The staff at Mission Discovery is made up of passionate, generous people who have dedicated their lives to helping others. They minister by leading and organizing short-term mission trips for volunteers, and thousands are helped every year as a result!

Since 1991, our goal has been to provide volunteers with an immersive, transformational experience that leaves them changed forever. Whether it’s through an international or domestic mission trip, we hope you’ll come away from your time with us feeling like the person who has been given something great in return for your hard work and commitment towards serving others.

Every staff member is committed to making the name of Jesus known through our love and service. Every project coordinator with Mission Discovery raises funds so that we can keep costs low for mission trips here at home as well as abroad! Join them on a trip or donate today. Your resources will go towards bringing other people into God’s Kingdom through our mission trips.

2023-09-11T12:44:43-04:00

NATHAN WALTERS

President

Nathan Walters is passionate about spreading the love of Christ with Mission Discovery.  As President of Mission Discovery, he is responsible for leading the organization to further its mission. He graduated from college with a degree in ministry leadership and has traveled around the world serving vulnerable communities. He is committed to serving the Lord through Mission Discovery’s ministry endeavors. His goal is to build strong relationships between churches and individuals as they reach out to the nations. Moreover, Nathan is an advocate for global missions and strives to equip our generation with the tools and resources necessary to share their faith throughout the world. He is passionate about using his gifts and talents to further God’s kingdom and bring hope to those in need.

2022-05-06T09:20:58-04:00

MAURY BUCHANAN

Founder

Maury Buchanan, a youth minister since 1975, was born in Greenwood, Mississippi. Maury became a Christian when he was 19, while working at a radio station in Florence, Alabama. While working in radio in North Alabama, Maury was the play-by-play voice of the University of North Alabama Lions basketball. After many years with Youth For Christ and as a youth minister, Maury led teams of students from his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee to places like the Dominican Republic, and Central America and saw the powerful change in their lives as a result to the trips. Having been influenced in his early life by speakers like John Perkins and Millard Fuller, Maury began Mission Discovery to serve the needs of the poor in Mexico. Maury and his wife Ann make their home in Gallatin, TN and have two children, Rachelle and Benjamin and three grand children, Bailey, Hayden and Reese.

2023-09-11T12:39:26-04:00

JIMMY RIVERA

Former President
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.
2022-10-18T12:31:13-04:00

MICHAEL KNEFF

Director of U.S. Projects

Michael served on his first mission trip with Mission Discovery when he was 13 years old. After that first trip, he kept serving with Mission Discovery until they finally offered him a job. He has served as a project coordinator for over 10 years; primarily in Guatemala and South Dakota. A love for travel and experiencing other cultures continues to motivate him to serve in parts of the U.S. and abroad. Michael graduated from East Tennessee State University with a degree in Computer Graphics, which he uses regularly to create many of Mission Discovery’s printed materials and graphics needs.

2024-02-16T15:08:13-05:00

COURTNEY CARRIGAN

HOLD the Children Director

Courtney went on her first mission trip with Mission Discovery to Reynosa, Mexico when she was 8 years old. She has a passion for orphan care and education advocacy. This resulted in Courtney becoming the Director of our HOLD the Children child sponsorship program. She oversees 12 schools throughout Haiti, Jamaica, and Guatemala totaling more than 2,500 students and an orphanage where 45 children reside. She leads our HOLD mission trips throughout Haiti as well as some Jamaica mission trips. If you’re interested in learning more about HOLD and our orphanage, please contact Courtney.

She can be reached at [email protected].  Courtney joined the staff of Mission Discovery in 2014 as one of our Project Coordinators; she transitioned into the role of Director of HOLD in the summer of 2018.  Courtney lives in her hometown of Nashville, TN.

2024-02-26T10:53:11-05:00

JOSH CLANCY

Project Coordinator

Josh’s life has been changed by missions. He went on his first mission trip to Reynosa, Mexico when he was 13. After serving with a group he didn’t know, he wasn’t sure whether or not he would choose to go on a mission trip again. Fast forward to the next summer, he got to go back to Reynosa with his youth group, and his heart was changed. It has been a journey for Josh to get to this point, but God has always surrounded him with His love and protection. Having a background in construction, restaurants, and church ministry, Josh looks forward to using those gifts and learning more of what it is to be a servant for His kingdom.

