Over the course of my life, I have been blessed to encournter the diverse peoples and creatures of the world. Growing up my family lived in many places within the United States, and as an adult I had the opportunity to live in Sydney, Australia, for six months. As I realized the position of priivlege I have occupied thorughout my life, it has created a strong desire to do more in my call to serve God using my voice and service for those without such privilege.
My high school years were spent in Memphis, TN, attending a private international boarding school. Through my fellow students, I developed a love for people of different cultures and ethnicities. As an adult, the connections from these formative years shaped more of who I am in valuing, respecting and raising my voice for all peoples.
When I was confirmation age, my parents asked me to decide upon a faith. I decided to be confirmed and baptized at the Presbyterian church where my family attended. After confirmation, I was very involved in youth leadership at the presbytery level leading camps for younger teens and preaching my first sermon in high school. I did not perceive of this as a call to ministry at the time, despite having examples through female pastors in my life.
My education continued in Texas at Texas Christian University where I majored in Public Relations and French. I did two greatly differing projects for my senior year. The first was work on the public relations campaign for the V-22 Osprey at Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. and the second was leading a campus recycling project for Fort Worth Clean City, a Keep America Beautiful affiliate. Little did I know at the time that my life would continue to follow this diverse trajectory.
Upon graduatiion, I returned to school, earning an MBA with an emphasis in finance and process improvement. My first career was in the technology field, ranging from quality assurance and programing to mid-level management in charge of teams of developers, project managers and quality assurance analysts. After getting married, I began serving the church again as a volunteer junior high youth director. I soon felt called to more and was ordained as an elder and then a deacon.
I acknowledged my call to ministry finally when a boss at my technology firm asked me what I was passionate about in life. The only things that came to mind were my service to the church, not technology and climbing the corporate ladder. Vising seminary to explore the options solidified the call. I attended Perkins Seminary at Southern Methodist University. I was greatly supported by my spouse and through the help of a Jewish best friend helping me juggle not just Hebresw but also child care and the stresses of Clinical Pastoral Education.
I was ordained in 2009 at Ridgelea Presbyterian Church in Fort Worth, TX. As a pastor, I have served mostly in interim ministry, bolstering my ministry with business skills and process improvement alongside pastoral care skills. I enjoy serving the larger church in leadership at camps and conferences as well as with service on committees at presbytery. For my spiritual life, I relax with my spouse, enjoying the beauties of naturein hiking and gardening. I also enjoy fitness and aspire to be a better runner regularly joining a local run club for runs and walks. I love to worship God in a non-leadership capacity thorugh choir participation and service in local social justice and interfaith teams. Spare time is spent with a good book or cuddling my three cats. Finally, it is important to me to honor my call to being a mother and spouse balanced alongside my call toministry. I make time to honor my loved ones with everything from meals out and travel with my husband Pete to concerts with my son Cooper, and shopping or museums with my daughter Sydney.
I feel God calling me to Manassas PC. I look forward to imagining with you new ways to share Christ's love in Manassas and beyond. This Texan is read to venture north and learn all things Virginia! It is with great joy and hope that I look forward to serving and praising God with you.