ASC Leadership Development and Nominating Committee
(LDNC) 2015
Report to the Congregation
THE 2015 ALL SOULS UNITARIAN CHURCH NOMINATING COMMITTEE
The Leadership Development and Nominating Committee (LDNC) consists of 15 persons serving
staggered three-year terms. Among other responsibilities, the Bylaws charge the committee
with identifying and vetting candidates for election by the membership to the Board of Trustees
and as Officers. Each Nominating Committee is free to design its own vetting process and to
decide whether to present candidates for a vote as a noncompetitive slate (one candidate for
each position) or a competitive slate (multiple candidates for each position).
The 2015 Nominating Committee chose to present a noncompetitive slate. The committee
believes that a noncompetitive slate allows the committee to recommend those candidates
who will best complement the incumbent trustees’ skills and experience as well as increases
the number of potential candidates. Some church members are uncomfortable running in a
competitive election. The church Bylaws allow any member of the church to nominate
someone for the Board of Trustees or an Officer position at the Annual Meeting.
NOMINATIONS FOR BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Trustees maintain communication with and consult with the congregation about important
issues, establish All Souls strategic and programming goals, monitor performance in achieving
those goals, set policy, and oversee church finances. The All Soul’s Unitarian Church 2015 LDNC
is proud to present three highly qualified individuals for election to three-year terms on the
Board of Trustees beginning Jan 1, 2016. The slate will be presented for a vote by members at
the annual meeting to be held on December 6, 2015. If approved, the three will join five
members of the 2016 Board of Trustees: Kysseline Cherestal and Vickie Lindsey whose terms
end in 2016 (The third member of the 2016 class, Cledwyn Jones, is being nominated for
Moderator); and Ken Ambrose, Peg Barratt, and Chuck Dulaney whose terms end in 2017.
Three trustees leaving the Board at the end of this year having completed their three-year
terms are Bruce DuPuyt, Emily Koechlin, and Jenice View.
The slate brings a variety of backgrounds, skills, and experience to complement the skills and
experience of the five continuing trustees. The 2015 LDNC recommends that the membership
approve a slate consisting of Anne Bradley, Kate Saylor, and Tracy Zorpette, whose biographies
are listed below.
If the congregation votes for the LDNC’s moderator candidate, Cledwyn Jones, the committee is
prepared to nominate Whitney Cooper to fulfill the remaining year of Cledwyn’s term as
Trustee.
NOMINATIONS FOR CHURCH OFFICERS
The candidates for the Church Officers consist of two incumbents and four new candidates.
Please see the candidate biographies below.
We congratulate Cheryl Gray (Treasurer), Mark Matthews (Secretary), Anne Bradley
(Membership Secretary) and Erika Landberg on completing their terms of service. Uta Allers
(Assistant Treasurer) resigned her term of office in February 2015 and was replaced by Reeve
Tyndall.
The LDNC is recommending a second year of service for Allison Ralph as Assistant Secretary and
that Reeve Tyndall be elected by the congregation for a full-year term as Assistant Treasurer.
We are recommending Erin Boeke Burke for Board Secretary, Laurie Lester for Membership
Secretary, Cledwyn Jones for Moderator, and John Strongman for Treasurer.
QUALITIES SOUGHT IN CHURCH LEADERS
The LDNC met with the Board of Trustees at its April meeting to identify the qualities being
sought for the 2016 candidates. Some of the qualities mentioned included those necessary at
any time, e.g., demonstrated commitment to the church, as well as those specific to the needs
for the next 3 years, e.g., financial management experience, budgeting, experience with
housing issues, previous board and executive/leadership experience, and conflict resolution.
The LDNC was also committed to recruiting leadership candidates that represent a diversity of
ages and cultural backgrounds present in our congregation.
THE SELECTION PROCESS – IDENTIFYING CANDIDATES
The LDNC conferred with current members of the Board, Officers, members of the Executive
Team, and church committee leaders to solicit the names of potential candidates. The LDNC
also drew upon members availing themselves of leadership development training and other
growth experiences. In advance of our Leadership Social in June, we published announcements
in the weekly e-mail and the Sunday bulletin. At the Social, held at All Souls, we invited current
and potential leaders to learn about leadership opportunities, including applying for Trustee
and Officer positions. Approximately 40 members attended the event. Throughout the
summer, committee members spoke with identified individuals (self-identified as well as those
identified by others) to submit an application and resume.
In addition to reviewing the application and resumes of applicants, the committee conducted
reference checks on each candidate (two references were requested from All Souls and one
outside reference was requested). In addition, each candidate was interviewed by the full
committee.
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NOMINEE BIOS FOR BOARD OF TRUSTEES (3 positions, each with a 3-year term):
Anne Bradley
Anne is a lifelong Unitarian who was raised at All Souls Church in Tulsa,
Oklahoma. Before coming to Washington DC, Anne spent 25 years as an active
member of All Souls Church, New York City. In that congregation she served as
President of the Board of Trustees, as a Church School Teacher, the Annual
Giving Chair, member of the Investment Committee, and chair of the search
committee to find a new church school director. During her tenure as the
Auction chair she helped raise $250,000 annually to support the church’s
outreach programs. At All Souls DC, she has co-chaired the generosity
campaign and is currently serving as Membership Secretary. Anne brings
considerable experience from her work in finance, most recently 15 years at
Ernst and Young. Anne currently serves as Deputy Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator
Kirsten Gillibrand of New York.
Kate Saylor
Kate is a lifelong UU and a member of All Souls since 2010. She served on the
Young Souls board from 2011 to 2013, and has been a choir member since 2013.
At All Souls, Kate has taught RE, helped plan Weekend on the Bay, and contributed
to Vespers and Clearness Gatherings. All Souls has an important history, and Kate
is inspired to be part of that history and to carry our shared vision forward. Kate
wants to ensure that our church continues to provide exceptional programming
and a spiritual and community home for congregants with diverse backgrounds,
needs and dreams.
Tracy Zorpette
Tracy joined All Souls in 2001 with three young children in tow and immediately
signed up to teach. She joined the RE Committee the next year. Currently, she is
a member of the Caring Committee and Jubilee Singers. She is also an usher, a
B&B host, and a member of the planning committee for the Heiwa Peace
Exchange. She has traveled to New Orleans and to North Carolina in support of
the church’s social justice ministries. She is an experienced employment attorney
as well as a court-appointed lawyer for victims of domestic violence and for
