MEET THE Defend TEAM
caitlin sund, Executive Director
I have been married to my high school love, Brad for 19 years. We have three children. The Lord placed a love for the Fatherless on my heart at a young age. My husband and I adopted our youngest daughter from China in 2013.
Shortly after our adoption, I began serving as an occupational therapist in Chinese orphanages during short term mission trips. It was at that time that I decided I wanted to do more for the local foster and adoptive communities and that is how the York County Foster Closet, now Defend the Fatherless was born.
In my free time I enjoy spending time with family through boating, camping and travel.
Marybeth Robinson,
program manager/Volunteer Coordinator
I married my husband Joey in May 2008. When I was pregnant with my second son in 2013, God fueled my desire to become a foster parent while reading a book handed out at a weekend church service called Journey to the Fatherless.
In 2016, my family began foster and respite care. We quickly learned the busyness and challenges that come along with this calling. During a season of having young children, God showed us that there were different ways to serve this community and answer His calling. I have had the privilege of working with the York County Foster Care Closet since 2016.
I had the opportunity to travel abroad with Caitlin in November 2018 and this is where God began writing His story for an international adoption and a third little boy for the Robinson family. Our family has been anxiously waiting to travel since the pandemic started in winter 2020 to bring our son home.
Ashley Hiser
Connection Coordinator
Originally from the Pacific Northwest, I have lived in several different places and in nine states! I graduated from Towson University in Baltimore, MD, with a degree in business. I was also an NFL cheerleader for The Commanders (formerly known as the Washington Redskins). With this incredible experience I was able to travel the world, perform for US troops all over the globe and states, speak at numerous charitable events, and donate time and energy to invest in the younger generation. I also started a women's fitness ministry in Portland, OR, that hosted multiple events, partnered with local churches, held workout classes and groups all focused on building women up in who God called them to be.
Over the past 19 years my husband, PJ, and I have been focused on our marriage and raising the next generation of Jesus-loving warriors. We have four children, three boys and one girl, but also have been privileged to foster over 23 children in our home the past three years.
Being on the receiving side of Defend the Fatherless, I have first-hand knowledge of the important work it does and how practically and generously this organization loves the community it serves. With passion and great enthusiasm I am excited at the opportunity to now be a part of Defend the Fatherless team, and lavishly extend the love of Christ to our local community.
Anthony Boddie, Chairman of the board
My wife, Kathleen, and I moved to Fort Mill in 2006. We are proud parents to Addison who volunteers in church and is involved in Fort Mill Middle School through sports and clubs.
I believe serving is good for your soul, mind, and body. After personal failures as a human being, I was presented with an opportunity to press the reset button regarding my lens on life. The reset button permitted me to gain knowledge of my WHY and exhibit some of my skill sets given from my creator. I am committed to serving the York County area and volunteer in various capacities on numerous local and non-profit service organizations, including serving as Board of Trustee for the Fort Mill School District, York District Chair of Boys Scouts, Governance Committee Member of Boys and Girls Club of York County, and Committee Member of Anne Springs Greenway. I have also served for Community Café and the Men’s Shelter of Charlotte.
With over 25 years of leadership experience, my professional career has revolved around creating memories for millions of visitors in the leisure and tourism industry across North America. Essentially, I managed revenue generating services, as a third-party operator inside of Theme Parks, Zoos, Aquariums, and other entertainment venues. Over the years, I honed my management, human resources, communication, training, planning, and sales skills in executive positions. Currently, I work as an executive sales rep for a global organization named RICOH USA, selling workplace solutions and digital transformation services designed to help manage and optimize information flow across your business.
emily baldino, board member
I fell in love with being an adoptive parent when I met my daughter, Ava, who was born in Vietnam and living in an orphanage. I was inspired to adopt by my mother and father-in-law who had adopted children from around the world and showed me how much joy could come from providing a loving family to orphans. I feel very strongly that every child deserves to feel loved, to be supported, and to have the opportunity to thrive. This has ignited my passion for supporting the needs of foster and adoptive families as they go through their journey with Defend the Fatherless.
My strong belief in mentorship has been cultivated by my experience in the Corporate world for more than 20 years. I have had the opportunity to lead as a mentor and as a manager, guiding people both personally and professionally over the years. I have played an integral part in growing talent at various organizations by engaging in Intern development, New Associate training, and Veteran hiring. I have also been an active participant in several of the critical DE&I initiatives that serve to foster a vital culture of acceptance, the importance of which I had barely begun to understand when I attended Harvard University over 25 years ago.
