IMN BOARD OF DIRECTORS

JENNY STEPHENS, UCCN

JENNY STEPHENS, UCCN

President - 3rd term through 2023 Director - 1 year term through 2023

Rev. Dr. Jenny Stephens retired from the General Council of The United Church of Canada in May 2022, where she led the design and implementation of a denominational Office of Vocation as part of the broader denominational transition. Raised in the Methodist Church of Great Britain, Jenny has lived in Canada since 1982 and worked within The United Church of Canada serving in both team and solo ministry in multi-point pastoral charges as well as 16 years as the Personnel Minister in Hamilton Conference (middle judicatory). Committed to developing leadership of faith communities, Jenny is a trainer with the Emotional Intelligence-Human Relations Skills Center (www.eqhrcenter.org).  She lives in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada.

MARVIN MORGAN, UCC

MARVIN MORGAN, UCC

Vice-President - 3rd term through 2023 Director - 2nd term through 2025

Rev. Dr. Marvin L. Morgan  began serving as a Senior Pastor a age twenty-one. He currently serves Church of the Red Rocks, UCC, in Sedona, AZ, his seventh interim position in fourteen years. During his studies at Elon University (B.A. 1971), Duke Divinity School (M. Div. 1975), Drew University (D. Min. 1979), and during post-graduate studies at Auburn Seminary and Harvard, he was simultaneously a full-time pastor. Service as Head Chaplain for the Atlanta Police Department, a staff Chaplain with Fulton County, GA, Adjunct Faculty and Administrator at Interdenominational Theological Center, in Atlanta, GA were all meaningful experiences in ministry. However, he found his most fulfilling niche, about fifteen years ago, when Les Robinson introduced him to the exciting world of Interim Ministry.

 

HOLLY MILLERSHANK, UCC

HOLLY MILLERSHANK, UCC

Secretary - 3 Term through 2023 Director - 2nd term through 2025

Rev. Holly MillerShank is an energetic and committed member of the body of Christ. She was raised at Myerstown UCC in Penn Central Conference. She has served the church in various capacities; as a Global Ministries Volunteer in India and Korea, with the UCC’s advocacy office in Washington DC, as a member of the Local Church Ministries Board of Directors and as a Trustee for Lancaster Theological Seminary. Holly has a BA in International Relations and Business from American University and an M.Div. from Lancaster Theological Seminary. She has worked Witness for Peace and in interim settings both in local church and middle judicatory roles. For a decade Holly served as the Minister and Team Leader for the Ministerial Excellence, Support and Authorization (MESA) Ministry Team in the UCC’s national offices. Called in 2022, Holly currently serves as the Senior Minister of First Congregational Church, UCC in Shrewsbury Massachusetts.

Margret O'Neall, UUA

Margret O'Neall, UUA

Treasurer - 2nd term through 2023 Director - 1st term through 2023

Rev. Dr. Margret O’Neall is an accredited Interim Minister and Professional Transition Specialist serving Unitarian Universalist churches in times of transition and development. Margret holds academic degrees in Community Development and Sociology, and earned her Master of Divinity from Meadville-Lombard Theological School. She entered intentional interim ministry following a 35-year career working in the public and private sectors, and her call to ministry follows her passion for the transformation process that individuals and organizations may engage with intention in times of change. Since entering the ministry in 2009, Margret has served interim ministries in Sarasota, FL; Buffalo, NY; Schenectady, NY and Phoenix, AZ, and is now serving a 5-year Developmental Ministry in the Unitarian Universalist church in Cherry Hill, NJ.

