National City Christian Church and Foundation Washington, DC

Senior Minister and President 2023 - Current

The first woman to lead the National Church of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)  in the United States and Canada. The National City Christian Church and its Foundation is an expansively welcoming community and exists as the means by which the whole people of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) may participate in the growing ministry of their own National Church.​​

​

• Pastor Stephanie serves as the Senior Minister of National City Christian Church, the worshiping body of the National Church of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada and oversees all the duties therein. Her work is to help them live out their call as an inclusive and justice seeking community in the name Christ Jesus in Washington, DC and around the world. The identity of National City Christian Church is below:

  • As members of National City Christian Church, the national church of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada, we confess that Jesus is the Christ, our living and active God, and proclaim Jesus the Christ, Lord and Savior of the world. In Christ's name, limitless grace, and ever-expanding love, we accept our charge of faithful witness and service to all people. We rejoice in God, maker of heaven and earth and giver of free will and choice in all aspects of our lives, and we celebrate God’s people through a shared covenant of love.

  • Through baptism into Christ’s community, we enter into newness of life and are made one with the whole Kindom of God, where diversity in all its manifestations is valued and celebrated. 

  • In the communion of the Holy Spirit, we are joined together in discipleship and in obedience to Christ, who calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves and to give of our gifts freely and with abundance. 

  • To live out our faith as Jesus calls us to do, we as a church understand our call: to become a sanctuary of refuge for all who seek it; to feed those without; to expansively support love and its commitments fully, including same-sex, interfaith, and interracial marriages and expansive family planning. We covenant to be a community that values inquiry, dialogue, and understanding, recognizing that we all enter the journey with God at different points. As we collectively live out our faith, we affirm, love, and advocate for people of every race, economic status, nationality, housing status, age, ability, immigration status, gender identity or expression, marital status, and sexual orientation.

  • Like Jesus, we speak and act boldly against systems of oppression that keep God’s beloveds from being valued in their fullness. We recognize that each of us enters into our journey with God at different points, and thus we covenant to hold grace and growth tenderly and in equal measure as we move forward together.  

  • We celebrate with thanksgiving the Table of the Lord, which is open to all as we receive the saving acts and presence of Christ.

  • Within the universal church, we receive the gifts of ministry and the still-speaking word of God through scripture. In the bonds of Christian faith, we yield ourselves to God so that we may serve the One whose Kindom has no end.

  • As the national church, we faithfully and prayerfully rejoice in the gift that it is to be loved by God without exception, and we commit ourselves to that same love for God and God’s people, here in our nation’s capital and around the world. Amen.

• Pastor Stephanie serves as the President of National City Christian Church Foundation, a recognized general ministry partner of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). She is the first woman to serve in this role. 

  • Today, Disciples around the world are represented in Washington, DC, not only by elected and appointed officials, but also by National City Christian Church, a National Church, that is owned and supported by all members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

  • In 1926 the International Convention, now called the General Assembly, of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) voted to establish a Foundation “to hold in trust, preserve, and maintain for all Disciples the physical facilities of National City Christian Church.” This decision stemmed from Alexander Campbell’s call, in 1851, that the denomination should “have the largest meeting house in Washington City and there…stand up in the presence of kings and Earth’s nobility and proclaim the unknown Gospel.”

  • From 1851 to 1926 to 2022, the National City Christian Church and its Foundation exists as the means by which the whole people of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) may participate in the growing ministry of their own National Church.

​​

​​

Park Avenue Christian Church (The Park) New York, NY

Executive Minister and Chief Operating Officer 2017 – 2022

Park Avenue Christian Church is a historic, urban, multi-lingual, justice seeking church with worshipping communities both in person and online. Our digital worship is a globally recognized experience. The Park is the oldest continuously worshipping congregation in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 

​

• Head of Staff

• Portfolio includes Budget Oversight, Operations, Worship, Pastoral Care, Building and New Development, History, Young Adult Ministries, Christian Education, and Justice Ministries. 

• Is a called Preaching Pastor.

• Creates and maintains the annual budget with the assistance of the Finance Committee (Roughly 2MM +15MM endowment) to ensure fiduciary health, sustainability, and vision of the church as laid out in the church constitution. Oversees all stewardship and capital campaigns. 

