Tim Baldwin
Executive Director, Refuge of Nations

Tim co-founded Refuge of Nations in 2005 after serving several years as Community Liaison for a church run non-profit. Prior to that, Tim was an award winning  teacher and coach at Westminster Christian Academy where he taught for seventeen years. Tim holds a Masters Degree in Biblical Theology from Covenant Theological Seminary and a Masters in Teaching from Maryville University.

In his capacity as Executive Director, Tim is responsible for personnel, staff development, pastoral care for immigrants and refugees, vision casting, and establishing partnerships with a wide range of organizations and businesses. Tim speaks fluent French and makes regular presentations at churches, schools, and conferences.

Tim and his wife of twenty five years, Barb, have three teenage children. They live near Tower Grove Park in St. Louis City where they regularly bird watch. Tim serves as an elder at  South City Church (PCA).

Beatriz Pena
Counseling and Administrative Assistant

Beatriz moved to the United States in 1993 from Mexico after marrying her husband Enrique. With the support of her family and the services of Refuge of Nations in preparing for her immigration test, Beatriz became a US citizen in July 2007. She began serving as a member of Refuge of Nations’ staff in January 2008.

Beatriz has been a faithful member of the Refuge of Nations’ community for several years and now provides administrative support to both Tim and Isabel. She also provides direct care to our community members in a host of practical ways. Beatriz feels called to serve on our staff and loves to help people from all nationalities. In addition, she is a wonderful cook and hopes to receive further training in counseling in the years to come.

Beatriz, her husband, and three children attend Prince of Peace Church in Maplewood where they are growing to love God more and more.

Judi Stover
Part-Time Financial Manager

Judi is a St. Louis native whose professional background is in Finance and Information Systems. She has also worked in the retail and banking industries, serving as a loan officer, insurance agent, financial programmer, and project manager. In addition to serving on Refuge of Nations’ staff, Judi is pursuing a Master’s in Divinity degree from Covenant Theological Seminary with the goal of directing and writing training material for women’s ministries.

Judi first became aware of the practical needs of immigrants and refugees while studying at University. Because her family moved so many times during her early childhood, she has great sympathy for the needs and desires of the those arriving and settling in a new land. Judi brings a great combination of sensitivity to others, management expertise, and business savvy to our staff.

Judi is a member of Twin Oaks Presbyterian Church, and shares her home with a mostly furry family that includes a dog, three cats, and a small lizard.

Bill Hughes
Board President, Refuge of Nations

Bill is President of Hughes, a marketing and advertising agency in downtown St. Louis. Previously he worked at TALX Corporation, YoungLife in Durango, Colorado and as a carpenter in Denver. He served as the President of the Crossroads Christian Counseling Board from 2000-2004. Bill is a graduate of the University of Colorado, Boulder (BA) and Lindenwood University (MBA).

As a Refuge of Nations board member, Bill helps oversee the general direction of the ministry along with communication, fundraising and staff support. Equally important to him is the opportunity to be personally engaged with immigrants and refugees, seeking friendships and opportunities to walk together in Christ..

Bill and his wife, Jennifer, have three kids – Janie (12), Forrest (16) and Hunter (14). They are members of Covenant Presbyterian Church where Bill serves as an elder.

Jay Simmons
Board Vice-President, Refuge of Nations

Jay is the founding pastor of South City Church, PCA, in St. Louis. Prior to moving to St. Louis to attend Covenant Theological Seminary, Jay worked in Sales Management and Advertising. Jay is a graduate of the University of Texas where he majored in English with an emphasis in creative writing.

Jay’s roles as Board Vice-President include providing pastoral counsel and care to Refuge of Nations’ staff, writing and editing, and helping to hone our vision and policies. Jay’s heart’s desire is that the churches of St. Louis deepen their partnerships for the sake of Christ’s kingdom and that they learn to befriend their new neighbors from all over the world.

Jay’s wife Jen is a professional counselor, and together they are the grateful parents of a lively two year old girl, Story

Nancy Barter
Board Treasurer, Refuge of Nations

Nancy is Director of the Annual Fund at Washington University’s Olin Business School in St. Louis where she has worked for four years. Prior to Washington University, Nancy worked in marketing communications in New York City.  Impacted by her involvement with Redeemer Presbyterian Church’s non-profit mercy ministry, Nancy took her first job in development at the New York City Rescue Mission, which works to alleviate homelessness, hunger and addiction. She is a graduate of Gordon College where she studied history and fine art.

