Leadership

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Jeanne L. Allert, Executive Director

Jeanne has an eclectic career history: from high school English teacher, to  instructional designer, to technology director, to Internet consultant. For fourteen years she owned and managed a successful consulting practice serving non-profit organizations, municipal governments and faith-based organizations in their use of Internet technologies. She is also an international public speaker, technical trainer, industry author, and has served as adjunct faculty for several universities. Jeanne holds a Masters of Education degree and is pursuing a Divinity degree,specializing in Urban Ministry and Ecumenical Relations.

With a heart broken for the issue of human exploitation and trafficking, Jeanne also directs the Maryland Coalition, a gathering of committed organizations and individuals who are affecting change in the areas of awareness, prevention, intervention and after-care.  She is a compelling speaker on the topic of  domestic human trafficking and has delivered awareness presentations to over 3,000 Marylanders to date.  Jeanne has received local and national awards for her anti-trafficking work and is a recent graduate of the FBI Citizen’s Academy.

Jeanne founded The Samaritan Women in 2007 and today serves as Executive Director. Her passion for TSW is to see the evidence of God’s grace manifested in the lives of every person who comes here.  Jeanne’s Life Verse is Luke 12:48  “To whom much is given, much more is expected.”

Christopher L. Spoonire, Director of Operations

Chris was born and raised in Carroll County, MD. After high school graduation he joined the military, serving over 9 years in the engineering and transportation field. He received an honorable discharge and continued his work managing in various construction trades. This led to his current position with the State of Maryland as a Maintenance Supervisor where he has oversight for 11 State buildings serving youth with special needs. His diverse technical and mechanical background has proved invaluable to The Samaritan Women as Chris currently serves as our Director of Operations. He is responsible for overseeing all projects associated with property and building use, expansion and maintenance.

Chris has passion for hands-on ministry work and has been actively involved with local missions committee, disaster relief in Louisiana and Texas, and helping other organizations such as Hosanna Ministry near Pittsburgh, PA. Chris’ interest is in helping people grow in Christ through serving and mentoring. His strives to live by the motto “Approach each day as a mission trip“ and to help people believe that giving up is NOT an option. Chris chairs the Property and Farm & Food Committees.

Cyntrice Bellamy, Residence Director

Glenn Spindler, Director of Culinary Education

Glenn started his career at the Western Vocational Technical Institute, hoping for a spot in the welding class so he could help in his family’s sanitation business. By God’s design, he was put in a cooking class instead, under the instruction of a key mentor. After graduation he joined the Army and learned how to cook on a larger scale. His passion for cooking was now set and after military service, Glenn worked in Maryland for several restaurants and hotels. Success led him astray, however. Although he had the thrill of working for a catering business in the music industry, working for such bands as Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, and the Rolling Stones, Glenn also had to face the harsh reality that his lifestyle led him to a serious cocaine addiction.

Twenty-three years of drug use culminated in Glenn finally going to his knees. On Dec 27,1997, on the floor of a crack house, Glenn reached out to the Lord in desperation and was lifted up. From that moment, he began the long road of recovery. God returned Glenn to his passion and occupation in cooking, but now with a sense of renewed purpose. He became Corporate Chef in the Contract Food service industry and then became Sales Executive and Corporate Chef with Keany Produce Company, where he still works today. Glenn also is collaborator and head of Research and Development for Chesapeake Garden Soup Co.

Glenn’s passion for The Samaritan Women is twofold: to minister to the homeless and hungry through our farm and food programs, and to develop our culinary arts and food service curriculum to teach our residents about the joys of cooking and eating well.

Sharon Runge, Director of Development

Sharon joined The Samaritan Women after spending a year in Australia with her family while her husband was on a work assignment.  While enjoying the beauty, animals, and culture of the land downunder, she contemplated where her career would lead her.  Prior to Australia, Sharon served as Director of Development at St. John’s Parish Day School for 8 years and was a member of the St. John’s Episcopal Church Outreach Committee.  Shortly after arriving home, she learned about one of St. John’s new outreach partners, The Samaritan Women.  After one visit, she knew this was the place to share her time and talents.

Prior to her work at St. John’s, Sharon served as Executive Assistant to the Presidents of Ithaca College (NY) and Spalding University (Louisville, KY).  She also served as Assistant Director of Residential Life at Johns Hopkins University.  She holds a B.S. from the University of New Hampshire, a M.A. from Boston College, and a Ph.D. from New York University in Higher Education Administration.

