Paschal Anionye
Paschal Anionye is a Roman Catholic priest of the Catholic Diocese of Warri, Nigeria with a deep Franciscan Spirituality and background. He is a clinically trained Counselor and Board-Certified Chaplain in the United States. Fr. Paschal resides in Syracuse, Upstate New York. His training as a Chaplain and Counselor includes General and Family Counseling, Behavioral and Mental health, Palliative and End of Life Care, Bereavement and Grief Counseling. Fr. Paschal has a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and a Bachelors and Master’s degree in Sacred Theology.
He is presently in forensic training at the Central New York Psychiatric Center as part of his continuing studies in Behavioral and Mental Health, Clinical Psychology and Neuroscience. He is a Parochial Vicar in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse and a Diocesan Chaplain at Upstate Medical University Hospital. He also serves as an On-Call Clergy in the other hospitals in the Syracuse area.
Prior to this, Fr. Paschal, in Nigeria, has worked as a Retreat Facilitator and Spiritual Director in schools, parishes, and seminary and formation houses for Priests and Religious. He had extensive pastoral experiences in parish and youth ministry in various places in Nigeria.
Some of Fr. Paschal’s hobbies include reading, listening to good music (Gregorian chants, Christian worship and praise, soft and soulful songs, Celtic, Country and Classical) and eBooks, traveling, discovering new places and people, meeting and making new friends and acquaintances, studying the Word, hanging out with friends, playing golf and volleyball.
Reverend Dr. Twiggy Eure
Reverend Dr. Twiggy Eure received her Associate Degree (Bryant & Stratton College), Bachelor’s Degree (SUNY Oswego) and Master’s Degree from Syracuse University. She earned her Doctorate Degree in Executive Leadership from St. John Fisher University where she was awarded the 2023 Exemplary Performance in Service Award. She is a proud Diamond-Life member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (Syracuse Alumnae Chapter) and serves on several boards and committees.
Dr. Eure is employed at Crouse Health in the first-ever, Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB). She leads efforts to hardwire DEIB across the organization providing strategic guidance to leadership and management staff in an effort to raise awareness and promote an inclusive culture of belonging across the system.
Dr. Eure co-founded The Promise Land Church in East Syracuse with her husband, Reverend Erik B. Eure in February 2002. After faithfully serving for 10 years, Dr. Eure accepted the call and was ordained as a minister of the gospel on Friday, September 14, 2012. She currently serves as Reverend, Co-Pastor, Chief Ministry Officer and Overseer for the Women’s Ministry. She has a unique gift to identify and inspire people through the lens of empathy, love, and hugs.
Dr. Eure attributes her greatest compliments to be the titles of Wife of 30 years, Ma, Mommy and Nonni. She is the proud mother of four college-educated young adult children, Marquis and his wife Nicole, three beautiful daughters, Gabrielle, Sydni, Camryn, and two grandchildren, Londyn and Greyson.
Darrell Fairer
Darrell Fairer is the founding pastor of Destiny Fellowship Church of Fort Wayne, IN, and the Senior Pastor of Greater Faith Bible Tabernacle of Buffalo, NY.
He began preaching in September 1995 and was licensed and ordained through the Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith International, Inc. (PCAFI) in 1999 and 2003 respectively. In addition to serving as a Pastor, he also serves as a Suffragan Bishop within Global Missions assisting Presiding Bishop Lambert W. Gates, Sr. in the nation of Canada, and the Adjutant Bishop in the Office of Protocol within PCAFI. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Christian Ministry and is a 2023-2024 Fellowship of Emerging Leaders in Ministry Fellow through a partnership with Syracuse University and LeMoyne College. He has been afforded the opportunity to minister nationally and internationally. Pastor Fairer has been called to preach but anointed to serve. He enjoys seeing lives changed through the power of the Word of God.
Pastor Fairer has been married to Sherea R. Fairer since October 1997. Together, they are the proud parents of two beautiful daughters Lauryn and Monique.
Eliezer Hernández
Eliezer (Eli) Hernández was born in Puerto Rico and raised in a bilingual, multicultural, single-parent household in the South Bronx. He attended SUNY Oswego, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Music and a Master’s in Education. He earned his C.A.S. from LeMoyne College and a doctorate in Executive Leadership from St. John Fisher University in May 2020.
