Our Staff & Board - Reconciling Ministries Network

Our Staff

Rev. Dr. Israel (Izzy) Alvaran

Director of United Methodist Connections

Rev. Emily Bagwell

Director of Resource Management & Development

Laura Young

Director of Congregational Engagement

Director of United Methodist Connections

Rev. Dr. Israel (Izzy) Alvaran

Pronouns: he/him

Izzy is a self-avowed gay United Methodist elder from the Philippines appointed as RMN’s Director of United Methodist Connections.

As Director of United Methodist Connections, Izzy will nurture relationships between RMN and diverse partners across the denomination, including annual conferences, boards, agencies, caucuses, and conference-level Reconciling teams. In league with institutional and grassroots groups alike, Izzy will support efforts to ratify and implement worldwide regionalization for a more equitable Church.

He has also served as pastor, conference youth director, faculty in United Methodist educational institutions, labor union organizer, and economic justice organizer with the General Board of Church and Society. He earned his Master of Divinity and Master of Theology degrees in the Philippines and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA. A former political refugee, he is passionate about human rights and believes that queer justice is inherently intersectional.

Director of Resource Management & Development

Rev. Emily Bagwell

Pronouns: she/her

A native Georgian, Emily attended Berry College in Rome, GA, and Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., for her Masters of Divinity. Ordained as an elder in the UMC in 2017, she previously served two churches in the Atlanta area.

As Director of Resource Management & Development, Emily orchestrates the creation and publication of educational tools that foster inclusion and transformation. Emily is committed to expanding justice education for all communities, as all of our communities yearn for and co-create that justice.

Emily is passionate about community engagement and inclusion. You can find her wandering in the woods, training for the next half marathon, and cooking with her family.

Emily deeply desires to see the Church she loves make room for all of God’s people. She thinks expanding one’s heart can be a freeing way to live and an embodiment of God’s kingdom.

Accountant & Bookkeeper

Patricia Charles

Pronouns: she/her

Patricia has over 30 years of executive administrative and finance experience. She has worked with Merrill Lynch, GMAC, and First American. She is the mother of two children, Donald and Evelyn, and she has six grandchildren. She was born an only child, but her parents bought their home on a block with fourteen boys and six girls, so she has fourteen brothers and six sisters. In addition to her two kids and six grandchildren, she has eight step-daughters and five godsons, giving her an additional 18 grandchildren.

For an only child, she considers herself truly blessed and highly favored.

Director of Communications

Ophelia Hu Kinney

Pronouns: she/her

Ophelia is the child of immigrants. She lives in Maine with her wife and daughter.

Although she grew up in an agnostic household, Ophelia became a Christian as a young adult. She’s a writer occupied with the delightful task of curating spiritual imagination about the divine. As Director of Communications, Ophelia is responsible for effective communications across RMN constituencies using a variety of channels.

At HopeGateWay in Portland, Maine, Ophelia helps to create imaginative sermon series.

Executive Director

Jan Lawrence

Pronouns: she/her

As Executive Director, Jan Lawrence, is responsible to the Board of Directors for the implementation of the 2528 Strategic Plan including effectively leading the staff into the new organization, growing partnerships with the institution, engaging external consultants as needed, measuring progress against the goals, and steering adjustments when needed.

Jan and her wife Lindi spend most of their time in Rome, GA, these days (although they have plans of splitting their time between Georgia and D.C. again soon). Both of their families are in Georgia, so they consider it their “home base.”

Jan is a lay member of the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference, and she and Lindi are members of Foundry UMC. In Rome, they are active in First UMC. Before RMN, Jan spent 35 years working for Harris Corporation in Sr. Engineering Management and Sr. Program Management.

Jan was raised Southern Baptist but chose to transfer her denominational affiliation over 20 years ago because of the active ministry of the active ministries of the UMC in her local community. She considers being on the RMN staff a gift that allows her to see first-hand the gifts that LGBTQ+ United Methodists bring to the Church and world. Her experiences of harm in the Church drive her passion for a Church that models Jesus’ example of love.

