Leader biographies

Participants of the Big Tent will enjoy leadership from a diverse group of people from across the denomination. Leaders for worship, workshops, plenaries and tours reflect a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) concerned about yesterday, today and tomorrow! Information on leaders will be added on a regular basis so check back for more updates.

James (Randy) Ackley began his service as coordinator for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) on December 15, 2008. Ackley has 20 years of active, broad-based, humanitarian relief and development experience. His background includes the design and management of many different elements in the ministry of disaster assistance, including disaster preparedness, disaster management, psychosocial support, water and sanitation, community development and public health with the American Red Cross (ARC). A former litigation attorney, Randy began his relationship with ARC as a volunteer. For the past 14 years he has worked with the ARC international programs division.

Graham Baird is the organizing and senior pastor of Highland Church, a new church development of Santa Barbara Presbytery in Paso Robles, California. Graham graduated from Princeton Seminary in 2000 with an M.Div. and has since been a sought after speaker and teacher around the country. He won the National Oratory Championship in 1990. Graham's favorite phrase is, "no perfect people allowed" in church. Graham, his wife Star, and baby Haley like to drive to the ocean on days off. Graham also plays the bagpipes and fly fishes.

Elaine Barnett is a certified church educator, an ordained elder and a church consultant. She co-authored The Big Book of Presbyterian Stewardship and has written devotions for These Days, articles for The Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study and The APCE Advocate, and leader's guides for PresbyterianLeader.com. She was the 2006 APCE Educator of the Year.

Sidney Birt is an elder at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Portland, Oregon. He worked for 35 years as a high school counselor in Portland Public Schools. Sid currently chairs the Cascades Presbytery Mission Support Committee and the Self-Development of People Committee. He also serves in the College of Education at Concordia University in Portland as the adjunct instructor of Educational Psychology, a graduate course in differentiating instruction, multicultural counseling and diversity in education. Sid served on the Council on Church and Race and is a member of the PC(USA)’s Anti-Racism Training Team.

The Rev. Dr. David B. Bowie was raised in Jamaica, Queens, and New York. He attended Talladega College in Alabama and in 1976 married his college sweetheart, Angela Baughman. They have two daughters, Brooke and Courtney. Bowie attended Johnson C. Smith Seminary in Atlanta and received his M. Div. in 1983. David also received the Doctor of Ministry degree from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in 2000. Since 1986, David has been involved with the Synod of the Covenant’s Interracial Cross Cultural Experience. Dr. Bowie is a member of the National Anti-Racism Training Team. The call to build strong and fruitful cross-cultural relations has shaped his ministry while serving at First Presbyterian Church in East Cleveland, Ohio, Heights United Presbyterian of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Christ the King Baptist Church in Dacula, Georgia, and most recently Rice Memorial Presbyterian Church in Atlanta.

Deborah Bruce is currently associate research manager in the Research Services office of the PC(USA) and project manager of the U.S. Congregational Life Survey. With Cynthia Woolever, she has authored three books, A field Guide to the U.S. Congregations, Beyond the Ordinary: 10 Strengths of U.S. Congregations and Places of Promise: Finding Strength in Your Congregation’s Location (all published by Westminster John Knox Press).

The Rev. Laurel Underwood Brundage is the pastor of a small young church in northeastern Pennsylvania. Her family’s four-generation history of mission work in Korea was an early spark for her lifelong passion for the multicultural church.

Christopher Cashdollar of Happy Cog is a graphic designer, illustrator and interactive team leader with Web design experience dating to the mid-1990s. He has provided consultative strategy and design direction for vastly diverse clients and brings a keen eye and creative focus to defining how user-experience successfully marries beautiful, purposeful design. He earned his undergraduate degree from Drexel University’s Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design and briefly studied abroad at The University of Northampton in the United Kingdom. When not working, Christopher loves illustrating, painting, record shopping and spending time with his family.

