You're Not Alone Ministry
Board of Directors
Who We Are
Dan Skoda
President
Dan Skoda serves the You're Not Alone Ministry team as a support group facilitator and has been part of the team since inception.
He has been married 28 years and has 4 grown children. Dan and his wife's roles as caregivers for a loved one struggling with mental illness and addiction began unexpectedly eight years ago and they found themselves struggling to understand the situation, cope, adjust, and provide the best care and support.
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Through prayer, trust in the Lord, research, and networking they began the process of learning and adapting to provide for the needs of their loved one while taking care of each other and their other children.
Dan has a passion to provide a biblically-informed, Christ-centered lifeline of support and information for others who find themselves in similar situations and encourage them with God's eternal love.
Dan's key ministry verses are Psalm 34:18 - "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.", and John 16:33 - "These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
Dan is a lifelong professional aviator, flight instructor, and retired 24-year U.S. Air Force pilot who currently flies internationally for a major airline. When he is not flying and volunteering for the "You're Not Alone Ministry", Dan enjoys time with his family, running with his Husky "Maks", flying small general aviation airplanes, and riding his motorcycle throughout the Shenandoah Valley.
Mark Kline
Vice President
Mark has a degree in Pastoral Care from Gordon-Conwell Seminary, and worked in the Department of Justice for 26 years before retiring to Winchester in 2017. He is empathetic towards those struggling with depression, having been afflicted himself. He is a survivor of suicide and spoke about his experience at a YNAM seminar in November 2023.
Alan Umstead
Executive Director
My life for over 70 years was good. As I approached retirement, my life remained on an even keel, but some of my family members' lives took tragic turns for the worse as their mental health declined.
We struggled with the stigma of having close family members who were mentally ill. It was shocking and seemed like a bad dream that we just hoped it would heal itself and go away. Life does not always work that way. We realized we needed to change our thinking on this issue.
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After my wife and I fully processed our initial shock we realized that the caring thing to do would be to better understand the causes, treatments, and effects of mental illness in order to help our struggling loved ones. We also wanted to learn more about local resources that are available in our area.
I attend a weekly men’s bible study and found that a large number of attendees were also experiencing similar difficulties in their families’ lives. Several of us decided it was important to do something about this growing challenge for our community. The result was to start the You’re Not Alone Ministry to facilitate the transition for caregivers from hurt to help to hope to healing.
For those who want to take compassionate action toward greater mental wellness in our community we look forward to jointly taking on this challenge with you!
Sylvia Tarro
Treasurer
The Lord gave Sylvia Tarro a heart for people in the margins; from the little girl that nobody liked or wanted play with, to a mom overwhelmed with the 24/7 care required of a paraplegic child, to women released from prison, to victims of sexual abuse, to women recovering from tragedy or in difficult relationships. Her background includes training in Biblical discipleship, and women’s ministry and Bible study leadership. Sylvia served with Joni and Friends International Disability Ministry and Wheels for the World to reach out to families in the US and in Chile and Peru who live with disability, offering the hope of the Gospel. As a mentor for A Peaceful Habitation in NM, she served by coming alongside women released from correctional facilities to extend Christ’s unconditional love and hope by teaching the Word of God and Christian morals and principles. Serving on the Speaker’s Bureau for Stonecroft Ministries Christian Women’s Connection, Sylvia shares her testimony and the message of the Gospel to groups in VA, PA, DE, NJ and NC – wherever the Lord opens a door. Empathy and compassion for the desperate needs of people suffering from mental illness and their families drew her to You’re Not Alone Ministry. Sylvia’s life verse: And who knows but that you have come to this royal position for such a time as this. (Esther 4:14)
Helen Neely
Secretary
Helen Neely grew up on a sheep farm in Virginia. She attended James Madison University and Virginia Tech. She taught students with disabilities and English language learners in elementary schools throughout Virginia for 31 years. She lives in Winchester with her husband Rodney and her high maintenance Chihuahua Beagle cross, Jovie. Helen's passion for this ministry comes from 1 Peter 3:15, "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."