2024-02-16T15:10:29-05:00

CHRIS CHANDLER

Project Coordinator

With over 25 years of ministry experience, Chris has served in various ministries capacities, including Lead Pastor for two congregations, Assistant Pastor for Youth & Mission in Northern Ireland, Associate Pastor in New Jersey for Mission & Youth, Chaplain for Morris County Police in New Jersey, and as a full-time Missionary in Kazakhstan. During his ministry, he has had the privilege of leading numerous church teams on mission trips to Russia, Romania, Haiti, Guatemala, and Jamaica. Chris’ passion is to share the Gospel in winsome ways, fostering thriving communities shaped by God’s love. He obtained his theological education at Princeton Theological Seminary, has a certificate in Spiritual Direction with Selah through Leadership Transformations Inc. in Boston, Mass., with further training by Dr. Larry Crabb at NewWay Ministries. Chris and his wife Stacy live on the East Coast of Florida, where Stacy serves as Pastor of a Presbyterian Church. They are proud parents of three daughters in college and their inspiring son Caleb with Down Syndrome, who continually reminds them of the importance of embracing the present.

2021-09-20T13:49:06-04:00

STEPHANIE COOK

Administrative Director

Stephanie has a passion for missions that has been fueled by trips throughout high school and college. Her previous mission trip opportunities include trips to Portugal, Costa Rica, Brazil, Mexico, the Bahamas, Jamaica, and several locations in the US. Outside of mission work, she enjoys scrapbooking, reading, and Zumba workouts! Her favorite way to pass the time is hanging out with her husband, Andy, and playing with her awesome kiddos, Luci, Reese and Bristol. After going on mission trips as a high school youth, a college student, and as an adult and experiencing the life change that comes with it, she was hooked! She is grateful that God has placed her here at Mission Discovery where she can use her organizational skills and still reach out to many people both domestically and internationally!

2021-09-20T13:50:05-04:00

JEANIE MORGAN

Financial Administrative Assistant

Jeanie Morgan is a master of the spreadsheet! Jeanie handles all of the details of trip payments, donor relations and all things financial. She’s an expert on what is tax deductible. Jeanie and her husband make their home in Hendersonville, TN.

2021-09-20T13:49:55-04:00

CHERYL MILNES

Accounting Specialist

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.

2021-09-20T13:49:47-04:00

PAT PREGEL

Office Assistant

Many will recognize Pat from the hundreds she has fed in Mission Discovery kitchens in the U.S. and Mexico.  Pat and her husband Carl were introduced to Mission Discovery through a friend who needed help cooking for a Mission Discovery camp in Reynosa, Mexico.  Pat loved the experience of serving our teams week after week while Carl assisted teams as a contractor building hundreds of homes along the US/Mexico border.  Pat spends her spare time serving her church and serving on weekend spiritual retreats called Tres Dias.  At Mission Discovery Pat helps our staff with monthly mailings and assists in coordinating our fundraising events.

2022-05-16T11:52:57-04:00

APRIL MOORE

Administrative Assistant

April’s first mission trip was 5 years ago with her church. She & her family have continued to go annually to the Baja Peninsula.  April & her husband have a passion for missions and serve together on the Mission Team at Madison Church of Christ.  She enjoys spending time with her husband Bryan and her 3 children, Riley, Laura & Josie. She is a volunteer at heart and loves to help with church camp, VBS, & her church coffee shop. April enjoys listening to podcasts, books and binge watching shows. Although new to Mission Discovery, she loves the opportunity to be in a Christ centered work environment and be doing Kingdom work. April is looking forward to experiencing many mission trips in the years to come with her family & Mission Discovery. She truly feels that God opened the door for her to be here at Mission Discovery and is excited to see what God has in store for the future of her and this organization