Meet the Team
Without the help of our dedicated staff, the work ARO does would be impossible. ARO is immensely grateful to each of these individuals that display "Christ's Love In Action" and have answered the call to be "the hands, the feet, the heart, and the mission of Christ".
Dwayne Mills
Executive Director
Born and raised in Martin County, Rev. Dwayne Mills entered full-time ministry in 1995 and served in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois until God called him back to his hometown to serve Turkey Creek Church of the Nazarene in 2012.
In 2019 he stepped into the role of Executive Director at Appalachia Reach Out, bringing a fresh vitality to ARO while building on the long and rich legacy of the past. He and his wife Bethany live in Inez, Kentucky, and have four children: Ethan, Evan, Eli, and Emily. His heart is for the people of Appalachia.
Bill Zuidema
Campus Director,
Food Pantry & Thrift Store Manager
Bill Zuidema joined the ARO team in August of 2011, and since that time he and his wife, Jana, have faithfully served the mission and ministry of ARO. Originally from Michigan, they have chosen to make Inez, Kentucky home where they finished raising their children – Rachel, Johnny, and Isaiah – and have lived out their desire to follow God’s leading by using their giftings to serve Him. Bill, with Jana’s constant support, takes on the tasks of managing ARO's busy thrift store and food pantry.
Chance Cooper
Director of Ministry Advancement,
Scioto Co. Work and Witness Coordinator
After joining ARO on short-term flood relief work, Pastor Chance Cooper realized a need for the mission of ARO back home in Southern Ohio, where he and his wife Shelly live. In 2024 he stepped into his role as the Director of Ministry Advancement & Scioto County Work & Witness Site Coordinator. God used the church to radically change his life; now, as a first generation follower of Christ, reaching people to experience the same love of Christ through the Church drives his passion in ministry
Heather Perry
Academic Director
Heather is from Bailey, North Carolina and graduated in 2023 from Olivet Nazarene University. She majored in Business Administration with a concentration in Philanthropy/Not-for-Profit. Heather discovered ARO on a mission trip in March of '23 with Olivet and loved it so much that she decided to come back as a summer intern after graduation. Heather joined the team full time in August of 2023 as ARO's Academic Director.
Bob DeJong
Martin Co. Work and Witness Coordinator
The DeJongs go way back with ARO: in 1976 and '77, Marilyn served at ARO in short-term missions, and joined full-time for a year in ’77. That same year, God brought Bob to ARO on a short trip. They fell in love, both of them 500 miles away from their home state of Michigan, and the rest is history! God has blessed them with over 40 years of marriage, 4 children who are also married, and six grandchildren. While they live in Lake Odessa, Michigan, in 2021 Bob accepted the role of the Work and Witness Coordinator for Martin County, and since then they have faithfully traveled to ARO many weeks out of the year to serve.
Sam Stacy
Perry Co. Work and Witness Coordinator
Sam Stacy is ARO’s Work & Witness Coordinator for Perry County, KY. He recently retired from the City of Hazard, serving in numerous positions from Public Safety Director, Fire Chief to finally serving as City Manager. He married his high school sweetheart, Lesa, and has two daughters, Cassi and Ashley, along with 5 grandchildren. He is currently the Senior Pastor at Petrey Memorial Baptist Church, bringing his love for God and his community to the mission of ARO in Perry County.
Salena Lehman
Development Coordinator
Salena Lehman joined ARO as a college intern in the summer 2019, and again in 2020. She and her husband Jacob moved to Martin County and spent a year in full-time ministry with ARO in 2022, and then moved back home to Mount Vernon, Ohio, to raise their newborn son, Joey. Her desire is to see the ministry of ARO grow into the opportunities that God opens. She serves as the Development Coordinator for ARO, using her skills to support the growth of the ministry through grant management and process enhancements.
Christa McNichols
Administrative Assistant
Christa and her husband, Troy, live in Mount Vernon, Ohio. They have three adult children, Cody, Taylor and Caleb, and have four grandchildren. ARO has a special place in Christa’s heart as she lived in Martin County the first 10 years of her life. With her brother Dwayne as ARO’s Executive Director, Christa has expressed how she’s had a “front row seat” to the many she has seen God working and blessing the ministry. She is an important member of the team, taking on many behind-the-scenes tasks as ARO’s Administrative Assistant.
Board of Directors
ARO's Board of Directors are important stewards of the ministry's mission and activities. While Appalachia Reach Out is a registered Compassionate Ministry Site with the Church of the Nazarene, in keeping with our interdenominational and collaborative approach to ministry, several Christian denominations are represented on our board. Board members reside in several states, and each bring unique experiences to the table that enable them to advise on our focus areas.​
Garrett Mills, Chairman
Louisa, KY
Angela Castleman
Mount Vernon, OH
Dustin Vander Wilp
Hudsonville, MI
Dale McWhorter, Vice Chairman
Falkville, AL
Richard Padgett
Gardendale, AL
Eric Mills
Inez, KY
Lisa Kirk, Secretary & Treasurer
Inez, KY
Caleb Horjus
Caledonia, MI
Josh Groen
Hudsonville, MI