children in high-conflict custody cases. She is active in the gun violence
prevention movement in DC and was instrumental in convincing the DC Council
to presumptively prohibit concealed carry of firearms in houses of worship last
year.
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NOMINEE BIO FOR LDNC NOMINATION TO FUFILL 1-YEAR (2016) REMAINING IN
TRUSTEE TERM OF CLEDWYN JONES
Whitney Cooper
Whitney Cooper has been a member of All Souls since 2010. She was the
Washington Interfaith Network Co-chair from 2013 to 2014 and helped motivate All
Souls members turn out for environmental and social justice rallies. She has been
active in connecting WIN and All Souls Housing Ministries. Whitney hopes to deepen
All Souls relationships with our surrounding neighbors from Columbia Heights Village.
She will strive to build beloved community with other church members from her tools
learned organizing with WIN, taking anti-racism trainings and through dialogues on
race and ethnicity.
NOMINEE BIOS FOR LDNC NOMINATION FOR OFFICERS FOR CONTINUING
SERVICE
Assistant Secretary – Allison Ralph (2nd term)
Allison is from northeast Florida, and came to DC five years ago to attend Catholic
University of America to get her doctorate in early Christian history. She studies
the social body theory in rhetoric and the first Christian emperors of Rome. Her
work is grounded in “compassionate history,” and an interest in the history of
coercion, faith, and forgiveness. She has remained sane while dissertating by
enjoying singing, running, baking, and eating in the company of good friends as
often as possible. She’s been attending All Souls since Fall of 2009, and a member
of All Souls Choir from pretty much the moment she walked in the door. She has
completed one year of service as All Souls’ Assistant Secretary.
Assistant Treasurer – Reeve Tyndall (1st full term – fulfilled remainder of Uta
Allers’ term after she resigned in February 2015)
Reeve Tyndall works as an investigator at the Federal Trade Commission. He
investigates telemarketing, internet, and direct-mail fraud. Reeve has been a
member of All Souls for six years. He currently serves as an usher and co-hosts
the Young Souls book club and covenant group. Reeve previously volunteered
with the ESL program. In his spare time, Reeve enjoys playing the flute and
hosting board game parties. He misses his family in California but always feels
welcomed at All Souls. Reeve fulfilled the remainder of Uta Allers’ term when
she resigned in February.
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NOMINEE BIOS FOR LDNC NOMINATION FOR OFFICERS FOR FIRST YEAR OF
SERVICE
Board Secretary – Erin Boeke Burke (1st term)
Erin has been attending All Souls since October 2010, joining six months later. She was an active
member of the Capital Assets Planning Team and Young Souls, and has volunteered with the
Washington Interfaith Network and Green Souls. By day she works in public service, and spends her
nights and weekends dancing and getting out into nature. She is excited and honored to be nominated
for a new leadership role at All Souls
Membership Secretary – Laurie Lester (1st term)
Laurie Lester has attended All Souls Church, Unitarian since September 8,
2001, when Reverend Hardies preached his first sermon as the church’s new
minister. She joined All Souls in 2003, and has served as a Trustee (2010,
2011, 2012) and co-chair of the Third Century Challenge’s second phase of
fundraising and plans to continue in this role until we pay off our building
loan and finance the remaining $2.5 million as a mortgage in 2017. She is a
member of the Vespers lay ministry team. Other service includes Co-Chair
of the 2015 Annual Generosity Campaign and a volunteer in this year’s
campaign, many years as RE teacher, RE Committee member and Chair, B& B
outreach coordinator, co-chair for the 2009 and 2013 Inaugural Ball
fundraisers and Chair of the 2010 My Big Fat Gay Wedding fundraiser.
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Moderator – Cledwyn Jones* (1st term)
Cledwyn began attending All Souls in 2009; like many, he was initially lured in by
the choir, in which he currently sings as a tenor. He quickly found additional ways
to use his talents at All Souls, serving as Parliamentarian before joining the Board
of Trustees in 2013. In his two years on the Board he has worked closely with
outgoing moderator Erika Landberg, liaising with the Church Council Steering
Committee and co-chairing the 2020 Vision Goals Taskforce with the same.
Cledwyn also has experience on the church Audit and Budget committees, and is
the current President of Young Souls. His professional background includes over
five years in corporate trade compliance, as well as previous roles as a university
ombudsman and research center manager.
Treasurer – John Strongman (1st term)
John is a church member who was married at All Souls in 1981 and has
attended the church for thirty five years. His wife Esther is the church’s
Wedding Coordinator. He has been Chair of the Audit Committee and was
Chair of the Investment Committee from 2011 -2014 during which time
the IC not only managed the Church’s endowment but also provided
guidance to the Board on the funding of the Third Century Campaign and
identified a suitable lender and negotiated the terms of the Church’s $2.5
million loan for the TCC. His professional background is a M.S in
Management from the Sloan Management School, MIT, twenty nine
years on the staff at the World Bank and since retiring in 1988, eight
years consulting for World Bank and other development agencies.
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BUILDING A LEADERSHIP CULTURE: THE NEED
Building on the expanded charge of the LDNC, members of the committee worked with the
Church Council to provide the second cohort offering of the Leadership Development Course,
Leadership for a New Era. The course is one way in which the committee is working to build an
“intentional” leadership culture to help ASC to reach its goals, spiritual growth, community,
service, and prophetic action. Through this effort, which the committee expects to lead to
others, ASC will begin to set clear expectations for leadership and to provide continuity and a
way to build on past and continuing efforts in this regard.
PROGRESS TO DATE:
The second cohort of Leadership for a New Era occurred over six course sessions between
March and May 2015. The course explored leadership through an intentional process of
transformative discussions and workshops thereby securing and strengthening the future of our
congregation. Participants drew on their experiences in the program, which will serve as a
foundation for them to step confidently into leadership and action, provide mentoring to other
emerging leaders and serve as a bridge to learning with future leadership program cohorts.
This cohort had a specific focus on mentoring and incorporated a session regarding the nuts
and bolts of church leadership and the governance structure of All Souls. This cohort also
worked on specific project proposals that sought to incorporate aspects of the course. A
number of these project proposals are taking hold in actual practice and implementation at All
Souls. This includes the development of the Sacred Spaces committee and efforts to increase
visitor and member engagement and better increase the congregation’s capacity and practices
surrounding diversity and inclusion.
The workshop sessions covered:

