Meet our Ministry

Reverend Linda W. Rozar
Board Member, Chairwoman

Linda is Pastor at Centenary United Methodist Church in Erwin, TN. Her life is guided by the verse 1 John 4:16, “God is love,” and strives for all to come to know that Love wherever we may be. Linda accepted the pastoral call in 1998 and when she isn’t serving her congregation and community, she’s serving her seven children, twelve grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and many more youth through church, sports, scouting, and motorcycling.

Dean Mayes
Board Member, Treasurer

Dean is a retired Information Technology executive and consultant and, with his wife Maryclaire, owns Alabu Skin Care. Dean’s vast and varied experience—which includes 20 years as a school system Chief Information Officer, serving adjudicated youth in an adaptive Outward Bound program, mountaineering, rescue squad EMT, and serving in church finance and trustee roles—informs his service to our neighbors. Dean and Maryclaire serve God’s Kingdom as members of First Christian Church in Erwin TN.

Jeannette Ransom
Board Member, Secretary

Jeannette is a retired public school teacher and administrator. In addition to her service in our ministry, she is a regular volunteer at Good Samaritan Ministries in Johnson City, and her experience in benevolence work has been a much-needed resource for our ongoing development. Jeanette and her husband Rich serve God’s Kingdom at Christ Community Church in Johnson City.

Bill Beckman
Board Member

Bill is a retired non-profit university leader with decades of executive finance and management experience. While his managerial acumen, experience, and wisdom have been helpful resources to the growth and oversight of our ministry, it is his compassion and faithfulness that have been truly essential to our mission. Bill also serves our community as a member of the Unicoi County Election Commission. Bill and his wife Judy serve God’s Kingdom at First Christian Church in Erwin, TN.

Lee Hughes, M.A. Ed.
Board Member

Lee is a student advocate in the Unicoi County School System. Her long career in social work and counseling, including 30 years at Frontier Health, offers a compassionate and professional perspective to our work and a valuable resource to our neighbors. Lee, her husband Allen, and son Allen Jr. serve God’s Kingdom at Centenary United Methodist Church in Erwin, TN.

Jessica Casey
Board Member

Jessica is the Administrative Assistant at Centenary United Methodist Church. She is often the first point of contact—the smiling face, the friendly voice—for people contacting churches in desperate need. From her unique, on-the-ground perspective, Jessica is closely involved in the lives of our neighbors and serves our ministry with her wisdom and experience gained from working with those in need. Jessica, her husband Alvin, and their children Madison, Bradley, and Aubrey serve together at Centenary United Methodist Church in Erwin, TN.

Ed Evans
Board Member

Ed is a retired letter carrier with the United States Postal Service and a veteran of the United States Navy. As a passionate community activist and experienced servant, Ed has devoted himself to serving our neighbors here in his hometown. Ed is an active member of the Erwin Kiwanis Club and Ed and his wife Kathy serve God’s Kingdom at Johnson City Seventh Day Adventist Church in Johnson City, TN, where Ed is a Deacon.

Judy Beckman
Board Member

Judy is a retired Human Resources professional who brings over 30 years of professional leadership experience to our team. She was a regular volunteer at Care & Share before joining the Board, and brings a background of practical and thoughtful experience to the team, from both her volunteer experience and her community leadership and activism experience outside our ministry. Judy plays the clarinet in the Johnson City Community Concert band and is active in service at First Christian Church in Erwin, TN with her husband Bill.

Bishop John Edwards
Board Member

John is the Senior Pastor of the Erwin Church of God in Erwin TN. As a native of Unicoi County and an area pastor since 2007, John is closely connected to his community and has a deep love for his neighbors. Having accepted the call to ministry in 1986, much of John’s life and career has been defined by service. He previously served as Assistant Director of Macon Helps, a benevolence ministry in Lafayette TN, and managed the Red Rock Thrift Shop in Erwin TN, which equips him with the valuable experience he brings to our team. In addition to his work at Valley Funeral Home and Evergreen Cemetery, John is active in the community through his membership of the Unicoi County Ministerial Association, presidency of the Erwin Lions Club, and as a past Unicoi County Habitat for Humanity board member and Vice President. John and his wife Lori—a regular Care & Share volunteer—serve God’s Kingdom from his pastorate at Erwin Church of God.

Paul Ridley
Board Member

Paul is a Certified Public Accountant and retired corporate executive, having served in the insurance industry for over 40 years. In addition to his extensive executive experience and financial acumen, Paul brings a deep background of non-profit board leadership experience to our ministry. In 2022, Paul relocated to Unicoi, TN from Bradford, PA, where he had a long history of public service. This includes leadership roles on the Bradford Area School District Board of Directors, the Rotary Club of Bradford Board, the Seneca Highlands Intermediate Unit IX Board of Directors, the Bradford Hospital Foundation Board, the Upper Allegheny Health System Board, and various roles of church and civic leadership, including roles of President and Trustee. Paul and his wife Mary moved to Unicoi to be closer to their children and grandchildren, and serve God’s Kingdom from Unicoi Christian Church in Unicoi, where Paul oversees the Missions Committee.