Since July 2017, Steph has been affiliated with Covenant Theological Seminary as a Research Fellow in Disability Ministries and a Visiting Instructor for the Educational Ministries Department.
In addition to serving as a resource for the Covenant Seminary faculty and students on disability-related issues, Steph continues to do research on, write about, and speak regarding disability-related issues as they relate to the family, the church, and the culture-at-large. She is currently writing for the enCourage blog (PCA Women's Ministries) and also for the Special Needs Parenting blog (Key Ministry). Steph released a 31-day-devotional on Parenting & Disabilities: Abiding in God's Presence in October 2021 through P&R Publishing. She also serves on the Advisory Board of the Wheaton Center on Faith & Disability.
Stephanie is also the parent of a young adult son with Down Syndrome.
For more information on Stephanie Hubach connect with her at https://www.stephaniehubach.com

Wayne Chasteen is the founder of Rhyme & Reason, a trio featuring southern gospel, inspirational, light contemporary and praise and worship music that traveled locally, nationally, and internationally for many years. He pastored full-time for ten years, then toured for 17 years traveling, speaking, writing songs, recording, and singing.   God called the team back off the road in 2012 to plant Christ First Church in Ringgold, Georgia, as a ministry of Rhyme & Reason.  
During his years on the road, Wayne noticed some very specific groups of people missing from churches across the country, so Wayne’s vision for CFC was to build a church where those often left out of church had the opportunity to be part of a local body of believers.
With more than half of CFC’s congregation now affected by disability or caregiving in some way, Wayne has begun sharing what he has learned about creating a congregation of belonging with other pastors. You can learn more about Christ First Church at www.christfirstga.org
and find messages on
YouTube at C1CTV.

Lisa Mattheiss has served the disability community for over 20 years as a leader, advisor, and tireless advocate.
Lisa is Executive Director and founder of LifeLine, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit parachurch ministry organization that strives to provide support, education, and resources to families affected by disability, and to increase access and inclusion of individuals with disabilities in the community. Lisa has been involved in Children’s Ministry and in Christian School academic environments for many years. Lisa has developed and written multiple Bible study curriculums. She has been instrumental in the launch, development, and growth of multiple church special needs ministries and currently serves on staff at Christ First Church as Special Needs Ministry Coordinator, integrating ministry to those with disabilities throughout all existing and new programs of the church. Lisa is the parent of a 24 year old daughter with multiple disabilities. Her 17 year old daughter also has some nutritional challenges. You can learn more about Lisa’s ministry at www.LifeLineFamilies.org.

Advocacy began for Trish Cox in 2005 after attending the kindergarten readiness meeting at her son’s preschool where she was told Caelan would not “make it” at any public school. She would decide that summer that every child deserved to succeed or fail because they were afforded the opportunity to participate in the experience rather than imposing a judgement upon them based on a projection. Through the years Caelan was diagnosed with Asperger’s, Sensory Integration Disorder, Anxiety Disorder and ADD. For the past 15 years Trish has been dedicated to educating herself as well as the educators and fellow parents she meets along this journey God set her feet to. Trish became acquainted with Lifeline in 2006 when she needed a parent mentor for support at Caelan’s first IEP meeting. Over the next two years she gained a great deal of knowledge by attending numerous STEP and LifeLine training sessions. In 2008 she was one of the founding parents of the Chattanooga Autism Center where she has served on the board of directors and in various other capacities. She currently sits on  the board of LifeLine and Vitalis Behavioral Health. When Caelan successfully graduated from MTSU with a 3.25 GPA, her advocacy turned from special education to special needs ministry and she continues to actively advocate for children with disabilities in the church setting. Trish joined LifeLine’s board in 2017 and, following her own journey of recovery from trauma, now coordinates LifeLine's
Trauma Reboot courses in Metro Chattanooga.

Matt earned his bachelor’s degree in Human Services from Springfield College in Tampa, FL and a master’s degree in Social Work from Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, TN. Matt is licensed as a clinical social worker in both Georgia and Tennessee (LCSW) and has state and international credentials as an addictions counselor. He has been active in the fields of mental health and addictions since 2008. He currently works as Founder and Director of Behavioral Health for Vitalis Behavioral Health and as an Adjunct Graduate Professor at both Southern Adventist University and the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. Matt serves on several boards including the School of Social Work Advisory Board at Southern Adventist University, the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Certification Board of Georgia, the Georgia School of Addiction Studies. Matt also serves as Clinical Director for FrontLine Counseling Center at Christ First Church with a specialty focusing on addiction, depression, anxiety, personality disorders, trauma crisis management, grief and loss.
Learn more about Matt at
Vitalis Behavioral Health.

