Pam Mender
Executive Director
Pam serves as Executive Director of James Samaritan, bringing a heart for service, a passion for people, and years of leadership and community involvement to the organization.Her journey with James Samaritan began as a volunteer mentor, where she saw firsthand the importance of surrounding children and families impacted by foster care with encouragement, resources, and a caring community.
Pam believes meaningful change happens when people come together with compassion and purpose. She is passionate about building relationships with churches, businesses, volunteers, and community partners to strengthen the support available to foster children and the families who care for them.
Guided by her faith, Pam leads with integrity, compassion, and a simple belief: when we each do our part, together we can make a lasting difference.
Email: pam@jamessamaritan.org
Julie Wondergem
Director of Operations
Julie serves as Director of Operations for James Samaritan, bringing more than two decades of firsthand foster care experience and nonprofit leadership to her role.As a foster parent since 2003 and a mother of seven, Julie has a deep understanding of the challenges faced by children, caregivers, and case workers within the foster care system. She is also the founding director of Royal Family KIDS Camp for Southeast Louisiana and has helped launch and manage other nonprofit organizations serving the community.
Julie's heart for children from hard places, combined with her experience in education and nonprofit leadership, continues to shape the work of James Samaritan. In her role as Director of Operations, she helps ensure the organization's programs and services are carried out with excellence, compassion, and a clear understanding of the families we serve.
Julie earned her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Western Governors University and has taught both special and general education in St. Tammany Parish.
Email: julie@jamessamaritan.org
Lauren Bennett
Community Outreach Coordinator
Lauren serves as Community Outreach Coordinator for James Samaritan, bringing a heart for serving others and a passion for connecting people with opportunities to make a meaningful difference.With a background in coaching, mentoring, childcare, and nonprofit outreach, Lauren has spent much of her life working alongside children and young people. A former collegiate athlete, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and is currently pursuing a master's degree in Public Administration with a focus on leadership and public service.
At James Samaritan, Lauren leads community outreach programs including Homework Helpers, Angel Tree, Cutz & Kicks, the Urgent Needs Closet, and Caseworker Support. Through these programs, she helps connect the generosity of our community with the practical, everyday needs of children, caregivers, and caseworkers.
Lauren brings energy, compassion, and a servant's heart to her role and is passionate about building relationships that help children and families feel seen, supported, and cared for.
Kerri Vinyard
LifeNetwork Coordinator
13 years ago, God led Kerri into the ministry of serving foster youth after giving her an opportunity to volunteer with youth aging out. Because of her love for the youth, she has been serving ever since. While volunteering at a group foster home, being led by God, Kerri developed a youth mentorship for 13 young ladies in the home. She and ladies from the church were prayer partners and provided tutoring, birthday parties, Christmas, a summer day camp, monthly activities, and Bible study.Kerri then began to realize there was a gap in services in our area providing housing for youth when they aged out the foster care system. God empowered Kerri and the team to create a Christian nonprofit that would provide housing for ladies in the Extended Foster Care program. Kerri is the founder and current director of H2O Ministries.
In January 2024, Kerri joined the James Samaritan Team to develop and implement a mentorship program for Covington Region's Extended Foster Care youth. She will be training mentors and planning monthly events to engage the youth in building relationships with people in the community with the hope of changing the current statistics for this demographic.
Melissa Breedlove
Foster the Family Liaison
Melissa joined our team in December 2023 and has hit the ground running! Her experience as a foster and adoptive parent have proven extremely valuable to her work here. Melissa is trained as a TBRI Practitioner and has administration experience in educational programs in the area.Her compassion and heart for foster care are evident as she leads our foster parent support events. With her passion for making a difference in the lives of children and families, Melissa brings fresh ideas and perspectives to our initiatives.
