Christine Carpenter – President/CEO
Chris is the Founder and CEO of Rahab Refuge Ministries which was established in October 2020. Chris has a bachelors degree in Business Administration with a minor in Accounting and Bible from Liberty University. Chris retired from the Department of Treasury in May 2020 after 29 years of service. Twenty of those years she was a Special Agent in the Criminal Division of the Internal Revenue Service where she investigated money laundering and tax crimes. Chris has utilized her gifts and talents for over 25 years teaching women’s studies, Sunday School classes, Treasurer, Operations Manager and various other positions. Chris is married to Jeff Carpenter and together they have nine children. Christine@rahabrefugeministries.com
Melissa Quinn – Secretary/Officer
Melissa is currently the Administrative Assistant at Friendship Baptist Church, located in Rome, New York. Additionally, Melissa leads as the Director of Vacation Bible School at Friendship Baptist Church. Melissa has training in Early Childhood Education which she utilized as a Kindergarten Teacher for seven years in Friendship Baptist Church Co-OP as well as a Sunday School Teacher. Melissa is married to Michael Quinn; together they have two children whom they home school.
Michelle Collis – Officer
Michelle attended Mohawk Valley Community College and Stetson University with a major in Elementary Education. She, with her husband Dave of 27 years, has raised four beautiful children, her last one a sophomore in high school. Over the years, Michelle has been an active leader and participant in women’s and children’s ministries.
Ben Oxenford – Officer
Ben has a B.S. in Computer Science from Mt. Vernon Nazarene University. Ben has worked as a software developer, an educator, and in various other roles. He holds several certifications and has technical expertise in computer programming and computer languages and systems. Ben has been actively maintaining the Rahab Refuge Ministries’ website for the past year. He and his wife Heather have five wonderful children.
Advisors
Thomas Stiles – Advisor
Thomas is the Director of Arise Ministries, a ministry of encouragement and education for local churches. He is a graduate of Maranatha Baptist University and Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary. Tom has been in full-time Christian service for 50 years. He and his wife, Barb, have four children and twelve grandchildren.
Brett Popp – Advisor
Brett is the pastor of the Christian Church of Charleston Four Corners. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Religion from Liberty University and also attended Word of Life Bible Institute. Brett has been the Pastor for 20 years at Christian Church of Charleston Four Corners. In 2015 their Church had the privilege of helping 5 young women get out of trafficking and placed into a Christian recovery home to begin the healing process. He and his wife, Gretchen, have been married for 22 years and have one son.
Bonnie Dekin – Advisor
Bonnie has a Master of Science in Marriage and Family Counseling /Therapy from Capella University, Minneapolis, MN. She has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology/Christian Counseling from Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA. She attended residencies and trainings for her graduate work in Dallas, TX and Chicago, IL. Bonnie works with children, individuals, couples and families with a wide variety of issues. She has extensive training specialties including on-going certification in Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) and Trauma-Focused CBT. She is a member in good standing in the American Counseling Association (ACA), American Association of Marriage and Family Counselors (AAMFT), American Association of Christian Counselors; (AACC), and the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH).
Terry Evans- Advisor
Terry is a survivor of exploitation and severe sexual abuse. Terry has an AAS in Counseling from Liberty University. She is currently in the process of completing a master’s degree in Counseling from Liberty University. Terry has over 15 years of experience working with at-risk girls and women at an inner city and rural ministry and teaching woman’s Bible studies. She is a skilled community and social service specialist with solid history of success in promoting activism, leading program operations, and garnering grass-roots support. Terry is focused on speaking out against domestic abuse and human sex trafficking issues with an emphasis of imparting life changing skills to women and at risk youth.
Jeffery Carpenter – Former Advisor
(Deceased 09-21)
Jeffery is the Pastor of Friendship Baptist Church. He holds a Bachelors of Divinity from Massillon Baptist College (1987). Jeff has over 30 years of Pastoral leadership at Friendship Baptist Church, first as youth pastor and 20 years as the senior Pastor. Jeff has been counseling married couples and individuals for 20 years utilizing Caring for the Heart Ministry materials. He and his wife, Chris, have 9 children and 7 grandchildren.
Rahab Refuge Ministries 