Staff

Tony Brewer, M.A., LL.M, J.D.
Senior Advisor

Tony is married to Cindy Brewer and is the proud father of Jillian Marie (Ji Li Yang), Anna Mei, Elizabeth, Faith and Joy Brewer. All five are adopted with three from China and two adopted domestically.

Tony graduated from Asbury College (B.S. education, history major), CBN University (M.S. Education), Regent University (Juris Doctorate), and Georgetown Law School (LL.M., International and Comparative Law). He incorporated and, along with the other board members, began the ministry of A Helping Hand in 1995. He now serves as executive director of A Helping Hand.

Since 1995, Tony has "had a hand" in several thousand adoptions, both domestic and international. Tony's wife, Cindy, is the former minister of adult education at Christ Church in Arlington (Arlington, VA) and Versailles United Methodist (Versailles, KY). Currently, Cindy is a full time stay-at-home mom to Jillian, Anna Mei, Elizabeth, Faith and Joy.

Rev. Victor Bondarenko, M.Ed., M.Div.
Executive Director

Victor holds a Masters of Education Degree in ESL and German from Karaganda State University and a Masters of Divinity Degree from Asbury Theological Seminary. He served as an Associate Pastor in Kazakhstan where he developed and supervised an orphan relief ministry in the city of Karaganda. Victor moved to Kentucky in the summer of 1999 and as he was seeking God’s guidance for future ministry God had lead Victor to A Helping Hand.

Victor believes that the field of adoptions should be a major focus of the Christian community. With millions of orphans in the world, international adoptions are the ultimate solution to the problem and Victor is blessed to be a part of that solution.   

Kristin Jenkins, MSW
Social Services Manager

Kristin Jenkins has been a home study provider for A Helping Hand since October 2003.  She earned both her Bachelor and Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Kentucky.

Prior to coming to AHH, Kristin worked as a Child Protective Services Worker and as a service coordinator working with emotionally disturbed children.

Kristin resides in Lexington, Kentucky with her husband and two children.  Kristin’s goal in working with AHH is to unite orphans with loving, stable and nurturing adoptive families.

Mike Ginter
Travel Services Manager

Mike is originally from Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, and a graduate of Asbury College, Wilmore, KY. Prior to joining AHH staff Mike served as a  missionary to the Island of Jamaica for seven and a half years - three and a half years in community outreach and four years as director of operations for Christian Service International (CSI Ministries). Mike also worked in social services and social work with severely, behaviorally and emotionally disturbed children in therapeutic foster care placement . Mike joined the staff of AHH in April 2007 as Travel Services Manager , and works with our families in preparation and pre-travel to make sure that all necessary documents are completed and the families are ready to travel and pick up their referral.

Dana Underwood
Family Advocate - Special Needs Program

Dana joined AHH in May, 2007 as a Family Advocate-China.  Dana has received both an Associate of Arts degree in Paralegal Studies and a Bachelor of Science degree in Child and Family Studies from Eastern Kentucky University.  “I am so excited to be employed by A Helping Hand and pray that I will be a good steward of Christ in supporting families through the adoption process and placing little girls from China into homes where they will receive an abundance of love, hugs, kisses and care.” 

Dana and her husband Paul have been married for 18 years.  They are the proud parents of two daughters, Emily (age 13) and Kensley (age 9).  They live in Garrard County, Kentucky close to lots of family.  In her spare time, Dana takes pleasure in scrapbooking, reading and watching her daughters play sports.  Paul, Dana and the girls enjoy spending time at the barn riding and caring for their horses. 

Maria Kovaleski
Family Advocate

Maria Kovaleski was born and raised in Puerto Rico.  She went to the InterAmerican University of Puerto Rico, and later, while living in Vicenza, Italy, took courses in speech and communication at the European Campus of Maryland College.  She is fluent in Spanish and English and can speak some Italian.  She feels blessed to have lived in various southern states of the U.S., Europe, Mexico and the Middle East while her husband was active duty in the U.S. Army for 22 years.  She has been married to Peter for 27 years and has two children, Helen, age 23, and Steven, age 21, and who recently returned home from serving in Afghanistan with the U.S. Military.

