Presentations from partners energize Global Ministries and Higher Education and Ministry board members, inspiring questions on how the church might be uniquely positioned to meet this moment of increased suffering around the world.
Presentations from partners energize Global Ministries and Higher Education and Ministry board members, inspiring questions on how the church might be uniquely positioned to meet this moment of increased suffering around the world.
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1908 Grand Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
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P.O. Box 340007
Nashville, TN 37203-0007
Karen Ward has served as chief administrative officer of GBHEM since May 1, 2020. She joined the agency in 2008 as controller and has held multiple leadership roles in finance and administration. With more than 30 years of experience, Ward’s background includes over two decades in finance and leadership at a United Methodist-related institution of higher education, along with experience in banking and small business ownership.
She represents The United Methodist Church on the board of EIIA, a nonprofit insurance consortium serving private, faith-inspired colleges and universities. Her work reflects a deep commitment to strengthening the connection between the church and higher education. Ward earned her accounting degree from Martin Methodist College (now UT Southern) and holds an MBA from the University of North Alabama. She resides in Middle Tennessee, where she serves as a lay leader and finance committee member in her local Methodist church.
Ward is known for her thoughtful leadership and dedication to service. She often reminds colleagues that “administration is also a calling and a gift from God.”
Dr. Amos Nascimento serves as special assistant to the general secretary, advising on global educational networks and how they connect the church and academy. He also helps coordinate ecumenical relationships between the General Board of Global Ministries and GBHEM and acts as a liaison between the Mission Engagement Unit and the Office of the General Secretary to promote long-term educational partnerships across regions.
A lifelong Methodist and respected educator, Nascimento has held academic and administrative roles in Argentina, Brazil, Germany and the United States. His global leadership includes service with the International Association of Methodist-related Schools, Colleges, and Universities (IAMSCU), the Education Committee of the World Methodist Council (WMC), and the Commission on Education and Ecumenical Formation of the World Council of Churches (WCC).
Nascimento brings a multilingual and intercultural approach to his work, emphasizing deep listening, consensus-building and contextual collaboration with local communities. His commitment to education and ecumenical engagement reflects a vision of the Church as a global learning community.
The Rev. Dr. Trip Lowery serves as director of ministry at GBHEM, where he leads efforts in theological education, credentialing, vocational discernment and candidate development. His portfolio includes Licensing School, Course of Study, Advanced Course of Study, Exploration, the Young Clergy Initiative, Journey Toward Ordained Ministry, the Ministerial Education Fund and the Study of Ministry Commission.
Lowery has served GBHEM since 2013 in various ministry roles, collaborating with diverse groups across the global United Methodist connection. He was ordained as an elder in the North Carolina Annual Conference in 2002 and has served as a youth pastor, associate pastor, church planter and senior pastor. He has also contributed to conference leadership through committees on ordained ministry and higher education.
A native of Myrtle Beach, S.C., Lowery holds a B.S. in natural sciences and education from Winthrop University, an M.Div. from Duke Divinity School, and a D.Min. in Christian leadership from Asbury Theological Seminary, where his research focused on inclusion for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
He lives in Kitty Hawk, N.C., with his wife, Eileen, and their two daughters. He enjoys surfing and is actively involved in Surfing For Autism, a nonprofit supporting autism-related services on the Outer Banks.
Dr. Ginger C. Hooge serves as director of research and analytics, where she leads efforts to collect, analyze and visualize data that inform strategic planning, monitor progress and identify opportunities for improvement. She brings nearly 25 years of experience in research and evaluation across higher education and nonprofit sectors.
Before joining GBHEM in 2017, Hooge was an assistant research professor at Mississippi State University’s Social Science Research Center. Her work there included health, education, safety and economic well-being projects. She directed the Mississippi electronic citation project, conducted a statewide distracted driving survey, and co-authored reports for legislators and policymakers. She also led a five-year NIH-funded project developing health education for preschool and kindergarten children.
Hooge has served as principal investigator or co-investigator on projects totaling $3.6 million and was twice awarded the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Experiment Station’s Grantsmanship Award for securing the highest extramural funding.
She holds a B.S. in psychology, an M.S. in experimental psychology, and a Ph.D. in cognitive science from Mississippi State University. Her work reflects a deep commitment to using data to support mission-driven decision-making and improve outcomes across the church and higher education.