Board of Directors
Rafael Flores
Board President
Rafael Flores was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala and moved to the United States in 1998. After moving around the country, he settled in Covington Louisiana in 2012 with his wife, Penny, and two children. He graduated from Spring Hill College with a B.A. in Theology, has a Masters in Pastoral Leadership from Notre Dame Seminary, and a Master's in Bioethics from the Ohio State University. Rafael began his career in education and parish ministry, spending eight years as a theology teacher at St. Scholastica Academy, and lay minister for St. Peter Parish. He currently is the Director of Mission Integration for Our Lady of the Angels Hospital and the Northshore Region of FMOL Health System. In this role he aids the healthcare ministry live out its Catholic identity across its regional and system operations. Rafael also currently leads the youth ministry team at Our Lady of the Lake Parish. He has a passion for serving those in need, and is always happy to find a way for people to help in the good work of service. When not riding his bike with his wife and kids around Covington, Rafael enjoys cooking, running, and hunting down a good jazz vinyl record.
What inspired you to serve with James Samaritan?
"A few conversations with Kim Bigler regarding the great need that foster youth have in the community, and how James Samaritan addresses those needs by creating a community for them so that they could not only survive but ultimately thrive [is what inspired me to serve with James Samaritan.] I think that's the impact that James Samaritan has here, in that by creating different support programs for the youth, they are supported in their development, their growth, and most importantly- their faith. It really is an honor to serve as the board chair, and I continue to look forward to all the good work James Samaritan will continue to do."
Sean Englert
Board Member and Secretary
Sean Englert is the Dean of Student Life at Northlake Christian School in Covington, Louisiana, where he oversees student activities, develops student leadership training and programming, builds relational bridges between the student body and community organizations, and directs various aspects of spiritual life on campus. Prior to his administrator role, he spent over a dozen years as a classroom teacher and coach. In 2017 he took a brief leave of absence from the world of education and relocated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to work alongside the North American Mission Board as a recruiter and trainer of church-planting pastors in the area. He returned to education and his home state of Louisiana in 2020 in his current position at Northlake Christian School.
With degrees in sociology and teaching, as well as a doctorate in education, Sean adds both his educational expertise and professional experience to the diverse makeup of the board. He and his wife, Tiffany, also have two children of their own. Both Jade and Ezra became members of the Englert family by way of adoption in 2017 and 2022, respectively. As an adoptive parent, Sean is passionate about supporting and caring for families engaged with the foster system. Sean, Tiffany, Jade, and Ezra reside in St. Tammany Parish and desire to see their community become a place where every person, regardless of family dynamics, has the opportunity for individual success and wellbeing.
Sylvia Gray
Board Member and Treasurer
Sylvia serves as Treasurer on the James Samaritan Board of Directors, bringing years of experience, service, and a deep commitment to children and families impacted by foster care.
Retired from the Department of Children and Family Services, Sylvia has a firsthand understanding of the foster care system and the needs of children from hard places. She also recently retired as Office Administrator for James Samaritan, where her dedication and behind-the-scenes support helped strengthen the organization and its daily operations.
For more than 12 years, Sylvia has faithfully served with Royal Family KIDS Camp, generously giving her time, experience, and heart to the children it serves.
Now, as Board Treasurer, Sylvia continues her commitment to James Samaritan through thoughtful stewardship and financial oversight, helping ensure the organization's resources are managed responsibly and always in support of its mission.
Jonathan Nobles
Board Member
Jonathan Nobles serves on the James Samaritan Board of Directors, bringing more than a decade of involvement in the local foster care community and a heart for serving children and families.
Jonathan's journey began in 2014 with the launch of Louisiana's first Royal Family KIDS Camp. Over the years, he returned faithfully as a counselor, big brother, and mentor, seeing firsthand the lasting impact that encouragement, consistency, and Christ-centered relationships can have in the life of a child.
Royal Family KIDS Camp also became an important part of Jonathan's own story. It was there that he met his wife, Victoria, while they were both serving with the same heart for encouraging children and pointing them to Jesus. After marrying, Jonathan and Victoria went on to serve for four years as Directors of Teen Reach Adventure Camp, continuing to build relationships with youth as they aged out of Royal Family KIDS Camp.