Rachel Payne grew up in a pastor’s home and attended a Christian school.  She moved to the Chattanooga area in 2007 from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She met and married Randy six months later.   God brought LifeLine into her life in a very creative way – through Craigslist when she offered an old wheelchair to anyone who could use it.  Although she was born with spina bifida, she never really considered herself to be disabled and never wanted to be associated with anyone that was. Through Lisa and some major life-changing surgeries, she has come to accept that no disability is a mistake. God still created her and everyone with disabilites in His own Image, and He uses those disabilities to bring glory to Himself. Rachel currently stays at home with her two boys, Aiden, 14 and Logan, 13. Rachel has volunteered for LifeLine in multiple capacities, but officially became part of the board in 2014. Randy passed away suddenly in 2017 which led Rachel through a four year journey of faith that eventually brought her to a deeper understanding of God's love for her.  Rachel is an accomplished Celtic harpist and you can learn more about her at https://www.facebook.com/ChattanoogaWeddingHarpist/

From Air Force Med Tech to Registered Nurse, Virginia’s almost 30 years as a professional nurse has taken her from military to hospital to nursing home to insurance company.  Mom to four children, her experience as an advocate in the disability community began when her second son Andrew began struggling with his education and grew when her son George was born with Down Syndrome.  Her advocacy led her to return to school to get her Masters in Special Education and continued with positions at LifeLine, Inc., the ARC of Hamilton County, and the ARC of Tennessee.  Virginia has served on multiple local and state-wide boards through the years and continues to be one of LifeLine’s Parent Mentors.    Virginia has helped write curriculum as well as trained families, educators, and medical personnel on advocacy and transition topics.  Author of Gifts in the Struggle, Virginia shared the spiritual lessons she learned in teaching George about Jesus. In 2018, based on her personal life experiences, Virginia combined her training experience and furniture refinishing hobby and began a ministry to women struggling to understand who they are in Christ.  Ashes to Beauty is based on Isaiah 61:3.  You can find more information about Ashes to Beauty – Ashes to Beauty - Ministry of Renewal and Transformation

One of LifeLine, Inc.'s first volunteers, Becky Cunningham, took her experience as a rehab nurse and combined it with the passion for children that she acquired while working at Shriner’s Hospital. Becky has served in multiple capacities throughout the years, beginning as an AWANA Cubbies club Director who made sure all kids were able to participate in activities and learn about God. Becky has mentored other ladies through Bible studies, sharing her own journey as she has grown her relationship with God. She currently works as a case manager for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee.  Her adopted son Thomas, who is a beautiful, nonverbal young adult who has autism, significant developmental delays, and other medical issues, has prompted Becky to a deeper understanding of how those without words still have the capacity for a relationship with Jesus.  Becky has been a volunteer at LifeLine, Inc. since 2004, Board Member since 2006, and Board Chair since 2008.  Following her own journey of recovery from trauma, Becky now helps teach LifeLine's
Trauma Reboot courses in Metro Chattanooga.

Ezra and Kelly Reynolds were called to Ukraine in 2011 to adopt 2 children, Elena (now age 14) and Juliana (now age 13).  Both girls have Down syndrome and other various related and unrelated diagnoses.  They were called again to Ukraine in 2013 to adopt Katie (now 16) and Andrew (now 11).  Katie also has Down syndrome and is visually impaired.  Andrew has quad congenital amputations.  They also welcomed Chessa (now 10) soon after arriving home with Katie and Andrew, although born 7 weeks earlier than expected.  Isaiah was born into the family in 2015.  Both Ezra and Kelly volunteer and serve in their local church and have a passion to serve those with different abilities.  Kelly has a degree in social work, a master's degree in special education and a master’s degree in speech language pathology.  She spent 7 years as a special educator at Signal Centers and 5 years as a speech and language pathologist for Hamilton County Schools.  Currently, she is a speech language pathologist for Chattanooga Christian School and has been part of LifeLine's training team for several years.