Leadership as a Spiritual Practice

Leadership Through a Multicultural Lens

The Gifts of Mentoring

Leveraging the Power of Right Relations

Integrative Session

Bringing It All Together: Reflection and Next Steps
The second cohort included 21 participants: Hally Ahearn, Jennifer Bruneau, Wendy Carter,
Sarah Cartwright, Whitney Cooper, Geoff Corey, Jennifer DuMond, Kathy Ferger, Jared Ford,
Juanita Gallion, Ita Hammond, Phil Martin, Lisa Randall, Sonya Roundtree-McClain, Gary
Saucedo, Kenisha Scott, Danielle Schmutz, Dierdre Smith, John Strongman, Lisa Swanson, and
Mary Topolinski.
The presenters in the initial cohort were: Shelia Campbell, Janine Chambers, Susan Crim, om
Dunne, Tom Fox, Rev. Rob Hardies, Leo Jones, Winanne Krieger, Erika Landberg, Claudia Liebler,
Michael Milano, Janet Randolph, and Marlana Valdez.
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NEXT STEPS
Members of the LDNC and Church Council Steering Committee, working with Chief Program
Officer, Leo Jones, and other members of the course planning team, expect to offer a third
cohort of the course to run for six sessions between February and April 2016. In addition, the
committee would ultimately like to see every committee, group and project in the church with
a strategy for nourishing new leadership. As part our leadership development efforts, we will
seek to build on existing pockets of excellence and involve committees in shaping their
pathways to leadership.
Respectfully submitted by Susan Crim (Chair), Jennifer Ambrose, Jennifer Bolick Janine Chambers, Liz Coit,
Jennifer DuMond, Morgan Duncan, Marean Durate, Tom Fox, Will Hayes, Sterling Lloyd, George Reid, Tim
Rhodes, Lisa Swanson, and Marlana Valdez.
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