My current role as a Managing Director in Corporate Risk at Wells Fargo has sharpened my risk management skills and strengthened my expertise in governance and oversight. It has taught me how to manage the delicate balance of driving execution while maintaining prudent behavior. More importantly, it is serving me well as I raise two teenagers, which I would never be able to do without my unbelievably supportive husband. When Ava first became part of our family, we constantly got told how lucky she was to be our child. And all we kept thinking was, ‘Who’s the lucky one?’
Jason fore, board member
My wife, Kimberly, and I moved to Fort Mill in 2008 and have firmly planted roots here. We are proud parents to Avery, Nolan and Alex who are all active in their respective schools through sports, clubs and volunteering.
I’ve spent my sales leadership career in the medical device industry representing products in a variety of medical specialties. Specifically, I’ve specialized in the start-up setting bringing new technologies to market and helping scale organizations. My experience has mainly been in the cardiology/cardiac surgery specialty and involved companies from pre-market status to full FDA approval and market implementation.
I thrive in connecting people, helping organizations share their vision and aligning goals. I feel called to assist companies in maximizing their financial considerations to make a greater impact in our local community and I have a strong desire to serve people in need.
As a family, we enjoy all things outdoors including snow skiing, boating, mountain biking and travel in general.
james holt, board member
In 2018 I retired from a career in nuclear power generation. God has made it clear that his desire for me in this season is to come alongside the next generation as a shepherd, pastor, mentor, brother and friend. He desires my gifts, time and financial blessings to be used inside this context.
Currently, I serve as an elder at Forest Hill Fort Mill Church and am actively engaged in mentoring the next generations. God also has provided me the opportunity to serve on the York County Young Life executive committee and mentor its area director.
My wife Cheryl and I have never received the call to foster or adopt, but God has always given us opportunities to support those who have. We believe that a pastoral role with the board of Defend the Fatherless is in complete alignment with what God has gifted and called me to.
kendra king, Board member
I'm a wife of twenty years and a mother of three kids. We have lived in Fort Mill for nineteen years. I love our community and am dedicated to serving it. I've served in different capacities such as room mom, fundraising, spirit night coordinator, serving on several PTO boards: Riverview Elementary, Banks Trail Middle, and Pleasant Knoll Middle. I've also served on the school improvement board, Parent Liaison, Kitchen Cabinet through Fort Mill School District and HOA board for my neighborhood.
After serving my community for seventeen years I decided that I wanted to work fulltime. I secured a full time position with Fort Mill school district. Although, I liked my job as a kindergarten assistant at Kingstown Elementary, I really missed serving my community. After two years of working I resigned in June and started looking for ways to continue my commitment to serve.
I'm currently serving on the board for Young Men Service League. We started the first chapter in South Carolina. Our goal is to foster a love of serving among the young high school men in our community. I was connected with Defend the Fatherless as I was researching organizations for our young men to serve.
The more I learn about Defend the Fatherless the more I want the young men in my service group to serve. Beyond that, I feel compelled personally to serve as well. I witnessed your organization's mission come to life when I visited the warehouse and observed a caseworker getting necessary items to reunite a mother with her children before nightfall. The caseworker was offered a crib, diapers, clothing and even a meal to make the mother's night back with her children as stress-free as possible. I was overwhelmed with the joy that mom must have felt when she received those items to help make her childrens' homecoming less stressful.
When I had the privilege of being a caseworker for Children's Services in Columbus Ohio one of my favorite parts of serving was assisting families in maintaining their family structures. I relish the opportunity to do this work through Defend the Fatherless. I love that our community has this resource. I wish that I had access to something similar when I was serving as a caseworker - such a beautiful resource to assist families and to keep families intact.
Elizabeth Leventis, treasurer
I am a Fort Mill native and a local business owner. I graduated from Wofford College with a BA in Intercultural Studies for Business and Spanish and currently serves on the Young Alumni Leadership and Advisory Council for the school. I married my college sweetheart, Jason and we have two beautiful children.
As the co-founder and President of Arrow & Bow Wealth Advisors located in Baxter Village, I work with families and businesses to build customized financial plans and leave a legacy for the next generation.
