Elders of the Session and Other Session Committee Leaders

George Bauernfeind (Class of 2027)
​Treasurer/Finance & Administration

George grew up in northern New Jersey and met his wife, Sally, in college. With a degree in accounting from West Virginia University and a Master of Laws in Taxation from Georgetown University, George was Vice President of Taxes for Humana, Inc. in Louisville, KY, until his retirement in 2014. George and Sally’s six children, thirteen grandchildren, and two great grandchildren are spread out across the country. George is glad to be able to serve New Hope as both our Finance & Administration elder and our Treasurer. Contact George.

Laura Brown, Personnel (Class of 2028)

Laura grew up in New England and moved to Asheville in 1976 with her husband and first daughter. She has been at New Hope since 1992. Along the way she became the mother of four children and the grandmother of 10 very bright and beautiful grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild! She has worked in nursing for 50 years. Laura got her master’s degree in nursing education mid-career and has gone on to teach college nursing students for the past 19 years. She is loving her mostly retired life and the added time to spend with family and friends! Laura also enjoys gardening, reading, and learning to be quiet and go deeper. Contact Laura.

Frank Chapman, Building & Grounds (Class of 2028)

In 2001, Frank moved to Asheville with his wife Shelia. Retired from managing medical practices, Frank now serves as a volunteer chaplain with the American Red Cross, and in the last several years he has deployed to many disaster relief operations, most recently to Saipan of the Northern Mariana Islands in the South Pacific. Frank also volunteers with our local Trauma Intervention Program and is a trained Commissioned Lay Pastor (CLP) with the PC(USA).  Frank and Shelia have one son, Joe. Contact Frank.

*Betsy Finger, Justice & Reconciliation

In 2020, Betsy retired from her position as the Director of Social Work at Givens Estates. She continues to be committed to social justice and feels strongly that the church can be a leader in working for change.  A “cradle” United Methodist, she is the proud daughter of a United Methodist Church bishop and the granddaughter of a pioneering woman in Mississippi who worked with other women in the United Methodist Church for racial justice in the 1950s. Betsy is married to Richard Vanderveen, and they have two amazing children, one amazing son-in-law, and one amazing daughter-in-law!

*Rev. Don Johnson, Faith Formation

Don is a minister within the Evangelical Covenant Church and was ordained in 1981. Don and his wife, Martha Ensign Johnson, have three children (Isaac, Luke, and Elizabeth) and eight grandchildren. Before moving to Black Mountain in 2016, Don served churches in Lafayette, IN, Muskegon, MI, New Brighton, MN, and Santa Barbara, CA. Don now works for ABCCM in its Jail Ministry as a part-time chaplain at the Buncombe County Jail. Contact Don.

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Carolyn Ledford, Outreach (Class of 2027)

Carolyn has been married to John for 57 years, and they have two children: son Jeff and family who live in Fletcher, and daughter Lisa and family who live in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Carolyn received her Ed.D. in Instruction and Learning at the University of Pittsburgh in 1990 and taught at East Carolina University, where her research focused on poverty, mentoring faculty, and global understanding. A highlight of her career was working with the Global Partnership Schools Project in conjunction with Hiroshima University, Osaka University, and Naruto Graduate University from 1990-2009. Carolyn’s hobbies include travel, genealogy, reading, and Duo Lingo. Contact Carolyn.

Barbara McLean, Clerk of Session (Class of 2026)

A lifelong Presbyterian, Barbara grew up in a clergy family. Having graduated from Lenoir High School, she completed degrees in piano and music education at St. Andrews Presbyterian College. After teaching, she began working as a medical manager and ended her career as Director of Pediatric Outpatient Services at Mission Hospital. Barbara has served the PC(USA) in numerous leadership roles—as an Elder, Clerk of Session, Moderator of the Presbytery of Western North Carolina (PWNC), and Moderator of Presbyterian Women (PW) in the PWNC. Barbara was also on the PWNC’s Committee on Ministry (COM) for six years, serving as the liaison to the Pastor Nominating Committee that brought Kim Wells to New Hope. She also participating in COM’s examination of Kim. In addition to these roles, Barbara was also Chair of the Board for the Irene Wortham Center and The Children’s Center at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church. Contact Barbara.

Andy Morse, Worship (Class of 2026)

After growing up in New Jersey, Andy went to college in New London, CT, where he majored in German and was active in music programs. His German studies lead him to the master’s program at Indiana University, where he met Elaine. After receiving their degrees, they moved to Atlanta, where they followed career paths in information systems in various industries over 40 years. Andy served on the Session at a PC(USA) church near their home in Tucker, GA, and was later also a deacon at a United Church of Christ congregation in the Emory area. He always sang in the choirs. After Andy and Elaine retired, they moved to Asheville to enjoy the cooler climate and slower pace of life. In addition to ensemble singing (when it’s possible) he enjoys hiking, photography, and American Sign Language. Contact Andy.

Elsie Reid, Outreach (Class of 2027)

Elsie grew up in Charlotte, NC, and attended Duke University and Georgetown University Law Center before settling down with her husband Cal in Potomac, MD. She and Cal moved to Asheville in late 2022 and enjoy visiting their two adult children and four grandchildren who live in CA. Elsie has retired from the private practice of law in MD and DC, but she continues to serve on two corporate boards and is active in other charitable organizations. In addition to serving as the Chair of our Outreach Committee, Elsie currently volunteers at MANNA Food Bank and ABCCM’s Transformation Village. Contact Elsie.

Nan Riley, Congregational Life (Class of 2026)

Nan is a life-long Presbyterian, who moved to Asheville in 2011. She grew up in Gainesville, Florida, where her mother worked as a secretary at their church for 10 years, and where her father worked at the University of Florida. She met her husband, John, while they were both students at the University of Florida. She has fond memories of coming as a young child to Montreat, where her grandfather had a home. She returned to this area as a teenager to attend youth conferences at Montreat and leadership conferences at Blue Ridge Assembly. She and John spent several days of their honeymoon here, and later brought their sons here for vacation. Nan is a recently retired Nurse Practitioner, having been a Registered Nurse for 50 years and a Nurse Practitioner for 40+ years. Her husband is a retired Presbyterian minister. They raised three sons while he was serving churches in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Nan enjoys gardening, sewing and crafting. Contact Nan. 
* Denotes Session committee chair but not a member of the Session