Who We Are
Our Board
Joe Dine | Founder &
President
Joe Dine is a native of Jamaica, New York. After serving four years in the Air Force, he received an Honorable Discharge at the age of 21. Joe pursued various career opportunities until he was employed as a meat cutter in a large regional grocery chain in the Maryland, Virginia, DC area. The last 20 years of his 32-year career were in a management position, while simultaneously obtaining his Maryland Insurance License. Joe then began his second career as an insurance agent selling multiple lines of insurance.
Over the past 30+ years, Joe has served in many varied capacities including leading Bible studies, small groups, outreach and men’s ministry, as well as being a member of the technical team. In 2012, Joe felt the Lord’s call on his heart to devote himself to full-time ministry. This call manifested itself after he returned from his first mission trip to Cuba in 2012. This vision was realized with the birthing of Bridging the Nations Ministries International, Inc.
Dr. William Bloomquist | Director of Development
Dr. William Bloomquist received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from University of Texas in Piano Performance. He has played concerts throughout the United States, Europe, and South America. After a number of years performing and teaching, he was called to ministry and served full-time as a Worship Pastor for 27 years. He also served as an Executive Pastor for five of those years. He currently is the Pastor of Worship & Connections at Severna Park Baptist Church in Severna Park, MD.
Dr. Bloomquist has been Board President of the Anne Arundel County Music Teachers Association, and now serves on the board as Treasurer. He is a past President of the Londontowne Symphony Orchestra Board with whom he pioneered their Young Artists Competition, which is now an annual event. He continues to serve as the Competition Director. Both organizations flourished and grew during his tenure as President. He is an avid tennis player and has coached high school tennis for the past 12 years.
Dr. John Tatterson | Secretary &
Treasurer
Dr. Tatterson is a native of West Virginia, receiving his DDS from West Virginia University in 1968. Following two years of service in the USAF Dental Corp., Dr. Tatterson established his private dental practice in Annapolis, MD in 1970. During this time he served as a treasurer in multiple dental organizations and as treasurer of his Home Owners Association.
Following his retirement from dentistry in 1995, Dr. Tatterson followed God’s prompting to be involved in missions at his local church in Annapolis, MD. He has served as a short term missionary in several countries throughout the years. He has taught evangelism in Ukraine, Romania, China, and Cuba and has travelled to the Philippines to bring support and encouragement to an indigenous missionary. Dr. Tatterson has arranged for the container shipment of pastoral books and Bibles to Cuba and has led multiple mission teams to many areas of Cuba.
Our Staff
Orlando Valdes | Coordinator of All Cuban Logistics and Interpreters
Orlando realized the Lord had given him a gift for language at the early age of ten when he began teaching himself the English language. He entered Junior High School at the age of twelve and at that time he was selected to assist in teaching English classes. Upon completion of Junior High School, at the age of 16, he began assisting American and other groups visiting Cuba. At the age of eighteen he was fast tracked in language school and received his Associates degree in the English Language. After receiving his degree, he became a translator at a local seminary, and also had the opportunity to travel with many independent American religious groups as an interpreter. He has been able to use this gift over the last fifteen years for both large and small groups.
Having had the opportunity to work closely with the individuals of Bridging the Nations Ministries Intl., it is a pleasure now to be able to follow God’s calling joining with them as the in-country logistics coordinator for all BNMI Cuban operations. Along with his duties as logistics coordinator, he will continue serving the Lord as coordinator of all interpreters across Cuba.
Ron and Heather Anne Rahorn | Video & Social Media Production Team
Ron and Heather Anne Rahorn have worked as a video production ministry team for more than a decade. They have been building upon Ron’s training and experience as a military broadcast journalist.
The pair met in Tempe, Arizona following their families’ respective mid-60s moves from Wisconsin (Ron) and Canada (Heather). They met the summer before Heather started high school and were married just three months after her 1972 high school graduation. The couple started their family just over four years later, and are blessed with three daughters and seven grandchildren.
Ron enlisted in the Air Force eight months after the wedding and spent his first fourteen years of active duty in two different electronics career fields. He retrained into broadcast journalism in 1987 and served consecutive broadcast assignments in three countries – Turkey; Azores, Portugal; and Italy – before returning to the states as a military training instructor at the Defense Information School (DINFOS). The day following his June 1999 retirement from active duty, Ron was hired back as a civil servant until his civilian retirement over nineteen years later.
The pair have produced videos for several churches and Christian ministries, including more than two dozen BNMI videos beginning with their 2017 trip to Cuba.
Deborah Graham | Director of
Social Media
Debbie has many years of administrative experience. She worked as an Executive Assistant for 6 years prior to her current job as an auditor for a large international organization. She has experience with office programs, website editing, and social media. She worked for her church in Florida both as the Children’s Ministry Director and an assistant in the accounting office. After living in Florida for 20 years, her family moved to Maryland. She was employed at her church in Maryland from March 2010 to November 2020. She began as an Administrative Assistant and in 2014 moved to Executive Assistant, and the Director of all facility rentals.
Debbie has always sung, took voice lessons while in high school, as well as when she was in her 30’s, and continues to use her voice in ministry. As a hobby, she sings in the Chamber Choir at the local community college when she is able. Debbie has a heart to serve and has served in various ministries over the years including a Food Pantry and Worship Team. She has been on two mission trips to the Dominican Republic which have impacted her life greatly.
Brooke Lackey | Web Designer
Brooke Lackey received a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from Coastal Carolina University. It was during this time that she began dabbling in web design.
In 2013 she went on her first international mission trip to the Dominican Republic. Her time there gave her a great interest in exploring other languages and cultures, eventually inspiring her to minor in Spanish while attending university.
Currently Brooke works as a freelance professional actor and nanny in the DC area. She has served on both the Worship Team and Young Adult Ministry at her local church.