ELCA NEWS SERVICE
October 25, 2007
Lutheran Disaster Response Director Feltman Resigns, Accepts New Role
07-173-MRC
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Heather L. Feltman will resign Nov. 15 as
director of Lutheran Disaster Response (LDR) to become
president/CEO of Lutheran Social Services of New England (LSS),
Wellesley, Mass., starting Jan. 7, 2008. LDR is a collaborative
ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and
the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS).
Feltman will succeed Edith M. Lohr, who will retire at the
end of 2007 after 17 years as LSS president. The Rev. Kevin A.
Massey, assistant director, ELCA Domestic Disaster Response, will
assume the role of acting director of LDR and ELCA Domestic
Disaster Response.
"The arms and legs of Lutheran Disaster Response are
Lutheran social ministry organizations working together with
congregations, synods and districts to respond to people and
communities affected by disaster," said the Rev. Rebecca S.
Larson, executive director, ELCA Church in Society.
"Under Heather's leadership Lutheran Disaster Response has
greatly built up this network of trained people on the ground and
linked them with the outpouring of support in resources and
volunteers across this country. LDR has also become one of the
major players in the United States for responding to people and
communities affected by disasters. It is especially recognized
for attending to the needs of the most vulnerable and for staying
there for the long haul," Larson said.
During Feltman's tenure, LDR grew from 15 to 38 affiliate
organizations that collaborate in disaster response. LDR has
placed a special emphasis on developing networks of local
congregations prepared to respond to local needs. In the wake of
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, among other disasters, its financial
oversight for the support of disaster response efforts grew from
$10 million to $33 million in donations and federal dollars,
according to an Oct. 18 LSS of New England news release.
"Lutheran Social Services of New England has a long history
of serving the most vulnerable persons in society. I look
forward to serving with the committed staff of LSS to further the
mission and mandate of LSS, as well as anticipating how we
continue to position the organization to best serve people in
need," said Feltman in the release.
Feltman is a diaconal minister. She served as director of
Lutheran Family Services of the Carolinas, Columbia, S.C., from
2000 to 2004, and as director for the Lutheran Advocacy and
Public Policy Office of South Carolina, Columbia, from 2002 to
2004. From 1996 to 2000 Feltman was director of the South
Carolina State Council of Churches, Columbia.
Feltman served as a board member of the former ELCA Division
for Church in Society (now ELCA Church in Society), an advocacy
consultant for the division from 1997 to 1999, and preschool
director of Hephatha Lutheran School, Anaheim Hills, Calif., from
1988 to 1990. Hephatha is a school of the LCMS.
In 1986 Feltman earned a bachelor's degree in social work
from Illinois State University, Normal, Ill. She earned a master
of arts degree in religion at Lutheran Theological Southern
Seminary, Columbia, and a master's degree in nonprofit management
at Regis University, Denver.
Feltman and her husband, the Rev. Ronald W. Feltman, a
pastor of the ELCA, are the parents of one son.
- - -
Information about Lutheran Disaster Response is available at
http://www.ldr.org and information about Lutheran Social
Services of New England is at http://www.lssne.org on the Web.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
