church and prayed that God would open doors for them to engage the nations, even in North Carolina.

One Sunday, an announcement was made about an opportunity to serve refugees living at a nearby apartment complex. It was exactly what they’d been praying for. Their first experience with Refugee Hope Partners was a summer program called read & swim. Soon, they became weekly tutors at high school & college homework help. They’ve mentored students through the Bridge Program, led summer bible studies, and organized community engagement events with their church. Erin joined the Refugee Hope Partners board in 2021 and was elected chairperson in 2024.

For the last eleven years, Erin has worked as a mathematics professor at a local community college. She and Steven are active members at Christ Covenant Church. They’ve served on the missions team, Erin leads women’s bible study, and Steven serves as an elder. For the last seven years, they’ve travelled annually to the Middle East to strengthen & encourage the local church there. They enjoy hiking, biking, and kayaking.

DANIEL LEE

Daniel grew up in New York City, where his family’s service and leadership in the Korean American church showed him the beauty and power of the local church on mission when it faithfully bears witness to the gospel in word and deed by sacrificially serving those in need and welcoming the sojourner.

Daniel has worked in church ministry for over 20 years, including at The Summit Church, as well as at Maranatha Grace Church, which he helped plant in New Jersey. He currently serves on staff with Holy Trinity Anglican Church as Director of New City Fellows, a discipleship and fellowship program for emerging leaders and professionals from churches across the Triangle that equips them to follow Jesus at the intersections of faith, work, and culture, and serve in the renewal of our cities.

Daniel and his wife Dr. Crystal Chen Lee initially learned about and got involved with Refugee Hope Partners through her Literacy and Community Initiative’s literacy work with students from RHP’s Bridge Program. What he loves most about Refugee Hope is how it demonstrates the love of Christ to refugees, and how through its ministry, lives are being changed.

JOEL RISNER

Joel Risner is a senior research and development staff member at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Joel moved to Raleigh in early 2015 when he and his wife Vaneetha (a long-time Raleigh resident) were married. Prior to that he had lived in Knoxville, Tennessee for five years and in Pittsburgh for 23 years.

Joel grew up in a small midwestern town that had very little ethnic diversity and, to the best of his knowledge, no refugee population. His job at a Department of Energy laboratory in Pittsburgh had very little ethnic diversity, as all employees had to be US citizens and hold a security clearance. His move to Oak Ridge National Laboratory in early 2010 provided a much-welcome exposure to a wide range of ethnic diversity, including working with and forming friendships with many staff members from around the world. It was there that his love for the nations began to grow.

Joel and his wife Vaneetha attend Christ Covenant Church in North Raleigh. It was there – and through his wife’s friendship with Michele Suffridge – that Joel learned of the mission of Refugee Hope Partners. He joined the board in late 2023 and is excited about the future of this ministry and the impact it can have on so many lives.

Katherine Batchelor

While in undergrad at UNC Chapel Hill, Katharine had the great privilege of starting a lifelong friendship with a Karen refugee family who had been resettled in North Carolina a few years prior. That friendship sparked a lasting passion for serving and advocating for the refugee community in the United States. After going to law school at Wake Forest University, Katharine moved to Raleigh where she participated in the New City Fellows program and was introduced to Refugee Hope Partners by friends in the Fellows community. Katharine believes strongly in the vision of RHP as it reflects the Lord’s deep love for and compassion towards the foreigner (Deuteronomy 10:18-19, Matthew 25:35). She joined the RHP Board in the fall of 2025 and also serves as a mentor in RHP’s Bridge Program.

Katharine is an active member of Vintage Church in Downtown Raleigh and currently works as a plaintiff’s attorney specializing in employment litigation and class actions. Katharine previously worked at the North Carolina Study Center, a center for Christian life and thought at UNC.

SEAN BENNETT

DAVID NAILOR

David is a vice president at Hazen & Sawyer, an environmental engineering consulting firm. He graduated from NC State University and has lived in Raleigh ever since. He and his wife Suzi have been married for 30 years and have two adult daughters. They attend Christ Covenant Church where David has served in several roles including deacon and elder, and Suzi serves as the women’s ministry coordinator. David was first exposed to refugees when two gentlemen from Myanmar walked up the driveway to church one Sunday. As the church sought to serve this community, the scope of the needs became apparent. David is excited about RHP’s commitment to partner with and equip local churches to help serve these needs for the glory of God.

JOE STOFFREGEN

Joe is the president of Homewood Nursery & Garden Center. Joe is a Raleigh native and a graduate of NC State University. Joe has been married to his wife Myra Leigh for 37 years (she is a volunteer with RHP) and they have 4 adult children and one grandson. Joe has held leadership positions in numerous trade organizations and in the church. He has had a lifelong interest in mission work and sees RHP as bringing the world to our doorstep.

RAY RUTLEDGE

Recently retired, Ray spent most of his career in sales and business development roles in the industrial equipment space followed by a brief stint leading small, regional service businesses. He grew up in Oxford, NC, and attended NC State. He has been married to his wife Lisa for 37 years, and they have five children. He is an Elder at Christ Covenant Church and was first introduced to what would eventually become RHP when a group of Karen families visited Christ Covenant.

MARY KATHRYN BUMGARNER

Mary Kathryn Bumgarner is a Raleigh native with a passion for evangelism and community Bible study. As a young teenager God developed a love for cross-cultural ministry in her. For the last 15 years Mary Kathryn has practiced as a physician assistant with NC Heart and Vascular at UNC-REX Healthcare, and has worked with refugees as part of ESL programming and medical ministry.

Mary Kathryn attended Wake Forest University for her BA in English and Masters in PA Studies. She is married to Joseph Bumgarner, MD, and they have 3 daughters who also love RHP. Mary Kathryn and Joseph are members at Open Door Church and serve in next generation discipleship and music. Mary Kathryn also serves as a children’s teaching leader in Bible Study Fellowship and a Bible teacher for women and children with RHP.