Leadership

US Board of Directors

The Homes of Love US Board of Directors is a volunteer group of individuals with hearts for helping at-risk children. This group provides oversight and leadership concerning the direction and vision of Homes of Love. They are closely involved with the development of the ministry.

Gary Chesney, DDS
President
Gary practices family and cosmetic dentistry in Knoxville, Tennessee. He and his wife Debbie founded Homes of Love. They have six children. Their youngest daughter was adopted from Vietnam. During the adoption trip, Gary and Debbie saw first-hand the critical needs of orphans and street children to be well loved and cared for. This was the catalyst that began Homes of Love.


William (Bill) Park, PhD
Secretary/Treasurer
Bill has been a professor in the Department of Agriculture Economics at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville since 1980. He and his wife, Anne, have four children and several grandchildren. Bill also serves locally on the Missions Steering Committee at his church. Bill and Anne have led and participated in trips to Southeast Asia.



Matthew Loy
Director of ESL Program for HOL Children
Matthew is a project engineer for an environmental engineering firm. He has been active in foreign missions for many years, with trips to Europe, Central America, and Asia. Locally, he and his wife, Karen, parented more than 50 displaced children from dysfunctional homes (over an 11-year period). They retain active and close ties to many of the boys became part of their family. Matthew has served on various non-profit and ministry boards in the Knoxville community.=

Michael (Mickey) H. Sims, PhD
Mickey is a physiology professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He and his wife, Dianne, have traveled several places in Southeast Asia to visit the homes and deepen relationships with the children and house parents. Mickey currently provides leadership in local and global missions at his church, where he also works in children’s ministries.


Michael Wood
Michael is in real estate brokerage and development in Knoxville, Tennessee. Michael and his business partner are committed to the care of a one of our girls’ homes. Michael has served on various ministry and non-profit boards in the Knoxville community. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three children. Through their travels to Southeast Asia, Michael and Jennifer have developed a deep love for the children there.

 

Amanda Bryant
Amanda Bryant is a first grade teacher at Gibbs Elementary School. She has made multiple trips to Southeast Asia and continues to maintain and develop relationships there. Amanda is deeply involved in her church and helps lead a trip to Southeast Asia during the summers.

 


Janet England
Janet is a part-time preschool teacher at a local church in Knoxville. She and her husband Gary have two children, the youngest adopted from Vietnam. Janet serves as HOL prayer coordinator and on the Advisory Board for children’s ministry at her church.

Indigenous Committee

This committee consists of volunteers; businessmen, pastors and community leaders. These men & women recognize the value of the at-risk children in their nation. Their desire is to see these children become godly contributors in their country. They seek to accomplish this by partnering with Homes of Love, working closely with the US Board and staff. The committee’s function is direction and oversight for establishing and maintaining the homes.

US Staff

Homes of Love has  five part-time staff members in our Knoxville, Tennessee office. We all come from various educational backgrounds, and work at HOL because of our love for the children we serve. In our travels, we’ve all had the opportunity to meet some of the HOL children both in Southeast Asia and Africa. Outside the office, our lives are interwoven through our friendships, as well as our church, school, and local communities.

 


Debbie Chesney
Executive Director
Debbie helps articulate and implement the vision and direction of Homes of Love. She provides clarification and facilitates communication between the US staff and board, and the indigenous staff and committee, concerning the application of our vision. Debbie and her husband, Gary, are founding members of HOL. Debbie attempts to retain sanity while balancing the demands of work, a husband, married children, college-age children, teenage children, two granddaughters, and a mini-farm.


Susan Hagemeyer
Financial Administrator
Susan is responsible for all our in-house accounting. She oversees all financial transactions and financial recordkeeping for the entire ministry, US and beyond. Susan also develops policies and procedures for the US office. As a former English teacher, Susan serves as our official proofreader! (Be sure and let her know if you find mistakes on this website!)


Deb Smith
Office & Programs Administrator
Deb was recruited for her exemplary organizational skills. She ensures that the US office runs smoothly, keeping it supplied and operating at maximum efficiency. Her many talents are utilized and appreciated, from creating artistic newsletter layouts to solving challenging travel arrangements. Deb also manages the Extended Family and Educational Sponsorship Programs and assists with Prayer activities. Deb has visited SE Asia several times and enjoys getting to know the HOL children through her activities with these programs.


Sue Dee
Director for Africa
Sue grew up in Zimbabwe, married an American and has lived in the USA for 25 years. It makes perfect sense that God would single her out to be the bridge and champion for our African homes. Her desire for all children to know they are special plays out in both her grandmothering and her love for orphans.


Cassie Bales
Public and Donor Relations
Cassie is a recent graduate from the University of Tennessee. While studying to receive a degree in public administration and a minor in global studies she realized that her passion for international children was more than just that. Her desire has become her career here at HOL She will be using her heart and her education to do everything from managing the ESL and SkypeBuddy programs, overseeing relations with our supporters and the general public to running errands and making copies.


Indigenous Leadership

Homes of Love utilizes numerous people for various positions in-country. Their desire is that the children experience the Father’s love through their HOL families. In-country we have a ministry coordinator, area administrators, house parents, and tutors.

  • Our ministry coordinator is involved in every aspect of the in-country ministry. This person facilitates communication between the homes, the committee, and the US staff. 
  • The area administrators identify and place children into the homes. They work closely with the home parents and the ministry coordinator in helping determine the daily direction of the homes. They also play an important role in our financial accountability process.
  • House parents fulfill and commit to the role of traditional parents in our children’s lives, providing spiritual, physical, and emotional care. In this loving and safe family, they have committed to raising the children into adult independence.
  • Academic tutors are there to assist the children achieve the best education possible. They are a daily part of the children’s lives. The tutors are often mentors to the children and embraced as members of the family.