Meet the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries

Learn more about the vision behind our work on the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries staff page. Learn more about our staff here!

Our Staff

Carey McDonald—Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries
cmcdonald @ uua.org (617) 948-4359

Carey joined the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries in the summer of 2011. He most recently worked as the staff director for a statewide advisory body, the Ohio School Funding Advisory Council, where he has focused on education reform, educational equity and “closing the achievement gap.” He has also worked as a budget analyst, policy advisor and legislative aide, and has considerable experience in political campaigns and organizing. Throughout his varied career, Carey has focused on creating a world more just through a community more loving, and is excited to bring that inclusive approach to the helm of the Youth and Young Adult Ministries Office.

Carey is a seventh-generation Unitarian Universalist who was active as a youth with Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUU). He is formerly a member of the Ohio-Meadville District Youth/Adult Council, was active as a youth in Diverse & Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM), and served three times as a delegate to General Assembly. Before moving to Boston, he was an active young adult in his congregation in Columbus, Ohio, as a member of the Young Adult Covenant Group and chair of the church’s Annual Budget Drive. He also has served in recent years as a lay member of the Ministerial Fellowship Committee. Carey has a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Economics from Pomona College in Claremont, CA. He lives in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston with his wife, Sarah.

Jeremie Bateman—Leadership Development Associate
jbateman @ uua.org (617) 948-4352

Jeremie first joined the staff of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries in August 2008 as a Program Associate, a position he held until he became the Leadership Development Associate in July 2009. He brings many years of experience in youth leadership organizations as both a participant and an advisor, having served on and mentored numerous leadership teams. He holds a Master of Theological Studies degree from Harvard Divinity School where he focused on gender and sexuality in religion and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Theology with a minor in Journalism and Mass Communication from St. Bonaventure University. Jeremie has also been actively involved in anti-oppression advocacy and holds a strong commitment to helping create and sustain welcoming religious communities.

Shane Montoya—Young Adult Ministry Associate
smontoya @ uua.org (617) 948-6428

Shane joined the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries in October 2012. Most recently, he worked for the Dallas Public Library and was, among many things, a library associate and an assistant coordinator for an early childhood literacy program. Before moving to Boston, Shane was a member of the First Unitarian Church of Dallas and a leader in its young adult group. Shane grew up in Florida and North Carolina, and holds a BA in History with a concentration in East Asian Studies from Davidson College and a MA in Management from Wake Forest University. He also competes in the sport of fencing in local, regional, and national events. His goal is for every young adult to have access to a spiritually engaging, social justice seeking and radically welcoming community.

Kayla Parker—Campus Ministry Associate
kparker @ uua.org (617) 948-4629

Kayla joined the staff of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries in September 2010. She previously worked at the Religious Institute, a multifaith organization dedicated to advocating for sexual health, education, and justice in faith communities and society. During this time, she was also active in coordinating a young adult group at the Unitarian Society of New Haven. Kayla holds a BA in Religion and International Affairs from George Washington University, where her studies focused on Islam and the Middle East. She is inspired and motivated by the power of most everything, but stand-outs include: radically inclusive and transformative community, the complexity and simplicity of life, song, beauty, and riding her bicycle.

Ted Resnikoff—Communications Technology Associate
tresnikoff @ uua.org (617) 948-4659

Ted joined the staff of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries in February 2010. He brings more than 20 years' experience using media to create social change by creating communications strategies and content for progressive non-profits, political campaigns, and cause based organizations. He has produced work for broadcast television, social media, and theatrical venues in the United States and Europe. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Directing from New York University and is currently pursuing a Masters degree. Ted is a dedicated Nichiren Buddhist and long-distance runner, the unlikely combination of which has helped him become a competitive marathon racer who encourages everyone to get out and run!

Deborah Neisel-Sanders—Office Administrator
dsanders @ uua.org (617) 948-4355

Deborah joined the staff of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries in December 2009. She brings several decades of experience providing administrative support to organizations large and small, both corporate and not-for-profit. Her breadth of non-profit experience includes work at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Monroe Community College, The Center for Youth Services, and United Way of Greater Rochester (NY). Deborah is personally committed to creating a just society and intentionally multicultural, multigenerational Unitarian Universalist communities. She enacts this vision through social justice and lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT) activism, particularly issues affecting transgender and gender non-conforming people.  Deborah has recently taken up running, thanks to the encouragement of Ted.

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