Board of Directors

The REA By-laws state that “management of all affairs, property, and business of the Association shall be vested in a Board of Directors who shall consist of the elected officers and Board members.” The REA:APPRRE Board Handbook details the roles and responsibilities of our board, officers, and staff. Note that some members of the board also serve on the steering committee and the program conference committee.  The members of the current board are listed below. A variety of governance changes have been made in the last few years, you can read about them on our governance changes page and in back issues of eREACH. 

  • John Falcone
    Recording Secretary
    John Falcone
    Visiting Assistant Prof.
    Union Theological Seminary; Drew
    London, London, United Kingdom
    john [dot] paul [dot] falcone [at] gmail [dot] com
    • REA Board
    • REA Recording Secretary
    • REA Board Steering Committee
  • Heather Nicole Ingersoll
    Chair of the CFP Committee
    Heather Nicole Ingersoll
    Executive Director
    Godly Play Foundation
    Wilsonville, OR, United States
    heather [at] godlyplayfoundation [dot] org
    • REA Board
    • Proposals Selection Committee
    • Chair, Proposals Selection Committee
    • Program Conference Committee
  • Denise Janssen
    Treasurer
    Denise Janssen
    Associate Professor of Christian Education
    Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, Virginia Union University
    Chester, VA, United States
    revdlj [at] att [dot] net
    • REA Board
    • Program Conference Committee
    • REA Board Steering Committee
    • REA Treasurer
  • Eser Kim
    Ex Officio
    Eser Kim
    Knox College, University of Toronto
    Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea, Republic of
    nc [at] religiouseducation [dot] net
    • Program Conference Committee
    • REA Board, Ex Officio
    • REA Networking Coordinator
    • REA Board Steering Committee
  • Joung Chul Lee
    Chair of the Academic Disciplines
    Joung Chul Lee
    Assistant Professor
    Kookmin University
    Seoul, Seoul, Korea, Republic of
    joungchul [dot] lee [at] kookmin [dot] ac [dot] kr
    • REA Advisory Council
    • REA Board
    • Chair, Standing Committee on Religious Education in Academic Disciplines & Institutions
  • Mark Maddix
    Chair of the Standing Committee on Faith Communities
    Mark Maddix
    Lead Pastor
    San Deguito United Methodist Church
    San Diego, CA, United States
    markamaddix [at] gmail [dot] com
    • REA Board
    • Chair, Standing Committee on Religious Education in Faith Communities
  • Joyce Ann Mercer
    Ex Officio
    Joyce Ann Mercer
    Prof. of Practical Theol & Pastoral Care
    Yale Divinity School
    New Haven, CT, United States
    joyce [dot] mercer [at] yale [dot] edu
    • Publications Committee
    • REA Board, Ex Officio
    • REA Journal Editor
    • REA Board Steering Committee
  • Sheryl Ann Marie Metzgner
    Ex Officio
    Sheryl Ann Marie Metzgner
    Public Constructive Queer Theologian
    Alumna: McGill University (BSc, MEd), Carey Theological College, U.B.C. (MDiv), University of Birmingham, U.K. (PhD)
    Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada
    jedi [at] religiouseducation [dot] net
    • REA Board, Ex Officio
    • REA Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Officer
    • REA Board Steering Committee
  • Jennifer Moe
    Ex Officio
    Jennifer Moe
    Executive Director of Young Adult Initiative
    Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
    Milton, WI, United States
    secretary [at] religiouseducation [dot] net
    • REA Board, Ex Officio
    • REA Executive Secretary
    • REA Board Steering Committee
  • Hosffman Ospino
    Chair of the Publications Committee
    Hosffman Ospino
    Professor
    Boston College
    Waltham, MA, United States
    ospinoho [at] bc [dot] edu
    • REA Advisory Council
    • REA Board
    • Chair, Publications Committee
  • Moon Son
    Vice President
    Moon Son
    Research Fellow
    Yonsei University
    Seoul, Seoul, Korea, Republic of
    sm0925 [at] yonsei [dot] ac [dot] kr
    • REA Board
    • REA Board Steering Committee
    • REA Vice President
  • Karen-Marie Yust
    President
    Karen-Marie Yust
    Josiah P. and Anne Wilson Rowe Professor of Christian Education
    Union Presbyterian Seminary
    Richmond, VA, United States
    kmyust [at] upsem [dot] edu
    • REA Board
    • Nominating Committee
    • Chair, Nominating Committee
    • Program Conference Committee
    • REA President
    • REA Board Steering Committee
 

Board Steering Committee

This committee meets to make decisions and implement initiatives between regular board meetings. The Board Steering Committee is comprised of the President, President-Elect, Past-President, Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, Executive Secretary (ex officio), and the Networking Coordinator (ex officio).

