Roetta Vaught of Somerset was elected as the 40th president of Kentucky WMU on April 6, 2018 at Buck Run Baptist Church in Frankfort. She will serve with officers Cathy Terrell of Barlow, vice president, and Marcia Ballard of Winchester, recording secretary.
Prior to her election as president, Vaught served as a member of the Kentucky WMU Executive Board from 2016-18 as a representative from Region 7. She is the WMU director for Pulaski Association and serves in WMU work in her church. Vaught has worked with the US Postal Service since 1988 and is currently the Postmaster at Science Hill, Kentucky. She has been married to her husband, Barry, for 33 years. Vaught became Pulaski Association WMU Director in 2011 and has promoted many missions projects within the county, state, and abroad. She has held various WMU leadership roles and is currently leading Youth on Mission at Oak Grove Baptist Church #1 in Nancy, KY, where her husband serves as pastor. Roetta has been on six mission trips to Brazil and is preparing for her seventh.
Cathy Terrell was elected to her fourth term as vice president. She previously served on the Kentucky WMU executive board from 2011-14 as a representative from Region 1. She is currently the WMU director for West Union Association and in her church, Barlow First Baptist. Cathy works with Acteens and has participated with Kentucky WMU on recent Acteens Activators mission trips. Cathy retired last year from River Valley Ag Credit.
Marcia Ballard was elected to her third term as recording secretary. This is Marcia’s second stint as recording secretary, a position she held previously from 2010-14. Marcia also served on the Kentucky WMU Executive Board as a representative from Region 6 from 2004-07 and 2008-09. Marcia is employed by the Markey Cancer Institute at University of Kentucky.
Another returning leader for Kentucky WMU is Cathy Chinn, appointed by outgoing president, Susan Bryant, as the new development specialist, replacing Cheryl Hatfield who served in this position for four years. Cathy served as president of Kentucky WMU from 2002-2006. She served on the National WMU Foundation Board from 2011-15 and has been a member of the Kentucky WMU Development Committee since 2016. Cathy and her husband, George, serve as Kentucky missionaries in the role of Missions Mobilization consultants. As Development Specialist, Cathy will serve as an ex officio member of the Kentucky WMU Executive Board and will lead fund raising efforts on behalf of Kentucky WMU, including the Heritage Fund, an endowment established in 1990.
Others elected to serve on the Kentucky WMU Executive Board include 24 regional representatives (three from each of the eight regions of the KBC) and two additional ex officio members (Kentucky Baptist Nursing Fellowship president and a RA/Challengers representative appointed by the Kentucky WMU president). Those elected and serving ex officio include:
Region 1: Margaret Dunn, Ruth Gray, Deitra King
Region 2: Linda Egbert, DeAnna Smith, Jan Powell
Region 3: Sharon Gilliland, Sharon Taylor-Carrillo, Robin Warren
Region 4: Lisa Crenshaw, Lisa Salyer, Dana Jenkins
Region 5: Lorene Heskett, Rachel Dermon, Rhonda Wilhoite
Region 6: Diane McDaniel, Dawna Clark, Martha Birdwhistell
Region 7: Edwina Rowell, Melanie Jones, Jennifer Butler
Region 8: Joyce Scroggs, Kay Underwood, Wanda Riddle
Kentucky BNF President—Anne Partenheimer
RA/Challengers Representative—Jim Baxter
“We are grateful for the service of the Kentucky WMU officers and board members,” said Joy Bolton, executive director of Kentucky WMU. “It is always exciting to welcome new leaders. Our Board gives oversight to our work and provides valuable insights from across our state. The Board handles details such as budgets and personnel matters allowing us to have an annual meeting that is inspirational and completely missions focused. We are blessed by the wealth of experience and energy that our Kentucky WMU officers and Board members bring to our work.”(WMU)