Meet the members of ACWC

Co-Chairs

Members

Terry Alexander
Terry is pastor of Newland Presbyterian Church in the Presbytery of Western North Carolina. He has a passion for social justice and regards himself a feminist ally. At 60 years old, he is pleased to serve on this committee.

Gay L. Byron
Gay L. Byron is an ordained minister and professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School in Rochester, N.Y.  She received her Ph.D. at Union Theological Seminary (New York). Her research and teaching interests include Pauline literature and theology, New Testament ethics, womanist and feminist biblical hermeneutics, literary and cultural approaches to the Bible, and images of ethnicity in early Christian writings.

Maria Cárdenas-Baez
Maria was born in Mexico and has ministered extensively in Latin America and in the United States within the Latino/a culture.  She graduated with an M.Div. from Fuller Seminary where she is studying for a D.Min. Maria is an ordained elder of San Gabriel Presbytery. She currently is ministering to the homeless population of skid row in Los Angeles, California.

Louise Davidson
Louise is an ordained elder and serves as the Presbyterian Women (churchwide) vice moderator for Justice and Peace (2006-2009). She has served Presbyterian Women in her congregation, presbytery, synod and nationally in various positions. She worked to establish congregational and presbytery Justice and Peace committees and formerly served on the General Assembly's Peacemaking Advisory Committee.  

Nancy Neal
Nancy is an ordained elder of the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn, New York. She graduated with an M.Div. from Union Theological Seminary (New York) and is a candidate for ministry in the Presbytery of New York City.  She lives with her husband Samir Al-Dhubaibi in Harlem and works in the editorial department of the Crossroad Publishing Company. 

Karen Breckenridge
Karen is an ordained Presbyterian minister serving as pastor of Wedgwood Presbyterian Church in Seattle, Washington.  A graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary, she is the designated ACWC member serving on the Mission Responsibility Through Investment (MRTI) committee.

Adeline deCastro
Adeline is from Klawock, Alaska, is an ordained elder and and a member of First Presbyterian Church of Craig and Klawock. She is a talented seamstress who has wrought special items such as the presbytery banner. Adeline also serves as a member of the Women of Color Consultation Task Force. She is co-chair elect and will begin serving her term in July 2008.

Manley Olson
Manley is an ordained elder from St. Paul, Minnesota. He is a retired college dean and serves on the General Assembly Mission Council, Montreat Board of Directors and many other PC(USA) and ecumenical bodies.  He is the chair of the Committee on Local Arrangements (COLA) for the 218th General Assembly (2010). Manley writes hymns and is an avid birder.

Belinda Rice
Belinda is from Charlotte, North Carolina, and has served the Charlotte Presbytery for the last 23 years.  She currently supports both the Committee on Ministry and Committee on Preparation for Ministry. She is a certified lay pastor and elder at Seigle Avenue Presbyterian Church. Belinda’s passion is being a voice and advocate wherever she is needed.