Hope Namungo Board Members
Ugandan Project Coordinators
Hope Namungo Board Members
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.
Chad Alan Gibbs is the author of two nonfiction books published by Zondervan (HarperCollins), including God and Football, named one of Christianity Today’s Ten Best Books on Sports and Christianity of the Decade. His independently published YA fiction received two starred reviews and Best Books of the Year selections from Kirkus Reviews. He has written for The Washington Post and CNN.com and made multiple appearances on ESPN’s Outside the Lines. A former newspaper columnist and collector of vintage toys, Gibbs lives in Auburn, Alabama with his wife and two sons.
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.
Christina Shinn has dedicated her life to service through science, healthcare, and compassionate community outreach. She earned her Associate of Science in Animal Science from Southern Seminary Junior College in 1976 and her Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from Virginia Tech in 1979, later serving as a Laboratory Technician in Poultry Science and Laboratory Supervisor in Agronomy at Auburn University. Christina continued her commitment to improving lives by earning her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from Auburn University, building a career that spanned research, education, and medical service until her retirement in 2014. A devoted mother to her daughter Rachael, born in 1982, Christina has remained deeply engaged in volunteer work, serving as an Extension Master Gardener in Lee County, volunteering with the Food Bank of East Alabama, supporting nursing home residents, and providing gifts and handmade quilts to those in need, including infants in neonatal intensive care. Her generous spirit also extends to charitable giving, including support for Hope Namungo. After learning about the urgent needs of children and families in Namungo Village, Christina felt called to contribute to the organization’s mission of bringing hope, care, and opportunity to vulnerable communities.
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.
Senior Uganda Project Coordinators
Patrick and Sarah Sserunjogi
Patrick Sserunjogi is a Ugandan teacher and community servant whose life’s work is rooted in faith and a calling to uplift children and families. A lifelong educator, he believes that true transformation is spiritual as well as social. Through decades of teaching, mentoring, counseling, and mission leadership, Patrick has dedicated himself to nurturing young people and strengthening communities. His work is guided by the conviction that investing in children today shapes generations to come.
As founder of Bridge Africa International and a leader in the vision for Namungo Village, Patrick works to bring hope, partnership, and Christ-centered service to the heart of his community. He combines practical leadership with compassion, building teams, mobilizing resources, and encouraging others to serve. Fluent in Luganda and English, Patrick continues to share his faith through action, striving to create lasting change by loving and serving people where they are.
Sarah Serunjogi is a dedicated social worker with over twenty-five years of experience serving children and families in Uganda. Her work is rooted in a deep Christian faith and a calling to see children embrace hope, dignity, and purpose. Sarah believes that when a child’s heart and mindset are shaped early, lasting transformation follows—strengthening not only the individual, but families and entire communities. Her approach to social work is holistic, nurturing children emotionally, socially, and spiritually so they may grow into confident and compassionate adults.
Since beginning her service in child sponsorship programs in 1999, Sarah has faithfully supported vulnerable children through counseling, mentorship, advocacy, and sponsor relations. She has served as a coordinator and supervisor, guiding staff, strengthening partnerships, and ensuring the well-being of children through hands-on fieldwork and program oversight. Sarah has witnessed countless lives transformed as children walk in positive paths and discover their God-given potential. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Arts and Social Sciences from Makerere University and a counseling certification, and she is fluent in English and Luganda.