Along with her passion for all of The Samaritan Women Ministries, Sharon supports Kenya Connect, a Maryland-based NGO that connects children in developing countries with children in Kenya through a Pen Pal and School Sponsorship program.  She has traveled to Kenya four times on mission trips, most recently with a team of college students.  She also supports a number of outreach projects through St. John’s Episcopal Church and is a Youth Program Coordinator.

Sharon is probably best known as Megan and Emma’s Mom and Mike’s wife.  The Runge family is currently on a quest to become “46ers” hiking all of the Adirondak high peaks.  In addition, the Runges love to camp, cook, travel, and go on adventures.

Ben O’Donnell, Farm Manager

After graduating with a degree in Graphics Design, Ben found himself with a choice to work in this field or pursue another passion, health and fitness. So he chose the path more active and became a personal trainer. As he worked in this field he became more and more interested in food and the healing power that it embodied. This led him to personally examine the many ways food promotes healing both physically and spiritually.

After several years of food exploration he found himself face to face with the origin of the food itself: the farm. Purchasing his fruits and vegetables from an organic farm in Maryland Ben was led to volunteer on the farm learning how to create the healthiest food for optimal healing. He spent 6 months learning as much as he could from the passionate farm owners.  After the 6 month period Ben decided to take his agricultural knowledge further by enrolling in the “New Farmer Trainee  Program” through the University of Maryland extension office and now serves as TSW’s Farm Manager.

This ministry allows Ben to pursue his passions while following Christ. His efforts in this ministry as well as life are clearly
defined in the Apostle Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians:   For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every familyin heaven and on earth derives its name.  I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that  Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and  to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Kirk Seese, Greenhouse Manager

Kirk first became aware of The Samaritan Women organization in August of 2011 through an invitation to join a team of professional muralists and faux finishers led by Kami Tremblay, deployed to decorate the walls of the residence.  After a week of sweat, laughter, flying paint and friendships gained, he wanted more.  “There is something about this place.  You can just feel the presence of God here, you know, breathe a little differently,”  he reflects.

During the next six months, inspired by what he saw happening at the farm, Kirk began to learn as much as he could about growing organic edibles, even creating a hydroponics laboratory in his basement in historic Lutherville to his wife’s bewilderment, in order to grow lettuce, kale, arugula, swiss chard and pepper plants to name a few.  “I’ve never eaten so much salad in my life!  It’s so fun and easy, we should all be growing our own food.” Kirk exclaims with much enthusiasm.

Simultaneously Kirk had been praying for God to reveal his placement of service, asking for His divine purpose as to how and where to make more of a direct impact for the Kingdom of God.  “I have been learning so much about our Lord Jesus and the nature of our relationship to Him and others through books, church service, Bible study and men’s groups that I was bursting to put this new knowledge into action.  My heart was pregnant and ready to serve in His name!”

When he finally presented Jeanne with an idea about building small vegetable gardens on church property to grow food and supply local shelters and soup kitchens with fresh produce, she announced “Boy, we do need to talk, TSW already has an initiative like that in place!”  With that Kirk was hired full-time as “Green House Manager”, technically “Hoop House Manager” and having the time of his life!  He sums up by saying “To be where God places you, serving others and walking in the Spirit is the best, safest place you could ever be…guaranteed success with His leading.  I encourage everyone to seek God’s Will for their lives and have the courage to yes when He presents an opportunity.”

If you would like more information on Kirk Seese as an Americorps VISTA member, Baltimore City art teacher, film set painter and mural artist, please visit www.bbmurals.com.

Amanda Grant, Community Coordinator

Stacie Tippett, Residence Manager

Daisy, Mascot and Director of Ground Security

Daisy is TSW’s mascot and Director of Security. She is vigilant to a fault, particularly if there is a chance that pizza crust might fall from someone’s hand. Daisy’s official duties include greeting all volunteers, barking at the people she knows, and monitoring the chickens and ensuring their compliance with corporate policy and fence parameters. Daisy has a curious oblivion to deer and fox, but is wildly attentive to water bugs.  Daisy is most often found dragging 20 paces behind Jeanne, back and forth, all day long, between the two properties until one of them has had enough – usually Daisy.

Orion, Tough Guy WannaBee

He may look intimidating, but he’s a puppy at heart.  Orion is often at TSW and just loves interacting with volunteers.  He’s trying to wrange his way into being the successor to Daisy, but he’s got a ways to go to beat her charm…and he’s still far too distracted by a good stick.