Board of Directors
Thomas J. Rachal, Chairman- Thomas J. Rachal is a Sr. Director, Business Development for Bulwark Protection, a division of Workwear Outfitters. He is a graduate of The University of Texas in Austin TX. Tom was a Senior Vice President at Riverside Manufacturing Company and served on the Presidential Council Board. Throughout his professional career, he has worked on various charitable boards, such as SpiritHorse Therapeutic Riding Center. Tom has a special interest in serving as Chairman of the Board for Rays of light. He and his wife Denise, have a child with special needs, Sam. Tom has experienced first-hand the rewards that the program affords this special community. He has witnessed how Rays of Light has changed the lives of these awesome kids and their families.
Stephen L. Arata, Treasurer- Stephen L. Arata is Chief Executive Officer of Blue Racer Midstream LLC. Blue Racer is one of the largest gathering and processing systems in the Utica Shale gas play in Ohio and West Virginia. Stephen is a graduate of Southern Methodist University and received his MBA from the J.L. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Stephen was one of the original volunteers for Night Lights in 2001, has been an active volunteer since then, and has been on the Rays of Light board since its formation. Stephen is married with three children, the youngest two of whom were also active volunteers at Night Lights.
Christine (Chris) Sanner Berry - Chris has been an active community volunteer for over three decades. Chris’ community involvement has included numerous organizations and philanthropic efforts with a focus on children and youth, education and health. Organizations in which Chris has been actively involved include Parent Teachers Association (P.T.A.), Girl Scouts, Grant Haliburton Foundation, Wesley Rankin Community Center, and Parish Episcopal School events fundraising and programs. In these and other organizations Chris has served in various capacities including board level, fund raising and hands on volunteerism with youth and Children. Chris was introduced to Rays of Light several years ago through her children who served as volunteers and she and her husband Jim have since been active supporters of the organization. Chris is a proud native Texan and received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Stephen F. Austin State University in 1985. She enjoys cooking, traveling and reading in her spare time.
Alden Brosseau - Alden and her family came to Lover’s Lane UMC through the Rays of Light Ministry in 2003. She joined the Board of Directors in 2017. Alden is a graduate of the University of Texas and received her Masters of Science degree from the University of Texas at Dallas. Alden has dedicated her professional career to working with school-aged children with special needs and their families. Alden and her husband, Chip, have two children. In her free time, Alden enjoys volunteering, attending her boys sporting events and reading.
Stan Copeland- Stan Copeland has been the Senior Pastor of Lovers Lane United Methodist Church since April 1, 1998 and prior to that served churches in the heart of Houston and East Texas. Dr. Copeland received a BA in Sociology from Centenary College in Shreveport, Louisiana. He was an honor MDiv graduate of St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, Missouri, where he also received the Roy M. Brady Preaching Award and Scholarship and the Oubri Poppele Research and Study Award. He received his Doctorate of Ministry from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, with an emphasis on spiritual leadership in a post-modern world. Dr. Copeland has authored several publications including Lord, He Went, Remembering William H. Hinson in 2006, and Together, United Methodists of the Temple, Tabernacle and the Temple in 2018. Dr. Copeland is married to Tammy, and they have two children, Zachary Barnes Copeland, an architect in Dallas married to Emily Schmidt Copeland MD, and Emily Grace, an attorney in Dallas married to the Reverend Jonathan Bryant. The Copelands have one granddaughter, Claire Marie Copeland.
Christine Spieth- Christine has a B.S. in computer science from Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA. Christine worked in the Information Systems department for Neiman Marcus for 17 years. She volunteers in various special needs organizations and is an advisory member of the Jordan Spieth Family Foundation. Christine and her husband, Shawn, have 3 children. Her love of special needs children began 17 years ago when her youngest child, Ellie, was born 7 weeks early and eventually became one of the special angels that attends night lights once a month! Their two sons, Jordan and Steven, volunteered at Night Lights when they were students at Jesuit high school. The entire family has witnessed the remarkable joy that the program brings to their sister. Christine and her husband, Shawn, have lived in Dallas for 31 years. They are both originally from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Donald P. Wiley- Don is a Dallas attorney and advisor focusing on estate planning, philanthropy and probate law. He is also a trusted philanthropic consultant to individuals and foundations regarding mission, metrics and management. Don is married to Julia Wiley; they and their son Preston are members of Lovers Lane UMC. Active as a board member and leader with several other nonprofit organizations, Don has worked with Rays of Light as both a fundraiser and a volunteer. Preston has been a volunteer at Night Lights since high school. “Rays of Light has enriched my life; the gifts of time, relaxation and community Rays of Light offers our special kids and their families is only half the story. I believe we and the volunteers receive even more just by serving.” Don is a native Dallasite, a graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School, the University of Texas at Austin and The University of Texas School of Law. A classical singer and soloist, Don is also an active layperson in the connectional United Methodist Church.
Vickie Wise- Vickie Wise is Senior Vice President and Financial Advisor with The Private Client Group at Hilltop Securities, Inc. Vickie and her team provide The Private Client experience of customized wealth management solutions for affluent individuals, trusts and charitable foundations, including investment services, estate planning and risk management. Vickie is a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a BSBA in Financial Management and a minor in Accounting, and also obtained her CFP® (Certified Financial Planner) designation from Southern Methodist University. Vickie also taught the Fundamentals of Financial Planning course in the CFP® program at SMU for two years, the first graduate of the SMU program to be asked to do so. Vickie has been a member of Lovers Lane United Methodist Church since 2002 and has been on the Rays of Light board and a volunteer since 2009. Vickie says, “Some of the funniest stories in my repertoire come from my experiences at Night Lights. These kids have no filter, and they literally do say the darndest things, which is so refreshing compared to this fast-paced serious business world that we all work in every day. An evening at Night Lights “centers” me again, bringing me back to that place where the more important things in life come back to their proper place…if even just for a few hours…”
Roger Wyche- Roger Wyche is a Senior Director for Metropolitan Capital Advisers in Dallas where he specializes in arranging Debt & Equity Capital for commercial real estate on behalf of Developers, Investors, and Owners. He has over 20 years of experience as a Commercial Real Estate Broker & Lender, financing such projects as Southlake Town Square, Hyatt Regency Dallas, Kierland Westin Resort & Spa, Kierland Commons Shopping Center, and Uptown Center. Roger is a graduate of the University of North Texas with a BBA in Marketing as well as a scholarship member of the UNT Golf Team. He has been actively involved with the Preston Center Rotary Club since 2013 and has been an active part of the Rays of Light Board since 2010. “The support and caring among the Board Members is awesome as everyone pulls together to really support this program for our Special Kids”, says Roger. “Being a part of the ROL Program provides a great lift in my life and puts my own priorities in perspective very quickly as well.”