Staff Profiles
Derek Maxwell
General Director
Before joining SGA in 2002, Derek pastored two congregations in Northern Ireland. He first served as Regional Representative in Northern Ireland, until his appointment as Field Director in 2004. In 2009 Derek was appointed as General Director, and he is committed to maintaining the mission’s Biblical ethos and vision of reaching Slavic nations with the Gospel. He also engages in extensive deputation work throughout Northern Ireland and in other parts of the British Isles. Derek is married to Carole and they have two children.
Mark Foster
Director of Field Ministries
Mark is married to Margaret and they have 3 children, Sarah, Joshua and Joel. Following university and Bible College studies Mark entered pastoral ministry for 10 years in a church on the Wirral and then joined the staff of SGA in 2009. His responsibilities are varied and include preaching and lecturing throughout Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and representing SGA in North West England and North Wales.
Wayne O’Leary
Field Representative (The Midlands and Mid Wales)
After working in the marine industry for several years, Wayne commenced studies at Bible College in 1990. Alongside his pastoral ministry he also served as a part-time New Testament tutor in Birmingham. He joined SGA in 2012 as a Field Representative, lecturing in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and carrying out deputation in the Midlands and surrounding areas. Wayne is married to Iris, and they have a son, Joshua and a daughter, Naamah.
Clive Langston
Regional Representative (South East England)
After working on a voluntary basis with London City Mission, Clive studied at Moorlands College for three years, specialising in Pastoral Studies. Following his time at college, he married Margaret, and they now have five children. After 11 years as pastor in North Devon, Clive joined the ministry of SGA in September 2014 as a Regional Representative for the south east of England. He also lectures in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Trevor Morrow
Regional Representative (Northern & Southern Ireland)
After a period of 10 years serving within the N. Ireland Civil Service, followed by training at the Irish Baptist College, Trevor and his wife, Christine went to serve as missionaries in Peru which lasted for 26 years. Trevor then spent almost 4 years with One Mission Society in N. Ireland as Area Representative and Personnel Officer. In September 2022, he joined the staff of SGA as the Regional Representative for Ireland where he shares about what God is doing in the Slavic nations.
Trevor and Christine have two grown-up children, Rebecca and Andrew.
Pete Aird
Regional Representative (South West & South Wales)
Pete graduated from medical school in 1991 and after a few years in in hospital medicine has spent the last 27 years working as a GP in Somerset. He has also served as an elder in his home church. He joined SGA in December 2023 as the Regional Representative for the south west of England. He is married to Kaye and they have three grown up children, Hannah, Ruth and Sam.
Martyn Pearson
Finance Co-Ordinator & Voluntary Representative (The Midlands)
Martyn has served with SGA since 2004, firstly as a Voluntary Representative in the West Midlands and from 2015 as the Financial Co-ordinator in the Rugby office. He leads the SGA Prayer group that meets in Rowley Regis where he lives. He is married to Amanda and they have 2 grown up children. He also enjoys playing piano, gardening, photography and keeping Koi Carp.
Sharon Howard
Communications & Phoebe Ministry
A former primary school teacher, Sharon has responsibility for all SGA’s communications, also co-ordinating the Sponsorship programme, and the Phoebe ministry. Sharon is married to Andy, and they live in North Yorkshire. They have two daughters, married to two Portuguese brothers, both serving on the Mission Field, along with 6 grandchildren.
Lisa Chow
Office Admin Assistant
Lisa is married to Chi Wah, a part-time pastor of a local village church. Although she trained as a secondary school science teacher Lisa has spent the last fourteen years home educating their five children. She loves being involved in the women’s and children’s ministry in her church and in her spare time enjoys going for country walks and reading.
Annina Lee
Office Admin Assistant
Hailing from the East of Germany, Annina studied European Studies in Germany and Poland before moving to the UK. She now lives in the West Midlands with her husband Joshua. Prior to joining SGA in 2022, Annina worked at a primary school. She now supports the work at the SGA office in Rugby on a part-time basis.
Rachael Winther
Office Administrator
Following seven years serving in the Civil Service as a Statistician, Rachael took an extended career break to raise her four children. During this time Rachael and her husband, Nick, served in two church plants in South-East London. On moving to Rugby in 2018, she returned to the workplace, first in a local secondary school working in data and timetabling and now as Administrator and Finance Co-Ordinator for SGA. Rachael has overall responsibility for the management of the SGA Head Office in Rugby, including finance.
John Birnie
Associate Editor
A former secondary school-teacher, John entered ministry with the Association of Irish Baptist Churches in 1974 as an evangelist and church planter before he became Director of Studies and Lecturer at the Irish Baptist College. John joined the staff of SGA in 2007 and served as Director of Field Ministries until 2019, when he reduced his role in the Mission to part-time. He is married to Dorothy and they have four sons and one daughter, all married.