  • John Falcone
    Recording Secretary
    John Falcone
    Visiting Assistant Prof.
    Union Theological Seminary; Drew
    London, London, United Kingdom
    john [dot] paul [dot] falcone [at] gmail [dot] com
    • REA Board
    • REA Recording Secretary
    • REA Board Steering Committee
  • Denise Janssen
    Treasurer
    Denise Janssen
    Associate Professor of Christian Education
    Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, Virginia Union University
    Chester, VA, United States
    revdlj [at] att [dot] net
    • REA Board
    • Program Conference Committee
    • REA Board Steering Committee
    • REA Treasurer
  • Eser Kim
    Ex Officio
    Eser Kim
    Knox College, University of Toronto
    Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea, Republic of
    nc [at] religiouseducation [dot] net
    • Program Conference Committee
    • REA Board, Ex Officio
    • REA Networking Coordinator
    • REA Board Steering Committee
  • Joyce Ann Mercer
    Ex Officio
    Joyce Ann Mercer
    Prof. of Practical Theol & Pastoral Care
    Yale Divinity School
    New Haven, CT, United States
    joyce [dot] mercer [at] yale [dot] edu
    • Publications Committee
    • REA Board, Ex Officio
    • REA Journal Editor
    • REA Board Steering Committee
  • Sheryl Ann Marie Metzgner
    Ex Officio
    Sheryl Ann Marie Metzgner
    Public Constructive Queer Theologian
    Alumna: McGill University (BSc, MEd), Carey Theological College, U.B.C. (MDiv), University of Birmingham, U.K. (PhD)
    Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada
    jedi [at] religiouseducation [dot] net
    • REA Board, Ex Officio
    • REA Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Officer
    • REA Board Steering Committee
  • Jennifer Moe
    Ex Officio
    Jennifer Moe
    Executive Director of Young Adult Initiative
    Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
    Milton, WI, United States
    secretary [at] religiouseducation [dot] net
    • REA Board, Ex Officio
    • REA Executive Secretary
    • REA Board Steering Committee
  • Moon Son
    Vice President
    Moon Son
    Research Fellow
    Yonsei University
    Seoul, Seoul, Korea, Republic of
    sm0925 [at] yonsei [dot] ac [dot] kr
    • REA Board
    • REA Board Steering Committee
    • REA Vice President
  • Karen-Marie Yust
    President
    Karen-Marie Yust
    Josiah P. and Anne Wilson Rowe Professor of Christian Education
    Union Presbyterian Seminary
    Richmond, VA, United States
    kmyust [at] upsem [dot] edu
    • REA Board
    • Nominating Committee
    • Chair, Nominating Committee
    • Program Conference Committee
    • REA President
    • REA Board Steering Committee
 

Advancement Committee

  • Dori Grinenko Baker
    Dori Grinenko Baker
    Independent Scholar
    Www.ourowndeepwells.com
    Lynchburg, VA, United States
    bakerdori [at] mac [dot] com
    • Advancement Committee
  • Cynthia Cameron
    Cynthia Cameron
    Associate Professor
    University of St. Michael's College
    Toronto, ON, Canada
    cynthia [dot] cameron [at] utoronto [dot] ca
    • Advancement Committee
  • Nick John Fagnant
    Nick John Fagnant
    Doctoral Student
    Boston College Clough School of Theology and Ministry
    Dorchester, MA, United States
    fagnant [at] bc [dot] edu
    • Advancement Committee
 

Harper / Wornom Committee

This committee, established by REA bylaws, exists to solicit applications and make recommendations for the recipient of the William Rainey Harper Award. It also solicits applications for and makes recommendations for the awarding of the Wornom Innovation Grant.

  • Asyraf Isyraqi Bin Jamil
    Asyraf Isyraqi Bin Jamil
    Senior Lecturer
    Universiti Malaya
    Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
    isyraqi [at] um [dot] edu [dot] my
    • Harper / Wornom Committee
  • Thomas S LeGrand
    Thomas S LeGrand
    Director, IMPACT Center; Assistant Professor
    Limestone University
    Greenville, SC, United States
    tlegrand71 [at] gmail [dot] com
    • Harper / Wornom Committee
  • Elizabeth Helen Nolan
    Elizabeth Helen Nolan
    Minister
    Uniting Church in Australia
    Glenview, Queensland, Australia
    enolan1 [at] outlook [dot] com
    • Harper / Wornom Committee
    • Standing Committee on Religious Education in Public Life and the Global Community
  • Montague Williams
    Chair
    Montague Williams
    Associate Professor of Church, Culture, and Society
    Point Loma Nazarene University (professor) / Boston University (PhD cand.)
    San Diego, CA, United States
    montaguewilliams [at] pointloma [dot] edu
    • Harper / Wornom Committee
    • Chair, Harper / Wornom Committee
 

Nominating Committee

This committee recommends a slate of candidates to fill board offices. The Nominating Committee is comprised of retiring Board and Committee members, and one member at large elected by the membership. The committee is chaired by the President.

