Lay Leadership Nominations 2013 with Biographies

2013 are nominees in bold
Office	Nominee	Term Expires or renewed
Moderator	Scott Hayman	2014
Vice-Moderator	Seth Popin chalk	2014
Clerk	Jay Lavelle	2014
Treasurer	Karen O'Reilly	2014
Assistant Treasurer	Lisa McCarthy	2014
Head Assessor	Wendy Innis	2014
Assessor	Kate O'Dell	2015
Assessor	Richard Silva	2016
Head Trustee of Parish Funds	George Hamilton	2014
Trustee of Parish Funds	Michael Keating	2015
Trustee of Parish Funds	Jeanine Beratta	2016
Caring Circles Chair	Vivian Shortreed	2014
Caring Circles Vice-Chair	Diane Pingeton (Hari Kirin Kaur)	2014
Lay Leadership Committee	Fran Morrier	2014
Lay Leadership Committee	Deborah Veroneau	2014
Lay Leadership Committee	Laura Kirshenbaum	2015
Lay Leadership Committee	Gene Johnson	2015
Lay Leadership Committee	Linda Wyatt	2016
Lay Leadership Committee	Thomas Crowley	2016
Nominating Committee Chair	Matthew Ronn	2014
Nominating Committee	Steve Knox	2015
Nominating Committee	David Spanagel	2015
Nominating Committee	Liz Gustavson	2016
Nominating Committee	Carrie West	2016

Jeanine Beratta (Nominee for a second consecutive term as Trustee of Parish Funds,) has been a member of First Unitarian since 2008. Jeanine has served on the New Member Committee and has been involved in the UU Sisterhood. Jeanine has been a trustee for three years and is finishing up as Head Trustee. Most recently, Jeanine has assumed responsibility as Chairperson for the Jericho Road Worcester Board. Tom Crowley (Nominee for Lay Leadership Council) lives in Worcester by himself. He has been a member of the congregation for 8 to 10 years, was active in the Garden committee for many years, and was involved with the Safe Congregation Committee for a while. “I think I'm at a point in my life where I can offer more time to the church.”  

Liz Gustavson (Nominee for Nominating Committee) is a mature member of the congregation. She married Sten Gustavson in 1985 at First Unitarian (Rev. Merritt performed the ceremony), and has been an active member since. Her current role is as IHN coordinator and as a happy participant in the UU Sisterhood. She has also had her fingers in various pies over the years, including Sunday school, RE committee, Social Justice, Circle Suppers, and Prudential Committee, with a stint as Moderator.  

George Hamilton (Head Trustee of Parish Funds). “My wife Connie and I have been members of First Unitarian for over thirty years. I've served on a ministerial search committee and as Moderator, Sunday school teacher and youth group leader. I hope the church I first attended as a child continues and expands its mission in the Worcester community.“
  
Scott Hayman (Moderator) has been attending services for 12 years, joined in 2004, and has served as Moderator (one year), Vice Moderator, an Assessor, and a Sunday School teacher. Scott has served on various other ad hoc committees and organized numerous special event fundraising events for the church. Last year he spearheaded the rebirth of John Henry's Hammer Coffee house at the church with WCUW community radio station. He is married to Cassandra Datena, a long-time member of the church. Cassandra and Scott’s children, Madeline and William, are very active in the YRU2 and BYKOTA. Scott has worked for many years in the community development field and is currently a consultant for the Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation.

Wendy Innis was born and raised in the First Unitarian Church. With great delight after many years away she returned to her original family home. She loves the church and its support and community. When she was the president of the First Unitarian Church youth group, as a 17 year old, she remembers Sten Gustavson and John Mirick. She currently serves as the Head Assessor. She is also the proud grandmother of six beautiful grandchildren – the oldest being 5. They are the joys of her life.

Gene Johnson (Lay Leadership Council) and his wife, Gini, have been Worcester residents for the past 12 years, becoming members of First Unitarian in 2007. Currently Gene is serving as a member on the Lay Leadership Council and Lay Pastoral Services.

Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa, aka Diane Pingeton (Nominee for Caring Circles Vice-Chair), has been blessed to attend the First U since 1989, raising her children here and participating as a Sunday school teacher, Bykota and YRU2 advisor, and most recently as a Caring Communities Task Force and launch team member. Her career has been spent in engagement with folks during their joys and sorrows: first as a nurse, then a physician, and currently as a teacher of yoga & meditation especially to those with diverse medical diagnoses. She would fully embrace serving in the new role of Caring Communities Vice-Chair and be humbly honored to serve the mission of the church in this wonderful new initiative. Sat Nam.

Laura Kirshenbaum (Lay Leadership Council) has been a member of First U since 2008. She and her wife Shannon live in Holden with Hazel (5) and Emerson (2). Since joining the church she has taught Spirit Play classes, served on the Lay Leadership Council, and served on the 2010 Search Committee to find our Director of Faith Development. Laura is a 6th grade Science teacher in Marlborough and serves on the Commission of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEAS&C).

