Our Staff

Kim Cape
Office of the General Secretary

Phone: 615/340-7356
E-mail

General Secretary. Responsible for selection of program/management staff, supervision of all staff, policy implementation, planning, and overall financial oversight and administration for GBHEM. Represents the board in national and international arenas related to higher education and ministry, including serving as director/trustee of several policymaking boards. Interprets the mission of the board to the public sector through speaking and writing and carries out the work of the GBHEM as mandated by General Conference.

William "Tom" Carter
Division of Ordained Ministry

Phone: 615/340-7411
E-mail

Director of Endorsement, United Methodist Endorsing Agency. Carter coordinates and manages the endorsing process for chaplains and pastoral counselors. He oversees policies and procedures to provide Ecclesiastical endorsement for associate members, deacons, and elders under appointment to ministries of chaplaincy, and pastoral care where endorsement is required. He serves as the liaison with the endorsing networks and employers, especially the military branches.

Allyson Collinsworth
Office of Loans and Scholarships.

Phone: 615/340-7342
E-mail

Director. Collinsworth is responsible for overall administration of the agency's scholarship and loan programs and collections processes which include scholarship and loan programs for some local churches, annual conferences, and other church agencies.

DJ del Rosario
Division of Ordained Ministry

Phone: 615/340-7405
E-mail

Director of Young Adult Ministry Discernment & Enlistment. Del Rosario gives leadership to the development of networks, programs, and resources for ministry vocational discernment, enlistment, and leadership formation of young adults in The United Methodist Church. He leads the design and implementation of national Exploration events; facilitates an agency team focusing on young adult discernment and leadership development; consults with the annual conference recruiters’ network; and provides leadership to the Young Adult Seminarians Network.

Saul J. Espino
Division of Ordained Ministry

Phone: 615/340-7366
E-mail

Director of Specialized Programs of Theological Education. Espino provides leadership and resources for specialized theological education programs. He is the lead staff for the GBHEM National Plan for Hispanic/Latino(a) Ministry Program; and is staff liaison to the national Ethnic Centers. He consults and leads in educational partnerships with Portuguese-speaking Methodist Churches and the Methodist churches of Latin America. He also directs the Journey Toward Ordained Ministry Mentoring and Scholarship Program for young persons of color.

Bruce Fenner
Division of Ordained Ministry

Phone: 615/340-7411
E-mail

Director of Extension Ministry and Pastoral Care, United Methodist Endorsing Agency. Fenner is the contact person for extension ministry policy and information and works with professional pastoral care organizations, employers, and endorsing networks to ensure standards for professional certification are followed and fit within the United Methodist understanding of ministry. He provides pastoral care including oversight of the Volunteer Visitation program, and coordination and leadership in continuing education programs specifically designed for the needs of chaplains and pastoral counselors.

Terri J. Hiers
Office of Interpretation

Phone: 615/340-7382
E-mail

Executive Director. Hiers directs GBHEM's communications and public relations programs and manages the editorial and production operations of the office. She works with all divisions, offices, and sections to ensure GBHEM's programs and policies are communicated with consistency and in a professional manner. She oversees all print, video production, and GBHEM's Web site and is the editor of Orientation magazine, Colleague, and Africa University Today.

Cynthia Bond Hopson
Division of Higher Education

Phone: 615/340-7378
E-mail

Assistant General Secretary, Black College Fund and Ethnic Concerns. Hopson is responsible for promotion and interpretation of The United Methodist Church’s historically Black colleges and universities, the Black College Fund, and related community and church issues. She also manages and distributes the Black College Fund to participating schools, coordinates institutional on-site reviews for the University Senate and the Commission on Black Colleges, oversees the Black College Fund initiatives such as the Lina H. McCord Summer Intern Program, and presents and writes proposals for the Ethnic Concerns Committee.

Meg Lassiat
Division of Ordained Ministry

Phone: 615/340-7372
E-mail

Director of Candidacy, Mentoring, and Conference Relations. Lassiat is responsible for the candidacy program for licensing and ordination, including the Online Candidacy Application System, the assessment process, and candidacy mentoring. She provides leadership training and develops resources for registrars, mentors, district committees, boards of ordained ministry, and district superintendents in these processes. She also provides interpretation and consultation relating to conference relations procedures and the clergy mentoring program.

John Lesesne
Office of Administration

Phone: 615/340-7359
E-mail

Treasurer/CFO. Prepares and administers GBHEM's budget, is responsible for human resources, employee benefits, and information technology functions. Serves as staff liaison to the Personnel Policies Committee and the Investment Committee, and votes all GBHEM investment portfolio stock proxies. Reviews and administers all GBHEM contracts, buildings, property, and insurance matters. Serves as GBHEM financial staff liaison to GBHEM's external auditors, the Africa University Board of Directors, and GCFA for periodic financial and agency evaluation reports.