Director of Mission Impact

Helen Ryde

Pronouns: they/them

Helen was born and brought up in the UK and moved to the United States in 1998. Helen served the Reconciling movement as an Organizer from 2012 – 2024.

As Director of Mission Impact, Helen will support congregational engagement and resource development. They will also contribute to improvements in RMN’s tech and operations landscape, including management of new infrastructure to be designed and rolled out in the next two years. In this role, Helen will increase RMN’s capacity and holistic impact.

Prior to RMN, they worked as a VP in a financial services company and a special needs teacher. They have a post-graduate degree in secondary education from Canterbury Christ Church University. Helen was consecrated as a Home Missioner in the Order of Deaconess & Home Missioner in 2016.

Helen lives at Lake Junaluska in North Carolina with their spouse Kate. They love swimming in the lake and walking around it, live music, playing pickleball, and meeting people for coffee or tea (let them know if you’re passing through Lake J!)

Communications & Program Specialist

Taylor Whitley

Pronouns: she/her

Taylor Whitley is the Director of Student Ministry and Adult Discipleship at Light of Christ UMC in Charlotte, NC, and working towards her Masters of Divinity at Wesley Theological Seminary. Taylor envisions the Church as a space where everyone is celebrated and embraced for their authentic selves, believing no one should ever have to wonder if they belong. In her role at RMN, she hopes to contribute to the continuation of helping local churches and individuals create safe, curious, and brave spaces.

Taylor and her wife, Brittany, live in Charlotte, NC, with their two dogs, Sully & Wilson. She loves Duke basketball, spending time with her friends and family, good books, and finding the best hole-in-the-wall restaurant any small town has to offer.

Director of Congregational Engagement

Laura Young

Pronouns: she/her

Laura is a Deaconess, an advocate for biblical scholarship and theological education for laity, and deeply committed to LGBTQ+ affirmation in the UMC. A member of the Texas Annual Conference, she is appointed to RMN as the Director of Congregational Engagement. She’s a skilled organizer and strategist, and supports churches and communities in maximizing their Reconciling journey and advocating for justice at all levels of the Church.

Laura serves as the staff lead on relationships with congregations throughout the U.S. She is particularly interested in equipping local leaders for greater impact. She aims to nurture new church starts and strengthen partnerships with Reconciling Ministries.

Laura values the rich relationships within the Reconciling family and loves connecting RUMs for more impactful ministry. She believes courage, personal stories, and graceful engagement are the most-needed tools for creating change. And she’s convinced that the unique witness of Reconciling Ministries is essential for shaping the future of our beloved United Methodist Church.

Our Board

Mychal Boyd

Board Member

Rev. Rachel Cornwell

Board Member

Janet Duke

Board Member

Mary Gladstone-Highland

Board Treasurer

Rev. Joey Heath-Mason

Board Member

Rev. Dr. Ron Hoellein

Board Member

Rev. Valerie L. Jackson, D.Min.

Board Member

Rev. Chet Jechura

Board Member

Rev. David Meredith

Board Chair

Rev. Dr. Rebekah Miles

Board Member

Rev. Mina Nau

Board Secretary

Rev. Kipp Nelson

Board Member

Rev. Benedict Odhiambo

Board Member

Karen G. Prudente

Board Member

Rev. Anjie Peek Rivers

Board Member

Rev. Kimberly Scott

Board Member

Derrick Scott III

Board Vice-Chair

Sutton Smith

Board Member

Rev. Dr. Deborah Stevens

Board Member

Eric & Rexanna Swanson

Board Members

Jacob Vaughn

Board Member

Rev. Ryan Wager

Board Member

Ben Weger

Board Member

Alice Williams

Board Member

Mychal Boyd

Pronouns: he/him

Mychal is 34 years old and a native of the “Magic City,” Birmingham, AL. He works as a Clinical Informaticist at a large metropolitan hospital. He is engaged to Jake Haynes. They’ve been together for 6 years, share a home together, and they have a fur baby named Freya.