  • Dean G. Blevins
    Dean G. Blevins
    Professor of Practical Theology and Christian Discipleship
    Nazarene Theological Seminary
    Kansas City, MO, United States
    dgblevins [at] nts [dot] edu
    • Nominating Committee
  • Anne Carter Walker
    Anne Carter Walker
    Executive Director, Oklahoma Campus
    Phillips Theological Seminary
    Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States
    annecwalker [at] gmail [dot] com
    • AAR Program Committee
    • Nominating Committee
  • Karen-Marie Yust
    Chair
    Karen-Marie Yust
    Josiah P. and Anne Wilson Rowe Professor of Christian Education
    Union Presbyterian Seminary
    Richmond, VA, United States
    kmyust [at] upsem [dot] edu
    • REA Board
    • Nominating Committee
    • Chair, Nominating Committee
    • Program Conference Committee
    • REA President
    • REA Board Steering Committee
 

Program Conference Committee

This committee exists to support the program chair in planning the annual conference. The Program Conference Committee is comprised of the President, President-Elect, Vice-President, Call for Proposals Chair, Executive Secretary, and the Networking Coordinator.

  • Heather Nicole Ingersoll
    Heather Nicole Ingersoll
    Executive Director
    Godly Play Foundation
    Wilsonville, OR, United States
    heather [at] godlyplayfoundation [dot] org
    • REA Board
    • Proposals Selection Committee
    • Chair, Proposals Selection Committee
    • Program Conference Committee
  • Denise Janssen
    Denise Janssen
    Associate Professor of Christian Education
    Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, Virginia Union University
    Chester, VA, United States
    revdlj [at] att [dot] net
    • REA Board
    • Program Conference Committee
    • REA Board Steering Committee
    • REA Treasurer
  • Eser Kim
    Eser Kim
    Knox College, University of Toronto
    Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea, Republic of
    nc [at] religiouseducation [dot] net
    • Program Conference Committee
    • REA Board, Ex Officio
    • REA Networking Coordinator
    • REA Board Steering Committee
  • Karen-Marie Yust
    Karen-Marie Yust
    Josiah P. and Anne Wilson Rowe Professor of Christian Education
    Union Presbyterian Seminary
    Richmond, VA, United States
    kmyust [at] upsem [dot] edu
    • REA Board
    • Nominating Committee
    • Chair, Nominating Committee
    • Program Conference Committee
    • REA President
    • REA Board Steering Committee
 

Proposals Selection Committee

This committee reviews proposals and chooses Research Interest Group papers, Collaborative Sessions, and Posters for the annual meeting.

  • Heather Nicole Ingersoll
    Chair
    Heather Nicole Ingersoll
    Executive Director
    Godly Play Foundation
    Wilsonville, OR, United States
    heather [at] godlyplayfoundation [dot] org
    • REA Board
    • Proposals Selection Committee
    • Chair, Proposals Selection Committee
    • Program Conference Committee
  • Patrick B. Reyes
    Patrick B. Reyes
    President
    Auburn Theological Seminary
    New York, NY, United States
    preyes [at] auburnseminary [dot] org
    • AAR Program Committee
    • Proposals Selection Committee
 

Publications Committee

This committee exists to support the board in overseeing the journal Religious Education and the Horizons publications series.

  • Joyce Ann Mercer
    Joyce Ann Mercer
    Prof. of Practical Theol & Pastoral Care
    Yale Divinity School
    New Haven, CT, United States
    joyce [dot] mercer [at] yale [dot] edu
    • Publications Committee
    • REA Board, Ex Officio
    • REA Journal Editor
    • REA Board Steering Committee
  • Hosffman Ospino
    Chair
    Hosffman Ospino
    Professor
    Boston College
    Waltham, MA, United States
    ospinoho [at] bc [dot] edu
    • REA Advisory Council
    • REA Board
    • Chair, Publications Committee
  • Mai-Anh Le Tran
    Mai-Anh Le Tran
    Professor
    Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
    Evanston, IL, United States
    maianh [dot] tran [at] garrett [dot] edu
    • REA Advisory Council
    • Publications Committee
 

Standing Committees

In addition to the committees of the board, above, the REA also has three standing committee which are organized to help the REA sustain its focus on the three major contexts for religious education. They are an essential part of how REA, as a decentralized, volunteer-driven associations accomplishes its mission. Please go to the page of Standing Committees for more information.

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