Steve Knox (Nominating Committee) and his spouse, Lee Reid, have been members of First Unitarian since 1990 and live in Shrewsbury. Steve has served on multiple standing committees (Membership, RE, Assessors, Ministerial and Nominating) as well as ad hoc strategic planning and governance committees. Steve and Lee were founding counselors for BYKOTA, the middle-school youth group. Steve particularly enjoys being a member of the choir, and also of the Unitonians, each providing an ongoing ministry of music to the greater Worcester community.

Jay Lavelle (Clerk) lives in Worcester with his cat, Merlin. A member of First Unitarian since 1996, he chaired the Tom Schade search committee and coordinated Monday Night activities. He organizes the NYC bus trips, co-coordinates the Tibetan Teachings group, has cooked for a number of functions, and tries to do Kundalini yoga. An annual participant in the lay-led summer services, he has coordinated these services since 2008. He has been Clerk of the Parish since 2004. When not at church he is a software engineer for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and president of the Worcester County Poetry Association. Lisa McCarthy (Assistant Treasurer) has been self-employed as a bookkeeping consultant for several local non-profits for the last 7 years. Prior to that, her work experience includes working many years as a Medical Office Manager and Medical Secretary for two private practices and at UMass Memorial Hospital and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. Lisa enjoys volunteering in the Girl Scouts with her daughter Amelia and attending live music performances with husband/drummer Rick.

John Mirick (Finance Committee Chair) is a partner in the law firm of Mirick O’Connell in Worcester. He and his wife, Diane, live in Princeton. John grew up in our church. He and Diane raised their two sons in our church. Diane became the Chair of the RE Committee, and then our Director of Religious Education. John served in various positions, including Moderator.

Seth Popinchalk (Vice Moderator) grew up in a UU church in West Hartford, CT, and joined First U with his wife Sue, and two daughters, Kate and Lauren, in 2009. Since joining the church he has served on the Lay Leadership Council, the RE Search Committee that found Jessica, taught Spirit Play and served as Vice-Moderator since 2012. He works as a manager at MathWorks, and volunteers his time in the Worcester Public Schools to promote engineering and science.

Karen Reilly (Treasurer) has been a member of the church since 1996, a Unitarian since 1988. She has been active in Sunday School, Women's Group and Women's Bridge Club, and occasionally records the service. She has served as Assistant Treasurer and is currently the Treasruer. Karen lives in Sutton, has 2 children, Kaitlyn and William, and works at Holy Cross.

Vivian Shortreed (Nominee for Caring Circles Chair) lives in Worcester, joined the church 20 years ago. During those years she has participated in many groups: Transformations, Sisterhood, Environmental committee, others. She has served as clerk, vice moderator, moderator, taught Sunday School, others. In all these activities she has formed deep and enduring friendships. It is her hope that the Caring Circles will provide more opportunities for members and friends to form these ties, that sustain us in good times and in hard times.

Rick Silva (Nominee for Assessor) has been a member of First Unitarian Church since 2004. He lives in Worcester with his wife, Madeline. He has taught RE, and has served on the RE, Membership, Auction, Ministerial Intern, and Garden Committees. He chaired the Membership Committee for several years, and during that time, managed the production of the Pictorial Membership Directory.

David Spanagel (Nominating Committee) has attended worship services at First Unitarian since 1997, joined in 2004, and has served in various leadership roles ever since then (including Moderator, and now as Chair of the Interim Minister Search and Transition Committee). As an atheist, David experiences occasional grace and transcendence primarily through music, so he especially cherishes his involvement in the Choir, the Unitonians, and the three years he spent co-directing the combined UU churches’ teen choir.

Deborah Veroneau (Lay Leadership Council) has been attending First Unitarian Church since 1992, and a member since 1998. She lives in Worcester with her daughter Victoriahope. She has taught at all levels of RE; co-leader for YRU2 and BYKOTA. She was a chaperone for several YRU2 trips to the Gulf Coast (2007/2008). She assisted with MNATC suppers for 2 years. She sings in the choir, and most recently contributed to Tom Schade's Farewell Luncheon. Her innate capacity to assist others drives her ministry for Pastoral Care. She also enjoys the fellowship found through the U.U. Sisterhood.

Carrie West (Nominee for Nominating Committee) has been coming to First Unitarian Church since 1999 and has been involved in church programs and leadership in a variety of ways since then including Monday Night at the Church, Environmental Committee, and Faith Development. Carrie lives in Worcester with her husband and three children. Her passions include family ministry, mindfulness, and social action

Linda Chatalian Wyatt (Lay Leadership Council) has been attending services since Fall, 2002. She is a member of the LLC, Chair of the Winter Galas 2011, 2012, 2013, member of our regular and summer choirs, and the UU Sisterhood. Linda is Professor Lucineh for our Hogwarts Camps, teaching cooking classes. She served on the Caring Community Task Force, has assisted with IHN, and was an RE teacher and Youth Advisor.