Creators and Guests

Husband, father, Doc to Mia, pastor, author, & orphan advocate. Ph.D. (‘99) @NOBTS, Author @Orphanology & @KnowOrphans. Tweets & thoughts therein are my own.

Herbie Newell serves as the President & Executive Director of Lifeline Children’s Services, holds an MBA in Accounting from Samford University and brings years of experience from his work as an independent auditor at WAKM Companies, LLC. Serving as Lifeline's Executive Director since 2003, Herbie has significantly expanded international outreach, obtained licensure in 17 states, and led the establishment of the foster care arm. A passionate advocate, he co-founded (un)adopted in 2009, focusing on equipping orphaned children with life skills for community transformation. Herbie, also the author of "Image Bearers: Shifting from Pro-birth to Pro-Life," emphasizes that being pro-life extends beyond opposing abortion, urging a broader ethic that includes fighting for racial equality and embracing every individual with the love of Christ. Herbie and his wife, Ashley, reside in Birmingham, Alabama, and are the parents to three children.

Alton Hardy serves as the pastor and founder of Urban Hope Community Church and an ordained teaching elder of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). He is also the Cofounder of Urban Hope Development in Fairfield, AL. Alton is a native of Selma, AL and resided in Louisville, KY and Grand Rapids, MI for many years before returning to Alabama. Alton’s educational background includes a degree from Alpena Community College, Reformed Bible College, Calvin Seminary and a Certificate of Completion from Antioch Leadership Training in Reformed Preaching. Alton is happily married to Sandra and they have five children. In his free time, he enjoys reading and watching sports. Alton is passionate about addressing the conditions facing urban communities.

Blake Wilson grew up in the Athens, GA area and joined Lifeline in July of 2013. He is a graduate of Liberty University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Religion and a Master’s Degree in Discipleship from Liberty Theological Seminary. He has over 20 years of organizational leadership experience in the for profit, non-profit and the local church arena. In his first role at Lifeline, he served as the Kentucky State Director in Louisville, KY and then moved to Birmingham, AL to focus on internal operations in 2014. In his current role as the Senior Vice President of Operations, he leads internal operations, state offices, compliance and human resources. He thrives in seeing others succeed and supporting the Lifeline staff on the frontlines of ministry. Blake and his wife, Shae, met in high school and have three children.

My name is Bucky Rogers. I’m originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee and now reside in Spartanburg, South Carolina. I’ve been on staff since March 2022 as the (un)adopted Regional Coordinator for Africa and Eurasia. After studying Accounting at the University of Tennessee, I went on to complete my masters degree in Christian Education from Southern Seminary. My wife, Julie, and I have 5 children: Sasha, Innocent, Xan, Brennan, and Becca. They are our joy and we pray they will be powerful tools for the Gospel in our Lord’s hands as they grow and mature.

Chris joined Lifeline in March, 2020, and serves as the VP of Church Partnerships and Government Affairs. He previously served as a pastor for 24 years and as the Executive Director of the Kentucky Governor’s Office of Faith and Community Based Initiatives. Chris has also served as a consultant and has been a frequent speaker at local, state, and national conferences, churches, and community gatherings, sharing his family’s story and challenging others to answer the gospel call to care for vulnerable children and families. He was born and raised in metro Atlanta, GA, and currently lives in Birmingham. Chris studied Church Ministries (B.A.) at Trinity Baptist College and Educational Leadership (M.Ed.) at Regent University. He and his amazing wife, Alicia, have 10 children (7 adopted from foster care) and 3 grandchildren (2 adopted from foster care). They have also served as foster parents to more than 40 children.