John Payne - Chair

Senior Commercial Analyst, AutoZone

John is a Senior Commercial Analyst at AutoZone, which is headquartered in Memphis, TN and he also volunteers his time, serving on several non-profit boards in the Memphis area. He is an active member at First Evangelical Church, where he has attended church his entire life. He was paralyzed at the age of 18, requiring him to use a wheelchair for mobility. This is also the time where he committed his life to Christ after seeing the incredible support of his family, friends, and the church through his recovery process. Post injury, he went to the University of Memphis where he graduated and then obtained his job at AutoZone. He lives in Arlington, TN, with his two dogs.

John joined the board of Accessible Hope to be a part of a ministry that seeks to provide those with disabilities equal access and inclusion within their communities, and let them know that God loves them and wants them to be a part of His family. 

Thomas Hampton - Treasurer

Social Worker
Data Scientist, Compassion International

At Compassion International Thomas looks for patterns in data that will help release children from poverty in Jesus' name. Mostly this involves cleaning data and making maps. Before working at Compassion, Thomas started a hearing aid company. 

Thomas is married to his wife Lauren, and they live in student housing at Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. At Asbury Thomas is a PhD student researching post-colonial transitions at mission hospitals. They love evening walks with their two children, visiting the library, and struggling to keep their garden alive.

Melanie Bedogne

Melanie Bedogne is a leader in spiritual formation, writing, and teaching, with a heart for helping others live with purpose and invest their lives for eternal impact. She most recently served as Development Director at Accessible Hope International, where she connected partners to the mission of expanding access to the Gospel among marginalized communities worldwide. Melanie has 20+ years of nonprofit and business experience and is passionate about cultivating healthy leaders and ministry cultures rooted in Christ.

Melanie joined the Accessible Hope International board to continue serving a mission she deeply believes in—helping ensure that individuals with disabilities experience full access to the Gospel and are known, valued, and included as image-bearers of God.

Melanie and her husband, Jason, live in Northwest Arkansas and have four daughters.

Hilda Bih Muluh - Spiritual care coordinator

Founder of The Esther Project

Hilda Bih Muluh is a journalist and broadcaster who has worked for close to fifteen years in her native country, Cameroon. At a young age, she was discovered to have a condition later diagnosed as Muscular Dystrophy. Today, she uses a wheelchair and credits the Gospel of Jesus Christ with saving and giving her a true sense of worth in a culture that regards persons living with disability differently. Her passion to share this Good News of hope with others led her to start The Esther Project in 2014, to encourage the most vulnerable to live out their God-given potential. Hilda is a mouth painter, singer and writer, using her voice to bless and to spur others into a deeper relationship with Jesus.

Hilda joined the Accessible Hope International board to be a part of the mission to see persons with disability transformed by the power of the Gospel and to help them know their true identity as God’s image bearers. She currently lives in Maryland, USA.

Gail Hutchinson

Missional Spirituality Consultant – Wycliffe Bible Translator (retired)

KIM KARGBO

Founder & CEO, Accessible Hope International

Kim has lived and worked for nearly half of her life in Sierra Leone, being raised there by missionary parents and serving as a missionary in various capacities during her adult life. Kim has served Accessible Hope as CEO since 2009 when it was founded. From 1990-1993, Kim initiated an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) called Community Health Evangelism in Sierra Leone, promoting health education and disease prevention strategies in the rural northern province. From 1998-2002, Kim worked with World Hope International developing and managing a rehabilitation program for amputees following the decade-long civil war. She had an additional 4 years of experience in the US in public health program development and management. She served as a health trainer consultant for the United States Peace Corps for 2 years. Kim is compelled in ministry by the Voice behind her and the faces before her, who need to hear the Gospel in a way that is meaningful to them. Kim has three grown children, one son-in-law, and one daughter-in-law. Kim currently lives in Central Florida.