Board Members

In 2009, Alan was asked to be the chair of the UCC Mental Illness Network and began the reformation of what has become the UCC Mental Health Network.  Since then, he has been the coordinator and then chair of the UCC MHN. Alan is a retired UCC clergy, has been a volunteer mental health advocate, and a member of the church, which developed the WISE program.

Rachael joined the UCC MHN Board in 2009 after attending a Widening the Welcome Conference. At the time, she was serving as a psychiatric chaplain at a state hospital, which magnified the need for churches to be better informed about mental health and inclusion. She currently lives in West St. Paul, MN, and serves as senior pastor at Living Table UCC in Minneapolis.

Robin Kempster is the Parish Nurse at First Church Berkeley, UCC, in California.  She started the Mental Health Ministry at the church and has encouraged others to join together and to be active participants.  The goals of the ministry are to provide opportunities to reduce stigma for those with mental health challenges, to share our stories, and to educate ourselves around mental health issues.  

Hannah lives in south Minneapolis with her spouse (an ELCA-ordained chaplain), their toddler, and their standard poodle.  She has been on the UCC MHN for several years and has cared deeply about mental health for a long time.  She is trained as a social worker and has an MDiv (soon to be ordained), and works as a college chaplain and an outreach coordinator.  Life is busy!

Rev. Amy Petré-Hill is the Minister of Mental Health and Inclusion at Mountain View United Church in Aurora, Colorado, and the JFK Partner's Spiritual Care Fellow at the Univ. Of Colorado Medical School. She previously worked as a disability rights attorney and is now the spiritual advisor to the Voices for Veterans Mental Health Council of Eastern Colorado, and Mental Health First Aid instructor.

Gilbert joined the UCC MHN Board in 2019 after attending a WISE Conference. He is a member-in-discernment with the Chicago Metropolitan Association‐Illinois Conference of the UCC. Gilbert serves as the vice-moderator for the CMA and as the Digital Outreach Minister at San Lucas UCC-Chicago. Continuing his mental health interest, he has returned to Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary to obtain a Master in Pastoral Care and Counseling, clinical track.

An ordained minister and clinical chaplain with specialized training and experience in the addiction recovery field, Jack lives in between Wernersville, Pennsylvania, and the Delaware seashore, combining his devotion to family in Delaware and his ministry with Caron Treatment Centers in Pennsylvania. He has served on the MHN board for several years, passionately supporting local and wider church involvement in these areas of need.

Vicki is on her first term as a board member and a psychologist in Diamond Bar, California. She has developed a pre-WISE survey and connects with post-WISE churches. She speaks about her experience of suicide in her family, how to heal, and hold another through the trauma of a loved one in this life place. God's extravagance provided MHN as her vehicle of service.

Lisa LeSueur is the Minister of Congregational and Staff Care at Coral Gables United Church of Christ, and she recently graduated with a Master's in Divinity. She has been a member of the UCC MHN Board of Directors for three years and is a frequent contributor to the MHN blog.  She lives in Coral Gables, Florida with her spouse and their two children.

Rev. Kirk L. Moore is a guitarist, vocalist, and a certified music practitioner, (CMP). He’s also the pastor of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Downers Grove, IL, and a member of the board of the UCC Mental health Network. 

Rev. Megan Osborn Snell (she/her/hers) is an ordained Pastor in the UCC and serves as Chaplain (Spiritual Advisor) at a Recovery Center in the Boston metro area. She holds an MDiv from Andover Newton Theological School. She is in the process of completing a DMin at Pacific School of Religion, focusing on mental health and the Christian church. (MHN Board of Directors since 2019).

Reverend Shernell Edney Stilley currently serves as the Associate Conference Minister for Congregational Vitality in the New York Conference. Her programmatic responsibilities include: Faith Reconciliation, Community Re-Discovery, Social Justice Empowerment, Revitalization Strategies, and Oversight of New Church Start programs.

Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund serves as the Minister for Disabilities and Mental Health Justice for the national setting of the United Church of Christ. She is the author of Blessed Are The Crazy: Breaking the Silence About Mental Illness, Family and Church. She is also a former UCC MHN board member.