Eliezer is a career educator with 25+ years of professional and community involvement. His experience as a teacher, principal, coach, district leader, and school board member spans from suburban to urban school districts. He serves as the Coordinator of Data Management for the Syracuse City School District. He has held executive leadership roles in small and mid-sized non-profit, civil rights, and social justice organizations.
In the community, he is President of the Auburn Cayuga County NAACP, a member of the board of directors for the National Math Foundation, and AADUNA, Inc. He is serving his fifth term on the Auburn Enlarged City School District Board of Education and is the President-Elect for the New York State Association for Bilingual Education (NYSABE). Eliezer serves on the Governor’s CNY Hate & Bias Prevention Unit. He is the Founder of Authentic LeaderShift, LLC., and a certified Maxwell Leadership Team Member, Facilitator, Speaker, Trainer, and DISC Behavioral Consultant on personal, professional, and organizational growth and development.
Eliezer attends Westminster Presbyterian Church with his wife, Rina, and two children, Enrique and Mariela, and their dog, Lady. He serves on the Pastoral Nominating Committee for Westminster Presbyterian Church and has participated in the Basics of Preaching course offered by the Presbytery.
Bishop Kathy Hughes
Bishop Kathy Hughes is married to Deacon Willie Hughes and they are blessed with three children; Vishanna, Willie, 3rd and Sabrina. God also blessed them with four adopted siblings: Nyla, Joshua, Jalissa and Makayla.
July 11, 2004 Bishop Jesse White, President General of the Church of the Living God appointed Bishop Hughes to the Pastorate in Utica, New York. In July of 2011, Bishop Hughes was chosen to represent the City of Utica by New York State Senator Kristen Gillibrand at the first “Faith Based Minority Legislative Summit” at the State Capitol in Washington DC.
In October of 2015, Pastor Hughes was consecrated in the 71st General Assembly of the Church of the Living God, into the Bishopric in Orlando, FL.
Bishop Hughes was granted a 1.5-million-dollar Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative (ESPRI) grant from the State of New York to open Academics First Extended Hours Daycare Center in Utica, NY so parents could have a safe, affordable and high-quality daycare for their children to attend.
Bishop Hughes is the President of the Utica/Rome Historical Black Ministerial Alliance and the Historic New Forest Cemetery Board in Utica, NY. She is also a board member of the Utica Food Pantry and the Religious Affairs Committee of the Rome, NY NAACP. Bishop Hughes is a Connecticut State Certified Domestic Violence Counselor.
Bishop Hughes travels for mission work to Ghana and Liberia West Africa, Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados.
Bishop Hughes attended Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Boston, Massachusetts.
Sr. Ann Kenyon, OSF
Sr. Ann Kenyon, OSF is a native of Oswego, New York and a member of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities for 40+ years. She holds a BA in Mathematics from the Catholic University of America and a Masters in the Teaching of Math from Villanova University. She also received a Masters in Franciscan Studies from St. Bonaventure University.
Ann happily ministered as a teacher in Washington, DC, New Jersey, and New York for nearly twenty years before being called upon to serve as her community’s formation minister. Throughout several of her ten years in formation ministry, she also served at Franciscan Collaborative Ministries and as a co-minister of the Franciscan Church of the Assumption in Syracuse. In addition, she was a co-minister of FrancisCorps, a post-graduate volunteer program in Syracuse and Costa Rica. Following her time as formation minister, she returned to Assumption Church and served five more years as the pastoral associate. Ann has been a pilgrimage leader with Franciscan Pilgrimage Programs since 2012. In this role she has had the privilege and great joy of leading one-two pilgrimages per year to Rome and Assisi, Italy. Recently, she completed seven years as the campus minister for faith formation at Le Moyne College where she enjoyed praying with and being present to the students. Ann acknowledges that she has been blessed beyond anything that she has given in ministry. She counts relationships formed and collaborations shared among the greatest gifts that she has received.
Rev. Pamela Klotzbach
Rev. Pamela Klotzbach currently serves as Pastor of Cortland First United Methodist Church as well as President of the Upper New York Conference of the United Methodist Church Trustees.
