Skip to main content

The Soup of Success Team

Our committed team of leaders and program educators are working intimately with the women in our program to help them improve the quality of their lives and reshape the landscape of their lives.

Betsy Portrait

Betsy Ayrea Delfine

Soup of Success Director

(574) 523-1551 x105

Betsy developed the Soup of Success program in November 1997 and still directs it to this day.  She is passionate about empowering women to find their voices, stop settling and reclaim their lives.  Betsy does presentations on the Soup of Success program and Church Community Services and is active in agency fundraising and development as well as social media communications. Betsy loves meeting new people and is always on the lookout for new retail and wholesale customers and people who want to get connected through volunteering!

Kathy Portrait

Kathy Peterson

Soup of Success Program Manager

(574) 523-1551 x 103

Kathy came to Soup of Success as a volunteer with a background in adult education. She became a staff member in 2003 and now serves as the Soup of Success Program Manager– overseeing the design and implementation of curriculum, volunteer trainers, and guest presenters, as well as providing instruction for a variety of classes including Career Counseling, Work Skills, Practicing Personal Power, Getting Ahead in a Just Gettin’ By World, and Creative Writing. She also supports Soup of Success women one-on-one, both as participants and graduates. Kathy loves being inspired by strong, courageous women.

Rachel Johnson

Soup of Success Production Manager

(574) 523-1551 x111

Rachel is a mother of three kids and graduated from the Soup of Success program in July of 2016. After graduating, she kept in contact with the SOS staff, and joined the team working part-time as a production assistant in the fall of 2021. “I love working with the SOS classes in food production. Getting to support and encourage them and most of all, watching them grow during their time in the program is just amazing! I am thrilled to be here and to give back to the program that did so much for me.” Rachel was promoted to SOS Production Manager in May 2022, bringing skills, ideas, and positive enthusiasm to the Soup of Success team. 

Sue Portrait

Sue McDonald

Soup of Success Counselor

(574) 523-1551 x 103

Sue joined our staff as a counselor in 2016.  She graduated from Ball State and then received her masters in counseling from Indiana University.  For 10 years prior she worked in the school system providing group and individual counseling for youth in crisis. Here at Soup of Success, she oversees and facilitates our group counseling, teaches the emotional resource curriculum, provides one on one support to the current class and to graduates of the program.  She is passionate about empowering women to become their best selves with a high self- esteem and solid confidence for a better future.

Belinda Gamez

Soup of Success Production Assistant

Belinda was a part of Soup of Success team 20. She  graduated in July of 2019, stayed on to volunteer for a while and then came on our staff officially as a Production Assistant at the end of 2019. Belinda works primarily producing shower melts, candles and is an awesome designer of mittens in our upcycled wool textile line. “I enjoy making Soup of Success products. It not only keeps me busy, but I know that I am a part of helping to fund future classes of women.”

Candace Hammond

Soup of Success Production Assistant

Candace was a part of Soup of Success team 23. She graduated in June 2021 and now is working as a part time Production Assistant, primarily in food production. “I really like working with people and enjoy the challenge of meeting the daily quotas. It’s satisfying to know that we are producing quality products and able to fill all of the retail and wholesale orders that are coming in. I really enjoy knowing that I am contributing to the growth of other women. It’s great to work here and know that I am a part of something bigger than myself.” In her spare time, Candace enjoys hanging out with her kids, quilting, reading and writing fanfic.

Soup of Success Advisory Committee

Advisory Committee

From left: Julianne Kwasney, Lauren Farver, Ashley Miller, Dana Clark, Cherie Nusbaum, Nicole Cripe, Erin Schrader, Della Fink, Allison Teich. Not pictured: Erica Schnippel.