Board Member's Bios

Susie Jennings, Founder and President
Susie joined First Baptist Church Dallas in 1982, within months of arriving in the United States from her home in the Philippines. She received invaluable Biblical knowledge under the teaching of the legendary Dr. W.A. Criswell, one of the godliest men she has known. She taught preschoolers for twenty (20) years at her church. Desiring to serve God and her community after the tragic death of her husband, God called Susie to give blankets to the homeless in downtown Dallas in November 1993. The homeless called her, “The Blanket Lady.” That modest beginning was the genesis of Operation Care International (OCI), which has grown to encompass multiple ministries and major events each year in Dallas, Texas as well as missions to the homeless and destitute children in nations around the world. A registered nurse by profession since 1978, in obedience to God’s calling Susie stepped out in faith and resigned from a supervisory position at Baylor University Medical Center Dallas in January 2011; thus becoming a full time missionary to those in need. Susie continues to lead OCI with the help of a board of directors and a multitude of volunteers. Her guiding principle for the vision of OCI is in Romans 8:28, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Susie’s life Bible verse is “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Al Hewitt, Chairman and Vice President
Al is the Deacon Team Leader at Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church in McKinney and serves as the Director of the Adult Bible Fellowship program. Prior to becoming a board member, Al first served as a volunteer during Christmas Gift 2008, which prompted Al to undertake the leadership role in managing the homeless gifts and warehouse for Christmas Gift 2009. In early 2010, Al efforts were recognized by the nominating committee for Operation Care. Al now serves as Vice President and Chairman. In Al’s assessment, one of the primary reasons for his involvement with this ministry is “the Gospel of Jesus Christ is boldly proclaimed and the ministry is strongly based upon prayer and the commitment to have a servant heart in obedience to our Lord and Savior.” Over the past several years and prior to Operation Care, Al served as a board member of another nonprofit ministry and has served in a variety of similar ministries. In business, Al manages a residential lending company for the real estate market sector for past thirteen (13) years. Al and Caprice have been married for eighteen (18) years and have three children. Al’s favorite Bible verse is Romans 12:1-2, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Cecille Lijauco, Secretary
Cecille is a member of Lovers Lane United Methodist in Dallas in addition to her role as board member of the contemporary worship, Cecille serves other church ministries such as outreach and finance. Cecille became involved with Operation Care in 1999 when the ministry’s mission field was the streets of downtown Dallas distributing the Gospel of Christ Jesus and new blankets. For a season, she was not active with Operation Care until God urged her to volunteer for the Christmas Gift 2009 event. Cecille became a board member in July 2010 and without reservation, she joined a seven-member team assigned to go to the slums of Nairobi, Kenya. She has served with other ministries and medical missions to her home country, the Philippines, lately Taiwan and China with Operation Care. As a nurse, she is a director for health care improvement and care coordination at Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital in Dallas. Cecille and Rick have been married for twenty-seven (27) years and have two children. Her life Bible verse is Isaiah 43:1, “But now, thus says the LORD,…‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!’”

