Board of Directors
Michael Benton
Michael is a Professor of Chemical Engineering at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA.
Robert Diaz
Robert is a retired attorney, having worked extensively in legal departments of New York City schools including 20 years as Counsel and Vice President for Legal Affairs and Faculty and Staff Relations at the Borough of Manhattan Community College of The City University of New York. He has been an active member of his church for over 30 years, serving on the board and in various other capacities, and has served on the board of various other organizations as well. Bob and his wife have three children and eight grandchildren.
Richard Hasselbach
Richard Hasselbach is pastor of Clarkstown Reformed Church in West Nyack, New York. He has pastored churches in both New York and Florida. Rev. Hasselbach is a graduate of Siena College (B.A.) and holds a Masters of Divinity degree (M.Div.) from the Washington Theological Union, and advanced degrees from both Boston College Law School (J.D.) and Fordham University (Ph.D.).
Active in the Community, Rev. Hasselbach currently sits on the Clarkstown, NY Board of Ethics and serves on the board of Helping Hands Interfaith Coalition for the Homeless of Rockland County. He has taught at St. Bonaventure University and Mercy College.
He is an animal lover and is owned by two small dogs: Oliver, a 4 year old Coton d’Tulear, and Enzo, a 1 year old Bichon Frise.
Mildred Webber Holmes
Mildred currently serves as the chief of staff for a Member of Congress. She has 30 years of federal government service and currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Scripture Union, USA.
She began her career as a staff assistant on the Senate side for the Senate Republican Conference. And after serving in the Senate, Reagan and Bush Administrations, House Committee staff and House Republican Leadership, Mildred was a senior lobbyist for the National Association of Broadcasters. Mildred has become a trusted advisor and strategist for a number of Members of Congress. She has also run a number of successful House leadership elections.
She loves Scripture Union’s Encounter with God and Encounter with God Together. Reads and watches regularly.
Mildred grew up in New York, New Jersey and Virginia. She got her BA in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She currently serves on 4 non-profit boards and was just appointed to the UNC Board of Visitors and to the UNC Rams Club Advisory Board.
She lives in Washington, DC. As does her daughter and beloved dog Sunny! Sunny is a frequent Board Meeting guest. She loves to read, travel and spend time with friends. She attends church at the Falls Church Anglican in Falls Church, Virginia.
Sue King
Sue King is a retired teacher of high school and preschool. After living in Northern Virginia for 50 years, Sue now lives in Hudson, Ohio. She attends Christ Church Episcopal, Hudson, and is a Lay Eucharistic Visitor, Counter, and usually involved in any event with food. She and her husband have three children and three grandchildren. She has been an Encounter With God Bible guide reader for over 15 years.
Bishop Council Nedd II
In 2005 Bishop Nedd became the youngest bishop in the world, and in 2010, the youngest archbishop in the world. In 2015 he was elected Pennsylvania State Constable representing Ferguson Township in Happy Valley, PA. As Archbishop of the Episcopal Missionary Church, Bishop Nedd presided over Anglican churches in the United States, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). During 2011 while living in the UAE, Bishop Nedd had multiple private audiences with members of the royal family. One of the crowning achievements of his term as archbishop has been the successful rescue of an entire family of persecuted Syrian Christians, whom he helped establish asylum in Scotland. Bishop Nedd facilitated an unprecedented intercommunion agreement with the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and also led delegations to ecumenical dialogues with the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land. Bishop Nedd is now a member of the Scripture Union USA Board of Directors.
Keith Oropeza
Keith Oropeza is the Director of Landscape Architecture at GAI Consultants, with over 40 years of experience in the field, primarily in the Orlando, FL area. He is a professional landscape architect and has developed the Conceptual Master Plan for the 56-acre site currently occupied by Scripture Union.
Keith serves as a Board Member for Scripture Union, USA, and has a strong history of civic engagement, including roles with the City of Orlando’s Architectural Review Board, the City of Key West Botanical Garden Board, and numerous other community organizations. His past volunteer work includes serving as an Assistant Scout Master for the Boy Scouts of America and holding leadership positions with organizations such as the Rotary Club International and Harry P. Leu Botanical Gardens.
Keith holds a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Louisiana State University and has received multiple awards for his work, including the Frederic B. Stresau Award of Excellence and Florida Award of Excellence. Keith has a passion for fishing, boating, and spending time in Key West and the Everglades. He resides in downtown Orlando and has two sons currently in college.
Daniel Parmar
Daniel is a marketing consultant and enjoys creating and developing business value for clients across a range of industries. He currently works as a Strategy Director, and is based in Pittsburgh, PA.
Bob Powers
Bob Powers is a leader, politico, and former diplomat with twenty years of experience in Washington, D.C. This work includes his efforts in private industry, large corporations, government, associations, and now as Director of Government Relations at Bread for the World.
Marilyn Smith
Marilyn Smith is a retired Children’s Ministry Director with over 30 years of experience in children’s ministries and pastoral work. She currently volunteers as a 3-5th grade KidsChurch teacher and has a background in overseas missions, having served as a team leader for Kidz At Heart in Uganda. Marilyn has also guest edited for Child Evangelism and rewritten curriculum for her local church. She served as President of the Association of Children’s Ministries in Southern California and has taught English, Ancient History, and Bible at a private Christian academy.
Marilyn holds a BA in Social Work and an MA in Children and Family Ministry, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Her career also includes working as an administrative and accounting secretary before directing children’s ministries for 20 years in Southern California. She has been actively involved in volunteer work, including supporting a local trailer park ministry and contributing to KIDZ remote database entry.
Scripture Union has played a significant role in shaping Marilyn's Christian faith, and she celebrates 50 years of involvement in February 2025. Marilyn is passionate about nurturing the faith of the next generation and enjoys spending time with her three children and two granddaughters, as well as visiting her sisters in South Africa.
Marie Thomas
Marie is a devoted mother to four children and grandmother to fourteen grandchildren. Together with her husband John, she is the proud owner of Thomas Carpet and Fine Area Rug Cleaners, a reputable business serving the greater Philadelphia area since 1980.
In addition to her entrepreneurial endeavors, Marie is a dedicated community member and leader. She holds a Master of Children, Youth & Family Ministry degree from Bethel Seminary and has spent two decades serving as a Children & Family Ministry Director.
Marie is actively involved at Manoa Community Church in Havertown, PA, where she serves as a volunteer staff member leading the Evangelism Team. Her passion for sharing the message of Jesus drives her to creatively engage with people in the community.
One of Marie's innovative approaches to community engagement is through coaching a marble shooting club. Beyond teaching skills, she instills values of camaraderie, sportsmanship, and encourages the children to embrace their full potential as individuals created by God. Each year, Marie takes local champs to compete in the National Marbles Tournament, providing the champs with a valuable experience and chance for personal growth.