Robert A. Chesnut is pastor emeritus of East Liberty Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh and author of Transforming the Mainline Church: Lessons in Change from Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Hope. He serves as dean of the Multicultural Church Institute at Ghost Ranch, chairs the Vision committee to organize a new multicultural faith community in Santa Fe, New Mexico, has recently chaired Santa Fe Presbytery’s Congregational Development committee and served on the Presbyterian Multicultural Network steering committee. With M. Div. and Ph.D. degrees from Harvard, he has been a teaching fellow at Harvard Divinity, served on the faculty of McCormick Seminary and as adjunct faculty at Garrett Evangelical and Pittsburgh Seminaries. Dr. Chesnut has pastored churches in Ohio, Massachusetts, Illinois, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania.

The Rev. Cathy Cummings Chisholm is a pastor, poet and photographer whose journey of ministry has taken her across the country and through a variety of positions: as Christian educator in Idaho, pastor in Illinois and Wisconsin and interim pastor in Texas. She has been active in the work of governing bodies at all levels, including serving as the chair of General Assembly Council. Her interest in visual spirituality is displayed in her book, Landscapes of the Heart, a collection of her photos, poems and prayers. She is an experienced workshop, retreat and worship leader, particularly in the areas of prayer, spirituality and multicultural worship.

Kim Coulter is director of communications at the Presbytery of Des Moines, a faith-based regional office for 63 Presbyterian congregations in south central Iowa. In this 3/4-time position, Kim manages all communications efforts within the Presbytery, assisting the members and entities with internal and external methods of spreading the news about mission and God’s awesome love. She not only produces a monthly newsletter, The Wider Circle, which in 2009 went to a weekly e-news message, but also maintains the Web site and regularly prepares and distributes materials, presentations and publications for Presbytery leaders.

Mark Crenshaw is a nationally recognized leader in the field of religion and disability. He currently serves as director of the Interfaith Disability Connection at the Bobby Dodd Institute. Mark leads what has been identified as one of the only truly interfaith programs in the country that seeks to bridge the gap that exists between people with disabilities and meaningful participation in faith communities. Mark holds a master of theological studies from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University. He possesses 15 years of experience around faith and disability issues. As a person with a disability, Mark’s own experience engenders his passion around justice and inclusion for people with disabilities in faith communities.

David Crittenden is co-executive, Synod of Lincoln Trails. He started working at the Synod of Lincoln Trails in 1994, after serving in pastoral positions for total of 21 years. In his current position, he works with congregations and presbyteries in the areas of stewardship, funds development and communications. He has organized and led workshops in these areas both in the synod and around the country. David is a graduate of Northern Illinois University and Dubuque Theological Seminary and lives with his wife, Jackie, in McCordsville, Indiana. He has two married children and three grandsons.

The Rev. Dr. Prachuab Dechawan is a native of Chiang Mai, Thailand. He received his Doctor of Ministry from the School of Theology at Claremont, California, in 1985. He is the founder of The First Thai Presbyterian Church of the (U.S.A) in Covina, California, in 1973 and served as its pastor for 34 years. During those years he helped to organize Thai churches in Houston, Fort Worth, Chicago, Flushing, New York, San Jose, California, and Long Beach, California. After his retirement in August 2006, he was called to serve as an organizing pastor of The First Thai/Laotian Presbyterian Church of Las Vegas until the present time. He is currently the chairperson of the Advisory Committee on Southeast Asian Ministry under PC(USA). He served as a moderator of the San Gabriel Presbytery in California and was a chairperson of the National Presbyterian Council.

Jonathan Dennis is a Web content developer for Creative Services in Communications and Funds Development Ministry at the national offices of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in Louisville. He works with other staff to identify, develop and edit content for more than 60 PC(USA) Web sites. Before joining PC(USA) Jonathan was a content manager with an online city guide service. He previously worked as a research editor for a PR tracking firm. Jonathan is a member of the Religion Communicators Council, an avid Web user and frequents a number of sites and social media forums including Facebook and Twitter.

