Leadership

Susan serves as the Board Chair, teaches US Citizenship classes, assists with English classes, helps with the food pantry, and other projects at ICOA. She learned the importance of food from mom. Her mom’s parents (Susan’s grandparents) were farmers who provided lots of love but struggled to provide enough food for the family. Susan enjoys being one of the tools God uses to provide food for our neighbors. Susan recently retired from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, where she gathered insights that were used to make business decisions. Susan is a member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Overland Park, KS.

Bill serves as the Vice Chair of the ICOA Board. Bill understands the importance of food and health. He grew up on a farm, earned his college degree in agriculture, and works as the marketing director at Merck Animal Health. During his career, Bill has traveled extensively across the US and globally, allowing him to see the impact nutrition and health has upon many communities. Bill enjoys helping to ensure our neighbors receive nutritional food that will positively impact their lives. With Joan, his wife, who also volunteers at ICOA, Bill is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Mission, KS.

At ICOA, Sue wears several hats. She works at the food pantry on Tuesdays, frequently taking names of people, or helping to organize food donations. Once a week she teaches English as a second language to our Spanish speaking neighbors, and she is also the Secretary for the ICOA Board. In her past life, she was a nursing educator. Sue has always enjoyed interacting with people and seeing how God is working in the lives of those around her. Serving with the volunteers of ICOA is always a great joy of her week. Sue, with her husband Dale, is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Mission, KS.

Dale serves as the ICOA Board Treasurer. ICOA gives him the opportunity to work with caring Christians. He feels that ICOA meets the food needs of many families and the needs of people to learn English. He is the grandson of an immigrant and really enjoys working with people new to the country. Dale retired from Westar Energy as a civil engineer. Dale, with his wife Sue, is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Mission, KS.

Deb is the Managing Director at ICOA and is trained as a Director of Christian Education in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Most of her church work career has been spent working in churches. When she was granted a sabbatical, she decided to teach as part of a short-term mission trip. That led to mission opportunities in Peru, the Philippines, South Africa, and the Dominican Republic. Deb always told the students she worked with that someday she wanted to be a missionary. Through ICOA she gets to be a missionary every day, sharing the Light of Christ and helping meet the physical, educational, emotional, and spiritual needs of our neighbors. Deb, along with her husband, Ryan, is a member of Our Saviour Lutheran in Kansas City, Kansas. Deb also works with the youth at Jesus El Buen Pastor Lutheran in Kansas City, Missouri.

Ryan is a Board Member at Large specifically working with the food pantry at ICOA. Ryan uses his truck and trailer each week to pick up and deliver food for the food pantry. He is a contractor and uses his skills to help improve and update the Immanuel Church building. Ryan grew up on a farm in Iowa where he learned the value of helping neighbors in need. He works to help and support ICOA’s neighbors in the Argentine community. Ryan, along with his wife Deb, is a member of Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Kansas City, Kansas.

Mara Silva serves on board as the Community Outreach Member. She is the founder and lead coach for Breaking the Cycle, cultivating healthy lives. Along with Mara, faith leaders, and social work professionals will be implementing and teaching this course in 2025. This program will help families break the cycle of trauma-induced family dynamics and improve children and parent outcomes. Mrs. Silva also volunteers at ICOA's food pantry. She joined the board because of her strong belief that collaboration, kindness, and mutual respect can make a positive difference in others. In her professional career, she has extensive experience in child welfare, human services, intensive outreach, and expertise in management with a unique focus on quality assurance and procedures. Throughout her career, Mara has positively impacted the lives of many, while creating long-lasting relationships with youth and vulnerable adults. Mrs. Silva's current position is that of a Restorative Practitioner and Victim Care Advocate with the Archdiocese of Kansas. 

Pastor Sean serves as the Pastoral Advisor to the ICOA Board. He currently serves as a Pastor at Bethany Lutheran in Overland Park, KS. Pastor Sean enjoys interacting with people of all backgrounds, languages, and served as a missionary in Slovakia before becoming a Pastor. He believes that all Christians have been called to be merciful as our Father in Heaven has been merciful (Luke 6:36). Also, he feels that IOCA does a great job serving the Argentine community and connecting people to their Savior Jesus.