Lay Leadership Mini-bios

Note: Underlined names are 2014 nominees

Seth Popinchalk (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.

Wendy Innis (Vice Moderator)Wendy Innis was born and raised in the First Unitarian Church.  In the past few years she has taken on leadership roles, including serving as a member of the Future Ministries Task Force, the Interim Minister Search and Transition Committee, the Interim Minister Support Committee and, for two years, serving as the Chairperson of the Pledge Campaign  (that this year evolved into the Stewardship Campaign).  As part of her responsibilities as the Head Assessor/Steward, she served as a member of the Prudential Committee and the Finance Committee.   Wendy was a member of the Intern Committee for both Kim Hampton and Jerrod Oltmann.  Building on her history of service to the church, Wendy is committed to the future of this church community.  She is honored to continue to serve and support the work of our church.

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.

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. She has served as Assistant Treasurer and is currently the Treasurer. Karen lives in Sutton,  has 2 children, Kaitlyn and William, and works at Holy Cross.

Lisa McCarthy (Assistant Treasurer) has been self-employed as a bookkeeping consultant for several local non-profits for the last 9 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. 

Kate O'Dell (Head Assessor) is really happy to be part of the First U church community at this exciting transitional time, and especially to help make sure we maintain the financial resources we need to make our joint vision a reality.  She and her husband, Paul Kelly, have been members here since 2006.  Previously, they enjoyed membership at other UU churches in Pennsylvania and MA.  At First U, Kate has participated as RE teacher, Nominating and Assessor Committee member, and currently is Garden Committee Co-Chair.  She is a full-time faculty member at UMass Memorial, where she is a nurse-midwife.

Rick Silva (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.

Lee Bona (Assessor) joined the church in 2001 and has been a member of one committee or another during the past 13 years.  Most recently, Lee was a Trustee of Parish Funds and Chair of the Buildings Vision Taskforce, and is now Co-Chair of Caring Circle 9 while remaining actively involved in the UU Sisterhood.

Michael Keating (Head Trustee of Parish Funds) “My wife, Christine, and I started our search for an accepting Christian community 4 years ago.  As divorced  Catholics we felt the need to look for a congregation that wasn't interested in our marital status.   Our first day was music Sunday.  As a long time choir member I was hooked.  Besides the music, the welcoming community was wonderful, Kim Hampton's sermons moved my soul and made it easy to want to serve.
I've owned my own landscape and facility management company for 47 years and hold a masters degree focused on Emerson from Clark University.  I have 3 wonderful children , 2 step children , 6 grandchildren along with 3 dogs and 3 birds. Life is good.”

Jeanine Beratta (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 is finishing up as Head Trustee and is being nominated for another three year term.  Most recently, Jeanine has assumed responsibility as Chairperson for the Jericho Road Worcester Board.

George Hamilton (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.”

Vivian Shortreed  (Caring Circles Chair) lives in Worcester.   She joined the church more than 20 years ago.  She has participated in many groups:  Transformations, Sisterhood, Environmental committee, others.  She has served as clerk, vice moderator, moderator, taught Sunday School, other.  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.

Hari Kirin Kaur Khalsa, aka Diane Pingeton (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 the Caring Circles Vice-Chair in 2013, after serving on the Caring Communities Task Force and launch team member.  Her career has been spent in engagement with people 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 a second term with the Caring Communities as Vice-Chair and be humbly honored to serve this mission of the church as the Caring Circles continue to grow.  Sat Nam. 

Laura Kirshenbaum (Lay Leadership Committee) has been a member of First U since 2008. She and her wife Shannon live in Holden with Hazel (6) and Emerson (3). Since joining the church she has taught Spirit Play classes, served on the Lay Leadership Council, and served on the 2010 Director of Faith Development Search Committee. Laura is a 6th grade Science teacher in Marlborough and serves as a commissioner on the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. 

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

Linda Chatalian Wyatt (Lay Leadership Committee) has been attending services since Fall, 2002. She is a member of the LLPC; chair of the Winter Galas 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014; member of our regular and summer choirs; and the UU Sisterhood. Linda initiated the establishment of the John Henry’s Hammer Open Mic in Spring, 2013. She coordinates it with the open mic host; Lydia Fortune; and volunteers; Phil Nigro, Sten Gustavson, Sue Shaw, Bob, Shaw, and Alana Wyatt. She assists with the John Henry’s Hammer monthly Concert Series. 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.

Tom Crowley (Lay Leadership Committee) 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.”

Jean McInerney (Lay Leadership Committee) Since joining the First Unitarian Church of Worcester in 2010, Jean has become a participatory member of the Church. Currently, Jean is the Chair of the Membership Committee, a member of the Personnel Committee, the Garden Club, and a Steering Committee member of Jericho Road Worcester. Jean is also a Co-Chair of Caring Circle 4, participates in the UU Sisterhood at First Unitarian and volunteers for the Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN). Jean views her involvement and contributions to the First Unitarian Church in the following way. Each of our talents, interests and passions are needed in small and large ways to keep our church community healthy and functioning, continuing our relationships of support and compassionate presence, and contributing to community connections. Jean is a Recruiter for Minute Man Arc for Human Services and a trained Mediator in Divorce, Family, Elder and Workplace Mediation. Jean enjoys the outdoors and is a steward for No Child Left Inside initiatives especially with her grandchildren! Jean resides in Worcester, Mass.

Kattia Corrales-Yauckoes (Lay Leadership Committee) began attending First Unitarian in 2007 and joined the church with her husband Robert and her two children in 2010.  During her time at First UU she has been active as a teacher in Religious Education, teaching Spirit Play classes to first, second and third graders. She has also co-chaired her neighborhood Caring Circle and is now chair of the Faith Development Committee. She has volunteered in a variety of other events such as Hogwarts Camp, Faith Development open houses, the yearly Christmas Pageant and the Stewardship Fair.  Kattia works as a pediatric dietitian at the Children's Medical Center of UMass Memorial and is adjunct faculty in the Masters of Applied Nutrition at Northeastern University.

David Spanagel (Nominating Committee Chair) 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 Transition Team that works with the Interim Ministers).  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.

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.

Liz Gustavson (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.

Carrie West (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.

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.