Our Staff

Founder/Chaplain

Rev. Carolyn Schuldt

Carolyn is an Ordained Deacon in Full Connection in the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Meredith College (2006) and a Master of Divinity from Duke Divinity School (2009). She has completed three units of Clinical Pastoral Education at Duke and Wake Medical Centers and additional graduate work in Adult Health and Mental Health at UNC Chapel Hill. She lives in Durham with her dog, Lucy. She is mother to three lovely daughters and enjoys nine grandchildren.

Contact Rev. Carolyn

Executive Director

Drew Woten

Drew Woten is a native Floridian who is thrilled to claim Durham as his home. Formed deeply by his experiences in the local church, collegiate ministry, and intentional living communities, Drew is passionate about promoting social equity through holistic community programs. He received his Master of Social Work degree from UNC Chapel Hill and his Master of Divinity degree from Duke University. In his free time, he enjoys spending time in creation, listening to podcasts, spending time with his wife, Katie, and their children, and relaxing with friends and family.

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Assistant Director

Sean Hardy

Sean is grateful to join Open Table as Case Manager. Sean grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina, and now lives in Mebane with his wife and their two dogs. Sean is a recent graduate of Duke Divinity School where he discovered and cultivated his passion for ministry. In his spare time, Sean enjoys time in nature, Carolina Hurricanes hockey games, and golfing.

Contact Sean

Case Manager

Namya Stamps

Namya Stamps comes all the way from Fayetteville, North Carolina and is very grateful to join the team as a Case Manager! She is super passionate about all things involved with advocacy work because in the future she hopes to change the world for the better. She graduated from University of North Carolina at Pembroke with a bachelor’s in political science in 2021 and hopes to use that degree to help those around her gain access to basic human rights. As a talker, she believes that her talents are better suited amplifying the voices of those around her to help improve the quality of life. In her free time, you can usually find Namya cuddled up with her dog in a nice comfy chair, crocheting a blanket, with an audio book playing in the background (in that order).

Resource Coordinator

Nicole McDonald

Nicole joins us as the Resource Coordinator for Open Table Ministry. She is returning from 3 years in Central Asia with a missions organization. Before moving overseas, she worked for 5 years with a nonprofit in Denver, CO. She loves all things outdoors, and enjoys pursuing whole body wellness! She has a Masters in Intercultural Studies from SEBTS…and she is still not done with school. Next steps for her include a Masters in Counseling, so that she can better serve the community. If you drop off donations or come to OTM to volunteer, she will be the friendly face that greets you.

Our Board

Board Officers

Jennifer Mario, Board Chair

Jennifer Mario has served as our Board Chair since October of 2016. A graduate of Duke University, she has a background in writing, editing, and publishing and is the author of two books. Jennifer became involved with OTM after being invited to a Monday lunch by an OTM client whom she had befriended. She is a member of Triangle Grace Church in Durham and enjoys spending time with her husband, three grown children, and new grandbaby.

Rosa Anderson, Vice Chair

Rosa S. Anderson joined our board in 2021 after many years as a volunteer - you have probably seen her smiling face at one of our Monday lunches. She is the Director of Student Service Programs at North Carolina Central University and holds two master’s degrees. Rosa’s passion for serving the community shines through her extensive board experience with local nonprofit organizations. She is a member of Mount Level Missionary Baptist Church.

Suzanne Cross, Treasurer

Suzanne Cross has served as Treasurer of Open Table Ministry since joining the board in 2011. Suzanne has an MBA from Kellogg (Northwestern University) in Marketing and Management Strategy. Suzanne became active in Open Table Ministry after one of Open Table's folks met up with her husband, a mechanic, to help with work on his broken van he was living in.

David Shih-Heng Chen, Secretary

David Shih-Heng Chen, Ph.D., joined our board in 2019. After volunteering with OTM starting in 2017, David wanted to find a way to be more involved with caring for people in need in his community, and often helps photograph our events. In his free time, David enjoys traveling, marathoning, fishing, reading, photography, and spending time with his wife, Janice, and their three children.

Members at Large

Mactrice Henderson

Mactrice Henderson joined the Open Table Ministry Board of Directors in 2024. He has a passion for working with individuals in need and is inspired by their resilience and strength to overcome some of life’s biggest obstacles. His passion for serving has spanned throughout her career in leadership roles, creating, developing, and executing a vision by collaborating with team members and community partners. He is excited to get more connected to the amazing people doing the work in Durham. When not at work, he likes to spend time with his family, friends, read, and explore nature.

