Johnnie Pilgrim is a founding member of the board and served as Board Chair until accepting the role of Executive Director of Living Hope May 1, 2025. He has been an active member of the Board and Executive Committee since Living Hope was chartered as a 501(c)(3) organization in 2013. Johnnie has proved to be an effective and respected leader overseeing daily activities. He brings 20 years of business ownership experience to the ministry, as well as 24 years as a deacon in the Church of Christ in Newnan, Georgia, where he now serves as an elder. Much of that time he has been in charge of the youth ministry and has supervised many youth groups traveling to Honduras. He has made 45 trips to Honduras to date since the organization’s inception, where he advises and interacts with the Honduran staff and community. He has been highly involved in establishing good practices on the farm, the Children’s Home, and has helped to shepherd church growth. Johnnie is also a member of the USAF Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol, where he serves as an advisor, and was formerly Commander of the Griffin GA Squadron. He is also a certified Real Estate Appraiser.