• Assists in planning and execution of weekly worship (a multilingual, multicultural, multi-platform event): Preaching, Pastoral Prayers, Communion, Liturgy, etc.

• Is the representative for Park Avenue Christian Church (The Park) in all justice seeking engagements and as the liaison between the community and the church for events hosted by The Park.  

• Oversees the vision and execution of ministry partners and expected sources of revenue. 

• Envisions, cultivates and executes creative use of all spaces owned by The Park. Creates and maintains new partnerships from tenant collaboratives. 

• Is the primary mentor for all student employees.

• Produces all creative content and maintains consistent branding for our church vision and its ministries. Including multilingual graphics, videos, scents, gifts, etc.

• Oversees the use of the approved budgets for specific programming including Christian Education, Children, Youth, Young Adult, Homecoming, Justice Ministries, etc.

• Offers pastoral care to all congregants as needed. 

• Created and manages the bi-weekly Young Adult programs and the weekly bible study.

• Writes the weekly newsletter that offers a message of justice, inclusion, and liberation for all, through biblical interpretation.

• Is the “Press and Publicity” contact for all things related to The Park. 

• Help cultivate and maintain relationships with outreach organizations and implement church-wide support for their programs. 

• Writes statements on behalf of The Park when needed.

Ministry Consultant New York, NY

Self 2019 – Present

Consulting churches, academic institutions, and faith leaders on best practices for connecting and thriving together in the digital age. 

• Guest Lecturer for Yale University Fall 2020

• Create and lead workshops to inspire people to name, practice, and hone their gifts in executive leadership spaces.

• Work with individual clients to prepare for the hiring process of their specific  ministry. 

• Gives critical feedback on CV’s, cover letter’s, and interviewing skills to build confidence in applying for executive positions.

• Offers support on the ordination process for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ.

Ignition Creative Los Angeles, CA

Operations Manager 2011 – 2014

Ignition Creative is a multimillion dollar globally recognized and award winning advertising agency focusing on theatrical marketing, digital content, branding, and original content. 

​

• Worked directly with the COO and President.  

• During my tenure I helped expand the company from 38-250+ and grow the business into the global marketing firm it is today.

• Trained, evaluated, reviewed, scheduled, promoted, and managed eight departments (Vault, Runs, Machine Room, Reception, Production, Assistant Editors, Associate Producers, Interns).  

• Managed hiring of all staff (excluding Senior Editors and Producers).  

• Created, maintained, and distributed shift schedules, editor assignments, bay schedules, and editor credit lists.  

• Served as MPAA and Studio contact for all security reviews. Maintained highest security clearance for all studios.

• Oversaw all element returns and vault inventories.  

• Managed company wide security audits.  

• Maintained, evaluated, and approved set budgets for different divisions as set forth by the accounting department.

• Acted as liaison between Editors, Assistant Editors, Support Staff, Administrative Staff, Human Resources, President, COO, and CEO. 

• Developed and implemented policies and job responsibilities.  

• Conducted weekly meetings with all departments regarding efficiency and workflow. 

Ignition Creative Santa Monica, California

Associate Producer (Creative) 2006 – 2012

Ignition Creative is a multimillion dollar globally recognized and award winning advertising agency focusing on theatrical marketing, digital content, branding, and original content. 

​

• Worked with the Producers, Creative Director, Clients and Editors in conceptualizing and effectively achieving theatrical marketing campaigns.   

• Produced worldwide and domestically released theatrical marketing materials for Paramount Pictures' Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (the highest grossing concert movie of all time).  

• Assisted in producing worldwide and domestic theatrical marketing campaigns including but not limited to Cloverfield, Suits, The Hunger Games, Superbad, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Good Deeds, Super 8, For Colored Girls, Madea’s Family Reunion, The Equalizer 2 for NBA Finals,  and more.  

• Produced content and submissions for all award shows. 

• Wrote scripts and assisted in script presentations for clients. 

• Booked, recorded, and billed all voice over talent and ADR.  

• Voice Over Artist finishes in Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, Attack the Block, Superbad, The Seeker: The Dark is Rising.