Robyn Moore, Treasurer
Robyn is a member of Bent Tree Bible Fellowship in Carrollton and has served in a variety of roles such as the accounting ministry, children’s ministry, local outreach programs and Lifegroup Impact Leader. Robyn’s first involvement with Operation Care was as a volunteer for Christmas Gift 2009. She recalls God saying to her after the event, “You are going to do something with this organization”. When plans for Operation Care Africa began to develop, in obedience, Robyn stepped forward and joined a seven-member team assigned to go to Kenya, serving and touching the lives of more than 5,000 children in the slums of Kibera. After returning from her first international mission trip, Robyn readily admits that the experience changed her life. She immediately became a board member of OCI in July 2010. Robyn brings twelve (12) years of accounting experience to Operation Care. In the summer of 2011, Robyn joined the eleven-member team of Operation Care Taiwan-China, serving almost 3,000 children. Recently she became the coordinator of a Bible study in our sister ministry to homeless women. Her favorite Bible verse is “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Marie Reed, Asst. Treasurer
Marie is a member of First Baptist Church Dallas and serves as Care Ministry Director with the Women Equipped for the Battle Sunday school class, and has also served in the Single Mother’s Ministry and in the Singles Department helping those in need throughout the Metroplex. Marie first became involved with Operation Care in 2008 as a volunteer in the Christmas Gift Event. She was amazed at the magnitude of the event and was deeply moved by the sincere hearts of both the guests and the volunteers. She decided she wanted to serve in a larger capacity and became the Co-Chair for Outside Ministries at the 2009, 2010, and 2011 event. As a natural progression to become more involved in the ministry she became a board member in February of 2012. Marie brings with her twenty-five (25) years of business operations experience with the majority of her career working for two of the largest International financial institutions in the world. Marie has two teenage children who have also been involved in Christmas Gift 2008-2011. Marie’s favorite Bible verse is John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John Davis, Website
John is a member of the First Baptist Church Dallas and serves on the missions committee with the Acts 2:42 Sunday school class. In 2009, God inspired John to serve the homeless and his search led him to Operation Care. John first served as a volunteer for Christmas Gift 2009 event and as a coordinator for the partnership with Feed the Children as truckloads of goods arrived in Dallas (June 18, 2010) in an event entitled “Americans Feeding Americans” . John became an Operation Care board member in August 2010. Operation Care is not John’s first nonprofit experience, he has previously served as a board member and webmaster for nine (9) years with the Dallas Songwriters Association. As a certified public accountant, John has been employed with Thomson Reuters for nineteen (19) years, where he's tasked with developing tax software for charitable trusts and nonprofit organizations. John and Sherrie have been married for thirty-five (35) years and have three children. His favorite life Bible verse is “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:8).

Gary Daniels, Marketing and Public Relations
Gary is a member of Valley Creek Church in Flower Mound and volunteers for a variety of outreach ministry opportunities. Gary was first involved as volunteer distributing shoes for the Christmas Gift 2009. As Gary recalls, he was astonished by the scope of the event and was touched by the compassion shown to the homeless that were served. He subsequently volunteered as a co-coordinator for shoe distribution for Christmas Gift 2010. Gary has also served with other ministries and has participated in medical and service missions in Africa, Indonesia, China, the Philippines and Honduras. Gary became a board member in May 2011. He brings thirty (30) years of creative marketing and brand management experience with large corporations. Gary and Kim have been married twenty-eight (28) years and have two children. His favorite Bible verse is Joshua 1:9, “...Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Don Perritt, Founding Member and Chairman Emeritus
Don is a member of Valley Creek Church in Flower Mound and has volunteered for a variety of outreach ministry opportunities including the AWANA program. Don, a founding member of Operation Care, has been involved in a variety of roles since December 1999. Don and Susie became the first board members on an international mission trip, the Philippines 2008. His latest assignment was board chairman from June 2009 to June 2011. A memory that reminds Don of God’s mercy stems from May 1992 because he and his young family were very close to becoming homeless themselves. Being a veteran of the United States Navy, Don is also sympathetic to the plight of homeless veterans. Accepting Jesus Christ as his savior was a slow process for Don, but ultimately the Bible verse that brought conviction to his hardened heart was Philippians 2:10-11: “…that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Don and Annie have been married for twenty-five (25) years and have four children.

Ron Batts, Chairman Emeritus
Ron is a member of the First Baptist Church Dallas and has served a number of nonprofit organizations as a board member, including his role of board chairman of Operation Care from November 2005 to June 2009. Ron and Susie developed the vision to hold the “largest Christmas party for Jesus” in December of each year; this vision became a reality in December 18, 2004. Ron has more than thirty (30) years of executive leadership experience that enables him to bring strategic thinking, problem-solving and growth planning expertise to Operation Care. Ron is President and CEO of Christian Community Action in Lewisville, Texas. Ron’s former corporate positions include; Things Remembered as senior vice president of sales and store operations, Levi's Dockers as president of outlet stores, Haggar Clothing as senior vice president of retail, and Charming Charlie as senior vice president of store operations. Ron and Martha have two children, Chandler attends Texas A & M in the fall and Kathryn freshman in Lake Highlands High School. His favorite Bible verse is 1 Samuel 16:7, “for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”