Mary Hall

Mary Hall joined the Open Table Ministry board in January of 2017 after serving as a volunteer for several years and helping to establish our Free Store program. She has a background in life coaching and early childhood education and is currently working for RTI International as a Field Interviewer. Mary is married to Joe Hall and has five children and four grandchildren.

Rev. Wes Neal

Rev. Neal has been the pastor of Asbury United Methodist Church in Durham for the last seven years. He brings 25 years of experience as a church planter, as a teacher at a theological training school in Fiji, and in congregational partnerships with social service providers to his work on the Open Table Board. Wes is married to a professor of preaching at Duke Divinity School, has two kids in college at nearby institutions that shall remain unnamed, and loves to be outside, whether in the garden, or on a hiking trail with his dog.

Dr. Ken Rogerson

Dr. Ken Rogerson joined the OTM Board in January 2025 with a strong commitment to equity and community impact. He is a Professor of the Practice at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy, where he teaches and researches topics including technology policy, information privacy, digital equity, news media, and international communications. In addition to his academic work, Dr. Rogerson serves on the board of Digitunity, a national nonprofit focused on increasing access to technology for underserved communities.

Ken brings a thoughtful, systems-level perspective to the challenges our unsheltered neighbors face. His experience and steady leadership are valuable assets as we work toward long-term solutions grounded in justice and opportunity.

Linda Smith

Linda Smith joined the board in 2024 after serving in the OTM Free Store for the past several years. She enjoys the depth of community spirit and kindness found so abundantly among the staff, volunteers and clients of OTM. Bringing people together for support, mutual understanding and appreciation of the multiple perspectives and challenges in life is a value that she cherishes.

Linda has a Masters Degree in Physician Assistant Studies. She retired from Duke Integrative Medicine several years ago and now spends her free time volunteering, riding her bike, playing pickleball with friends, having time with family, and enjoying the every day gift of life to its fullest.

Dr. John M. Reynolds

Joining the Board of Directors in January 2025, Dr. John M. Reynolds offers a powerful combination of expertise and a commitment to community care. As a Professor of Medicine at Duke University and the Medical Director of the Duke Lung Transplant Program, Dr. Reynolds has spent over two decades walking alongside patients through some of life’s most challenging journeys. His dedication to holistic, person-centered care aligns seamlessly with Open Table Ministry’s mission to serve with dignity and compassion.

Dr. Reynolds is deeply invested in making meaningful, tangible differences in the lives of our unsheltered neighbors. His presence on the Board strengthens our connection to the healthcare community and brings a thoughtful, equity-focused lens to our work.

Vera Stewart

Vera Stewart joined OTM’s board in 2019 after serving as a long-time volunteer with the Open Table Ministry Free Store program. Vera currently serves as Open Table’s move-in coordinator and is an active member of Trinity United Methodist Church. She helps to bridge the work of Open Table Ministry and Trinity UMC. Vera has been married to her husband, Michael, for 51 years and enjoys spending time with her two children and three grandchildren when possible.

Captain Helen Tripp

Captain Helen Tripp joined the OTM Board in January 2025. She has been a paramedic with Durham County EMS since August 1991. She currently manages the Mobile Integrated Healthcare/Community Paramedic program for the department. In this role, she has worked closely with community organizations to ensure those living homeless have access to the resources they need to survive.

Since 2017, Capt. Tripp has represented Durham County in the EMS seat on the current Homeless Services Advisory Committee (HSAC). She served as the HSAC Chair in 2022-2023 after previous serving on the Executive Board as Secretary and Vice-Chair.

Talib Wail

Talib Wail joined the OTM Board in January 2025, bringing with him a deep, personal understanding of the work and mission at the heart of the organization.

For more than six years, Talib has been a trusted voice within the Open Table Ministry community, offering thoughtful insight into the quality of care and support provided through our programs. His strong, longstanding relationship with Founder Rev. Carolyn Schuldt and his lived connection to the work we do make him an invaluable bridge between our team and the neighbors we serve.

Mary Wilson

Mary Wilson is honored and grateful to be a part of Open Table Ministry, having joined our Board in 2022. After a career as a nurse, she and her family founded the nonprofit Fresh Start Durham. The ability to partner with, and continue to serve and care for the people of Durham alongside OTM is a true privilege. Mary’s care for our homeless community and desire to help those that need us helps her faithfully serve the board at Open Table Ministry.

Megan Ward

Megan Ward is a Raleigh native who moved to Durham seven years ago. She works as the Director of Riding at Triton and the Head Coach for their IEA riding team. Megan began volunteering at Open Table Ministry, serving lunches in 2019. She looks forward to continuing to give back to my community through Open Table Ministry.