Gerald Lord
Division of Higher Education

Phone: 615/340-7399
E-mail

Associate General Secretary of the Division of Higher Education. Lord has responsibility for the offices within the Division of Higher Education, including Schools, Colleges and Universities; Black College Fund and Ethnic Concerns; and Campus Ministry and Annual Conference Relations. In addition, he is the Executive Secretary of the University Senate that evaluates all educational institutions approved for listing as United Methodist-related institutions. He is also Executive Secretary of the National Association of Schools and Colleges of the United Methodist Church (NASCUMC) and the International Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges, and Universities (IAMSCU).

Beth Ludlum
Division of Higher Education

Phone: 615/340-7570
E-mail

Director of Student Faith and Leadership Formation. Ludlum provides leadership in development of curricula, training, and resources to form faithful student leaders. To this end, she will utilize technology, social media, and national events to connect students to UM collegiate ministries, institutions, and resources. The vision is to create a culture in which students, through the ministries of the church, integrate their giftedness, education, and faith into Christian identity, action and meaningful vocation.

Michael McCord
Division of Higher Education

Phone: 615/340-7404
E-mail

Director of Campus Ministry Resources and Training. McCord oversees the development of a comprehensive program for resource development and training of campus ministers and chaplains and continuing formation of campus ministry professionals. He develops materials for both print and electronic publication for campus ministers and chaplains, as well as annual conference Boards of Higher Education and Campus Ministry. He works with national and international student movements to promote their effectiveness and develop resources that are relevant in multicultural settings across our global church.

Melanie Overton
Division of Higher Education

Phone: 615/340-7368
E-mail

Assistant General Secretary for Schools, Colleges, and Universities. Overton relates to and supports United Methodist-related educational institutions and presidents. She provides technical assistance in governance, administration, academic program and faculty, institutional development and advancement, and other areas. She also administers a comprehensive database of United Methodist-related educational institutions. Overton advocates, promotes, and interprets United Methodist education within the United Methodist Church and general public.

HiRho Park
Division of Ordained Ministry

Phone: 615/340- 7391
E-mail

Director of Clergy Lifelong Learning. Park gives leadership to the continuing education and spiritual formation of pastoral leaders for continuing leadership development. She also provides support and resources for United Methodist women, racial, and ethnic pastors in areas of scholarship and professional development. She coordinates the Women of Color Scholarship program with the Office of Loans and Scholarships, and the Georgia Harkness Scholarship program; and works with a Division team to give direction to the development of the Orders for ministry.

Michelle Fugate Pederson
Office of Administration

Phone: 615/340-7528
E-mail

Director of Research and Data Services. Pederson is the principal researcher leading institutional, denominational, and social-scientific research at GBHEM providing empirical evidence for decision making, strategic planning, and program planning and assessment. Pederson is also the business data owner and custodian establishing standards, strategies, and procedures for GBHEM Data Services.

Gwen Purushotham
Division of Ordained Ministry

Phone: 615/340-7417
E-mail

Associate General Secretary, Division of Ordained Ministry. Purushotham is responsible for the overall administration of the work and programs of the Division of Ordained Ministry (DOM)-enlistment, candidacy, theological education, formation, endorsement, supervision and support. She has oversight of the Ministerial Education Fund (MEF), the Association of United Methodist Theological Schools (AUMTS), and the Commission on Theological Education (CTE). She serves as liaison with United Methodist seminaries and serves ex-officio on the University Senate.

Bridgette Young Ross
Division of Higher Education

Phone: 615/340-7404
E-mail

Assistant General Secretary for Campus Ministry and College Chaplaincy, Division of Higher Education. Ross works with campus ministers and college chaplains providing support, resources, networking, and continuing education. She trains annual conference Boards of Higher Education and Campus Ministry, and serves as a consultant to annual conferences, local churches and campus ministry groups. Ross is liaison to the United Methodist Campus Ministry Association, the National Association of College and University Chaplains, and the Ecumenical Campus Ministry Team. She also advocates across the wider church for support of ministry in higher education.

Bishop Woodie W. White
Division of Ordained Ministry

Phone: 615/340-7411
E-mail

Endorsing agent for The United Methodist Church. He serves as the primary link between the church and institutions that employ or establish standards for chaplains and pastoral counselors.

Anita D. Wood
Division of Ordained Ministry

Phone: 615/340-7371
E-mail

Director of Provisional Member and Deacon Ministry Development. Wood provides support and resources for deacons and provisional members. She offers leadership and consultation to annual conference Boards of Ordained Ministry for the provisional process. She provides consultation, support, and guidance for education and training programs for deacons and for certification programs in specialized ministries; and also leads the division in exploring emerging needs for new forms of deacon ministries of service. She works with a Division team to give direction to the development of the Orders for ministry.

Rena Yocom
Division of Ordained Ministry

Phone: 615/340-7388
E-mail

Assistant General Secretary, Ministry Discernment, Candidacy, and Theological Education. Yocom carries responsibility for managing and resourcing United Methodist theological education work throughout the Church on behalf of the Division, including the development of global theological education programs and resources. She administers the Course of Study and the United Methodist studies programs. Yocom also supervises the offices of: Young Adult Ministry Discernment and Enlistment, Candidacy, Mentoring, and Conference Relations, and Specialized Programs of Theological Education