Bryan Dunagan, teaching pastor at Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, uses story and humor to bring the Scriptures to life, inspiring people to live in the rhythm of Jesus. He has served churches in Washington, California and Texas and has been a lead communicator at young adult and student gatherings across the country. Bryan received his Master of Divinity from Regent College in Vancouver and is currently working on his Doctor of Ministry at Fuller Seminary in California. In his spare time, he coaches lacrosse and loves hiking and cycling in the North Georgia mountains with his wife Ali.

Erin Dunigan spoke at a regional PCN conference and is back by popular demand. She doesn’t have a title, an employer or even an address. She is a freelance photographer, writer, seminary graduate and Web site developer. Over the past five years she has traveled to more than 20 countries. For the past three years, she has worked with Photopiece, an organization that seeks to help teenagers unearth their creativity through photography. She also spends lots of time on Facebook (Erin Dunigan), Twitter (edunny), and flickr (erindunigan) and integrates social media with her Web site.

The Rev. Magdalena I. García is a member of the Presbytery of Chicago, where she has lived for over 35 years and where she was ordained to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament in 1993. She has served as Ravenswood's Pastor since 2003. Formerly she was managing editor for a Spanish-language publication of the Chicago Tribune, and associate director of Funds Development at McCormick Theological Seminary, where she received a Master of Divinity degree in 1989. She has served as preacher, keynote speaker and worship leader for national and regional church events, including the Presbyterian Women Gathering and Encuentro (Hispanic/Latin Presbyterian Women Conference). She is a member of the Presbyterian Multicultural Board, and of the Presbytery of Chicago's Multicultural Church Ministry Team.

Freda Gardner is a Presbyterian from baptism and confirmation on, currently on the session of First Presbyterian, Albany, New York. She is a leader of workshops and classes in many congregations and presbyteries. Freda was the Professor of Christian Education at Princeton Theological Seminary for 31 years and served as moderator of the 211th General Assembly, 1999-2000.

The Rev. Raafat Girgis is the associate for Multicultural Ministries of the PC(USA). As an ordained minister since 1982, Raafat has served diverse groups of people in different multicultural settings. His cross-cultural experiences, interfaith relations and multidisciplinary academic background bring insight to both the classroom and the sanctuary. His work experience includes ministering to churches, teaching in undergraduate and graduate schools, counseling and lecturing in a variety of conferences in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and North America. Raafat holds two undergraduate degrees and three Masters degrees in social sciences, history and theology, in addition to studies leading to the Ph.D.

George Goodman is the associate presbyter of the Peaks Presbytery in Lynchburg, Virginia. After receiving the B.S. degree from Johnson C. Smith University, he taught in the North Carolina public schools and served as a community planner for the State of North Carolina. Later called to ministerial service, he entered and graduated Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, after which he served the C.N. Jenkins Memorial Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, NC. He was called to his present position in 1990. In 2001, he retired with the rank of Captain from the U.S. Navy Reserves Chaplain Corps.

Joan S. Gray has been ordained as a PC(USA) minister of Word and Sacrament for 30 years and has served eight churches in the Atlanta area as pastor, associate pastor and interim pastor. She is the co-author of Presbyterian Polity for Church Officers and the author of Spiritual Leadership for Church Officers. In 2006 she was elected to serve as the moderator of the 217th General Assembly of the PC(USA).

Genie Hambrick is director of communications at Columbia Theological Seminary. She served in the same position at Union-PSCE and at First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta. Her 25-year career also includes stints at Mary Baldwin College, Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School and at the Home Depot. Her experience includes print and electronic publications, news, media relations and advertising. When it comes to communications, “better, cheaper, faster — and more” is her personal creed. Genie grew up in East Tennessee and went to college and graduate school in Virginia. She is a member of Central Presbyterian Church, Atlanta. Genie is co-presenting with Marta Kramer.

