UUA Staff Specialties in the Pacific Western Region for 2020-21
Our Pacific Western Region UUA staff team has had some big transitions in 2020! With our brand-new developmental lead, Carlton Elliott Smith, at the helm, and with new staff Summer Albayati and Melissa James on board, we are ready to help your congregations adapt, learn, and thrive.
Five of our staff are both "generalists" and "specialists," meaning that they serve as primary contact for thirty or more congregations, as well as a specialist to all 180+ Pacific Western Regional congregations in more than one specialty area. One of our staff, Eric Bliss, is purely a specialist (in youth and emerging adult programs).
Our team also includes Christine Purcell, who serves all regions as a ministerial transitions specialist. From her home in New England she supports our ministerial search committees and interim ministry.
Area of Specialty | Staff Member |
Accessibility and Inclusion Ministries |
Sarah Schurr |
Campus Ministry | Melissa James and Eric Bliss |
Conflict Transformation/Healthy Congregations Team | Sarah Millspaugh |
Covenanting Communities (that are congregation-like) | Summer Albayati |
Covenanting Communities (non-congregation-like, such as camps) | Melissa James |
COVID-19 Response | Sarah Millspaugh |
Disaster Relief Fund | Sarah Schurr |
Disaster Response | Summer Albayati |
Emerging Adult Ministry (Ages 18-24) | Eric Bliss |
Emerging (New) Congregations | Summer Albayati |
Generosity, Fundraising, and Stewardship | Melissa James |
Large Congregations | Carlton Smith |
Leadership Development | Melissa James and Summer Albayati |
LGBTQ+ Inclusion/Gender Identity | Melissa James |
Ministerial Transitions | Christine Purcell |
Multicultural Inclusion/Dismantling White Supremacy | Annie Scott and Summer Albayati |
Our Whole Lives Lifespan Sexuality Education | Annie Scott |
Professional Misconduct (addressing, healing from) | Sarah Millspaugh |
Religious Education/Lifespan Faith Formation | Annie Scott |
Safety in Congregations | Annie Scott |
Small Congregations | Sarah Schurr |
Social Justice Organizing in Congregations | Summer Albayati and Melissa James |
UUA Annual Program Fund | Carlton Smith |
Youth Ministry (Ages 14-18) | Eric Bliss |
Your primary contact remains your best way to get the services you need. If they can't help you with what you need, they can connect you with the relevant specialist. We look forward to all the ways we will engage with you in the coming year.