He is currently a member of First United Methodist Church, where he had the privilege of serving on several committees, including the Executive Council, which he chaired. He has marched in a few PRIDE parades with his church and formed some lifelong friendships.

Whenever he has a moment to himself, you can find him catching a horror flick, dancing to his favorite Taylor Swift song, or belting a note or two.

Board Member

Rev. Rachel Cornwell

Pronouns: she/her
Chair of Mission & Vision Committee, Co-Convener of Reconciling Clergy

Rev. Rachel Cornwell is the Senior Pastor of Dumbarton UMC in Washington, DC. She and her spouse, Marcus, are parents of three teenagers, including one who is transgender.

In 2023, she published a book, Daring Adventures: Helping Gender Diverse Kids and Their Families Thrive, available from ACTA publications.

Board Member

Janet Duke

Pronouns: she/her
Chair of Resource Development Committee

Janet serves on the Parents Reconciling Network board.

Retired from IBM, Janet worked for 10 years with Service Dogs, Inc., a non-profit that trains Service Dogs. After the 2016 election, she was moved to do something more social justice-focused and founded Strong Family Alliance (SFA).

Encouraged by her love for her lesbian daughter, Janet and her team built an evidence-based, informational website to help struggling or rejecting parents become allies and LGBTQ+ youth come out safely. Today www.strongfamilyalliance.org reaches over 100,000 new site visitors annually, in dozens of countries.

Currently living in Austin, TX, Janet also serves on the Parents Reconciling Network board.

Board Treasurer

Mary Gladstone-Highland

Pronouns: she/her
Treasurer, Chair of Finance Committee

Mary is the founder and CEO of Spark Group LLC, a nonprofit consulting firm. She is a Certified Nonprofit Professional with fourteen years of experience leading organizations. Mary is a graduate of the Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs at Syracuse University. She holds a Master of Public Administration and a Certificate in Advanced Study in Conflict and Collaboration. She is also a Certified Fund Raising Executive and has raised over $3.4 million for numerous organizations over the past five years.

Mary is skilled at analyzing large amounts of information to find creative solutions to complex problems. She strives to use an asset-based approach in every situation.

She has served as a commissioned missionary from the Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church for 12 years, first as a US-2 and then as a Church and Community Worker. She passionately believes that all persons are loved by God and that everyone deserves a church that honors their dignity and personhood.

Mary is a mom of two, a rescue pit-bull owner, and an avid Harry Potter fan. She lives in Michigan.

Board Member

Rev. Joey Heath-Mason

Pronouns: he/him
Co-Convener of Reconciling Clergy

Rev. Joey Heath-Mason grew up in southern Georgia. Pastor Joey has over a decade of pastoral ministry experience. He has served in three local church settings as well as 6 years in campus ministry. What excites Pastor Joey about ministry is the opportunity to share love, grace, and dignity with all while working to make the world around us better. He is also passionate about justice and inclusion of the excluded and forgotten. Pastor Joey lives in the DC area with his husband Matthew, daughter Amaya, son Andre, and their dog Abbi.

Board Member

Rev. Dr. Ron Hoellein

Pronouns: he/him

Ron is a retired UM clergy-person. He is a graduate of West Virginia Wesleyan College, Garrett Evangelical Seminary (M.Div) and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (D. Min Pastoral Care). In his years under appointment, Ron served eight years in a two point Appalachian rural charge, eleven years in a small college community in northwestern PA. and 22 years as lead pastor in a large multiple staff, suburban congregation. In each of these settings he came to know LGBTQIA+ persons. These individuals inspired him to work for inclusion for all of God’s people.