Lynette Hawkins, a Presbyterian elder based in Greensboro, North Carolina, writes, speaks and presents seminars on effectively welcoming and communicating to the next generation of believers. She is the lead consultant for Awesome Insight, a ministry resource of Beyond Marketing Group, Inc. Her work includes providing resources for presbyteries and Presbyterian churches nationally. She is an active blogger at Awesome Insight and writes a monthly e-newsletter that reaches more than 1,000 Christian leaders. Her articles on reaching the unchurched have appeared in numerous Christian publications and she also writes for the ecumenical Evangelism Connections Web site. Lynette has over 25 years in marketing and communication.

Kevin Hoffman is user experience director at Happy Cog. Before joining Happy Cog, Kevin spent more than a decade building Web sites, developing online strategies and leading projects for colleges and universities. He served as webmaster and electronic communications director for Goucher College, the University of Baltimore and the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). He has advocated intelligent communication strategies and has been a consensus builder in environments with vastly differing, passionate opinions. As an adjunct faculty member at the University of Baltimore and MICA, Kevin brought standards-based approaches to Web design and front-end development courses, and developed courses that bring best practices to a new generation.

Jill Hudson is the Middle Governing Bodies coordinator, General Assembly Council/Office of the General Assembly of the PC(USA). A graduate of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, she has worked as a ministry coach and organizational development consultant primarily with synods and presbyteries. She has served as an associate executive for the Synod of Lincoln Trails and as executive presbyter for the Presbytery of Whitewater Valley. In addition to a wide variety of articles for church periodicals, she has authored several publications for Alban Institute, including, When Better Isn’t Enough: Evaluation Tools for the 21st Century Church.

The Rev. Stephany Jackson is the coordinator for leader development in the PC(USA)’s Office of Christian Formation. She previously served as the associate for African American Leader Development. She is editor of a number of congregational resources for Christian education.

Lucy Ke, is a freelance graphic designer with Ke Factors, Inc. Born in Taiwan and raised in the United States, Hong Kong and Australia, Lucy Ke graduated from Carnegie-Mellon University and has lived in Atlanta since 1979. In 1985, she began freelancing and has worked with corporate clients like Dun & Bradstreet Software, the Southern Company and International Paper. Currently she is serving a very specific clientele consisting of independent schools and institutions of higher learning.

The Rev. Jake Kim is a Presbyterian Multicultural Network board member and serves as the pastor of The Tapestry, a multicultural pan-Asian-American congregation in Cleveland, Ohio. He started and is the moderator the Presbytery of the Western Reserve's Multicultural Awareness Resource Team (MART) and can offer compelling and practical advice for starting a MART in your Presbytery. He was the disc jockey for the weekly radio show “The Multicultural Perspectives” at KSPC 99.1 FM in Los Angeles California. For 10 years prior to serving in Cleveland, the Rev. Kim served as pastor to two Anglo congregations. There he learned the importance of teaching a positive and affirming multicultural theology.

The Rev. Jin S. Kim is the founding pastor and head of staff of the PC(USA)’s Church of All Nations in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He holds degrees from Georgia Tech, Princeton Seminary and a D. Min. from Columbia Seminary specializing in new church development. He currently chairs the Advisory Board of Cross Cultural Alliance of Ministries (CCAM), serves as a PC(USA) delegate to the National Council of Churches, is a board member of Greater Minnesota Association of Evangelicals and is former president of Presbyterians for Renewal. He has been invited to preach at the 216th and 218th General Assemblies and has spoken at numerous conferences, colleges, seminaries and churches in the United States and abroad.

Marta Kramer is director of communications for the Synod of Lincoln Trails. She is also a freelance writer and designer, with more than 25 years of experience in communications for organizations of all kinds. She is pleased to be co-presenting “Church Newsletters” with Genie Hambrick. Marta believes that newsletters offer churches a special opportunity to inform, persuade and build community. Marta is a member of the Religion Communicators Council and the Presbyterian Communicators Network, and is an ordained elder and deacon.

