Donna Cook
Board Chair
Board Member since 2016
Activist, Advocate, Servant. Donna is called to service in the community. Everywhere she goes, she finds community. Service with Isaiah 58 Ministries is the next spiritual and logical step in a long line of commitment to advocate for all of God’s children. As a public school teacher she served in her local chapter of the National Education Association as President and as a student and teacher advocate. Her day job was to teach American Government and History to 8th Graders. After retiring from teaching, she served for 12 years as President of the Board of Religious Organizations, a local non-profit serving over 5,000 children in need during the holiday season. An Ordained Ruling Elder of the PCUSA, Donna is actively involved as a member at Oak Hill Presbyterian Church in Tower Grove South where she serves as chair of the Mission and Justice Committee and is one of the original creators of AMEN St.Louis, a service and leaning mission outreach ministry at Oak Hill. A third generation member at Oak Hill, Donna learned the importance of and call to advocacy and service from the example modeled by her grandparents, parents, brother and that great cloud of witnesses, pastors, teachers, and friends.
Identifying as a “Christian without borders”, Donna has found herself living and working all over the St. Louis area and beyond. The strong ties created by growing up in Tower Grove South and attending Mann School, Roosevelt High School and Oak Hill, calls Donna back to the community daily. Donna has found herself living in old city houses, tiny south side apartments, suburban condos and teaching in the Northwest District of Jefferson County. She currently resides with her spouse, Rick Soles and dog companions, Ms. Mollie and Mr. Pickles, in an “old enough house” in the Lemay / Affton area, located at the end of Morgan Ford Road.
Donna holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Missouri – Saint Louis. When not picking up food donations or questioning authority, Donna hangs out with her fitness friends at Great American Human Foosball, takes an occasional road trip and creates “masterful” mixed media projects and collage in her basement and living room and reads a plethora of books.
Darrell Hughes
Vice Chair / Treasurer
Board Member since 1995
Darrell Hughes has served on Isaiah 58’s board for almost 25 years. Darrell’s father was one of the founders of the Five Church Association (which was eventually renamed Isaiah 58). Darrell is a retired engineer/finance supervisor for Ameren Corporation. He currently serves as Treasurer for Isaiah 58. Darrell sees Isaiah 58 as a mission extension of the many participating congregations that lend support. He most enjoys maintaining contacts with the many volunteers that make Isaiah 58 a viable agency.
Bev Brickey
Assistant to Treasurer
Board Member since 2018
A former high school teacher, Bev spent most of her working years as an executive at a highly successful financial planning agency. An early heart attack at age 49 put an end to her 60-hour work weeks and taught her the true value of time. For the next 15 years she tried to achieve a workable balance between employment (which was still necessary) and the enjoyment which comes from giving back to family, friends, and the community at large.
Shortly after retiring in 2013, Bev served as the Treasurer at the Board of Religious Organizations (BRO) which provided toys and books to thousands of needy St. Louis area children. Now Bev shares the Treasurer role at Isaiah 58 by taking on the payroll, accounts payable, and monthly financial reporting functions.
Bev is currently attempting to put her 50 years of genealogical research on Ancestry and loves helping friends research their family trees and solve their adoption mysteries. Although unable to engage in the athletic activities of her youth, she is an avid St. Louis sports fan, both Blues and Cardinals, and is looking forward to the new MLS team.
Diann Burke
Secretary
Since 2019
Diann’s mother was always volunteering, room mother, cub scout leader, mother’s club and more, so you could say volunteering is in Diann’s DNA. Diann has lived in the Shaw neighborhood for over 30 years. About 4 years ago she had food that she didn’t need and asked friends where she could take it. That was when she found Isaiah 58. After donating the food, she talked with the food pantry manager about volunteering. She was looking for a opportunity to volunteer and to become more active. Each year Diann takes on more responsibilities at Isaiah 58 and is having a great time.
Diann worked for the Defense Department for 30 years, retiring in 2009. The last couple of years involved purchasing equipment and writing justifying documents for those purchases. She has served on various boards, including First Unitarian Church and Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (MADP). Volunteering with the food pantry is her first opportunity to work directly with clients.
Diann loves to travel. She turned 40 in Tahiti and 50 in the Galapagos Islands. There were other trips to Mexico, Paris, London, Russia, Germany, Poland, Canada and across the United States. Her travels have slowed because she is spending more time with her 93 year old mother.
Cyndy Fleissner
Board Member since 2016
Cyndy was brought to Isaiah 58 through her church, Bonhomme Presbyterian Church, and through her concern for those with food insecurity. Scripture directs us to care for those who are in need. “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” Matthew 25:35
Cyndy was initially connected to Isaiah 58 through her concern for the nutritional
adequacy of the food donated to the food pantry, and she now serves as the liaison between Bonhomme Presbyterian Church and Isaiah 58 Ministries.
Cyndy is a registered and licensed dietitian with a background in clinical dietetics and nutrition education. Her first professional position was with the WIC program, and she has since worked as a clinical dietitian and as a dietary department director. She has donated her time through the years as a Girl Scout leader, room mother, Sunday school teacher, etc.
Cyndy completed a Bachelor’s degree in Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics from Eastern Illinois University as well as a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Illinois. She is married to Mike, and they have an adult daughter and son.
Ed Noud
Board Member since 2019
Ed just started his second year as a member of the Board of Directors for Isaiah 58 Ministries. He found Isaiah 58 through his church, Hope United Church of Christ. At Hope, Ed chairs the Habitat For Humanity Committee and Open and Affirming Committee. He also serves on the Church Council, currently in the role of Assistant Treasurer.
Ed loves everything about food and is certified as a Food Safety Manager. He fills that role for his church and also manages a breakfast ministry at a UCC church in Benton Park. Ed chose to serve at Isaiah 58 because he sees it has more opportunities to help those in need.
Ed is a disabled veteran. Ed and his partner of nearly 9 years love spending their time cooking, baking, bbq’ing, and heading to the river for some relaxation. They also enjoy traveling throughout the country, spending time with family and friends, and have 2 adorable little dogs, Pango and Scooter!