March 15, 2026

Per Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Bylaws, Section 9.4 (d), the Nominating Committee submitted the following slate of nominees to the Board of Trustees. The election for these positions will take place at General Assembly (GA) 2026.

Board of Review

Denise Rimes (7-Year Term Ending at GA 2033)

The role of ministry and other credentialed leadership in congregations and our association are critical to the organic health and growth of our movement. Healthy relationships in congregations and affiliated organizations are part of the bedrock of spiritual direction, religious education, and the upholding of our values. When a leader comes to the Board of Review, they have exhausted all their other options within our movement, and ensuring that they have been given full opportunities to be heard is key to all the things that we hold dear and mentioned above. Denise Rimes sees this work as a key element of stable cleric leadership. She has had the opportunity to see power that has been abused by religious leaders, and the outcomes wreak havoc on congregations. Decisions related to those cases are critical to the congregations and individuals who are impacted by them.

Rev. Abbey Tennis (7-Year Term Ending at GA 2033)

Rev. Abbey Tennis (she/her) serves as Lead Minister at the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia. Abbey is passionate about ministry centered in justice and love, working against oppression and for multi-faith, multi-racial, and multi-generational community. A life-long UU, Abbey was a lay leader for fifteen years prior to entering the ministry, serving as a youth on the UUA Board of Trustees, working in the UUA’s Youth Office, and as a member of the continental UU Ministerial Fellowship Committee. In addition to First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, Abbey has served the First Unitarian Church of Oakland, CA, and All Souls Church in Washington, D.C. congregations, as well as serving Starr King School for the Ministry as Interim Director of Advancement. Her previous career included climate change policy work and professional facilitation. Abbey holds an MDiv from Starr King School for the Ministry, MBA from UMass Boston, and BA from Oberlin College. Abbey lives in West Philly with her partner Kai, their kiddos Nova and Robin, and their 2 cats, Mr. Bayard Rustin and Ludo.

Board of Trustees

Gail Forsyth-Vail — Position #1 (3-Year Term Ending at GA 2029)

Gail Forsyth-Vail was appointed to the UUA Board of Trustees in September 2025, and is now seeking your vote for election to a full term on the Board.

After a long career as a congregational religious educator, Gail was a member of the UUA staff until retirement. She is a Credentialed Religious Educator, Leadership Level, and was the recipient of the 2007 Angus H. MacLean Award for Excellence in Religious Education.

Gail is an active congregant at the North Parish of North Andover, MA, where she served as Board Chair and as a longtime member of the Racial Justice Team. She is part of a team leading “Mosaic” with youth and Co-Chair the Worship Committee. She co-teaches the UU Faith Development class at Harvard Divinity School and co-convenes the Life Member Chapter of the Liberal Religious Educators Association.

In Georgetown, MA, where she lives, she is an elected member of the Housing Authority. Together, she and her spouse, Stephen, have three adult children and four lively and curious grandchildren who are part of the faith development program at their UU congregation.

Gail promises to bring to the Board a strong commitment to local congregations and to what is possible when those congregations support one another and our values. Our UUA makes real the notion that we are “stronger together,” with a positive impact on those within our faith communities and on the world beyond. She asks for your vote as we face a future filled with emerging possibilities for our Unitarian Universalist faith movement.

Terry Grim — Position #5 (3-Year Term Ending at GA 2029)

Terry Grim is a professional futurist whose work focuses on aiding organizations through change and strategic decision-making by exploring potential future directions. Her career includes 30 years at IBM in technical, management, and strategic roles, followed by teaching foresight at the University of Houston and consulting as a founding member of a futures consulting firm. Her academic background includes computer science, studies of the future, and organizational psychology. Throughout her career, she has supported efforts to build more inclusive organizations where diverse voices are heard and valued.

Growing up internationally shaped her worldview early in life, fostering a deep appreciation for cultural diversity, a core belief in the dignity and value of every person, and a lasting sense of the interconnectedness of all life. She found a natural home for these values within Unitarian Universalism.