The Rev. Dr. Tamara K. Gieselman serves as director of education and executive secretary for the University Senate. Since joining GBHEM in 2018, she has led initiatives in study abroad, faculty recognition and grant development through partnerships with organizations such as the British Council, Forum for Theological Exploration and Interfaith America.
Prior to GBHEM, Gieselman spent a decade in higher education as university chaplain, associate clinical professor and director of religious life at the University of Evansville. She directed a Lilly Endowment-funded youth theology institute and led study tours in Israel, England, and Spain.
An ordained elder in the Indiana Conference of The United Methodist Church, Gieselman served in local church ministry for 17 years. She earned her doctor of ministry in preaching from Chicago Theological Seminary, a master of divinity with honors from Vanderbilt Divinity School, and a B.A. magna cum laude from the University of Evansville.
Her work focuses on higher education, interfaith leadership, preaching and practical theology. She co-edited Pentecost on Mockingbird Lane (Chalice Press) and has served as a preaching coach with the Academy of Preachers. Gieselman brings innovation and insight to GBHEM’s support of United Methodist-related institutions.
Todd Willis serves as general counsel of Higher Education and Ministries and chief operating officer and general counsel of Global Ministries, overseeing the agency’s administrative and operational functions. His leadership spans property management, risk, insurance, IT systems, governance, compliance and legal strategy.
A lifelong United Methodist and son of a pastor, Willis earned a B.A. from Florida Southern College and a J.D. from the University of Florida, Levin College of Law. Before joining Global Ministries in 2019, he practiced law in Washington, D.C., and Orlando, FL, as a partner at Carlton Fields, a national law firm.
Willis also served as board chair for the Immigration Law and Justice Network, a United Methodist ministry offering legal services to immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers. He and his wife, Kristin, live in Georgia with their three children: Carter, Cooper and Campbell.
The Rev. Dee Stickley-Miner serves as executive director for mission engagement at Higher Education and Ministries and Global Ministries. In this role, she works with the general secretary to expand missional engagement across The United Methodist Church and with Pan-Methodist, ecumenical and global partners.
Stickley-Miner brings more than 30 years of experience in church-related ministry and leadership. She served 20 years with the West Ohio Conference, including 12 years as director of mission and justice, where she built partnerships in Mexico, Southeast Asia, Russia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and led local initiatives focused on health equity, racial justice and youth inclusion. She later served eight years as director of connectional ministries, overseeing camping, lay leadership and diversity ministries.
Earlier in her career, Stickley-Miner was assistant dean of Student Life and director of the Course of Study School at Methodist Theological School in Ohio. Ordained as a deacon in 1999, she is deeply committed to ministries that serve others.
She holds degrees from Mount Union College and Candler School of Theology. Stickley-Miner lives in Ohio with her husband, Ed Miner, and is the proud parent of three adult children. She maintains active ministry connections in Dayton and Columbus.
Haley M. Reardon serves as chief development officer for Higher Education and Ministry and the General Board of Global Ministries. She leads strategic fundraising and donor engagement efforts to support global education, ministry, mission and humanitarian programs.
Reardon oversees comprehensive fundraising initiatives, including major gifts, planned giving, digital and direct response campaigns and disaster response fundraising. She works closely with agency leadership and board members to strengthen relationships with key donors and stakeholders.
A bilingual fundraising professional, Reardon brings more than a decade of experience in nonprofit development and donor relations. Prior to joining the boards, she served on the development team at Emory University’s School of Medicine, most recently as director of development. Her work resulted in endowed professorships and programs, consistently exceeding fundraising goals.
Earlier in her career, Reardon held development roles at Wesley Theological Seminary, where she expanded giving programs and deepened donor engagement.
She holds a bachelor of arts from Birmingham-Southern College and a master of divinity from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology. After graduating from Candler, she served as a licensed local pastor at Pleasant View Charge in Winchester, Virginia.
Susan Clark serves as chief communications officer for Global Ministries and Higher Education and Ministry. She leads the communications function in articulating the messaging of the work and ministry of both agencies to key stakeholders and the public. Susan is a mission-driven marketing and communications executive with experience in nonprofit, higher education, cultural and corporate settings. After graduating from Duke University, she began her professional career running the Harvest of Hope program at the Society of St. Andrew (SOSA), a church-supported hunger education and relief organization that is one of Global Ministries’ Advance partner projects.