Rev. Dr. Jonathan B. New, UCC

Rev. Dr. Jonathan B. New, UCC

Executive Director

The Rev. Dr. Jonathan New is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ (UCC) who has spent over twenty-five years helping faith communities be their best, most faithful selves.  After serving as a settled pastor, Jonathan received IMN training and went on to work with six congregations as an intentional interim minister.  He served several years in judicatory ministry with the Massachusetts Conference (UCC) as Associate Conference Minister for Stewardship and Financial Development.  In this ministry, he oversaw Conference fundraising and provided direct support to local church leaders regarding stewardship, finance, organizational structure and management, and congregational vitality.  He also led the Conference’s Threshold Ministry support to congregations considering closure and has contributed to the UCC’s church closure and legacy efforts.  Jonathan has followed a calling to teaching ministry as well, offering Conference and denominational workshops for clergy and laity, and serving as faculty for the Massachusetts Conference Christian Education Certification program and the Vermont Academy of Spiritual Training, and as adjunct faculty at Andover Newton Theological School.  Prior to entering the ministry, he was Associate Director of News and Public Affairs at Harvard University.  Jonathan is a graduate of Oberlin College (B.A.) and holds theological degrees from Harvard Divinity School (M.T.S.) and Andover Newton Theological School (M.Div., D.Min.).  He makes his home in Vermont with his wife, Debbie, and spends his free time with photography, kayaking, Nordic skiing, walking, reading, and trying to keep up with the exploits of his two adult daughters, Sarah and Ellie.

Patrice Curtis, UUA

Patrice Curtis, UUA

Director - 1st term through 2025

Rev. Patrice K. Curtis is UUA’s Transformational Interim Ministries Director. Patrice collaborates with and supports interim ministers in amplifying and practicing diversity, equity, and inclusion within congregations, and in disrupting unhealthy patterns that make Beloved Community difficult to realize. Before beginning ministry at the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), Patrice served four congregations and as Program Director with the UU Justice Ministry of California. Patrice practices Tibetan Buddhist-based spirituality (20+years), has trained in teaching Shamata meditation, and studied Mindful Self-Compassion, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).

DOUG DUERR, UNITY

DOUG DUERR, UNITY

Director - 1st term through 2023

Rev. Doug Duerr is an ordained minister with the Association of Unity Churches and has served in judicatory leadership at Unity Worldwide Ministries since 2017 and pulpit ministry prior to his call to serve the denomination office. He has served faith-based communities since 2008 and non-profit leadership since 2005.  Doug is currently an independent Ministry Consultant and Transition Specialist supporting communities across the U.S. and Canada as they navigate the facets of organizational change and transition. He has served as a leader in programs including consultant/specialist education & certification, conflict transformation, visioning/planning, ministry employment readiness and ethics. Each area is focused on developing, equipping and supporting ministry leaders and the communities they serve. He is a faculty member for the Unity seminary and has led the education/certification program for those called to serve as Intentional Interim Ministers and Consultants. He is a Certified Transition Specialist, published author and is Dare to Lead Trained ™ from Brené Brown. For 25 years, his heart for organizational development, education, grief facilitation, mediating agreements and process consulting are evident in his work. Doug aligns with IMN as an organization dedicated to “strengthen the spiritual and organizational health of faith communities by equipping and supporting those who lead during times of transition.” Passionate about the value of the interim period and the substantial results of effective transitional guidance, Rev. Doug celebrates the work of IMN.

JULIE HARRIS, EP

JULIE HARRIS, EP

Director - 2nd term through 2024

The Reverend Julie N. Harris is an ordained priest in the Episcopal Church.  Although currently serving in a settled pastorate as Rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Martinsburg, WV, she has been involved with IMN since 2000.  During that time, she has been active as a member of the Annual Conference planning team, a member of the Board of Directors and as Vice President.  Julie has also been active as a Board Member of Interim Ministries in the Episcopal Church since 2010.   She finds energy in times of transition and believes that all ministry is transition ministry.  She is a healer and administrator who has assisted several parishes discover hope and new life in the aftermath of conflicted pastorates.  Julie finds the nexus of her ministry in the words of the prophet Micah:  What does the Lord require? To do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.  