Rosy Latimore is an elder at First Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Michigan and a member of the National Michigan Black Presbyterian Caucus. Rosy currently serves as moderator of Cross Cultural Alliance of Ministries (CCAM), chair of Pastoral Search Committee (COM) and co-chair of the Multicultural Church Task Force in Detroit. She has attended many seminars on multicultural ministries and has extensive experience as a trainer in antiracism and reconciliation. Rosy graduated from Jackson Business University, Jackson, Michigan, and recently retired from General Motors Corporation.

The Rev. Nibs Stroupe and the Rev. Caroline Leach are pastors of Oakhurst Presbyterian Church in Decatur, Georgia. This church was the first integrated church in the PCUS in the 1960s. They have worked together with this congregation for 25 years in growing together as a multicultural congregation. Nibs and Caroline have been in ministry together as pastors and partners in marriage for 35 years. They have written two books about the work and worship of Oakhurst, While We Run This Race and O Lord, Hold Our Hands. Other books include Where Once We Feared Enemies, Eyes on the Prize (part of a lectionary series) and Sermons on the Second Readings.

The Rev. James Hickson Lee serves as the evangelizing pastor of New Covenant Fellowship, a multicultural new church development in Austin, Texas, and as field staff for the GA Office of Multicultural Ministries. James graduated from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, where he also served as the director of Racial Ethnic Ministries. In 2002, James was ordained as the director of Racial Ethnic Ministries at Grace Presbyterian Church in Plano, Texas. In 2003, James was installed as the associate pastor for new church development at Covenant Presbyterian Church. He also serves on the African Council for the Synod of the Sun, the board of trustees for Mo Ranch and as president of Austin Seminary Association.

The Rev. Dr. Randy Lee has served three presbyteries and two multicultural churches. He has recently retired as associate presbyter for church development at Grace Presbytery, which has many active models of immigrant partnerships with Africans, Asians, Koreans, Latinos/as, South Asians and a strong multicultural ministry team. His 2008 D. Min. project was "Connectional Church Planting Partnerships." Randy has served as moderator of the Presbyterian Multicultural Network and Synod of Southern California and Hawaii’s Asian Presbyterian Council and has served on the National Asian Presbyterian Council. He believes that 21st Century ministry must be built on multicultural proficiency that includes missional passion and inclusive justice.

The Rev. Dr. Wanda Lundy serves as pastor of The Church on the Edge (First Presbyterian Church) in Edgewater, New Jersey. Her passion in ministry lies in personal and communal transformation. It is her belief that God is a God of love and expects, requires and demands that we live as people of love. This belief is reflected in each Sunday worship experience. She serves as the moderator for the Presbytery of the Palisades, a Presbyterian Multicultural Network board member and is a trainer for Congregational Transformation Team training. She is also adjunct faculty at New York Theological Seminary in the master and doctoral programs.

Dana McMahan is a Web content developer for Creative Services in Communications and Funds Development at the national offices of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in Louisville. She works with the national staff to identify, develop and edit content for more than 60 PC(USA) Web sites. Dana began her career just as the Web exploded into the mainstream media. Since then, she has worked in online marketing and communication at a wide range of non-profits and businesses. She is an active blogger, Twitterer, flickrite and Facebooker. Dana is a member of the Religion Communicators Council. Dana is co-presenting with Jonathan Dennis.

The Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil is the president and founder of Salter McNeil & Associates, a Christian company that partners with organizations to transform them into reconciling communities. Dr. Salter McNeil earned her bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University, a Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary, and a Doctorate of Ministry from Palmer Theological Seminary. Through her speaking, teaching and writing, Dr. Salter McNeil boldly declares a vision that unites, transforms and brings healing to people from every tribe and every nation. Together with her husband, Dr. J. Derek McNeil, and their two children, she stands at the forefront of an international movement to advance the Kingdom of God.