Ron has served in the Western PA Annual Conference as Registrar and Chair of the Board of Ordained Ministry. He has been incorporator in several non-profit corporations seeking to serve senior citizens, health care, and youth. For the last 20+ years, Ron has taught and consulted with nearly 50 congregations on developing what it means to be a Purpose, Mission, and Vision driven community of faith. He also currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of United Methodist Church Union, an urban, inner city nexus of meal, education, housing, transient, and children at risk programs. He is active in the WPA Reconciling Ministry Task Force.

Ron and Joyce met on their first day of classes at Wesleyan. Their four grown children and their spouses are scattered in four different states with their eleven grandchildren.

Ron believes and preaches a gospel of full inclusion and desires to be part of a church that welcomes, affirms, and celebrates the gifts, graces, and call of every individual to grow the church and bring forth the realm, reign, and kingdom of God in our midst.

Board Member

Rev. Valerie L. Jackson, D.Min.

Pronouns: she/her
Chair of Equity Council

Dr. Jackson is an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church. She has a legacy of firsts in various roles. Now, she serves as the lead pastor of Park Hill UMC in Denver and Congregational Resource Minister for the Mile High Metro District of the Mountain Sky Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Having a deep commitment to disrupting oppressive systems and structures, liberating and empowering persons who live under the burden of oppression, educating involuntary perpetrators of supremacy, Dr. Jackson chooses to partner and collaborate with organizations with compatible missions and values such as: the Iliff School of Theology, the Center for Health and Hope, Interfaith Alliance of Colorado and Reconciling Ministries Network.

To prepare for a life of service as a faith leader, Dr. Jackson has earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Tufts University, Master of Divinity and Master of Christian Education from the Interdenominational Theological Center, and Doctor of Ministry from the Iliff School of Theology.

Board Member

Rev. Chet Jechura

Pronouns: he/him

Rev. Chet Jechura is an ordained elder in the Baltimore-Washington Conference and serves as the pastor of Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Baltimore, MD. His passions in ministry are to encourage all God’s people to recognize and celebrate their innate belovedness, to share the good news of God’s liberating love and unconditional mercy for every person, and to create spaces for belonging that draw out the best in others, whatever they believe or doubt. He is married to Darian Harnish, a member of the Mennonite Church USA, and they are dog dads to an irresistibly cute mini Bernedoodle named Ollie. His joys in life include being outdoors, gardening, walking the beach, making cards to send to loved ones, reading, and listening to music on vinyl.

Board Chair

Rev. David Meredith

Pronouns: he/him
Board Chair, Chair of Personnel Committee

David is a Retired Elder in the West Ohio Conference and Chair of the Reconciling Ministries Network Board of Directors. He lives in Madeira, suburb of Cincinnati, OH with his husband Jim where they celebrate 37 years together and 8 years legally wed. David and Jim are also active in the Madeira Inclusion Committee where they launched the first PRIDE Picnic and Festival in 2020 during the COVID Pandemic. Currently, their hearts are focused on David‘s aging 95-year-old parents and their 18.5 year old Border Terrier, Annie. Life and love are precious gifts.

Board Member

Rev. Dr. Rebekah Miles

Pronouns: she/her

Rebekah Miles is the Susanna Wesley Professor of Ethics and Practical Theology at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University, A native Arkansan, Miles grew up in a United Methodist parsonage family and is an ordained elder in the Arkansas Conference, where she is a five-time General Conference clergy delegate. Miles, who studied at Iliff School of Theology (M.Div. 1988) and The University of Chicago (1995), is the author, co-author, or editor of eight books in the fields of Christian theology and ethics. She and her late husband Len Delony, who was also a United Methodist pastor, have three young adult children – Katherine, Moth, and daughter-in-law Abby.