For the five years before coming to AHH, Maria was doing ministry work in orphanages in Mexico. She believes we have an awesome God who has done miracles in her life, and she also has experienced that “He will answer before we even call.” Isaiah 65:24

Philip Aldridge
Family Advocate

Philip Aldridge joined AHH in May 2006 as a Guatemalan Family Advocate. He was born in Kentucky and also lived in Brazil for 11.5 years as a missionary's son.  Philip graduated for the University of Kentucky in 2000, where he focused his studies in Spanish literature and Latin American studies and earned a degree in Spanish. After graduation he worked as a labor immigration consultant for privately owned companies across the U.S. before coming to AHH. He speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and English.  Philip has been married to his wife Shelley for six years. He has always had a desire to help those in need. His goal at AHH is to help those who cannot help themselves- children.

Vickie Birkheimer
Financial Assistant

Vickie spent 21 years as a Master Cosmetologist in Brazil, IN where she also studied music at Indiana State University. She moved to Grayson, KY in 1990 to work at Kentucky Christian College as a telecommunications office manager, and later, as administrative assistant to the Bible and Ministries Department.

In February 2000, Vickie moved to Lexington, KY to work at Southland Christian Church as ministry assistant to single adults. There she met Kent Birkheimer who soon became her best friend. One year later, Kent and Vickie were married (December 15, 2001). On June 3, 2002 Vickie accepted the position of administrative assistant with A Helping Hand and loves serving God by helping place homeless children in homes where they will be loved and nurtured. She has served as our Financial Assistant for the last 2 years.

Her favorite Scriptures are Psalm 34 and Ephesians 3:20-21, "Now unto Him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we can ask or dream..." Dare to dream; He is faithful!

May Briscoe
AHH Home Study Provider / AHH Board of Directors

May Briscoe has been providing home studies and post-placement supervision for AHH adoptive parents on a contract basis since 1999. She is also a member of AHH's Board of Directors. A social psychologist by training (M.A., Ph.D., University of Florida), May retired in 1995 from the State of Kentucky as a child protection social worker. Prior to that she worked for a number of years doing program planning and evaluation studies for child welfare and hospital-based community health programs.

In her leisure time May enjoys doing Bible studies, serving as a member of her church's prison ministry team and traveling internationally. Thus far she has traveled to Guatemala once, and China twice as a member of an AHH Friendship Team. (She highly recommends this experience to everyone!) May's favorite Scriptures are Romans 5:19-21 and Isaiah 58. Her dream is to see the world become a safe and loving place for all children everywhere during her lifetime.

Anne Hodge

AHH Home Study Provider

Anne Hodge is a home study provider and has been with A Helping Hand since March of 2002. Prior to coming to AHH, Anne worked for the Cabinet for Families and Health Services for 12 years specializing in child protection and domestic violence services. Anne also was a Family Services Office Supervisor for the Fayette County Child Abuse Hotline and Domestic Violence Team.

Anne resides in Lexington, KY with her husband and two sons. She feels very blessed to be a part of the AHH family and is thankful that God led her to the wonderful world of international adoption.

International Partners

Meng Aun Hour (with Rady, his wife)
Cambodia

Meng Aun Hour is married to Rady Hour. Meng Aun serves as senior pastor of Followers of Jesus Church in Phnom Penh. Meng Aun is responsible for our Kom Poong Cham Orphanage and Phnom Penh Street Children's School.

Cynthia Vallejo
Guatemala Partner - God Bless the Children

Cynthia Vallejo directs God Bless the Children in Guatemala City, and is A Helping Hand's attorney partner for all adoptions completed through Guatemala City.

Cynthia has a great burden for poor children who will not be placed for adoption, as well as the birthmothers of those children who are adopted. She directs many outreach works for poor children, and works tirelessly to help birthmothers break out of the lifestyle problems that prevent them from parenting.

Duc Bui Van
Vietnam

Duc became a member of the A Helping Hand team during November of 2005 and is now Director of A Helping Hand-Vietnam.  He and Tony have known one another since 2003.  Duc graduated from Danang University in 2000.  He worked as a tutor and for another American NGO before coming to AHH.  Duc is married to Lynne, and the proud couple greeted their first daughter, Jewel, into the world in July of 2006.  

By God's plan and grace, Duc is now working in the same province in which he was born and raised.  It is a very poor province with 31 percent of 1.5 million people living under the official Vietnamese poverty line; for a family of four--that means less than $45 dollars per month.  Duc oversees A Helping Hand/Orphan Voice's work in the Dai Loc and Tam Ky orphanages, in outreach to 90 poor students who live outside the orphanages, and to the government officials with whom he interacts.

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