Laura Mendenhall is president of the Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia. After serving as pastor of four congregations, she became president of Columbia Theological Seminary in 2000. During this time, she has been a leader on the Committee on Theological Education and with the Association of Theological Schools. She concludes that work this summer to work with the Texas Presbyterian Foundation. She is a graduate of Austin College (B.A.), the Presbyterian School of Christian Education (M.A.), San Francisco Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary (D.Min.).

The Rev. Dr. Johnnie Monroe was ordained as a minister of Word and Sacrament in 1966 by the Atlantic Presbytery in South Carolina. He began his work in ministry with the Board for Urban Ministry of the Rochester Area Council of Churches, Rochester, New York. Subsequently, he served as associate pastor of the Western Highlands Presbyterian Church, Kansas City, Kansas and organizing pastor of the Temple of the Black Messiah, a New Church Development project in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Sharon L. Mook is a certified pastoral counselor and has taught pastoral theology, care and counseling at a Presbyterian seminary. Her classes drew students from many national, cultural, racial and social locations. She has served inner-city, urban, and suburban churches and has been involved in hospital, prison and retirement center chaplaincy. Dr. Mook’s teaching, ministry and pastoral care are formed and re-formed in ongoing dialogue with a diversity of persons, cultures, contexts and theologies. Understanding that transformation emerges from genuine relationship, Dr. Mook believes that God is calling the North American church to a deep-level transformation that will be ushered in by mutual and just multicultural relationships and will lead to intentional intercultural community.

D. Cameron Murchison is dean of faculty/executive vice president of Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia. He has served as pastor in three different congregations, as well as teacher in two different theological seminaries. He received his B.A. degree from Rhodes College, the B.D. from Union-PSCE, and the M.Phil and Ph.D. from Yale University. He has been Professor of Ministry at Columbia since 1996 and Dean of the Faculty and Executive Vice President since 2001.

Rodger Nishioka is the Benton Associate Professor of Christian Education at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia. A popular preacher, speaker and leader, he specializes in research and teaching in ministries with youth and young adults.

Carlos F. Cardoza-Orlandi is professor of World Christianity at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia. He holds a Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary in Mission, Ecumenics and the History of Religions. A Puerto Rican, he is an ordained minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Puerto Rico, the United States and Canada. He is an active member of the Aposento Alto Christian Church in Forest Park, Georgia.

Dianna Ott is Director of Creative Services at PC(USA) in Louisville. She works with ministries to develop communication strategies for print, video and audio and online. She supervises a creative team of 11 amazing people who are responsible for designing and producing a variety of media, including the PC(USA) Web site. Dianna has more than 25 years experience in print and electronic communications for non-profit organizations. She is a member of the Religion Communicators Council, was president of the Bluegrass chapter of the Public Relations Society of America and is accredited in public relations (APR).

Margaret Aymer Oget is assistant professor of New Testament, Interdenominational Theological Center, Atlanta, Georgia. She earned her B.A. in history at Harvard-Radcliffe College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and her M.Div. and Ph.D. in New Testament and Early Christianity at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. She is the author of First Pure, Then Peaceable: Frederick Douglass, Darkness and the Epistle of James, and of the 2011 Horizons Bible Study. She is a member of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta where she serves on the Committee on Preparation for Ministry.

George R. Packard is an independent consultant, facilitator and trainer who works with faith based, community, not-for-prophet and government entities. He helps them discern their issues, focus their opportunities, design and facilitate appropriate process and implement their anticipated outcomes. He seeks to work within the entities given time and budget. George is a certified technology of participation practitioner and trainer. His organizational development work is backed additionally by masters degrees in theology and human resource leadership, certification in clinical pastoral counseling and experience in a broad range of organizations.