Board Secretary

Rev. Mina Nau

Pronouns: she/her

Mina is the pastor at Good Shepherd UMC in Colorado Springs, CO. She lives in Fountain. She believes that all people should be loved no matter their background, sexual orientation, identity, race, gender, history, age, etc.She stands with those who are oppressed, walks with those whose voices need to be heard, and fights for the love of God.

She has served in ministry with the National Alliance of Pan African Seminarians (NAPAS), Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice Washington, D.C., Colorado Religious Coalition of Reproductive Justice, Student Council at Iliff School of Theology, and Ethnic Youth Summit.

Mina has a Bachelor of Science in Apparel and Textiles with a minor in Design from Utah State University as well as a Masters of Arts in Fashion Design at the Academy of Art University. When she was called by God into ministry, she attended and received her Masters of Divinity from Iliff School of Theology. Mina has a Mastiff/Bulldog mix dog named Bubba – her constant sidekick and her evangelist.

Board Member

Rev. Kipp Nelson

Pronouns: he/him

Rev. Kipp Nelson currently serves as the Pastor of St. John’s on the Lake United Methodist Church in Miami Beach, Florida. He is a Miami transplant originally from Birmingham, AL. Kipp has earned a Bachelor’s of Accounting degree from Auburn University in Auburn, AL and a Master’s of Divinity degree from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C.

In July of 2021, Kipp became the first openly gay man to be appointed as a pastor to a local church in the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. Two years later, in June of 2023, he and two others became the first openly queer individuals to be commissioned as provisional clergy members in the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. Since assuming his current position, Kipp has been devoted to the revitalization of the church through focused ministry and outreach within the LGBTQ+ community and continues to be driven by a deep passion for healing and reconciling the harm Christianity has widely caused to LGBTQ+ people.

In his spare time, Kipp enjoys quality time with his dog, playing tennis, long bike rides, and relaxing on the beach.

Board Member

Rev. Benedict Odhiambo

Pronouns: he/him

Rev. Benedict Odhiambo is a Kenyan married to Rebecca Wasilwa. Together, they have four sons. He is currently the senior pastor of Christ Chapel United Methodist Church, the second Reconciling Congregation in Africa. Says Rev. Benedict: “I’m looking forward to working with you the Lord’s vineyard.”

Board Member

Karen G. Prudente

Pronouns: she/her

Karen G. Prudente is an activist queer laity with a passion for inclusion, equity, and justice and concerns for women, children, and youth. She’s currently the RMN Board Treasurer and has had many roles in finance, HR, and operations in real estate, conservation, education, microfinance and ecumenical/United Methodist sectors.

She has served with the Women’s Division/GBGM. She is currently a NEJ rep on The Connectional Table and a GC2021 reserve delegate for NY Annual Conference and a jurisdictional delegate to the NE Jurisdiction.

Board Member

Rev. Anjie Peek Rivers

Pronouns: she/her
Chair of Convocation 2025 Committee

Rev. Anjie Peek Rivers is a pastor in the North Georgia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Anjie and her co-pastor and co-parent Rev. Andi Woodworth are the planting pastors who helped create and grow Neighborhood Church, in the Candler Park neighborhood of Atlanta starting in 2016.

Originally from Decatur, Anjie graduated from Decatur High School, Georgia State University, and Candler School of Theology. Anjie is an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church and has served as part of churches in various roles in northern Virginia, Decatur, Atlanta, Villa Rica, and Rome, GA.

She’s delighted and honored to serve on the board of Reconciling Ministries Network.

She shares a wild and messy house with her three kids (almost all teenagers now!), her two dogs, and her husband. Anjie loves to craft and create, loves a spontaneous kitchen dance party, loves collaborating with folks for justice in the world, and loves to hear and share stories of how God shows up in the middle of real, messy life.

Board Member

Rev. Kimberly Scott

Pronouns: she/her

Rev. Kimberly Scott is a cradle United Methodist. Kimberly was nicknamed “Revival Baby” after her mother gave birth to her two months early after leaving a Fall Revival. Her seeds for ministry were planted at an early age by a father who served as the Lay Leader and a mother who was the Children’s Choir Director during her childhood.

