Meet our Board of Directors!
Holly Stockett- Founder & Visionary President| Acting Executive Director
Founder and visionary president of TBLI, Holly is a lover of Jesus, a devoted wife, mother of four, and grandmother to two beautiful boys. At an early age, Holly had a deep desire to work among the poorest of the poor in the world, sharing the love and mercy of Jesus to the forgotten of society through compassion ministries. Though called to serve in missions at 14, God did not open doors to the missions until many years later. In the time leading to that open door, the Lord continually affirmed her call.
She attended Gordon college, was secretary for the campus’s Bread for the World mission, managed group homes for developmentally delayed adults with emotional challenges, volunteered in soup kitchens and outreach to the homeless in Hartford, CT and Boston, Mass, sang in many choirs and mastered skills in sustainable agriculture and small space gardening, and ran two businesses. With her husband, Bob, she attended HEART Institute for missionary training, raised 4 beautiful children, homeschooled 2, and hosted many missionaries and musicians in her home.
While away on a spiritual retreat in 2014, the LORD spoke to her the words from Isaiah 43:18, 19 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” The doors for her to do mission work were opening! Upon returning to Vermont she met a Kenyan pastor who needed help for the orphans in his care and Touched By Love International was born.
Today GOD has refined the vision for TBLI, introduced them to new partners, and opened many opportunities for the women and children they serve. Holly’s love for Kenyans and her passion to see His people flourish, to live in the knowledge of HIS Love for them and their infinite value, continues to drive her to work to help them to reach their potential now and for years to come!
Outside of TBLI, Holly enjoys gardening, ballroom dancing, baking and gourmet cooking, playing with her grandchildren, singing on worship teams, spending time with family and friends and creating beauty around her.
Robert Stockett- Treasurer
Robert (Bob) Stockett has been faithfully and actively serving on Touched by Love International’s Board of Directors in different capacities, since its inception in 2014. He currently serves as the organization’s treasurer. Bob & Holly sponsored a Kenyan student from one of TBLI’s ministry partners to obtain a Master’s degree in Architecture from Norwich.
In 1999 Bob attended the H.E.A.R.T. Missionary training program, along with his wife Holly and their 4 children. The program prepares missionaries for the difficulties in serving third world communities.
He participates in TBLI’s annual Christmas Concert fundraiser as well as other worship teams year round. Bob is also a member of the Sons of the American Legion (SAL), Squad 10, Barre VT. He recently retired as a Physics Lab Coordinator at Norwich University, where he was employed for 18 years. In his free time, Bob enjoys reading, playing his guitar, having time with his wife and spending time in the woods with his beloved dog, Virgil.
Rebecca Collins- Administrative Assistant
Rebecca (Becca) Collins joined Touched by Love International in 2024 after supporting TBLI for 6 years. She serves on the board of directors as the administrative assistant performing secretary duties, assisting the Executive Director with communication with the board and TBLI’s ministry partners, and serving as social media coordinator and children’s ministry coordinator.
She is married to her faithful and loving husband, Christian and is a mother to their 3 year old boy whom she homeschools. In her free time she enjoys crocheting & knitting, being creative, listening to music, staying organized and learning new things.
Becca has a background studying early childhood education and is currently working towards her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. She has worked with children of various ages, in a variety of settings including in a preschool, in a child care center, as a nanny, and in a few different Churches. She currently volunteers as children + youth ministry director at her Church teaching Sunday school in a milti-age classroom with toddlers, preschoolers, school-age kids to teens and sometimes young adults. Becca loves Jesus and has a heart for sharing the love of Christ with children.
She has traveled to Kenya 3 separate times in the past, when she went on missions trips with others from her Church, where she did volunteer work at Anajali, a school in the Kibera Slum. On those trips she participated in projects including painting the school buildings, distributing school supplies and hygiene products, and assisting others in teaching Bible lessons and crafts. She is grateful to have had those experiences and for the opportunity to continue sharing God’s love with people in Kenya as she volunteers with TBLI.
Christian Savoia- Chairman of the Board
Christian Savoia is a hard-working, devoted husband and father. He joined Touched By Love International in 2024. He currently serves on TBLI’s Board of Directors as Chairman of the Board. He keeps board meetings in order, assists in fundraising and transportation, and performs other helpful tasks as needed.
Christian is passionate about ensuring the Truth of God’s Word is taught with integrity. He is very supportive of TBLI’s gospel outreach and specifically the Bible distribution initiative with the goal of getting each individual we serve in Kenya a Bible in their primary language. He believes Bible literacy is important.
In high school Christian volunteered on three separate missions trips doing demolition and construction, helping victims of hurricane Katrina in both New Orleans, Louisiana and the coastal part of Mississippi. He attended Rivendell College studying liberal arts and he had the opportunity to study for 6 weeks in Italy.
He got married in 2021 to his wife, Rebecca. He has worked in management in retail and he currently works as an inventory service specialist. Christian loves history, enjoys reading, and spending time with family. He especially loves playing and interacting with his sweet 3 year old boy. Christian also currently volunteers in children’s ministry at Church as an assistant teacher.