SHANNON MANG, UCCN

SHANNON MANG, UCCN

Director - 1st term through 2024

Rev. Shannon Mang, based in Western Canada, has been in paid accountable Ministry since 1989.  She did the Intentional Interim Ministry training early in her career, and her first formal IIM was at Trochu-Elnora, Alberta in 1994-1995. She applied Interim Ministry tools and skills to several short-term appointments, and to a ten-year ministry with St. Andrews United Church in Calgary, re-entering formal IIM with Living Spirit United Church, Calgary (2017-2020). At present, she enjoys life in the Rocky Mountains in Canmore, Alberta and is doing a virtual IIM with St Andrew’s United Church in Markham, Ontario, some 2000 miles/3500 km away, teaming with an “on-the-ground” ministry partner. Raised in the United Church of Canada and ordained in 2005, Shannon brings significant ecumenical experiences: as a steward at the 1983 World Council of Churches meeting in Vancouver, as a student at an ecumenical seminary (Vancouver School of Theology), as a college chaplain (joint United-Presbyterian at the University of Calgary), and as a Director of Religious Exploration with the Calgary Unitarians.  She is drawn to justice and contemplative practice, is an avid singer and learner, and one who loves to play in the snow.

ROBERT MCFARLANE, UCA

ROBERT MCFARLANE, UCA

Director - unexpired term through 2024

The Rev. Dr. Robert McFarlane serves as Presbytery Ministry Leader within the Parramatta Nepean Presbytery – PNP – (Synod of NSW and the Australian Capital Territory – NSW/ACT – within the Uniting Church in Australia). PNP has 60 congregations with 35 ministers, serving a region of 2,000,000 in western Sydney, characterized by cultural diversity and new housing areas.
This means that he works with congregations to help them be as healthy in their own life, and as strong in their mission and service in their communities as they can be. Rob also works with ministers to help them be as spiritually and emotionally healthy as possible, and as effective in their ministry as they, too, can be.
Rob oversees the placement of ministers in congregations (including IIM), continuing education for ministry, and ministry retreats. He also works with congregations in mission planning and discernment using IIM-related skills, notably Appreciative Inquiry and Asset Mapping.

EMLYN OTT, ELCA

EMLYN OTT, ELCA

Director - 1st term through 2023

Rev. Emlyn Ott grew up in Rochester, New York where her parents owned and ran a manufacturing company called, surprisingly enough, “Ottco.” After completing seminary at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, she served as Campus Pastor to Oklahoma State University and as Pastor of Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church in Stillwater, Oklahoma for nineteen years. In 2005, she accepted a call to teach at Trinity Lutheran Seminary and to oversee the work of Healthy Congregations, Inc. She was named as the Dean of Leadership Formation at Trinity in 2012. She has spent portions of each of the past three years providing pastoral support for colleagues currently serving in parishes who are on sabbatical.

Pastor Ott did her doctoral work in pastoral counseling and congregational dynamics. In her spare time, she is an avid reader, cook, gardener and enjoys choral and instrumental music. She is currently working on the goal of hiking/walking every Metropark in the Columbus area. Emlyn is the spouse of Dr. Robert Ward, a musician, educator and conductor who is on the faculty of the School of Music of The Ohio State University. 

KATRINA PALAN, DOC

KATRINA PALAN, DOC

Director - 2nd term through 2024

Rev. Katrina Palan is an ordained minister with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). She is in a time of transition having completed her nineth interim position, two of which were judicatory ministry positions. She is currently living in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma close to six of her eleven grandchildren. Katrina is on the Interim Ministry Network Board of Directors and serves on its conference planning team, the hybrid conference task force, the conference meditation site planning team, and the instructional design team. She is also a VSG co-host and a “Chat-With Us” co-host. Katrina is a military veteran and serves on the Moral Injury Institute Board of Directors. She has experience in hospital, police, and sheriff chaplaincy. Katrina is currently a level-3 Chaplain with the Salvation Army Disaster Team. She has extensive experience in working with people in traumatic situations. Katrina is currently working on her Doctorate of Ministry at Brite Divinity in Fort Worth, TX. Her Dissertation title and emphasis is “How Can Spiritual Practices Help to Minimize the Consequences, Responses and Feelings Encountered by Veterans Impacted by Moral Injury”.