Kimberly is a second career pastor who left her high school counseling career to answer her call to ministry in 2012 after a series of signs from God and traumatic church experiences. While she loved working with students, God was calling her to help the young persons who were being harmed by the Church. You see, her time working as a school counselor allowed her to come in contact with many students who were wrestling with their sexuality, depression, and suicidal ideation due to their religious upbringing. It was also an experience with which she was familiar.

Kimberly has lived most of her adult life as an out queer (same gender-loving) woman and has both witnessed and experienced the challenges of straddling the trifecta of intersections of sexuality, race, and gender in The United Methodist Church. Pastor Kimberly has a passion for doing liberating work of Jesus Christ. Most importantly, she wants to see ALL of GOD’s children experience the radical hospitality and inclusion in the Church that we see exhibited by Jesus throughout the Gospel.

Pastor Kimberly holds a Masters of Divinity from the Iliff School of Theology and Masters of Theology from Columbia Theological Seminary, as well as a Masters of Educational Leadership and a Masters of Science in Educational Psychology. Kimberly was ordained the first openly queer and African American female Elder in the Desert Southwest Conference and 2020. She is currently working on a PhD in Practical Theology at the Claremont School of Theology.

She has helped in the grassroots work of Reconciling Ministries Network in the Desert Southwest and Mountain Sky Conferences since 2012 and previously served as the board chair of RMN.

Board Vice-Chair

Derrick Scott III

Pronouns: he/him
Vice-Chair

Derrick Scott III is the Executive Director and United Methodist Campus Minister for the Campus to City Wesley Foundation in Jacksonville and St. Augustine, Fl. He has been leading ministry to college students and young adults for more than 18 years. He is passionate about raising up a new generation of leaders and laborers who will live as disciples of Jesus Christ to transform the world.

He has an undergraduate degree in history, is a Cicerone Certified Beer Server, and a textbook introvert. He loves eating sushi, flying on Delta, pouring craft beer, talking church history, nerding out over accounting, and taking care of his Chihuahua-mix dog Winston and Bengal cat Julian. Most importantly, he hates mayonnaise.

Board Member

Sutton Smith

Pronouns: she/her
Chair of Young Adult Council

Sutton Smith was born and raised in Alabama, and she is a candidate for ordination in the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the UMC. She completed her undergraduate degree in 2021 at Birmingham-Southern College, a Methodist liberal arts school in Birmingham, AL. In 2024, she graduated from Yale Divinity School with her Master of Divinity degree and a certificate in Methodist Studies. Sutton works in the Enrollment Management and Vocational Outreach office at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA.

Board Member

Rev. Dr. Deborah Stevens

Pronouns: she/her
Chair of Fund Development Committee

Deb Stevens is a retired Elder in the West Ohio Conference, and has been an activist, advocate, and organizer for a fully inclusive and just Church for more than 20 years. Deb is a long-time supporter of RMN and a bit of a UM polity nerd and has volunteered at several General Conferences.

Deb is currently enrolled in the Upper Room Two Year Academy for Spiritual Formation, which she hopes will help equip her to deepen her own and the Church’s embrace of the Beloved Community — a place of joy, welcome, and generosity.

Deb lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her spouse, Gary. They share their time with their two grown sons’ families, including four amazing granddaughters.

Board Members

Eric & Rexanna Swanson

Rexanna’s pronouns: she/her

Eric’s pronouns: he/him
Chair of Parents Reconciling Network

Rexanna and Eric Swanson are co-chairs of the Parents Reconciling Network (PRN). Rexanna is a retired elementary school teacher, and Eric is a retired Civil Engineer, both graduates of Arizona State University, and we live in San Diego, CA, and we are life-long United Methodists.

We are parents of a gay daughter who came out to us 25 years ago while she was in college. We have always loved her and supported her, as has her straight younger sister, and all of her relatives and friends.