Gradye Parsons, stated clerk of the General Assembly, joined the Office of the General Assembly in 2000. A native of Tennessee, he served congregations in Newport and Bristol, Tennessee, for 15 years before becoming the executive presbyter and stated clerk of Holston Presbytery in 1994. He was elected stated clerk of the General Assembly of the PC(USA) in 2008. Gradye graduated from the University of Tennessee and received his Master of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. He did postgraduate work at Columbia Theological Seminary and was ordained in 1979 by Holston Presbytery.

Vince Patton is the executive director of church relations and communications for the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation and editor of These Days devotional magazine. He is an ordained elder and deacon in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), who has written articles for Presbyterians Today, the Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, the APCE Advocate, and The Thoughtful Christian.com.

The Rev. Dr. Lucas de Paiva Pina was born in Brazil. He was ordained in 1980 and pastored four churches in Brazil. He also worked with Youth for Christ for 10 years as an itinerant evangelist. He went to Portugal to work with professional soccer players; from there he came to the United States to work with Portuguese-speaking people. In 1999 he received a call to be the solo pastor of an Anglo church in Toronto, Ohio. In 2004 he received the call to become the Tri-Presbytery Immigrant Ministries Coordinator. He received his D. Min. at the Columbia Theological Seminary. He has two children and a grandson in Brazil. He is married to Marta Pina and they live in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Rev. Irvin Porter is descended from three Native American tribes: Pima, T’hono O’odham and Nez Perce. He received an Associate of Arts degree in accounting from Haskell Indian Junior College in Lawrence, Kansas. He worked in banking for 10 years in Idaho and received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Dubuque in 1997. He is a 2001 graduate of the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary receiving his Master of Divinity. Irvin met his wife, Anne-Cecile Baer-Porter, at the seminary where she was studying as part of a program between UDTS and the Reformed Church of France’s seminary in Paris, France, where she is from. The Church of the Indian Fellowship of Tacoma, Washington, called Irvin as a commissioned lay pastor in September 2001. He was ordained as a minister of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in October of 2003 and is the first Native American pastor since the church was founded by a Presbyterian missionary as a mission among the Puyallup Indians in 1876.

Bruce Reyes-Chow is the current moderator of the 218th General Assembly of the PC(USA) and the pastor of Mission Bay Community Church in San Francisco. A strong believer in and practitioner of appropriate technology usage in faith communities, he hopes to lift up and address some of the obstacles and opportunities that social media, technology and Web 2.0 can provide the church. Please bring your questions, concerns, joys and curiosities, as no topic is off limits! Bruce is a graduate of San Francisco Theological Seminary ('95) and lives in San Francisco with his wife and three daughters. Feel free to follow his blog or follow him on Twitter.

Jayne L. Ruiz is an ordained Presbyterian minister who has served as a pastor in rural and urban contexts and has organized and carried out English, Spanish and bilingual worship experiences. She has initiated and organized ministries in partnership with ecumenical groups with many disenfranchised communities. She has organized and developed coalitions and networks with many church based, community and governmental entities. She served for six and a half years as coordinator for Hispanic and Immigrant Ministries with the Miami Valley Presbytery. She is bilingual in Spanish. She served as a pastor/director in ministry with farm workers and the rural poor in and has served as a chaplain with Hospice and the Boy Scouts, as well as with prison and nursing home ministries.

Karen L. Schmidt, deputy executive director for Communications and Funds Development, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), is a Presbyterian elder from First Presbyterian Church in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Karen grew up in a church family with generations of preachers and teachers. She has taught Sunday School and served as a deacon and ruling elder responsible for membership ministry. Karen has more than 25 years of experience as a partner in marketing and selling consulting and information technology solutions. Her career path has included stints at LandAmerica, BDO Seidman, Quantra, KMPG, Andersen Consulting (now Accenture), System Software Associates and Xerox Computer Services. She was called to PC(USA) in April 2007.

Betty Sicks is the multicultural ministries consultant for Grace Presbytery in north-central Texas. She started the Multicultural Ministries Team five years ago. Grace Presbytery, in addition to some culturally diverse congregations, includes fellowships, new church developments, and churches that have African-American, Brazilian, Cambodian, Filipino, Hispanic, Indian, Kenyan, Korean, Nigerian, Pakistani, Taiwanese and Thai participants.