A graduate of Colgate, Rochester, Crozer Divinity School with a Master of Divinity, Pam is now in her 17th year of ministry. She is married to her husband, Wesley, and they have 9 children (6 adopted) and 9 Grandchildren. Her education includes a BS in Business, Management and Economics and an advanced Juris Docteur in Arbitration and Mediation.
Pam is the founder of the “Cold Night Café” (a warming center substitute) in Batavia, NY and ECGO (Ecumenical Center for Gathering and Outreach) formerly known as UMTOO, both ministries centered in Batavia, NY.
Pam has completed trainings as a Coach and as a Church Planter and is often sought out for her ideas to help others begin new ministries. She is pleased to have been selected for the Fellowship of Emerging Leaders in Ministry and looks forward to the new learning opportunity and the prospect of getting to know others in varied forms of ministry.
Jay Koshy
Jay Koshy has been serving as one of the Christian Chaplains in Hendricks Chapel at Syracuse University since 2011. A native of Syracuse, Jay Koshy was raised in a Christian family and felt called to a life of service from a young age. He was deeply involved in ministry in a variety of ways, including teaching Sunday school, founding the youth group at his church, and leading worship. Jay attended Messiah University in Pennsylvania for a degree in business administration. After that he finished 3 years in medical school when he felt the calling to serve in full time ministry.
As a Protestant Christian Chaplain at Syracuse University, he enjoys serving students from all over the globe. Jay seeks to be a resource and a bridge for all the Christian as well as non-Christian students on campus. Jay, along with his son Josh, recently founded a student group, “Bridge” which meets every Wednesday for dinner and weekly meetings, and he also hosts the weekly Thursday Friendship Luncheons which draw many students from various backgrounds to connect over a delicious hot meal and to build bridges of friendship.
Jay also serves as one of the elders of the International Assembly Church in Lafayette NY. Jay has traveled for ministry and has preached in many countries. He is married to Susi, and they have two children Josh, who attends Syracuse University, and Sophia, who is in 7th grade. Jay’s other interests include being out in nature, traveling, hiking, and reading.
Cathy Mackey
Cathy Mackey, otherwise known as Velma from Scooby Doo by her four adult children because of her love of studying, thinks there’s nothing better than joyfully learning, loving, and sharing your faith with all that you encounter and in all that you do.
Cathy is a certified Catechist Level 1, certified Catechist Level 2 and certified Director of Faith Formation from the Diocese of Syracuse. She is a nationally certified Lay Ecclesial Minister serving as a Parish Catechetical Leader by the United States Congress of Catholic Bishops. She has a BS in Education and Sociology with a minor in Psychology, a Masters Certificate in Catholic Theology, a Master of Arts in Pastoral Theology, a certificate in Church Management from Villanova University and has just completed her certificate in Catholic School Leadership, also from Villanova University. She was the Director of Faith Formation at St. John the Baptist/Holy Trinity in Syracuse, a Theology teacher and Department Chair at Bishop Grimes, and the Director of Faith Formation at St Mary’s and St Augustine’s parishes in Baldwinsville. She is now the Executive Principal of Faith and Curriculum at St Mary’s Academy in Baldwinsville.
Cathy believes that faith can be fun, so she always makes up mantras, jingles, songs and videos for her students to enjoy and live by. In her spare time, she loves to go on pilgrimages and travel the world. In fact, Cathy and her husband of 31 years, Wade, walked the Camino de Santiago in Spain. And, she prays for her students and their families in every single church she walks by (yes, every single one of them) in every country she visits (over 150 churches!) Cathy also loves to spend time with their children and granddaughters and loves their Sunday “family day” when they’re all together.
Rev. Melissa M. Killenberger McCarthy
Rev. Melissa (Missy) M. Killenberger McCarthy serves Pulaski United Methodist Church of the Annual Conference of Upper New York. She also serves on the Board of Ordained Ministry, the District Leadership Team, and the District Committee on Ministry. Pastor Missy is involved in several local groups in her community to promote community building, transportation, and food access for all people. Pastor Missy has a passion for walking with churches as they live into their understanding of God’s call on them to be God’s love to all people in their community and the world in which we live together. Pastor Missy is the proud mama of three beautiful teenagers and has shared life with a very loving partner, for the last twenty years. She enjoys time with her family, pets, hiking, kayaking, and crafting.
