Dear congregational leaders of the Central East Region,

After almost fifteen years on the Central East Regional (CER) staff, I will be stepping away from the team and my direct work with congregational leaders after June 30, 2025. I started out as one of the three shared staff, holding the leadership development portfolio in the newly formed “Central East Regional Group” (CERG) along with Patricia Infante (faith development), Mark Bernstein (growth development), and Beth Casebolt (communications development). Since then, I have seen the original four districts (St. Lawrence, Ohio-Meadville, Metro New York, and Joseph Priestley) dissolve, and our staffing structure evolve into the primary contact system we have today!

I will also be stepping away from my role as LeaderLab co-dean, leaving the UU Institute in the capable hands of Beth Casebolt and my co-dean partner Lillian Drab-Braddick, who serves in the Southern Region.

I will be continuing as UUA staff, but on a part-time basis in my new role of Website “User Experience” Project Manager, continuing my work on curating and organizing online resources for congregations so that they are easier to find and maintain. The UUA website is our organizational and institutional memory bank, and it’s been my calling from my early years in UU leadership to amplify materials that help you, our congregational leaders, to create transformational organizations that have the potential to change the world. That need is more important than ever!

This change will provide more time with family, more enjoyment of my garden, and more energy for local community-building volunteer work. I hope to transition into full retirement (at least from paid work!) in a few years.

I feel blessed to have been able to serve our congregations in my roles as congregational life consultant and as dean of LeaderLab and the UU Institute. I have had amazing partners—both UUA staff and congregational leaders—in all of the various projects and programs I’ve been a part of. I also have amazing colleagues on our CER team, so you will be in good hands.

With much affection,

Renee