Board of Directors
Shelley Aistrup is a retired elementary educator who taught and led in Virginia, Indiana, Kansas, and Alabama. Shelley worked diligently over her career to make sure children had food to eat and appropriate educational opportunities.
Shelley currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Food Bank of East Alabama, Lee County Master Gardener Association, Holy Trinity Episcopal Day School, and Redeeming Grace Ministries.
Her work with Namungo Village started during a Visioning Trip to Uganda with a team from Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.
Brittany Branyon is a nonprofit leader, educator, and doctoral candidate in Public Administration and Public Policy at Auburn University. With a background in international relations and a deep commitment to gender equity and grassroots empowerment, Brittany brings a global perspective and hands-on experience in community development.
Brittany serves as Executive Director of Village Friends and Program Director for UKirk Student Ministry in Auburn, Alabama. Her research focuses on the impact of international philanthropy on gender-based advocacy organizations in Sub-Saharan Africa.
As a board member of Hope Namungo, Brittany is honored to support sustainable, locally-led initiatives that uplift communities in Namungo Village.
Joan Neptune has a degree in Chemistry and worked for several years as an analytical chemist
for various chemical companies. However, her major work life was spent working at the
United States Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, DC in environmental
cleanup programs for water, soil, radioactivity and hazardous waste, for almost 30 years
prior to retirement.
In retirement, some of her main activities are related to Holy Trinity Episcopal Church
where she serves as a Lector and on the Altar Guild as well as providing meals to
College Students and to parishioners who are ill or handicapped.In addition, she maintains her mind and body – taking courses regularly from OLLI and working out at FitLife, including Silver Sneakers, and swimming almost daily.
Her participation on the Board of Directors for Hope Namungo will be bringing her
great satisfaction in the future.
Nathan Waters serves as Assistant Director in the Office of Accessibility at Auburn University and is an Adjunct Instructor in the School of Kinesiology. He co-founded Auburn’s Adapted Athletics program and brings nonprofit experience through roles with Auburn Civitan Club and Easter Seals Camp ASCCA. Nathan is passionate about disability advocacy, inclusive education, and creating equitable opportunities for all.
After traveling to Namungo Village in July 2025 on a mission trip with Embrace Church of Auburn, Nathan felt deeply moved by the people, the needs, and the clear evidence of God’s work there. Since then, he has taken on a leadership role with Embrace to lead future mission trips and further support the transformative work taking place in the village. He is excited to bring his experience and passion to Hope Namungo and be part of the life-changing impact happening in Namungo Village.
For more than two decades, Brandy Wynn has poured her heart into education — shaping young minds, mentoring teachers, and creating learning environments where both faith and excellence flourish. After 22 years in public education, she followed a clear call from the Lord to help pioneer a new model of Christian schooling as the Director of Elementary Education at Auburn Community Church (ACC) Academy.
Brandy’s leadership is driven by a simple but powerful conviction: teaching is discipleship. She strives to build classrooms where children learn to see every subject — from reading to science — through the lens of God’s truth, developing wisdom and compassion that will ripple far beyond the walls of their school.
Her heart for the nations runs deep. Since 2014, Brandy has served on multiple mission trips — including two to Uganda and many to Nicaragua — experiences that forever shaped how she leads and loves. She holds a deep affection for the people of Uganda and remains a steadfast supporter of Bridge Africa and her dear friends Patrick and his family, even when distance keeps her from returning as often as her heart desires. Those moments of worship, laughter, and shared purpose in villages across the globe continue to fuel her calling to raise up students who will one day do the same — love God and serve the world.
At home in Auburn, Alabama, Brandy and her husband, Brian, are raising two children who share their love for people and purpose — Annabelle, a student at the University of Alabama, and Matson, a joyful student at ACC Academy. Whether she’s leading a mission project, researching curriculum, or encouraging her staff, Brandy leads with joy, humility, and an unshakable belief that God can use ordinary obedience to change the world.
