For the needy shall not always be forgotten... Psalm 9:18
Our Team
Randy Blankenship PMP, CDR USN (Ret.)-Board President
Randy retired from the United States Navy in 2013 after a 28-year military career culminating in his appointment as Commanding Officer in USS Fort Worth. Commander Blankenship graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School with a Master’s Degree in Science and Engineering and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies. Randy served in Wycliffe Associates as Area Director of the South Pacific from 2014-2015. He led a team of Program Managers throughout the South Pacific and Indonesia supporting Bible Translation efforts. From 2015 – 2019 he served as Chairman, Board of Directors for Grateful Organization a grassroots organization originating in Sihanoukville, Cambodia serving to fund local schools, support local communities to provide clean drinking water, and provide skills training to the unemployed. In addition to serving with SOLM, Randy currently serves as a Senior Program Manager and Business Development Director for Serco, Inc. He leads teams of data scientists who are working to deliver predictive analytic tools for various projects supporting the U.S. Navy.
Rose Barnes, Phd-Board Vice-President
Rose is very involved with family-her husband, children, and grandchildren. She is also a caregiver for her mother who lives with them. She is a Christian, saved in her early years and loves the Lord. She and her husband now attend Mt. Jezreel Baptist Church, Silver Spring, MD where they have worshiped for the past 26 years. Rose volunteers in the Mt. Jezreel Community Outreach Program (C.O.P.) to minister to those in need of care, hope and love. She participates in the non-profit food program (SHARE). Rose is also a Sunshine volunteer – sending cards of condolences, birthdays, get well, and encouragement.
Rose is currently employed by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) Gaithersburg, MD
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Human Services – Specialization in Social and Community Services Capella University, MN
MASTER OF ARTS HUMAN SERVICES Lincoln University, PA
Accomplishments:
Completion/Publication copyright 2014, ProQuest-CSA, LLC – Author: Rose L. Washington Barnes – Title of Work: In their own words: The experience of caring for an adult child with autism spectrum disorder
Gilbert Gyimah CPA (CANADA), CPA (US), CFE-Board Treasurer
Gilbert is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensed by the State of Delaware since 2009. Gilbert is also a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and a member of CPA Alberta and CPA Canada since 2020. Gilbert has several years of experience as a Controller/CFO for small and medium-sized businesses. Gilbert also teaches Accounting/Bookkeeping, Tax, Payroll, Quickbooks and Sage at CDI College in Canada.
Denese Forkkio Co-Founder and Board Secretary
Denese has been working as a volunteer in ministry since the early 2000s. Denese has served with Every Child Ministries in Ghana assisting female victims of Trokosi practices in the Volta Region. She has also worked with Wycliffe Associates (WA) in Papua New Guinea as an assistant to the Program Manager overseeing country operations for WA. Denese has a passion for the most vulnerable of the poor.
James Forkkio, MSNM, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
James has been serving in ministry since 2006. First serving as AWANA commander and also teaching Sunday School in his local church. In 2012, he answered the Lord's call to serve with Every Child Ministries in Ghana's Volta Region as a missionary working with victims of Trokosi practices. In 2014, James and his wife (Denese) transferred to Wycliffe Associates (WA) to serve as missionaries in Papua New Guinea where James served as WA's country-wide program manager. James has a heart for bringing opportunities and hope to the poor in the developing world.