Board of Directors

The Friends of Accion Board of Directors is entirely volunteer. It is comprised of 9 individuals from a constituency of churches that provide support to Acción Ministries. Directors serve terms of 3 years each with an option to serve more than one consecutive term. The Board provides financial and managerial oversight for the organization and Accion’s Director.



Current Board of Directors

Louise Rogers, President Louise Rogers is a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, NC. Over the last 25 years she has participated in mission trips to Mexico, Haiti, Africa and Pakistan. Louise is an obstetric and gynecologic physician.
Rich Neidinger Rich Neidinger, Treasurer Rich is a member of First Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, NC. He helped found Friends of Accion, Inc., and was its first President 2003 – 2014; he returned to the board in 2017. He has been on many work team trips with Accion, dating back to 1990. Rich is an Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at Davidson College.
Hunter Arton, Director Hunter Arton is a member of First Presbyterian Church (FPC) in Charlotte and an “active visitor” of Second Presbyterian Church in Louisville, Kentucky where she lives with her husband, Michael, and their daughters Elizabeth and Sarah. Hunter participated on multiple work team trips to the Yucatán with Accion Ministries as a youth and while in college.
Amy K. Cathey, Assistant Treasurer Amy Cathey is a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, NC, and has participated in youth and adult mission trips to Mexico. She runs her own business in interior painting.
christine canaga Christine Canaga, Secretary Christine is a member of Vienna Presbyterian Church in Vienna, VA and has participated in Acción Work Team trips for over a decade.
Amy Hockett, Director Amy Hockett is a member of First Presbyterian Church (FPC) in Charlotte, NC. She has been active with mission work through FPC in Mexico and Haiti for over 15 years. She has been on mission trips to VIM multiple times and to Merida once.
Ken Skodiak, Director Ken Skodiak is the Associate Pastor at Northmintser Presbyterian Church in Tucson Arizona. He has been on and led several summer work team experiences to the Yucatan with Accion Ministries.
Beth Webster, Director A longtime member of Vienna Presbyterian Church (Vienna, VA), Beth is a former high school Spanish teacher who began going on Acción work projects in the early 1990’s. When her daughter was in high school and expressed interest, Beth resumed mission trips to Yucatán. She loves building relationships with our sisters and brothers there!
David Wright, Director Dave has been leading trips with Accion since the mid-eighties! He is a recently retired Presbyterian pastor and lives in Gettysburg, PA with his wife, Bonnie.

Former Directors:

Lenwood Collins

Sally Davis

JD DuPuy

Stacy Lynch

Leigh Hutchinson

Martha Eubank

Elise Barksdale

John Baxter

Jamie Desai

Sherry Gaither

Stephanie Guffin

Abby Gwaltney

Jason Gwaltney

Karen Harriss

Tim Kendrick

Rollie Johnson

Page Kizer

Rich Lyman

John Morgan

Rich Neidinger

Louise Ripple

Nancy Scheid

Russell Thompson

Nik Van Nort

Caryn Overbey

Lewis (Lew) Thomas

Elise Wallace