Dc. Anthony Miller
Dc. Anthony Miller is Catholic deacon serving in the Southern Tier. He is married with two daughters and a granddaughter and grandson. For the past year and a half, his concentration has been on serving the parish of St. Stephen – St. Patrick with campuses in Whitney Point and Marathon and the mission church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Cincinnatus. Dc. Anthony is also a certified iTHIRST spiritual companion to those suffering from alcoholism or addiction.
Steven Moore
Steven Moore is an Episcopal priest, licensed clinical psychologist, and spiritual director. He is also married to Erin, the choral teacher at Christian Brothers Academy, and they have four children ranging in age from one to nine. Steve is the director of the Spiritual Renewal Center, the Rector of Grace Church, and the Vicar of the Church of the Saviour in Syracuse. Additionally, he has private practice through SUNY Upstate. Steve holds bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Philosophy from LeMoyne College. He did his seminary studies at the Theological College of Catholic University and Church Divinity School of the Pacific. He also completed his Doctor of Psychology degree at the California School of Professional Psychology in San Francisco, CA, and a Doctor of Ministry degree in Transformative Leadership with a focus on Prophetic Preaching at Colgate Rochester Crozier Divinity School. He trained in spiritual direction at the Haden Institute/Mt. Carmel Spiritual Center in Niagara Falls and Loyola House in Guelph. He has experience working as a pastor, chaplain, teacher, and campus minister.
is an Episcopal priest, licensed clinical psychologist, and spiritual director. He is also married to Erin, the choral teacher at Christian Brothers Academy, and they have four children ranging in age from one to nine. Steve is the director of the Spiritual Renewal Center, the Rector of Grace Church, and the Vicar of the Church of the Saviour in Syracuse. Additionally, he has private practice through SUNY Upstate. Steve holds bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Philosophy from Le Moyne College. He did his seminary studies at the Theological College of Catholic University and Church Divinity School of the Pacific. He also completed his Doctor of Psychology degree at the California School of Professional Psychology in San Francisco, CA, and a Doctor of Ministry degree in Transformative Leadership with a focus on Prophetic Preaching at Colgate Rochester Crozier Divinity School. He trained in spiritual direction at the Haden Institute/Mt. Carmel Spiritual Center in Niagara Falls and Loyola House in Guelph. He has experience working as a pastor, chaplain, teacher, and campus minister.
Rev. Dr. Utibe Offiong
Rev. Dr. Utibe Offiong is an Associate Minister at St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Cambridge, MA, where she is Chief of Staff for the Ministerial Staff, and also serves as the Director of Christian Education. Her ministerial training includes attending Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, and the AME NEAC Ministerial Training Institute.
Her call to the ministry is to study, live and teach the Word of God, as well as, to disciple others into a saving and maturing faith in Jesus Christ. Her ministry passion includes helping all people, especially people of color and women, to see themselves as God intends through the pages of Holy Scripture, and to embrace their identity as vital parts of God’s redemptive plan. Consistent with her call, she has for several years organized and taught St. Paul’s Read Through the Bible classes.
Utibe is currently the AVP and Chief Risk Officer for Institutional Risk and Audit Services at Syracuse University. She has been an auditing, risk management and accounting professional for more than 40 years with corporate, non-profit, and public accounting experience. She is a graduate of Northeastern University, Boston, MA, with a BS in Accounting, and an MBA in Management. Over the years, she has gained a number of professional certifications, including: Certified Internal Auditor, Certified Internal Controls Auditor, and Certification in Risk Management Assurance. She has served as trustee on many organization boards and holds membership in several associations.
She is the blessed mother of two children, a son-in-law and two grandchildren.
Harry Patterson
Harry Patterson currently serves as the Multi-Area Director of Central New York for Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). His responsibilities include building ministry capacity and sustainability by establishing and maintaining healthy relationships with coaches and athletes to foster growing relationships with Jesus Christ and His Church.
