JMI Team

Mary Katharine Hunt

Chief Executive Officer

Mary Katharine Hunt is the Chief Executive Officer for Justice & Mercy International and has been with the organization since 2013. Previously Mary Katharine spent 20 years investing in the ministry of LifeWay Christian Resources. Most recently she served as the Vice President of Marketing for B&H Publishing Group, a division of LifeWay.

Mary Katharine has a heart for missions and a passion for advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ around the world. Over the years, Mary Katharine has volunteered for and led dozens of mission trips to Mexico, Moldova, and Brazil. She served on the inaugural Board of Directors for Justice and Mercy International in 2008.

A native of Tennessee, Mary Katharine is a graduate of The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. She also attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.

Dr. Chris Hardy

Chief Program Officer

Dr. Chris Hardy is the Chief Program Officer for JMI. Before joining JMI, Chris served 29 years as an ordained pastor in the local church. He most recently served 19 years on the pastoral staff at Westover Church in Greensboro, NC where he provided oversight for equipping, life development, and leadership development, and most recently served as Staff Pastor. His heart for missions began after college and since that time he has led multiple teams serving the vulnerable, poor, and least-reached people around the world.

Chris has been married to Traci for over 25 years, and they have two children: Kara-Anne and Will. His family proudly supports JMI and sponsors a child in Moldova and a pastor in the Amazon.

Chris, a native of Georgia, studied psychology at Berry College and counseling at the Church of God Theological Seminary. He also completed his M.Div. and D.Min. at United Theological Seminary.

Tara Owen

Chief Financial Officer & Secretary of the Corporation

Tara Owen is the Chief Financial Officer for JMI. She has a CPA and holds a Master’s and a BBA in Accounting from Baylor University. Previously, Tara performed audits with KPMG, served as an Analyst for LifeWay, and managed Accounting and Operations for companies in the real estate, healthcare, and nonprofit sectors.

Tara has two sons, Caleb and Luke. She and her boys love being a part of the ministry God is doing through JMI.

Sarah Rodrigues

National Director, Justice & Mercy Amazon

Sarah was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She is married to Magno Rodrigues and lives in Manaus, Amazon. At the age of seventeen, God called her to full-time ministry. Sarah received degrees from the South of Brazil Baptist Theological Seminary in Theology and the Baptist College of Florida in Missions. Sarah’s greatest joy is to be used in any shape, form, time or place by God. She feels God has blessed her with the privilege of serving Him among the people in the Amazon. Her desire is to bring the lost into a true understanding of Christ and what He has done for us and to mobilize and train God’s people to fulfill the Great Commission.

Vadim Fortuna

National Director, Justice & Mercy Moldova

With a rich background spanning over 15 years as a legal advisor and consultant in the nonprofit sector of Moldova, Vadim brings a unique perspective to the role of National Director. Vadim’s academic achievements include a master’s degree in Law, and he is in the final year of his studies at the Baptist Theological Institute of Bucharest. He also teaches Law at Divitiae Gratiae University. Recently, Vadim was the Executive Director of the “Celebration of Hope” project by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in Moldova. He managed and inspired teams ranging from a few individuals to hundreds of employees and volunteers leading up to the 25,000-person event. Vadim often preaches in his home church, and he and his wife, Kate, spearhead the teen ministry there as well. Vadim and Kate have been married since 2012 and have two children.