DENNIS ROSS, JREFORM

DENNIS ROSS, JREFORM

Director - 1st term through 2023

Rabbi Dennis S. Ross is the author of When a Lie Is Not a Sin: The Hebrew Bible’s Framework for Deciding released by Jewish Lights Publishing. He also author of God in Our Relationships: Spirituality between People from the Teachings of Martin Buber (Jewish Lights) and All Politics Is Religious: Speaking Faith to the Media, Policy Makers and Community (SkyLight Paths). Rabbi Ross has written for The New York Times and blogs for Rewire.

Rabbi Ross is an Intentional Interim Rabbi and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with specialized training and experience supporting congregations in transition. He is now now serves at Temple Am Echad in Lynbrook, N. Y., and has served synagogues in Manhattan, Chappaqua, Monroe and Albany, N. Y., Summit, N. J., Washington, D. C., and Pittsfield and Worcester, Massachusetts.

MARY SLENSKI, EP

MARY SLENSKI, EP

Director - 1st term through 2024

The Rev. Mary Slenski enjoys bringing disparate elements together in new ways to reveal truth and beauty, most often in working with congregations, spreadsheets, or quilts.  Mary is an Episcopal priest, ordained since 2008.  She knew from the first IMN course in 2010 that interim ministry was a fit.  She has served congregations as Interim Rector from Monument Circle in Indianapolis to Indiana’s edges on the Ohio and the Wabash plus one more in Chicagoland, five thus far.  Since finishing her last interim in Dec 2020, she’s taken a sabbatical and is now serving regular Sunday supply at two small congregations in transition, wondering where the Spirit will send her next.  She has earned a BSE (Engineering Science), an MBA (Finance), and a Master of Divinity. More recently, she has completed graduate work in Philanthropic Studies at the IUPUI Lilly School of Philanthropy. Mary is also a retired Air Force Reserve officer, wife, mother of two adult daughters, grandmother to one gray tuxedo cat, and then there’s a black kitten named Fred who adopted Mary and her husband late this summer. 

John Stonesifer, EP

John Stonesifer, EP

Director - 1st term through 2022

The Rev. Dr. John DeWitt Stonesifer is an Episcopal priest with 38 years of service in ordained ministry. His focus the last twenty- five years has been on interim ministry. This has lead him to serve in parish, life-care community and school settings, having recently completed his 25th interim position.

John is a graduate of Clemson University (B.A.) and the Virginia Theological Seminary (M. Div.). Post-graduate work has included studies in marketing and church management, having earned his MBA from the Templeton Institute, and being named a Templeton Fellow. He also earned his Doctorate in Ministry (D.Min) from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary for his work on interim leadership. Additional areas of study have included Appreciative Inquiry with Clergy Leadership Institute, Mediation Training with the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center, and credentials as a life and business coach.

John has been an IMN faculty member the last eighteen years and is currently serving his second term on the IMN Board of Directors.

James West, ELCA

James West, ELCA

Director -2nd term through 2023

Rev. James West currently serves Harrold Zion Lutheran Church, Greensburg, PA. His previous interim assignments were First Lutheran Church in Ault, CO, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Williamsport, PA,  Bethel Lutheran Church in Windsor, CO, and Atonement Lutheran Church in San Diego, CA. He is a former U.S. Navy chaplain. Before joining the Navy Chaplain Corps, he served as pastor in Detroit and Toledo. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary (now Luther Seminary) in St. Paul, MN. His baccalaureate degree is from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. He grew up in the Great State of Michigan (Lower Peninsula).  

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