We were motivated to join PRN during the RMN Convocation of 2015 in San Antonio as we became aware of their mission and the ongoing efforts to remove the egregious Book of Discipline language present then (now, thankfully, removed).

The LGBTQ+ community continues to be in need of major support from us all, despite the wonderful outcome of the 2024 General Conference. PRN’s focus is on the support of LGBTQ+ children and their parents as they address the realities of being part of the LGBTQ+ community and what that can mean in today’s church and society. We are in support of RMN’s ministries and activities, and we are blessed with a volunteer board of over 20 highly professional and committed parents of LGBTQ+ children.

Our more well-known activities include helping on the Virtual Front Porch Zoom presentations, Parents Toolbox, Vacation Bible School curriculum, and the distribution of rainbow stoles. PRN’s members, including Janet Duke, Chris Pepple, and Audrey Myer, have also published several books and articles on the general topic of LGBTQ+ support.

Board Member

Jacob Vaughn

Pronouns: he/him

Having grown up a PK in a conservative denomination, Jacob joined the UMC in 2009 and has served in a variety of roles from music to social justice – from the local church to the annual conference.

Jacob left his corporate life in 2013 to pursue passions and causes that better matched his gifts and graces, ultimately landing him in leadership in the United Methodist Church. Known for his skills in bridge building and conflict resolution, Jacob served as the Registrar for the former Nashville Episcopal Area’s (now the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Annual Conference) Board of Ordained Ministry and as a Jurisdictional Conference delegate for the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Annual Conference. He currently serves in an administrative role with Nashville CARES (Community AIDS Resource & Education Services).

From rural Colorado by way of central Kentucky, Jacob makes his home in Nashville with his husband, Michael and two adult children, daughter-in-law, and twin granddaughters. Jacob is a member of Belmont United Methodist Church in Nashville.

Board Member

Rev. Ryan Wager

Pronouns: he/him

Rev. Ryan Wager serves as the Associate Pastor at Oak Lawn United Methodist Church, where he is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and affirming community, particularly supporting LGBTQ+ individuals in faith and recovery. Deeply inspired by the teachings of John Wesley, contemplative prayer, and progressive theology, Ryan’s ministry emphasizes empathy and a commitment to serving those on the margins. He has been a Local Licensed Pastor since 2022.

Ryan is actively involved in transformative ministry through creative projects, Bible studies, book studies, and worship experiences. His passion for social justice extends beyond the church, as he serves on the boards of Safe Spaces Lebanon and the Coalition of Care at Housing Forward, Dallas County’s lead funding agency for addressing homelessness.

Currently enrolled in the Course of Study program at St. Paul’s School of Theology, Ryan balances ministry with a 23-year career at AT&T, where he holds an MBA. In early 2025, Ryan and his husband, Brendan, celebrated their marriage following The United Methodist Church’s historic decision to allow married pastors—a change influenced by the work of Ryan’s mentor, Rev. Rachel Griffin-Allison, and the Reconciling Ministries Network.

Ryan’s ministry is a vibrant blend of advocacy, compassion, and spiritual leadership, creating spaces for growth, healing, and belonging for all.

Board Member

Ben Weger

Pronouns: he/him
Chair of Board Development Committee & Board Chair of Center for Resource & Congregational Engagement

Ben Weger serves as the Worship Director at Trinity United Methodist Church in Madison, WI. Graduating with his Masters of Divinity from Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Ben studied theology with a focus on social justice and leadership and organizational development.

In 2014, Ben was the worship leader for the Florida Annual Conference gathering of the United Methodist Church and has served various churches in the Florida Conference since 2008.

Ben transitioned from female to male in 2015 and is passionate about building a more inclusive Church for the next generation. Ben lives in Madison, WI with his wife Leigh and their three children.

Board Member

Alice Williams

Pronouns: she/her