NLAI Board of directors

A nine-member Board of Directors governs and directs New Life Advance International. These godly men and women serve three-year terms and may serve an additional term. All have some type of relationship and love for the ministry and missionaries of NLAI.


When they agree to serve on the Board, members commit to attend two board meetings every year as well as serve on different board committees to assure that NLAI is being properly directed and supervised. These gracious volunteers cover their own expenses for attending the board meetings as well as contribute to the work of the ministry in different ways. NLAI is grateful for our Board!

  • Michael Bourland

    BOARD CHAIR

    Michael Bourland is an attorney practicing at Witt, McGregor & Bourland, P.L.L.C. in Waco, Texas.  Michael grew up in Temple, Texas and became a Christian at the age of 8.  He attended the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor where he majored in business administration and Spanish, and Baylor University Law School.  Michael met his wife, Carey, at Immanuel Baptist Church in Temple, where they grew up together.  They married in 1998, and after practicing law in the Dallas/Fort Worth area for several years, Michael and Carey returned to Central Texas.  They have lived in Waco since 2003 and attend Highland Baptist Church.  Michael serves as a Deacon at Highland, and he and Carey teach a 7th Grade Sunday School Class.  They have three boys - Cole (20), Ty (18), and Grayson (15).  

  • Kevin Dougherty

    SECRETARY-TREASURER

    Kevin joined the NLAI Board of Directors in 2019. He is a sociology professor at Baylor University. Religion, ethnicity, and inequality are topics of his research. When he visited New Life Children’s Home in 2017, he was deeply impressed by the life-changing work he observed. He is eager to help advance this work. Kevin and his wife, Kim, have three daughters and one son-in-law. They live in Waco, Texas.

  • Marcy Ambler

    Marcy has an Industrial Engineering degree and a passion for process change and improvements. She served with the youth in her church for many years and in 2009 made her first trip to New Life Children’s Home. She loves the holistic approach NLCH uses to bring kids out of crisis – addressing the health of body, mind, heart, and soul. She also believes that the education that the kids receive gives them the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty. She is honored to serve on the board of NLCH because she has witnessed the lasting change it has made in so many lives She and her husband, Doug, live in Cape Girardeau, MO, and have two adult sons – Levi and Caleb.

  • Jill Chrusciel

    Jill Chrusciel served the Southeast Missouri region as an interior designer for 22 years and now operates a wellness ministry, Curious Fitness, LLC. She leads faith-based fitness classes in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and is an advocate for whole-health practices that ready her clients to actively live out and boldly share the Gospel of Jesus. Jill first served at NLCH in 2011 with the Extreme Camp team from La Croix Church and has returned to serve NLCH five times since, including with her own children, Abi and Nolan. She has seen how NLCH lovingly guides children from self-reliant survival in crisis back to a childhood of play, learning, loving support and growth. Supported by her husband of 30 years, Tom, Jill is honored to serve on the board and to watch how God continues to bring His good into the world through the children of NLCH.

  • Clay Enger

    Clay has known NLAI and the Wheeler family for many years through the combined ministries of Trinity Church and Trinity Christian School in Lubbock, TX, where he serves as Elder and school board member.  Clay and his wife, Kristyn, have been married for 26 years and are the proud parents of one daughter, Annika (18).  Clay has represented the Lubbock area in the real estate industry with Coldwell Banker since 1992.     

  • Kara Harris

    Kara and her husband, Daniel, served as missionaries at NLCH from 2006-2008 and have led teams to the Home, believing strongly in its mission and continued work. Kara is a graduate of Asbury University and Richmont Graduate University. She is the Director of Events at First Methodist Church in Midland, Texas. She and her husband have two children.

  • Greg Haseloff

    Rev. Greg Haseloff first experienced the amazing community of New Life Children’s Home as part of a Texas Tech Wesley Foundation team in 1990.  He’s returned three additional times over the last thirty years – grateful to travel with college students to witness them experience a part of the  Kingdom of God which is so visible in the transformational community at the Children’s Home.  He serves as Associate Dean of Spiritual Life & Campus Chaplain at Asbury University in Wilmore, KY.  He has been married to Jennifer for 22 years, and they have three children who would all love to visit Guatemala – Ellie (19), Mollie (16), and Isaac (13).

  • Daniel Hernandez

    Daniel Hernandez is a serial entrepreneur in Lubbock Texas. He attended Texas Tech University and majored in marketing. Daniel served as Communications Director at Mid-Cities Church in Odessa, TX and at Church on the Rock in Lubbock, TX for 6 years prior to starting his own business. Church on the Rock, a supporter of NLAI, provided the introduction to New Life Children’s Home. Daniel now works in multiple industries and is honored to serve on the board. Daniel and his wife Cynthia have been married for 11 years and have three children; Amelia (8), Eleanor (7), and Porter (3).

  • Fredy Melendez

    Fredy Melendez is the Operations Manager at Sergrafica, a large graphic design and print company in Guatemala City. He is NLAI's first Guatemalan board member. Fredy was introduced to New Life Children's Home through Fraternidad Cristiana de Guatemala, the church where the children of NLCH and Fredy's family attend. Fredy served as a volunteer youth pastor at "The Frater" and grew in love for the children and the ministry of NLCH. He and his wife of 22 years, Carola, sponsor three siblings at NLCH. They have two children, Jose Daniel and Rebecca.

Administration & Leadership

As the Board of Directors serves as the governing body of NLAI, the Administration executes the work. The Board sets the path and the Administration walks it out. Though none of the administrators serve on the Board, they attend the board meetings, give reports, and contribute to the discussion and planning.


NLAI is blessed to have a healthy Board-Administrative arrangement in which the Board provides good accountability while allowing the Administration freedom to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in carrying out God's vision for NLAI.

  • Kendon Wheeler

    President

    Kendon and wife, Wendy, have served in Guatemala with NLAI since January 1988. In 2012 Kendon, a graduate of Texas Tech University, began serving as President of NLAI. Kendon and Wendy continue to make their home at NLCH in Guatemala while Kendon oversees NLAI ministries and operations. They have four sons, three wonderful daughters-in-law, and five grandchildren.


    Contact Kendon via email

  • David Depew

    President Emeritus

    David and Susan Depew served as missionaries in Thailand for 16 years. Dave, a graduate of both the United States Military Academy and Fuller Theological Seminary, served as President of NLAI from December 2002 to December 2011.  The Depews currently live in Houston, Texas, the home of NLAI.  Dave founded and served as the Director of the NLAI School of Mission which trained missionaries for NLAI and other organizations for several years. Dave and Sue started annual staff retreats for the missionary staff, and they provided valuable counsel and leadership for younger missionaries and their families, not only for those serving with NLAI but for missionaries with other agencies, as well. The Depews have four children and three grandchildren.

  • Maggie Aldana

    Vice President of Administration

    Maggie was born in Chicago, Illinois and moved to Houston at an early age. She attended Massey Business College after graduating from High School. Maggie is married to Daniel Aldana (from Guatemala), and they have three sons, Christian, Jonathan and Emmanuel, two lovely daughters in love, Abbey and Marissa, and four beautiful grandchildren.  Maggie currently lives in Sugar Land, TX. She has been the Administrator of the NLAI Houston office since 2005.


    Contact Maggie via email