Annette Calderwood Shoemaker currently serves as regional vice president, Western United States, for the Presbyterian Foundation. She manages a team of development officers who help develop gifts to support mission and advise in the financial management of those resources. The Foundation Development officers serve local territories and work with churches, related entities, validated missions and the middle governing body of the PC(USA). Before joining the Foundation in 2003, Annette spent 23 years in the institutional investment management business. She earned her undergraduate degree in finance from Miami of Ohio and earned an M.B.A. in financial management from the University of Chicago.

Karl Travis is pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Fort Worth. A native of Texas, he has lived, studied and worked from California to Scotland, and Michigan to New Mexico. He is an irreverent Generation Xer, a parish minister and a disciple possessed of the idea that stewardship is the foundational concept for mature faith. Travis is a graduate of Trinity University and the University of Edinburgh. He is married to Rebecca, who is the daughter of Presbyterian mission co-workers, and they live with their three children, two dogs and until recently a cockatiel, which Karl does not miss … at all.

Linda Bryant Valentine, executive director, General Assembly Council, is an ordained elder, lawyer and executive. She started her term as executive director of the General Assembly Council in July 2006. Before her election, Linda served as board member, fund manager and general counsel at Opportunity International, one of the world’s largest microfinance networks, providing over a million small loans a year to poor people in developing countries. She has served on the board of a number of not-for-profit organizations. Linda served for a brief period as interim staff coordinator at Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago, where she was an elder, trustee, deacon and member for over 20 years.

The Rev. Byron Wade was elected vice moderator by the 218th General Assembly in 2008. He is still serving his first pastorate after 12 years and is an active member of New Hope Presbytery, filling many positions within its structure and currently serving as vice moderator. On the national level, he has been part of the Black Presbyterian Caucus and on several committees relating to ministries with youth. He was an elected member of the General Assembly Council from 1993 to 1999 and currently serves on the planning team for the 2009 National Pastor’s Sabbath. Byron holds an M.A. from the Presbyterian School of Christian Education, an M.Div. from Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary and a D.Min. from McCormick Theological Seminary.

DeBorah Gilbert White currently serves as the associate for cultural proficiency with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) national offices in Louisville, Kentucky. In this capacity she provides leadership to support policies, practices, values and behaviors that allow individuals and the organization to effectively interact with and address issues emerging out of human diversity. As a social justice advocate and social psychologist, DeBorah facilitates cross-cultural dialogue and learning about historical and contemporary social factors informing human relationships. Through her work she seeks to increase awareness connected to power, privilege and social group membership and systemic and institutionalized oppression. Her goal is to create inclusive and equitable environments and interactions a.m.ong diverse individuals and groups.

Steven Toshio Yamaguchi is a Los Angeles native and lives in Long Beach California, serving as executive presbyter for the Presbytery of Los Ranchos since 2003. Before that he served 15 years as pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church of Paramount and Long Beach, a stubbornly faithful congregation that came back from the brink of extinction as a Japanese American congregation to become a vital, missional, multicultural congregation. Steve believes that a key to the church’s revitalization was years of spending the first hour of every session meeting in prayer and study of scripture, the confessions, the Book of Order and the connections among them. Steve also served churches in Santa Barbara, Salinas, Newark, Philadelphia and Tokyo, Japan.

Nathan Young serves as a church musician for several Presbyterian churches in the Seattle area. He has also worked on the media technology staff at University Presbyterian Church. He has studied worship technology and how it is best implemented in large and small churches. As a designer, Nathan also works with the aesthetic considerations in visual element of technology. The “Using Communication Technology in Worship” workshop will focus on both the types of technologies that are available for worship as well as the theological and liturgical implications. He is currently working on and studying ways to have more creative worship.