She opened SOSA’s first regional office in North Carolina. After earning her Master of Business Administration degree at Northwestern University’s J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management, she worked at S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., Eastman Kodak Company and the High Museum of Art. Prior to accepting her position with Global Ministries, she served for almost ten years as associate dean for marketing and communications and chief marketing officer at Emory University School of Law, overseeing the school’s internal and external digital and print communications efforts, recruitment marketing strategies, event management and journals publication program. Susan has lived in Atlanta for many years, but she still calls the Eastern Shore of Maryland home.
Kerri Broussard is the director of Human Resources at Global Ministries. The HR department is responsible for providing support to Global Ministries employees during their employment lifecycle, which commences with recruitment and onboarding, continues through talent management and ends with offboarding or retirement. Kerri’s knowledge of Global Ministries spans her 18 years of service with the organization.
She is a member of both local and national chapters of the Society of Human Resource Management. She holds a bachelor’s degree and is a Senior Certified Professional through the SHRM. Kerri was born on the island of Jamaica, migrated to the U.S. with her family at age 3 and grew up in New York City. She and her husband Chris have three children: Adam, Adalyn and Addison.
Roland Fernandes became the general secretary (chief executive) of Global Ministries and the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) on Sept. 1, 2020, having filled key leadership roles in the organizations since 1995. He added to his responsibilities when he became general secretary of Higher Education and Ministry on July 1, 2024. With more than 30 years of experience at Global Ministries, Roland was both chief operating officer and chief financial officer of Global Ministries/UMCOR from 2003 and several times served as interim general secretary. He oversees programs, projects and partners in 115 countries, including 250 missionaries in 70 countries. UMCOR is the church’s relief and development organization.
The Rev. Meg Lassiat serves as the executive director of ministry for the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. She leads the ministry team in areas related to licensed and ordained ministry in The United Methodist Church – including enlistment, candidacy and credentialing of clergy; theological education; conference relations for deacons, elders and local pastors; and continuing formation for clergy. Previously, Meg served in the Division of Ordained Ministry from 2005–2020. She has also served at the United Methodist General Commission on the Status and Role of Women and in many local churches.
Meg has spent her career investing in churches, communities and providing opportunities for others to pursue their call. She is an ordained deacon in the Indiana Conference and a graduate of the Candler School of Theology at Emory University. At the conference level, she has served on district and conference Boards of Ordained Ministry and as a jurisdictional delegate. She finds great fulfillment in working with teams to imagine, dream, build and grow in ways that make a difference in the lives of others. She enjoys hiking, vacationing at the beach, and traveling to new places.
Philip Wingeier-Rayo serves as the executive director of education for the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. Previously, Phil has taught in theological education for 25 years at the Seminario Baez Camargo in Mexico City, Pfeiffer University, Perkins School of Theology, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and Wesley Theological Seminary, where he served as dean for four years. He was deployed as a General Board of Global Ministries missionary for 15 years, primarily in Latin America and is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. Phil is the author of five books: “John Wesley and the Origins of Methodist Mission” (Abingdon 2025), “La Evangelización y la Misión de Dios: Una Teología Bíblica” (Foundery Books 2020), “Where are the Poor? A Comparison of the Ecclesial Base Communities and Pentecostalism — A Case Study in Cuernavaca” (Pickwick 2011), “Cuban Methodism: The Untold Story of Survival and Revival” (Dolphins & Orchids 2006), and “La Biblia atraves de los ojos de Juan Wesley” (Discipleship Resources 2019), which will come out in English later this year. He and his wife, Diana, live outside of Washington, D.C., and have three adult children.
Dr. David W. Scott is senior director of Mission Theology and Strategic Planning at Global Ministries and Higher Education & Ministry, where his work helps United Methodists around the world reflect on how best to join in God’s mission in the present day. He coedited the book “Methodism and American Empire: Reflections on Decolonizing the Church” and has also edited or written “Unlikely Friends,” “The Practice of Mission in Global Methodism,” “Methodist Mission at 200,” “Crossing Boundaries,” and “Mission as Globalization” as well as numerous articles and book chapters. He previously taught religion and leadership at Ripon College.