Our Team
Board of Directors
President - Pastor Arnold (Arnie) Matos
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Arnie is a Global Missionary who has served in the countries of Haiti, Guatemala, Ecuador, Honduras and India. He has also served in the Appalachia Mountains of West Virginia helping families and churches in need, to rehab their homes and church facilities. He was a first responder to the Earthquake in Haiti in 2010 that led to over 250,000 deaths, Hurricane Sandy that devastated Staten Island in 2012, the Category 5 Tornado that hit Moore Oklahoma in 2013, and Hurricane Harvey that hit Houston, Texas in 2017. Together, Arnie & Victoria have led several teams into the mission field bringing hope and healing to people throughout the world.
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Arnie Retired as the Director of Corrections at the Northampton County Department of Corrections (NCDOC) where he was employed for 22 years. He worked with the prison board and inmates at NCDOC in order to uncover needs and build partnerships with community members and local churches who could cater to those needs. He has served on Northampton County Criminal Justice Advisory Board, the Board of Directors for Mercy Village in Santos 19, Haiti, he is the Vice-President of the Matos Giveback Organization, Secretary on the Board of Directors for Red Church of the Lehigh Valley, and also currently serves on the Executive Leadership Team for The Center Lehigh Valley. He was born and raised in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania where he and his wife currently reside. Arnie has two children, two grandsons and seven siblings hence his strong sense of family values.
Vice-President - Victoria Matos
Victoria is a Global Missionary who has served in the countries of Haiti, Guatemala, and Honduras. She has also served in the Appalachia Mountains of West Virginia helping families and churches in need to rehab their homes and church facilities. Victoria was a first responder to Hurricane Sandy which devastated Staten Island, NY in 2012. In partnership with Bob & Linda Rapp, Victoria and her husband Arnie help facilitate "Stand Up Bethlehem" a local outreach for homeless veterans and citizens. Together, Arnie & Victoria have led several teams into the mission field bringing hope and healing to people throughout the world.
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Victoria is a Registered Nurse (RN) with Lehigh Valley Hospital where she serves as a RN Care Manager with a specialty in Infectious Disease. She was born in Naranjito, Puerto Rico and moved to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania where she and her husband currently reside. Victoria has two children, two grandsons and fifteen siblings hence her strong sense of family values.
Secretary - Reverend Evelyn León
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Evelyn was led to the Lord in 1982 by her now husband, Jose “Cuco” Leon. Since then, they have been constantly active in local ministry serving in every capacity from housekeeping to congregational care pastors. They have been and are mentored by wonderful men and women of God and have in turn, mentored others. Both are ordained ministers and members of the Bilingual Christian Fellowship. Evelyn loves serving humanity through the spiritual gifts the Lord has graced her with.
Her personal ministry motto is summed up in one word GIFTS an acronym for:
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God – Above all things
Integrity – In all things
Faith – In God above all things
Transparency – In all things
Service – in all God sets before me
Her ministry mission is: “That none would perish for lack of knowledge” as a response to Hosea 4:6
Academically, Evelyn is a life-long learner. She holds an Associate Degree in Specialized Business and completed the Hispanic Leadership Development program from Cedar Crest College. She is currently in the Not for Profit certification program with LaSalle University and is in the Master’s program at Moravian Theological Seminary.
Professionally, for over 20 years, she has served as the administrative assistant to the CEO of a local technology-based economic development organization for the State of Pennsylvania.
Civically, Evelyn has served as a Director on numerous Boards of community-based organizations and ministries in the Lehigh Valley over the past 30 years, most recently as Board President for a local organization serving the needs of children in high-risk families. She has also served as United Way Panel Chair for Comprehensive Youth Development, The Southside (Bethlehem) Task Force, Community Reinvestment Task Force, Neighborhood Empowerment Task Force, and the Salvation Army of Bethlehem Advisory Board to name a few. Evelyn has also served the people of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a Notary Public for over 22 years. She has used her many years of experience in the non-profit sector to assist ministries with compliance and governance matters.
Cuco and Evelyn have been married for 33 years and are blessed with five adult children, five grandchildren and a global Family in Faith.
Treasurer- Pastor Daisy Oquendo
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Daisy, is an accountant who received her BS from the University of Puerto Rico and MS from the University of Phoenix.
Daisy’s accounting career spans over thirty years. She has held managerial positions within multi-billion dollar companies not limited to Tiffany and Co. and Sprint. Her concentration includes cost accounting, inventory and finance. Currently, Daisy works for BASF where she is responsible for their Canada, Mexico and US costing and finance results.
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Throughout the past forty years, Daisy has served on numerous nonprofit boards. Her expansive knowledge and strong skill set helps establish and organize compliance with IRS regulations.
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Daisy is currently planning to pursue her PhD in Business administration with a specialization in Accounting for Nonprofit Organizations. Her goal is to continue supporting nonprofit organizations willing to invest in communities, specifically addressing the needs of the “widows, orphans and foreigners” (Matthew 25:40).
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Over the years, Daisy has sponsored many individuals on mission trips. However, she now looks forward in accompanying AOM during one of their trips to Guatemala!
Director - Joel Alzate
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Joel, born and raised in Paterson, New Jersey experienced a great academic and diverse environment at the Church Farm School in Exton, Pennsylvania. Joel went on to graduate with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University located in State College, Pennsylvania. Most recently employed with Smart-Hose Technologies, Joel has stepped out of the workplace to provide care for his two young sons showing his strong sense of family values. Joel has a heart for helping those in need both in his local community and abroad. Joel, his wife Cassandra and their two boys currently reside in Upper Saucon Township , Pennsylvania.
Director - Michael Kordek
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Mike is a global missionary who has served in Haiti, Africa, Honduras, and Guatemala. Mike has also served in the Appalachian Mountains of west Virginia is very active in his local community. Mike retired in 2018 after a long career in the Information Technology field and the Railroad Industry and looks forward to spending more time in the mission field. Mike is also an original Board Member for One Million Children a non-profit organization working in Zambia, Africa. Mike, his wife Mary of 37 years and two adult children reside in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Director - Wilfredo (Freddy) Carrero
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Freddy grew up in the Brooklyn projects of New York City in a home with his mom and four other siblings. Freddy has worked in the residential building industry for the last thirty-five years and has amassed extensive experience and knowledge in employee supervision, plumbing, electrical and carpentry work. Yet, he always felt that God was preparing to use his talents for a greater purpose. Freddy had the opportunity to travel to Guatemala with AOM and having used his talents in helping to spread the gospel, and sharing God’s love through every interaction, leaving an indelible imprint on him. Freddy, his wife Yari, and their two adult sons Christopher and Gabriel reside in Breignigsville, Pennsylvania.
Director - William (Bill) Rowe
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Born and raised in Bethlehem, PA, Bill received his B.B.A with a concentration in Finance at Temple University in 2015. Shortly thereafter, Bill harnessed his innate passion for "paying it forward" by serving on the Board of Directors as Treasurer for B.E.S.T., Inc. and the Bethlehem Rotary.
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Bill founded the Elevate Foundation following these valuable experiences to follow his purpose of serving as a conduit for Christ's love on Earth.
In addition to his time with the Elevate Foundation, Bill serves in varying capacities his alma maters, Bethlehem Catholic High School and Northampton Community College, the Bethlehem Rotary, The Center Lehigh Valley, and more. Bill has worked as a Compliance Officer for Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. since 2017.
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