Prior to this, he was on staff at his local church as a Pastor in the Congregational Care Department for over 16 years, and worked another twelve years for the Syracuse City School District (SCSD) in various positions, ranging from bus monitor to Teaching Assistant, to Inclusion Teacher & ESL Summer School Coordinator to Dean of Students. He also has participated in four years of Executive Leadership training through the Townsend Leadership Program (TLP).
Harry is a lifelong resident of the Syracuse Community. His collegiate career includes Colgate University, where he received his Bachelors degree, and African-American, and Latino Studies; and a Masters of Science in Teaching from Le Moyne College.
His life‘s purpose is to ”help people help people“. The culmination of his life experiences God has used to prepare him to fulfill this purpose for the length of his days in the earth.
Harry currently resides in Jamesville, NY enjoying life together with Raquel, his wife of 25 years, and his three daughters and one son, or as he likes to call them—his three princesses and one prince.
Linda Stoppacher
Linda “Lindsey” Stoppacher is a lifelong Lutheran, beginning in the Augustana tradition. Her formative congregation then converted to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. She currently serves as Council President of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Fayetteville, NY. The congregation is currently undergoing the process of calling a new pastor. Additional opportunities within Good Shepherd are regrouping after changes brought about by the pandemic, capitalizing on the energies of all generations, and becoming an inviting and affirming congregation. As a career, she is in risk engineering in the insurance industry. Specialties include transportation, complex property, and cultural properties. She is married and has three daughters. Hobbies include cooking, travel, running and reading. She holds her Bachelor of Science from Union College in Schenectady, NY, and her Master of Arts in Historic Preservation from Boston University.
Reverend Carolyn Stow
Reverend Carolyn Stow is an second career pastor currently serving Sarah Jane Johnson Memorial United Methodist Church in Johnson City, NY. She has been in pastoral ministry for 16 years. Carolyn sometimes describes her pastoral call as an extension of her career as a Social Worker. Stow holds Master’s Degrees in Divinity from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School and Social Work from the University of Buffalo. A look at her resume’ shows extensive experience and training in the human service field, which she has delivered at all levels of care; direct care, management, administrative and governance. Stow has worked with several different populations including those contending with mental illness, those who live life with a developmental disability, those managing a learning disability, those whose intellectual abilities are impaired, those fighting addiction, individuals in spiritual distress, and those living in abject poverty. Carolyn has worked with children, adults, families, communities, and organizations.
Carolyn and her husband of 33 years, Mark, have raised two children to adulthood. Jacki Pillot, and her husband Pedro, are both United Methodist pastors in New Jersey where they are raising three daughters, who are all preschool age or younger. Their son, Dylan, is an engineer in the Philadelphia area. Carolyn has shared her time with the church and community since her days as a Brownie Girl Scout. She currently serves as Conference Secretary for United Methodists of Upper New York and as Board Secretary for the Broome County Council of Churches.
Brittany Grimes Zaehringer, Esq., MSSA
Brittany Grimes Zaehringer, Esq., MSSA, is the senior associate vice president for operation and strategic initiatives at Syracuse University. Britany currently oversees the functional areas of budget, operations, human resources and IT for the Student Experience Division. Formerly, Brittany served as a senior human resource business partner at Syracuse University. Prior to coming to Syracuse, Brittany held several leadership positions in law, human resources and operations spanning public, private, and non-profit agencies, including, but not limited to the GAR Foundation, the Delta Research and Education Foundation, the Girl Scouts of North East Ohio, the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools, Buckingham, Doolittle, and Burroughs, and Summit County in Akron, Ohio.
A native of Akron, Ohio and a committed believer in servant leadership, Brittany has been active in the communities she’s lived in through service in over 30 non-profit boards, committees, and affiliations. As a former grant maker, Brittany leveraged resources to assist numerous faith-based organizations with providing basic needs and educational resources to underserved populations. Currently, Brittany is helping individuals and families create a legacy of stewardship and giving by applying biblical principles to their financial literacy journey. Brittany is a member of The House of the Lord in Akron, Ohio and a supporter of the BibleProject.
Brittany received her Juris Doctorate and Master of Science in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Michigan.
Brittany and her husband Peter have a Cavapoo puppy, Peanut.