Within her congregation, Grim has served in leadership roles, including President and Vice President, and continues to serve as a worship associate and participant in several ministries. She has also been active in the Association of Professional Futurists, serving on its board and chairing development of its code of ethics. She participates regularly in social justice efforts and helps organize local community events such as No Kings.

She and her husband, her partner for 50 years, have one grown son and share a love of cats, camping, gardening, and staying active. She believes Unitarian Universalism calls us to imagine the future boldly, care widely, and act courageously for justice.

Chloe Ockey — Position #2 (3-Year Term Ending at GA 2029)

Our Unitarian Universalist faith calls Chloe to live more fully into its commitments to justice, compassion, and collective care. She is honored to offer her candidacy for the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association.

Chloe Ockey currently serves as Director of Congregational Life at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Rockville in Maryland. In this role she supports lay leaders, strengthens connections among congregants, and helps develop systems that allow congregational life to flourish. Her work sits at the intersection of communication, organizing, and pastoral care—bringing people together around shared values and helping translate those values into meaningful action.

Earlier in her career Chloe worked at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno in communications and media, using storytelling and digital engagement to lift up justice issues and connect people to our work. Across these experiences she has come to see how vital strong communication, leadership development, and relational networks are to the health of our congregations and our wider movement.

If elected, she would bring to the Board a perspective grounded in congregational life and shaped by the experiences of younger generations of Unitarian Universalists. She believes our Association is strongest when we invest in congregational vitality, empower emerging leaders, and deepening our collective commitment to justice.

Chloe would be honored to help guide our Association with transparency, collaboration, and a long-term vision for a thriving Unitarian Universalist future.

Rev. Dr. Oscar Sinclair — Position #4 (3-Year Term Ending at GA 2029)

A candidate statement will be posted for this person when it becomes available.

Commission on Appraisal

Peter Mather (5-Year Term Ending at GA 2031)

Pete Mather is a member and officer at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens, OH, and is enrolled in graduate studies at Methodist Theological School in Ohio (MTSO), where he is a member of the Unitarian Universalist House of Worship, focusing his studies on Unitarian Universalist history and theology. His interests and strengths are aligned with the work of the Commission, as his full-time occupation is a professor in a Higher Education and Student Affairs graduate program at Ohio University. In his role as a tenured faculty member, he maintains an active research and publication record, and has published research articles and edited and co-authored books. The focus of his research has been in the area of transformative educational practices and transformative higher education institutional leadership.

In the context of Unitarian Universalism, Pete imagines applying the types of methods of inquiry and his interest in transformative education to collaborate with others in generating and uncovering important questions for our faith community. At a time when there are powerful social counter movements to our values (e.g., de-humanizing anti-immigration activities and anti-trans legislation) and the existential crisis facing the environment, re-imagining our identity and work in and among local and global communities is important in ensuring the thriving of the planet, communities, and vulnerable individuals.

Peter is grateful to be considered as a candidate for the UUA Commission on Appraisal.

Julie Romero (1-Year Term Ending at GA 2027)

Julie Romero (she/her) is a lifelong Unitarian Universalist and the daughter of a UU minister. She has been a member of Westminster Unitarian Church for over thirty years. Over the years, she has served as a Religious Education Coordinator, volunteer at Star Island, member of the Continental Youth Adult Committee, and active in Liberal Religious Youth. She works as an Occupational Therapy provider in schools and advocates for her students, community members, and her own family to have improved access to the world.

Lincoln Statler (1-Year Term Ending at GA 2027)

Lincoln is a Unitarian Universalist Commissioned Lay Minister, Clinical Chaplain, and an unapologetic evangelist for a fiercely inclusive faith. Armed with a Master of Arts in Social Change (MASC), and a Certificate in UU Studies from Starr King School for the Ministry, plus four units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), he brings profound theological grounding to his clinical chaplaincy work.