Locally, I serve as a Board Member on the Town of Fort Mill Historic Review Board, volunteer with my family to clean up trash around Fort Mill and I am a Friend of the ASC Greenway.
I am often spotted walking and rucking around town or on the trails at the Greenway in between meetings. I love cheering on my son at the baseball fields and tennis courts and enjoy getting away with my family and friends for quick weekend adventures. My family and I attend Lifepointe Church in Fort Mill.
ruthie ramirez, Board Member
I have been married to Josh since 2008 and we have one daughter- our miracle baby born in 2010.
I love working with children and was a kindergarten teacher for 20 years at the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Greenwich, CT before moving to South Carolina.
During my years at CSH, I served as the outreach coordinator for the school- organizing donation drives and service trips to help the homeless in New York City, several nursing and assisted living homes in the area, and worked with children in both Stamford, CT and Port Chester, NY.
I am most proud of serving on the board of the Africa Task Force for the school and successfully raised thousands of dollars to help build a boarding school for girls in Uganda.
adam schorr-board member
We are blessed to live in such an amazing community that is so active in giving back and supporting each other. It is unique, and we all have a role we can play. From an early age, serving has always been a part of my life. I learned the impact of giving back to the community from my father, who was the town psychologist. He spent his career helping others and did it in a way where he asked for nothing in return. He showed up for others in times of their greatest need, demonstrating a quiet kindness that made a lasting impact on so many. Serving for me is a way to continue his legacy.
Setting this example for our children is also a driving force behind my why. For them to learn, participate, and understand how important it is to be a positive force within your community is only taught by example. Service is part of our core values in my house, and putting this into action with an organization that is family and faith focused, is a blessing that hopefully will continue too many more generations.
There are so many foster kids and families in need - and not for just resources but for connections. As a father of three, I know how important it is for children to have a connection with their parents or caregivers and community. Defend the Fatherless is unique in that it is close to those they serve. It clearly has had enthusiastic people who have dedicated a lot of their time to not just give time and resources, but to develop meaningful relationships. I am grateful to be joining such a wonderful organization and team that emphasizes the importance of developing connections with those they serve.
Louise Southern, Board Member
I have been married to my husband Michael since 2004, and we have 3 children. We adopted our two oldest boys through the North Carolina foster care system in 2012.
I hold a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from North Carolina State University and I am a Board Certified and Licensed Behavior Analyst. Since 1998, I have worked with children and adults with socio-behavioral and learning differences in educational, clinical and community settings. I currently serve as the Associate Clinical Director for the Autism Society of North Carolina, the largest and oldest non-profit in the state that specifically supports the autism community. I provide direct intervention and consultation to families and professionals, and I deliver conference presentations, workshops and ongoing coaching to school systems, service providers, and other stakeholder groups across the state. Professional focal areas include equity in education and behavioral intervention, culturally responsive and trauma-informed practices, and scaling up the implementation of evidence-based practices across schools and services systems.
The greatest privilege of my life has been my role as mother to three amazing boys. I am deeply passionate about serving my heart and home community via my role with Defend the Fatherless..
Brad Sund, Board Member
I graduated from the University of Florida with a Business Management Degree with a Minor in Environmental Engineering. After College I started a Cabinetry Company in Naples Florida and ran it for 5 years until I made his move to Charlotte. I currently serve as a zone manager for Advanced Drainage Systems where I have been employed for the last 19years.
I have been married to my wife Caitlin for 19 years and we have three children. I have a passion for volunteering with children including coaching soccer and serving through special needs ministries. In 2011 I found my love for adoption when Caitlin and I welcomed Olivia from China into our family.
I combine my business acumen and love for Fatherless as I help to guide Defend to achieve all of their goals.
Vlad Tkach, Board member
I was born in Ukraine and my family came to the US when I was two years old. I grew up in Portland Oregon and met my wife Violetta when we were in high school. We live in the Fort Mill area with our five beautiful children – two girls and three boys. When we lived in Oregon, Violetta used to work for the foster care system. Several years later, after we moved to the Carolinas, two of our children joined our family through the gift of adoption from foster care.
As a family we love traveling, day trips to the beach, and hiking in the blue ridge mountains. I also enjoy golfing with friends, mountain biking, and shooting sporting clays with my two older sons.
I’m an accountant by trade and find great fulfillment in leveraging my experience to help non-profits with their accounting and finance functions.