Biographies for Nominations for Annual Meeting

Biographies for nominations for January 31, 2016

Vice-moderator:

Jesse Anderson has been a member of First Unitarian for close to 20 years.  In that time, he has served as a Trustee of Parish Funds, Member-at-large of the Prudential Committee, and many roles on various committees, most recently the Search Committee.  He has also served as a board member and Treasurer for the Clara Barton District.  He and his wife Susan produce the weekly radio show on WCUW 90.5FM.  Jesse is the Manager of Audio-Visual Services at the College of the Holy Cross.

Stewardship:

Ellen Foley was raised in the Unitarian Church of Flint, Michigan and has been attending First U for several years (usually with her spouse Ajayi Harris and their three-year old Mose).  She is a medical anthropologist who teaches in the International Development and Social Change program at Clark University.  She was a member of First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia in the 2000s and she loved serving on the Stewardship team there.

Stewardship:

Laurie Ross came to First Unitarian after her two children Zoe and Eli found the magic of Hogwarts/Wiogora several years ago. She currently part of the social justice committee. She teaches Community Development and Planning at Clark University and is director of the HOPE Coalition, a youth-adult partnership that aims to reduce youth violence and substance abuse and promote positive mental health and youth voice in Worcester.  She is married to Jeff Black.

            Stewardship: one slot available as of 1/26/16

           
Carol Gregory has been a member of the Church for two years and has recently served on the Mission and Values Committee. Carol is a retired educator currently working for a small educational consulting company assisting school districts to implement the newest version of the Massachusetts Educator Evaluation System.  She looks forward to serving the church in this new capacity. 

Trustee:

Bonnie Prescott is a ten year member of the Church who lives in Holden.  She is a widow with a grown daughter residing in Michigan.  Bonnie is a member of the Church Sisterhood and has served as Co Chairman of the Annual Sisterhood Retreat for the past two years.  Throughout her teens and adulthood Bonnie has been a Community Volunteer and Fundraiser, giving back to each community in which she has lived, from Massachusetts to Michigan and Indiana.  In the more recent years Bonnie has been and remains an active leader in areas of town government, was affiliated with the Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research, as leader of its Auxiliary, and currently is a Board member and member of the Executive Committee of Preservation Worcester.  She looks forward to the opportunity to serve the Church in a more active capacity.

Trustee:

Gary Riggs, member of First Unitarian for over 10 years, US Army veteran, husband, father and part-time carpenter and mechanic. Banking experience some years ago. College graduate plus advanced degree. Honest, loyal and patriotic. Loves animals, traditional hymns and a good story. Can't stand insincerity, game-playing, those who push politics or religion on others and those who take advantage of others.

Caring Circle:

Eileen McMahon has been a member of First Unitarian for just over a year and is currently a member of the Social Justice Committee. She is a Software Technical Writer who is currently employed at RSA Security in Bedford, Massachusetts. Eileen enjoys cooking, reading, traveling, and loves all animals (especially horses and dogs). She lives in Worcester.

LLPC

Becky Spanagel has been a member of First Unitarian for close to 20 years.  She has been a teacher in Religious Education as her son Paul was growing up at First U, and has been active in the music program at First Unitarian as a keyboard player. She and her husband David founded the joint youth choir with Holden Street youth from 2008-2011, and more recently she has the privilege of working with the Jingle Bell Choir.  She works at St Vincent Hospital as an Internist and teaches UMASS medical students as they rotate through St Vincent Hospital, as well as co-ordinating an elective at UMASS entitled “The Healer’s Art”.

LLPC

Christina Wertz has been a member of First Unitarian for several years, attends UU Sisterhood gatherings, and has taught RE classes. She is the mother of a teenage daughter, and the daughter and long distance caregiver of an elderly father.  She is employed at Community Healthlink where she works with and advocates for children and families, and teaches psychology interns.  Christina loves the music at First U and wishes she had more time to work on protecting our planet Earth for our children's children's children.