Rebecca Salameh Savoia- Missions Director
Rebecca serves as the Director of Missions for TBLI. She is deeply committed to advancing the love and knowledge of God throughout the Earth. With over 10 years of experience, she has lived and worked in international contexts across Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Asia. Her work has included counter–human trafficking initiatives, supporting survivors of conflict, working with the at risk, women and shelter in poverty and serving families emerging from war-affected regions. Much of her ministry has focused on discipleship, leadership development, and leading cross-cultural teams overseas, with an emphasis on meeting people with the gospel while addressing practical, day-to-day needs.
Wendie Carwise- Social Media Specialist
Wendie has had the pleasure of calling Holly and Bob her dearest friends in Christ for more than 25 years. Jesus initially brought them together as missionary trainees at the HEART simulated village in Lake Wales Florida where they spent four months receiving hands-on experience in developing world sustainable agriculture, animal husbandry, and cross-cultural relationship-building. Despite residing in different states and feeling called to different overseas mission fields, they remained close after graduation. In subsequent visits to Vermont, Wendie fell in love with the region and with Holly and Bob’s encouragement permanently moved from the DC metropolitan area to Montpelier in 2013. Wendie was blessed to witness the divinely arranged circumstances which inspired the founding of TBLI and has partnered in its beautiful mission for over a decade through ongoing prayer, financial support, graphic design assistance, in-kind donations and volunteering with fundraising drives.
Her deep connection to the TBLI vision is rooted in her former career path. She believes that because Jesus knew she would never bear children of her own, He lovingly fulfilled this unmet need well before she came to saving faith by inspiring a passion within her heart to support families in the loving care and teaching of their young children. This growing passion started in her early teens and eventually led Wendie to pursue an Associate’s degree in Human Services, Child Care, and Early Childhood Education. She then went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Children and Family Services. In her 20 years as a child care professional and teacher, she was blessed to become a significant part of the physical, emotional, behavioral, intellectual, and spiritual development of hundreds of children from birth to age 13. Following a career shift into the administrative professional field, Wendie worked as an academic executive assistant and spent several years as a marketing assistant where she was able to significantly improve her graphic design skills. Her entrepreneurial endeavors include contracting as a virtual assistant to Christian small business owners, ministry leaders, and other Chrisian creatives. She currently runs several print-on-demand online shops which are hosted on the Zazzle marketplace, including JUST JESUS DESIGN and JUST JESUS CHRISTMAS, where her Christ-exalting designs are available on their products. Wendie currently works part time for the State of Vermont Child Development Division as a member of the Children’s Integrated Services data team.
Single in Christ, Wendie finds intimacy and fulfillment through serving our Lord however He leads and provides new opportunities. He never fails to surprise! She has formerly served in evangelistic and compassion ministry to the homeless and as a short-term missionary to fundamentalist Arab Muslims in UAE, Oman, and Yemen. She feels a strong burden to support our brothers and sisters in the persecuted church which she does through prayer, financial partnership, and advocacy. Her ongoing commitment to discipling women and children has led to her service as a church youth leader, bible teacher, writer, biblical encourager, and owner of a Christian before and after school home day care program. She enjoys sowing into the Kingdom by volunteering her graphic design abilities to support the creative needs of Christian-owned businesses, Christian schools, churches, and Christ centered ministries. She is beyond grateful for this new opportunity as a TBLI social media specialist to align with Holly’s heart for touching the most vulnerable among women and children with the love and Gospel of Christ.
Wendie’s favorite pastimes are those that inspire and indulge her creativity—arts and crafts, decorating, baking, party planning, creative writing, and graphic designing. She is unapologetically obsessed with the color purple and has an affinity for sweet and spicy coffee, the sound and smell of rain, and watching van life and family homesteading videos.
Kathleen Stewart Whitfield- Curriculum & Education Coordinator
Kathleen (Kalyn) has supported Holly with Touched by Love International since its founding in 2014. She was inspired by the organization’s vision and mission. With her passionate love for children and teaching, she expressed her desire to help make a difference which led her to joining TBLI’s board of directors as the curriculum & education coordinator.
Kalyn earned her BA in English Literature at Gordon College in 1985. She furthered her education and graduated with her MEd from Salem State University in 2005. Kalyn’s work experience includes working in medical rehab for 13 years, serving as an education consultant for 6 years, and teaching english and history as a middle school teacher where she incorporated project based learning in her curriculum. Kalyn has also volunteered at her local food bank and spent 12 years volunteering with Boy Scouts of America.
She has been married to her husband, John, for 35 years and together they have one son, one dog, and one rabbit at home. Her hobbies include listening to a variety of music including classical, country, and classical rock among other genres. She enjoys European Travel, Antiques, raising house rabbits, and watching old movies.
Meet our Volunteers!
Richard Soud- Volunteer
Richard volunteers on TBLI’s Marketing & Communications Committee. He has helped make connections to a radio show host that allowed TBLI to reach a broader audience.