​As President of the Unitarian Universalist Society for Community Ministries (UUSCM), Lincoln champions community-based ministries, especially Lay Community Ministries. This drive fuels his latest grassroots initiative in West Philadelphia: the All Souls Food Sanctuary and Center. Here, he is cultivating a UU Community Garden and actively fundraising to launch a neighborhood “Free Fridge,” building a tangible hub for mutual aid, nourishment, and Leftist solidarity.

​Lincoln’s ministry is deeply inspired by the DIY (do it yourself) ethos of the alternative and punk rock scenes — proving that collective care, like good music, demands authentic passion, bold action, and joyful noise.

When not reimagining institutional structures, Lincoln is at home with his husband of twelve years, navigating the delightful chaos of their four dogs and one cat. He leads with professional grace, a heavy dose of whimsy, and an unwavering commitment to collective liberation.

Nominating Committee

Rev. Viola Abbitt (3-Year Term Ending at GA 2029)

A candidate statement and photo will be posted for this person when it becomes available.

Sunnie Palmer (3-Year Term Ending at GA 2029)

Sunnie Palmer (she/they) has served as a lay leader at Denton UU Fellowship in Denton, TX, in various roles, including on the Board of Trustees and Stewardship and Worship teams. She has also served on the Board of North Texas UU Congregations. Sunnie enjoys exchanging ideas and resources for worship and religious education with other small congregations. She is a licensed clinical social worker who loves working with neurodivergent children, teens, and adults, and spending time with her three kids.

Cathy Seggel (1-Year Term Ending at GA 2027)

Cathy completed serving the First Unitarian Church of Providence as full-time religious educator after 30 years. She has a BS in Nursing from the University of Connecticut, worked as an RN and taught Pediatric Nursing at Rhode Island College. She also earned a Master of Theological Studies degree from Harvard Divinity School. Previous volunteer roles included President of the Unitarian Sunday School Society, member of the GA Program Development Group, and many years of leadership with the Star Island Faith Development Conference. She is a past President of LREDA (Liberal Religious Educators Association). She and Gail Forsyth-Vail recently launched and facilitate the LREDA Life Member Chapter. Cathy served on the most recent UUA Presidential Search Committee. She is currently an adjunct professor of UU Faith Development at Harvard Divinity School. Cathy is honored to have been asked to serve on the Nominating Committee. She lives in Providence, RI with her husband, Norm.

Claire Sexton (3-Year Term Ending at GA 2029)

Claire is a lifelong UUand committed lay leader. Having served as a volunteer on the congregational level, on through district, regional, and association-wide committees since her teen years, Claire looks forward to serving the association through leadership development. In her most recent UU leadership role Claire was the board president of the UU Women’s federation from 2017-2022, a transitional time in the UUWF, Unitarian Universalism, and the US.

Professionally, Claire has a background in nonprofit and visual arts administration and operates a small business with an environmental focus. Born & raised in Texas, Claire spent 10 years in Brooklyn NY for graduate school & professional opportunities. Back in Texas for just over 10 years, she now resides in Waco with her husband, tween daughter, two dogs and two cats.

Presidential Search Committee

Rev. Dr. Madelyn Campbell (5-Year Term Ending at GA 2031)

The face of religion in America is changing rapidly. We need to be proactive in meeting the needs of current Unitarian Universalists, as well as those who haven’t found us yet. So our next President will need to be someone who is able to meet that challenge. Rev. Dr. Madelyn Campbell has the skills and experience that will complement the team that searches for the next presidential candidates. She has served as a commissioner on the Commission on Appraisal. In this role she’s done research into what challenges Unitarian Universalism is facing now as well as what challenges we’ve faced in the past (and how we’ve addressed them). She’s also served as a member of the Joseph Priestley District Board during the transition to regionalization and the dissolution of the district. She is an Accredited Interim Minister and has helped congregations in the search process to understand what they need in a minister. This is how she’d like to serve our Association next.

