Rev. Constance Wilkerson - Pastor

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Connie grew up in the shadows of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.  The youngest of four
children,  she learned the art of play and compromise at an early age. 

Connie holds degrees from Union Theological Seminary (Virginia),  Medical College of
Virginia and Randolph-Macon Woman's College.  She is currently completing her Doctorate at
San Francisco Theological Seminary.

The church has always been a central part of Connie's life.  While pursuing a career in cancer
research,  she decided to answer the call to ministry that she had first heard as a teenager.  After
her seminary training,  she was ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA) in 1994 and has since
shepherded congregations in New York and Oregon.  Passionate about empowering people to
embrace their faith,  she volunteered for church work in Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Guatemala
and with Presbyterian congregations in Cuba.

A tireless advocate for children, youth and young adults,  Connie has served on the board of directors and as spiritual leader to various youth organizations, including the Presbyterian Camp and Conference Center at Holmes, NY. Currently, she is a board member of the Westminster Foundation, which oversees the Presbytery's campus ministries.

Connie has been active in church governance throughout her career.  In the Presbytery of
the Cascades  she presently serves on the committee for Newly Ordained Pastors Support.

Connie and her husband David are active advocates for the needy in our community.  They are
the parents of two delightful sons,  James and Aidan.  The Wilkersons enjoy hiking, rafting,
sailing, snowshoeing and traveling.

Rev. Adam Walker Cleaveland - Associate Pastor

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Adam grew up in the Pacific Northwest with his parents and sister. He attended Whitworth University and received a Bachelors Degree in Religion.

Laurie Anne Hunter - Director of Music

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A native of Pasadena, California,  Laurie Anne Hunter received her B.A. from the University of
Winnipeg and her Masters in Piano Accompanying from the Juilliard School in New York.
She spent five seasons as Assistant Conductor and Vocal Coach with the New York City
Opera, becoming the fourth woman ever to conduct there when she made her Lincoln Center
debut with Marc Blitzstein's "Regina" in 1992. 

Since then,  Laurie Anne has worked with American Musical Theater of San Jose and the
Seattle Opera while working her way to the Ashland Shakespeare Festival,  the Oregon Cabaret
Theater and Southern Oregon University's Department of Theater Arts.

She has been on the faculty of Hartt School of Music,  Israel Vocal Arts Institute in Tel Aviv
and currently is on the adjunct faculty at SOU in Ashland.  Recently, she took up the harp and
now plays therapeutic harp music for Providence Cancer Center and Hospice in Medford.

Katie Moeglein - Children's Ministry Assistant

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Katie is a very familiar face around this church, as she and her family have been attending First Presbyterian Church since 2001. Katie was active in our youth ministry program, and during her middle school and high school years, she worked with the children in our Church School program.

She's currently attending Southern Oregon University and is planning on being an elementary school teacher, something she decided on as a preschooler! Katie is learning Chinese, and spent some time in China one summer. Out of all the places in the world that she could live, she would choose Ashland, and is very happy here. Her favorite hobby is singing, and if you're lucky, then you may have seen her perform in various plays and musicals here in town. 

Katie's favorite quote is: "Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them." -William Shakespeare (Twelfth Night).

Sophia Rychener - Child Care Provider

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Sophia grew up primarily in Missoula Montana attending a UCC church. While still in middle school she helped in the church nursery, co-taught the youngest Sunday School class, and was a member of the church education committee.

She attended college at The Evergreen State College (TESC) in Olympia Washington, where she received a B.A. in Alternative Education. She began her professional career in Early Education at TESC. She loves to sing, read, tell stories, and teach problem solving with children. Here in Ashland, Sophia works at Schneider Children's Center at SOU. She also leads Dances of Universal Peace and volunteers with the Food Angels.

Carolyn Moeglein - Treasurer

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Carolyn and her family joined First Presbyterian Church when they moved to Ashland in 2001. She became the church treasurer in January 2010.

Carolyn was raised as the daughter of a Lutheran minister (retired ELCA). She moved around with her family, living in several parts of California as well as Hawaii. After graduating in 1984 from Harvey Mudd College with a degree in math, Carolyn worked for Pacific Bell Telephone/SBC in California. She began as an engineer and advanced over the next 15 years to the position of Senior Financial Analyst.

In 2000, she gave up the paying job to stay at home with her kids (ages 19, 14 and 9 as of February 2013). With this job, she is rediscovering her passion for "bean-counting" and enjoys being the treasurer for the church.

Linda Brewer - Office Manager

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Linda first served as our financial secretary and then as church treasurer in the early 80's.  She
began her work as office manager in 1988.

She graduated from Sonoma State University in California.  She has held positions as head
bookkeeper for the University of Idaho Dormitory Food Services and in accounting at San
Francisco Theological Seminary when her husband Gary was a student there.

The Brewers moved to Ashland in 1979 so their two children could live closer to their grandparents.  Linda enjoys her family and traveling to places unknown. What she likes best in life is spending time with her grandchildren, Devon and Della.  She likes working in a positive environment and enjoys getting to know the people of our congregation.

Bill Kirkman has been a Parish Associate for our church for a number of years. His duties have included calling on church members, substitute preaching, and stepping in for the pastor when necessary. Bill and his wife Caroline have lived in Ashland since1985 where, for fifteen years, he served as a marriage and family counselor.

Bill’s background is one of service and travel.  After completing Princeton Seminary in 1960 and serving as pastor of a Presbyterian Church in Lemoore, California, he traveled to Korea and Singapore, where he worked for the Board of Missions in Korea (“village evangelism”) and Singapore (“urban ministries”).  He loved traveling, meeting the people, and soaking up the Asian culture.

Next, Bill and Caroline spent ten years in Henderson, Nevada, doing “national mission” work, bringing a failing church back to health.  It was there that he became interested in family therapy and got his degree in Marriage and Family Counseling.

First Presbyterian is honored to have had Bill Kirkman as our Parish Associate.  As he settles into his much-deserved retirement, we wish him well.