TEAM MEMBERS

Peter Swann, Executive Director
peter@aidsudan.org

After growing up in East Africa as the son of missionaries, Peter returned to the States, where he graduated college, married Shauna, and became an ordained minister, obtaining his Master of Divinity degree from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary.  Peter and Shauna helped plant a church for three years before moving to southern Sudan as missionaries to the Jur people.  There, they lived among the Jur people as Peter led a Bible school for local church leaders and Shauna worked as a nurse and teacher in the school.  Heart damage forced Peter and Shauna to pull out of southern Sudan, but their experience of living with the southern Sudanese people left them with a very deep heart and burden for the southern Sudanese and God's work among them.

Peter speaks two tribal languages and oversees the overall direction of Aid Sudan. Currently, Peter is working towards a Doctor of Intercultural Studies degree through Fuller Seminary. Peter and Shauna have two children – Allison and Timothy.
 
Leigh Ann Cates, Nashville Director
leighann@aidsudan.org

For most of her life, music has been the center of Leigh Ann’s interests and career.  After graduating from Belmont University with a Commercial Vocal Performance degree, she began what became a very successful career in the Christian music industry.  Most recently, she served as Director of Marketing for a Christian music company, but a mission trip to South Africa changed her life’s focus.  Upon her return, there was a longing to serve the people of Africa in some way, eventually leading to Aid Sudan.

Leigh Ann’s extensive background in marketing, advertising and promotions brings a breadth of experience to Aid Sudan in her role as Director of Aid Sudan’s office in Nashville, TN.  Leigh Ann has been married to Lannie Cates, a Nashville Entertainment Attorney, for 16 years and has a son, Jackson, and a daughter, Cameron.

David Humphrey, Houston Director and Moses Project Director
david@aidsudan.org

David and his wife, Danyel, have been following Christ together on an amazing journey for almost 13 years, serving His church in three states and on two continents.  David earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Union University in 1993 and a Masters of Divinity from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in 2003.  After that time, they served as missionaries with the International Mission Board in Brazil for 2 ½  blessed years, where they trained church planters among the urban poor and saw God do what only He can accomplish. 

After returning to the U.S. for health reasons in 2006, David served as an elementary school teacher in a Christian school in Florida, all the while wondering how they could live out their missionary call from the United States.  When the opportunity was presented to serve with Aid Sudan, David knew God was turning their hearts to the southern Sudanese people and relocated to Houston to begin serving as the Houston Director and the Moses Project Director.  David and Danyel continue to eagerly await God’s blessing of children.

Kerry Henderson, Sudan Country Director
kerry@aidsudan.org

Somehow, Kerry knew he wasn’t supposed to fly an airplane or drive a tractor trailer – two ways he has been employed during his life. It was in 1999 that he was called to tell people in East Africa about the love of Jesus Christ. He and his wife Neltia spent three years serving the people in Tanzania doing what they love the most through community development and church planting with the International Mission Board. Since finishing their assignment in Africa, Kerry and Neltia have desired to return and were excited when God amazingly opened the door at Aid Sudan.
 
Kerry and Neltia relocated to Uganda in January 2008 with their three boys Drayton, Isom and McCain, as Aid Sudan’s eyes, ears and hands in Africa. They are fluent in Swahili and have a deep heart for the people in southern Sudan. Kerry earned his Master of Divinity degree from Southeastern Theological Seminary and can still operate an airplane!

Barbara Crossman, Director of Education
barbara@aidsudan.org

While living in Cairo in 1997, Barbara first discovered her heart for the Sudanese. Many Sudanese took refuge from the Civil War in Cairo and Barbara found many friends at the Maadi Community Church where she and her husband David attended. When she returned to the United States, Barbara began her work with the Sudanese and founded Sudan Relief and Development. Completing a Masters in Education, Barbara has developed distance learning programs for MacMillan and Jostens Learning Corporation.

In her role as Aid Sudan’s Director of Education, Barbara will work to develop teacher training in Sudan, establish schools in Sudan and work with the Moses Project missionaries on various education initiatives. She is based in Nashville and has two children, Jason and Brie, and three grandchildren.

Jessica Ray, Administrative Assistant & Director of Houston Events
jessica@aidsudan.org

Upon graduating from Greenville College in Illinois, Jessica moved with her husband David to Nashville, TN where she used her communications degree at a media relations firm handling clients such as VeggieTales, Jars of Clay, David Crowder Band, Shane & Shane, Bebo Norman, Donald Miller and others.  In 2006, God called Jessica and David to Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston, where they currently lead worship. Since moving to Texas, she has been involved in facilitating events such as CityFest Houston with Luis Palau and the Presbyterian Global Fellowship Conference, as well as coordinating corporate meetings and product launches. 

Jessica joined the Aid Sudan team on a part-time basis in September 2007 and eagerly anticipates what God has in store. In her role, she manages the details necessary to maintaining day-to-day organization and utilizes her extensive event planning experience in coordinating local events.

Christi Hardin, Director of Public Relations & Moses Project Coordinator
christi@aidsudan.org

Christi's involvement with Aid Sudan began in November 2006 as she joined the Kulu trip that responded to the Kulu Emergency, conducting survey work for the famine relief project. Through that trip, God led her to serve part-time with Aid Sudan. Christi brings wonderful abilities and experience to Aid Sudan, as well as a huge heart for southern Sudanese and God's work among them. Her duties at Aid Sudan include overseeing all marketing and public relations activities as well as coordinating the Moses Project. Previously, Christi worked in the consumer marketing department at a public relations firm for clients such as Motorola and adidas. She is based in Los Angeles.

For Moses Project missionary bios, click here.