EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR – David Pierson
Dave grew up as a missionary kid and pastor’s kid in Brazil, Portugal and Fresno, California. After studying Economics at UC Davis he earned a Master of Divinity degree at Fuller Theological Seminary. He has served as a Presbyterian pastor and youth pastor in Alaska, North Carolina and San Diego.
David now serves as Executive Director of Alongside Ministries International, a ministry which partners with the European Church to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the mission fields of Europe and North America. Dave and his wife Nanette recently celebrated 20 years of marriage. They live in San Diego, California where they home school their five children. Dave is an avid cyclist, and squeezes in time to ride between ministry and family commitments.
EUROPEAN DIRECTORS – Ian and Teri Rutter
Ian and Teri have been serving in France for more than 30 years. They began on university campuses in France where they saw a number of students place their trust in Christ. Today, many of these same people are in leadership positions in their church and in society.
Through their partnership with Alongside Ministries International, Ian and Teri are mentoring younger missionaries, encouraging national leaders and reaching out to un-churched people in a variety of ways. They collaborate with churches and other Christian groups. Locally they work together with effective programs of outreach such as Trinity Forum International, the Alpha Course, the Marriage Course, Family Life and Community Bible Study International.
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD – Judy Palpant
Judy is an author, speaker, and former school teacher and missionary. In 1979 her family moved to Kenya where she and her physician husband served six years in a Quaker Mission Hospital. They founded the Africa Fund, which seeks to equip African leaders in providing healthcare. She is a Sunday School teacher and mission commission member at her church. Along with her physician husband, they are active with the Christian Medical and Dental Association.
RobRoy Ranger has been working as a pastor in Redmond, Washington since 2000 and together with his wife, Jackie, have served internationally in ministry. They are the parents of two children. RobRoy has a BA degree in Communication and Administration.
RobRoy and Jackie have enjoyed a continuous interaction with Alongside Ministries International over the years including a short-term mission trip to Albania. RobRoy seeks to create a receptive environment for teaching and mentoring followers of Jesus. He strongly affirms Christ’s mission for the church – “Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations” (Matt 28). In short, RobRoy would say, “So let’s ‘GO’ and do it together!”
Margie served as Executive Director for Alongside from 2004 – 2010. Prior to this, she served as North American Director for fifteen years. She was part of the Charter Board of Trustees, established in 1983, and has been actively involved in leadership of Alongside short-term projects in France, Scotland and Albania for the past twenty years. She has shared ministry with her husband, a Presbyterian pastor, for forty two years. They have three married children and five grandchildren.
Rob is a Presbyterian pastor currently leading one campus of a two-site congregation in Richmond, Virginia. He has previously served churches in Pennsylvania and Missouri and has business experience as a retail store manager.
Though new to Alongside, Rob has led teams and participated in mission work in Latin America, Africa and Europe. With his wife, Janice, and their daughter, Rachel, he enjoys being part of a congregation with a significant refugee population and the challenge of mission work on the edge of an urban center.
Byron Marshall is an Associate Professor in the College of Business at Oregon State University. Prior to completing his PhD at the University of Arizona in 2005, he worked for 13 years as a computer programmer/analyst in the cotton industry.
Byron has served as an elder at First Presbyterian Church, Fresno. He and his wife, Sarah, are long time supporters of AMI and have many years of experience in youth and college ministries. They have three children.
Fred Lupton came to Christ as an adult in his company car while working as a salesman for a large concrete company in Seattle. (Praise God for Christian Radio!) Fred has worked in various construction fields for 39 years including two years in the Army Corps of Engineers. Today Fred owns and operates a General Contracting firm in Seattle specializing in home renovations and maintenance.
Fred has been involved with Alongside since 2002. He and son Andrew attended Alongside Discovery in Nogent Sur Marne, France that summer, introducing Ali Arhab and Shaf Shafir and their ministries to the assembled group. Fred remains active in ministry in France and North Africa particularly Algeria, where he has many friends and contacts.
Fred is married to Ardi and have two sons Andrew and Cameron, and a granddaughter, Ashley. Fred and Ardi are active in ministries in other countries of Europe and Asia as well. Fred and Ardi attend University Presbyterian Church in Seattle where they are members.
Donald and his wife, Hannah, live in Fresno, CA. They both have a long history with Alongside Ministries International (AMI). As a student, Donald participated in AD 2006, an Alongside Discovery project, where he served in Roubaix, France and studied near Strasbourg, France. Recently,
Donald and Hannah joined the Alongside Team in Tallinn, Estonia for a time
of prayer and planning about AMI’s year ahead.
The Norman’s are active members of 1st Presbyterian Church of Fresno where they serve with the High School Youth Ministry Team. They have been on ministry teams to Albania, Mexico, San Francisco, downtown Fresno, and InterVarsity’s Urbana Mission’s Conference in 2008. They also give leadership to the church’s Networker Summer Internship Program.
Donald is a Sales & Marketing Manager for Utility Cost Management, LLC. He holds a B.A. in political science from Fresno Pacific University and is currently working on a M.A. in Management through the School of Business at Azusa Pacific University.
