Sandy Buck is the co-founder of Be Not Afraid, co-author of the BNA Pastoral Care Manual, and currently serves as BNA Program Director. She lives in Huntersville, NC.
Sandy is a wife and mother of three surviving children, two babies lost through miscarriage and a son, Casey, who was prenatally diagnosed with Trisomy 18 and born still on May 27, 2002. She has worked in perinatal bereavement ministry for ten years completing the Catholic Diocese of Charlotte's Bereavement Ministry Program.
Sandy has an undergraduate degree in accounting and worked as a CPA before starting a family. She also has experience in volunteer management having served as Volunteer Coordinator for Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte for two years.
As a BNA trainer, Sandy has provided programs in North Carolina, Nebraska, New York, Virginia, Rhode Island and Florida. She is deeply committed to the development of resource materials that encourage and foster local service for parents carrying to term.
Eleven years ago when Sandy experienced her prenatal diagnosis, there was no formal support in Charlotte offered to parents who would not abort...not at the hospital at which she delivered and not in her community of faith. In her work with BNA, she has become the ministry she did not find.
Tracy Winsor is the co-founder of Be Not Afraid, co-author of the BNA Pastoral Care Manual, and currently serves as BNA Administrative Coordinator. She lives in Marietta, GA.
Tracy is a wife and mother of six surviving sons and has worked in the field of maternal child health for over twenty years. She has undergraduate degrees in English and Psychology, and a Masters Degree in Public Administration.
As a young mother, she developed and implemented Elizabeth Ministry services in both the Diocese of St. Augustine and the Diocese of Charlotte. She has worked in direct service in the field of medical advocacy, and as a childbirth and parenting educator, doula and peer minister. She has completed RTS and Share bereavement training as well as the Catholic Diocese of Charlotte's Bereavement Ministry Program and an Archdiocese of Atlanta bereavement seminar.
As a BNA trainer, Tracy has provided programs in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, Michigan and Washington DC. She is recognized for her ability to blend hands-on sensitivity with program-wide insights, and has been published by the National Catholic Bioethics Center, LifeSiteNew.com, Public Discourse, and Human Life International.
In her capacity as Administrative Coordinator, she is the primary mentor for BNA-modeled developing ministries. Tracy has supported service development in the Dioceses of Charleston, Richmond, Allentown, Lexington and Fort Wayne-South Bend, and in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Having had two miscarriages, Tracy's work with BNA is informed by her own experiences of loss, and her desire to provide comfort and support to parents carrying to term.
Judy Townsend serves as BNA Parent Care Coordinator, and lives in Charlotte, NC. She is a wife and the mother of four surviving children. She also has lost two children to miscarriage.
Judy has an undergraduate degree in Therapeutic Recreation, and has worked in hospital and community-based programs with children and adults with varying disabilities. She is also a certified Natural Family Planning instructor, and a presenter for the Marriage Preparation Program in the Catholic Diocese of Charlotte.
Judy was introduced to BNA after her youngest child was diagnosed with Hypo-Plastic Left Heart Syndrome in-utero. She served on a BNA parent steering committee the year that the local BNA service in Charlotte was founded. She currently serves as a peer minister.
As a BNA trainer, Judy has provided programs in South Carolina and North Carolina.
Having a surviving child with a congenital heart defect has inspired Judy to serve others with care and compassion in the journey from prenatal diagnosis to birth and whatever lies beyond.