Ben Gabel (5-Year Term Ending at GA 2031)

Ben Gabel lives in Pontiac, MI with his husband and two yellow labradors. He first experienced national Unitarian Universalism with his involvement with the Diverse Revolutionary UU Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM) Youth and Young Adults caucus. Ben has served in volunteer UU leadership roles since 2012, including the DRUUMM Steering Committee, GA Right Relationship Team, Co-Chair of the Journey Toward Wholeness Transformation Committee, Co-President of the UU Society for Community Ministries, and most recently as the Co-Chair of the UUA Nominating Committee. He is also currently an Advocate in the Ministerial Fellowship Committee (MFC) complaint process. All these various roles have given him the opportunity to engage in many different areas and with a diversity of constituencies within our Unitarian Universalism faith movement.

Professionally, Ben has served as a Congregational Administrator in an Executive Ministry Team role at the Northwest Unitarian Universalist Church in Southfield, MI. He also has professional programming experience as a Director of Social Justice and Outreach at the Birmingham Unitarian Church in Bloomfield Hills, MI.
Ben demonstrates shared ministry and consensus building. We are a faith based on covenants and holding each other in right relationships rooted in our values centered in love. When we are co-conspirators in our work together, we are then able to fully show up as ourselves and to live into collective liberation.

Lynette Millet (5-Year Term Ending at GA 2031)

Linette Millet would welcome serving on the UUA Presidential Search Committee. After years of congregational lay leadership and attending several General Assemblies — including as a delegate for the landmark Article II vote — she looks forward to the opportunity to contribute to Unitarian Universalism at the denominational level.

She believes one of the most vital dimensions of the UUA’s work and presidency right now is public witness. Helping to discern the next leader to carry that prophetic voice forward feels like consequential, meaningful work.

Her congregational experience has been substantive. Among other things, she served as board chair of a 300-member congregation during: the pandemic, a senior minister resignation, interim and settled search processes, and a major construction project. Professionally, she spent 25 years working on science and technology policy in Washington D.C., managing distributed multidisciplinary teams of national experts, leading evaluation strategy, and navigating the dynamics of strategic advisory groups without direct authority over their stakeholders — a scenario familiar to anyone who knows our congregations and the UUA.

Theologically, she is shaped by Universalism, a deepening commitment to and exploration of relationality and covenant, and engagement with abolition as a genuinely theological framework. She endeavors to bring both humility and seriousness to the ongoing work of understanding and countering systems of oppression and sustaining the democratic process in our Association and society in an anti-democratic time. Linette would be honored to serve.

Rachel Rott (5-Year Term Ending at GA 2031)

Rachel Rott (she/they) has been a Unitarian Universalist since 2009. Rachel is a member of the UURISE (Unitarian Universalist Refugee and Immigrant Services and Education) Team, and also works remotely from her home in the San Diego area for First Universalist Church of Minneapolis. At her home congregation, she has worked on three recent search committees. Rachel places a high value on relational processes and brings an orientation toward collective liberation to her work in service of our faith. She welcomes your questions about her candidacy, and thanks you for considering her when you cast your vote.

Rev. Hannah Villnave (5-Year Term Ending at GA 2031)

Our shared Unitarian Universalist faith has something urgent and life-saving to offer the world right now. Electing prophetic and practical leadership for this moment is holy, complex work. As a third-generation Unitarian Universalist, Rev. Hannah Villnave has witnessed the plural possibilities of our faith in several communities across a diversity of congregation sizes and regions.

Rev. Villnave would bring the breadth and depth of her many years as a lay leader at the local, regional, and Association-wide levels, along with the past nine years of experience as an ordained minister serving local congregations, to the work of identifying the best candidates for the role of UUA President. In particular, she brings a well-honed sense of how to maintain connection with a diverse set of stakeholders while holding clarity about what is needed next for the thriving of our shared faith. She also brings many years of experience facilitating difficult and conflicted conversations, both within and beyond our movement—especially those that engage the dynamics of privilege and power that move through our systems.

She would be honored to serve our Association as a member of the Presidential Search Committee, and would look forward to bringing a spirit of thoughtful discernment and a deep commitment to the confidentiality and care such a process requires.

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