Connect Empower Engage
Florida Conference UCC
2025 Leadership Roster
Board of Directors
- Moderator, Officer: Rev. Vonshelle Beneby - Hope United Church of Christ, Rockledge
- Vice Moderator, Officer: Rev. John Barnette - Fort Myers United Church of Christ
- Treasurer, Officer: Rev. Jessica Derise - Miami Shores Community Church
- Registrar, Officer: Ms. Dyanne Edds - Lakewood United Church of Christ
- Chair, Legacy Funds: Rev. Dr. David Kaiser-Cross - JupiterFirst Church
- Chair, Committee on Ministry: Rev. Megan Smith - Coral Gables Congregational Church
- Chair, Budget & Finance: Rev. Elizabeth “Lisa” LeSueur - Coral Gables Congregational Church
- Board Member at Large: Rev. Jen Daysa - Good Samaritan Church, Pinellas Park
- Board Member at Large: Rev. Dr. Sheila Harvey - Union Congregational Church, West Palm Beach
- Chair, Personnel: Ms. Candy Nordland - Naples United Church of Christ (2024 replacement)
- Chair, Nominating: Rev. Karen Curtis-Weakley - Hope United Church of Christ, Rockledge
- Ms. Laurie Hope - Faith United Church of Christ, Dunedin
- Ms. Margaret “Peggy” Hayes - Hope United Church of Christ, Rockledge
- Rev. Shawn Proctor - United Church of Christ of New Smyrna Beach
- Rev. Geoff Gross - Cocoa Beach Community Church
- Ms. Gwen Templeton - First Congregational Church, Ocala
- Ms. Kerry Weisner - First Congregational Church, Winter Park
- Declan Williams - Windermere Union Church
Committee on Ministry
- Chair: Rev. Megan Smith - Coral Gables Congregational Church
- Northeast Region:
- Rev. Karen Curtis-Weakley - Hope United Church Christ, Rockledge
- Ms. Sammie Hartwell - United Church of Christ of New Smyrna Beach
- Rev. Rob Hunter - Congregational Church, Port St. Lucie
- Rev. David Westcott - First Congregational Church, Orange City
- Ms. Jennett Baker - New Vision Congregational UCC, Yulee
- Southeast Region:
- Rev. Harvey Lockhart - First Church of North Miami Congregational
- Rev. Gregorio Marin - Sunset Congregational United Church of Christ
- Ms. Joycelyn Patrick - Church of the Palms, Delray Beach
- Rev. Hollie Schmidt - Plymouth Congregational Church, Miami
- Ms. Joyce “Joy” Young - Faith Congregational Church, Port Saint Lucie
- Ms. Lynn Hughes - JupiterFIRST Church
- Western Region:
- Rev. Mike Ford - Congregational UCC, Punta Gorda
- Rev. Joe DiDonato - United Church of Christ at The Villages
- Rev. Attila Szemesi - North Port Community UCC
- Dyanne Edds - Lakewood UCC, St. Petersburg
- Ms. Alicia Isaac - Church of the Isles, Indian Rocks Beach
- Ms. Daphne Thomas - First United Church of Tampa
Budget & Finance Committee
- Chair: Rev. Elizabeth “Lisa” LeSueur - Coral Gables Congregational Church
- Declan Williams - Windermere Union Church
- Mr. Charlton Copeland - First Church of North Miami
- Ms. Melissa Brown - Congregational United Church of Christ, Punta Gorda
- Mr. Joe Akin - Fort Lauderdale United Church of Christ
- Rev. Andy Bachman - United Church of Gainesville
- Dr. Brian Hodges - Cocoa Beach Community Church
- Treasurer (ex-officio): Rev. Jessica Derise - Miami Shores Community Church
- Chair, Legacy Funds (ex-officio): Rev. Dr. David Kaiser-Cross - JupiterFIRST Church
Nominating Committee
- Chair: Rev. Karen Curtis-Weakley - Hope United Church of Christ, Rockledge
- Ms. Kerry Weisner - First Congregational Church, Winter Park
- Rev. Mike Ford - Congregational United Church of Christ, Punta Gorda
- Rev. Geoff Gross - The Community Church, Cocoa Beach
- Rev. Marcelino Rivera - Windermere Union Church
- Rev. Victoria Snow - Community Congregational, New Port Richey
Personnel Committee
- Chair: Ms. Candy Nordland - Naples United Church of Christ
- Ms. Laurie Hope - First United Church of Christ, Dunedin
- Ms. Margaret “Peggy” Hayes - Hope United Church of Christ, Rockledge
- Rev. Aaron Lauer - Fort Lauderdale United Church of Christ
- Rev. Michael-Ann Veziroglu - Union Congregational Church, West Palm Beach
- Ms. Rachel Parker McClendon - United Church in Tallahassee
Legacy Funds Committee
- Chair: Rev. Dr. David Kaiser-Cross - JupiterFIRST Church
- Ms. Melanie Shepherd - Union Congregational Church, West Palm Beach
- Mrs. Mickey Wich - First Congregational Church, Port St. Lucie
- Ms. Adrian Gilmore - Cocoa Beach Community Church
- Ms. Lynne Woodman - First Congregational United Church of Christ, Sarasota
- Rev. Ngan Ling Lung - First Congregational Church, Winter Park
- Treasurer:Rev. Jessica Derise - Miami Shores Community Church
- Chair, Finance:Rev. Elizabeth “Lisa” LeSueur - Coral Gables Congregational Church
Note: Moderator Vonshelle Beneby and Transitional Conference Minister Nayiri Karjian serve on all Conference standing committees in ex-officio capacity.
The Florida Conference United Church of Christ is a community of congregations around Florida that partner in covenant to engage in the ministry of Jesus Christ to be the Church in the 21st century. In the power of the Holy Spirit, the congregations of the Florida Conference UCC join together to be a prophetic voice of the Good News of God’s love for all and to work for peace and justice for all.
