Board Members

Hugh and his wife Annette became involved with Mission Discovery while leading youth trips from Alpharetta First United Methodist Church to the Bahamas and Jamaica beginning in 2000. These were life-changing events and in 2005 they began helping Mission Discovery as Site Directors for youth and adult trips in both the Bahamas and Jamaica. Hugh and Annette look forward to their trips with Mission Discovery because it always puts great balance and perspective back into their lives.

Hugh has worked for Epi Breads in Atlanta for 17 years and is currently the CEO. Prior to his work at Epi, he spent 24 years in various sales and business development roles with Procter and Gamble. He is a Graduate of Georgia Tech.

Hugh and Annette, his wife of 35, years and reside in Alpharetta Georgia. They have two adult children who both live in the Atlanta area. In his spare time, Hugh enjoys fly-fishing and traveling with Annette.

I am a lover of life and all that God has to offer! My first Mission Discovery trip was as a participant with my church. I helped translate the Vacation Bible School for a week-long trip in Reynosa, Mexico. When I returned home I was convinced that pursuing work with MD full time was for me! That was in 1993. Today I coordinate trips for Mission Discovery, lead our Board of Directors and use my skills in finance and administration to oversee the dollars that flow through our organization each year. I’m married to Kyla and have three children who have all been a part of mission trips with Mission Discovery.

Peggy has served on the board of Mission Discovery since 2013. She lives in Hendersonville, Tennessee and has been a social worker for 28 years. Currently, she serves as the Upper School Student Counselor at Davidson Academy, a private Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee.

Peggy and her family attend Community Church of Hendersonville where her husband, Kirk, serves as a shepherd and Peggy serves in women’s and student ministries. She has been married to Kirk for 29 years. Kirk is vice president and director of Marketing for Nashville Dental, Inc. They have two children, now grown: Colton, 25, who works for Dental Strategic and lives in Nashville, and Anna, 23, is finishing dental hygiene school. Anna has served on several Mission Discovery trips as an intern.

Peggy and her family are huge fans of the Tennessee Titans, Nashville Predators, Auburn Tigers, water sports and time together. Peggy has served (and led) on missions in Jamaica, Haiti, Guatemala, and Eswatini. Mission Discovery holds a special place in her heart and she and her family have a passion to serve whenever they get a chance.

Cheryl Milnes has served with Mission Discovery since 2003 when she led a Mexico mission trip for the middle-school students of her church. She has been on many Mission Discovery trips to Mexico, South Dakota, Jamaica and Haiti. She has served on the board since 2009.

She met her husband, Dana, at Penn State University where she majored in Accounting and became a CPA. She uses her CPA skills in helping small businesses and start-ups grow as well as advising non-profit companies. She and her husband have served their church in the children, middle school, new member and adult ministries through the past 37 years of their marriage.

Cheryl and Dana currently live in Brookfield Wisconsin and are parents to 4 adult children and grandparents to three (soon to be four) grandchildren. They enjoy traveling all across the nation visiting their children and their families.

David has been with Mission Discovery since 2007. He led groups of high school students from Little Rock Christian Academy on mission trips. He flew C-130 aircraft for the United States Air Force for 20 years and then became a mathematics teacher for 23 years at Little Rock Christian Academy. Dave has led Mission Discovery trips to Jamaica and Westmoreland, Tennessee for the past five years.

Dave retired from teaching last year and serves as an elder at Cornerstone Bible Fellowship in Sherwood, Arkansas, the church he has attended for the past 36 years. He is married to Sally for 43 years, whom he met while in the USAF. He has three children and three grandchildren. We have no greater challenge than to teach our families the Word of God not only to hear it but to live it daily in our lives. His passion is to teach God’s people how to live by God’s grace. He also loves to travel with Sally on extended motorcycle trips across the country. His wife says, “It is like being in a movie and not just watching it.”

Mark Whitler has helped lead youth and adults from Belle Meade United Methodist church on Mission Discovery trips since 2000. Mark has participated on trips to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, Africa, and the United States. Mark has served on the Mission Discovery board since 2013. Mark has also served on the board Nashville Coaching Coalition – a non-profit that helps build transformational coaches to be full-hearted leaders and mentors who positively influence the lives of young people.

Serving those who are in need and letting them know that they are loved and their life has meaning is a passion of Mark’s on every mission trip. Mark is a retired businessman living in Nashville, Tennessee. He has 2 grown children and 2 grandchildren.