Today, Jonathan is a local insurance agency owner with a strong commitment to serving his community. As a member of the James Samaritan Board, he brings his business experience, years of hands-on ministry, and a genuine desire to help children and families impacted by foster care know they are seen, valued, and supported.
Kathy B. Warner
Board Member
Kathy serves on the James Samaritan Board of Directors, bringing more than 46 years of experience as a social worker serving children and families throughout Washington Parish.
Throughout her career, she has dedicated herself to providing support, guidance, and resources to her community, with a special passion for advocating for children and ensuring their needs and voices are not overlooked.
Guided by her faith, she considers children among God's most precious gifts and believes caring for them is both a privilege and a calling. Serving on the James Samaritan Board allows her to continue that commitment while helping strengthen the support available to children and families in Washington Parish.
For Kathy, board service is more than a position—it is an opportunity to continue a lifetime of service to the community she loves.
Belinda Pennison
Board Member
Belinda is a lifelong educator and former coach in the local community. Born and raised in Folsom, the heart of St. Tammany Parish, Belinda believes deeply in community, family, and Christ-centered service. She is deeply involved in her home church, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, where she serves as a lectern and a Eucharistic Minister of Holy Communion. She has been in education for over twenty years. Belinda has a heart for service but particularly for children with special needs and those in need of familial support.
"As a teacher and administrator, my eyes were opened to the large number of students who are homeless, fostered, split families, or of special needs."
Belinda first became involved with Royal Family Kids along with her husband Mark. Belinda and Mark have six beautiful children. She has a Master's Degree in Teaching as well as a Master's Degree in Educational Leadership. Belinda has been a volunteer Emergency Medical Responder for over 15 years. Additionally, she and her husband own Insurance Advisor's of Louisiana, an independent insurance agency in Covington and strive to serve the local community in that facility as well. Belinda believes 1 Peter 4:10 exudes she and her husband's desire to love and serve others in whatever capacity they can.
"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms." -1 Peter 4:10
Rebecca Birkett
Board Member
Rebecca Birkett is the principal of Lyon Elementary school in Covington, Louisiana. She has worked in the field of education for over 15 years. Rebecca received her Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia and her Master's degree in Elementary Education from Mercy College in New York City. Rebecca is an Ohio native and is a proud (and loud!) Buckeye fan! She attended The Ohio State University in 2009 and 2014 where she completed coursework to obtain her principal and superintendent licensure. She married her best friend, Owen, in 2015 and quickly learned when you marry someone from south Louisiana, they bring you back to south Louisiana. Rebecca serves as the Executive Board Secretary for the Children's Advocacy Center - Hope House. She is extremely excited and humbled to join the board where her passion for children and young adults will be an asset to the mission and vision of James Samaritan. Rebecca lives in the city of Covington with her husband, their Yorkie-Poo Napoleon, and their niece who is a junior at Spelman.
Kim Bigler
Founder
In 2010 Kim Winston Bigler started what would eventually become James Samaritan out of the trunk of her car in California. Over the last 5 years (after moving back to Louisiana), she has built an organization which has an incredible impact on the Louisiana foster care community. She has grown James Samaritan by building relationships with the Louisiana Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS), local churches and an army of community volunteers. Her contributions to the foster care system have received statewide recognition. She has been recognized for her impact on changing how we care for our most vulnerable. Kim has been recognized by many of the top organizations in Louisiana for her service to children and families. These organizations include LFAPA, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation Angel Award, YMCA St. Tammany West Hometown Hero Award, Together We Can Conference, Linda Christmas Award, Louisiana Institute of Children and Families, Angel in Adoption Award, First Lady Edwards Louisiana Fosters, Governor Edwards, Louisiana Institute of Children in Families, and many more.