As a Refuge of Nations’ board member, Nancy supports the organization’s fundraising efforts and helps in developing strategies for increased financial support. She believes that Refuge of Nations is meeting crucial needs by working to strengthen relationships between individuals and cultures, and by enabling American Christians to gain a practical understanding of the universality of the church.

Nancy and her husband Norman are members of Central Presbyterian Church.

Jase Carter
Board Secretary, Refuge of Nations

Jase is a 2004 graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University. While in school there, he was selected to participate in the American Jewish Community’s Project Interchange Program and also worked in a youth camp in Grindelwald, Switzerland. After graduating, Jase taught mathematics for eighteen months at a small, village school in rural Guatemala that served displaced indigenous families.

Jase began law school at St. Louis University in August 2008 where he is studying immigration and international law. Jase desires to live in a way that bridges the segregation of communities and promotes the richness of inter-cultural community life.  Toward that end, Jase has volunteered with Refuge of Nations since his return to St. Louis. He has focused on serving with Refuge of Nations’ Latino community in addition to organizing a benefit concert in May 2008 featuring Derek Webb and Sandra McCracken.

Jase is a member of The Journey (Tower Grove Campus) and might be spotted zipping through South City on his bike on any given day.

Georgette Djona
Board of Directors

Georgette was born into a Christian family in the small African nation of Burundi in 1940. After completing her secondary education, she was invited to study in France where she graduated from The Catholic University of Paris with a degree in sociology in 1964. That same year, she married a young Congolese man and they returned to the Congo to work. She served in the DCR’s government for 35 years in a variety of high level positions.

When ethnic war against the Tutsi tribe broke out in Congo 1998, she fled to a refugee camp in Cameroon. She lived there in very difficult conditions for one year, then was granted asylum by the US Government and arrived in St. Louis in August 2000 with four of her grown children and some of her grand-children. She has operated a home childcare business since then, serving the children of other African immigrants/refugees (including many Muslims) from many countries.

For the past five years, Georgette has helped train and mentor Refuge of Nations’ volunteers in what it means to walk together freely in Christ, and has supported our staff with wise counsel and fervent prayer. Out of gratitude for God’s great mercy to her family, she is also helping abandoned orphans in Burundi (who escaped from the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda & Burundi) with the assistance of Refuge of Nations.

Gabriel Kpankou
Board of Directors

Born in the West African nation of Togo in 1958, Gabriel attended elementary and high school in his home country but traveled to France to attend university at France Technique en France.  On returning to his native Togo, Gabriel worked for a time for the International Bank of West Africa.  Subsequent to this, he created his own business which he went on to manage for 13 years.  Gabriel was later forced to flee Togo and so came to the United States as a refugee in the latter half of 2003 during which time he met Tim Baldwin. 

Gabriel has been a part of Refuge of Nations from its inception.  He hopes to bring to those involved with Refuge of Nations a greater sense of the worldwide nature of the church and the rich ethnic and cultural heritage of God’s people around the world.  Gabriel regularly takes part in presentations for Refuge of Nations at local churches.

Gabriel and his wife Matilda have two sons. Gabriel anxiously awaits their arrival from Togo so that they can be with him in the States.

Joseph Pfeiffer
Board of Directors

Joe is a Marketing and Corporate Sales Executive for the St. Louis Cardinals where he has worked for four years.  He has worked in the professional sports industry for 12 years since graduating from Trinity Christian College in Illinois .

Joe is Refuge of Nations' newest board member. He desires to help broaden the ministry's support base and to promote its vision in a variety of contexts. Joe has a heart for the mission of Refuge of Nations due to his own life trials and the ways in which he has experienced the unfailing grace of God. 

Joe and his wife Kelley are members of Morningstar Church in O’Fallon, MO and are blessed to be parents of their 16-month old daughter, Delaney

Linda Rosen
Board of Directors

After a successful career in the computer industry, Linda has dedicated the last 13 years of her life both to domestic and compassionate endeavors. Linda’s time and service has primarily been focused on volunteer work with Kirk Day School, National Charity League, and Refuge of Nations.

Linda’s heart for the poor and disenfranchised has been apparent in her involvement with organizations such as Big Sisters, Children’s Homes, Ronald McDonald House Charities, and Refuge of Nations. Because of her ability to indentify practical needs of those who are hurting and her willingness to address these needs, she is an asset to many organizations in our community.

Linda and her husband, Doug have been married twenty one years and have three children. The Rosen Family attends and serves at Windsor Crossing Community Church.