About UUAMP

What is UUAMP

UUAMP is comprised of about 110 members, both paid and volunteer, serving congregations with membership as one of the main components of their ministry. We also welcome UUA staff and the heads of the other UU Professional Groups to join us in supporting our mission and growing Unitarian Universalism as part of shared ministry.

Fill out the membership application to become a member today!

Benefits of Joining UUAMP

  • Educational opportunities such as Book Discussion Groups and Webinars, Best Practice Seminars and workshops at Local, Regional, and National conferences.
  • A Certification Program to bring out the best in yourself and your congregation.
  • Opportunities for growth and renewal at our annual gatherings.
    Opportunities for interacting with others doing work around belonging on our UUAMP Facebook Page by sharing both our challenges and triumphs.
  • A website full of practical and immediately usable tools and resources.
    A Mentoring Program available for new UUAMP Members.
    Networking opportunities for all members by facebook, email or phone to problem solve.
  • Fellowship and support from colleagues who share your vision and goals.
  • An opportunity to advocate for the professionalization of the important ministry of membership professionals.
  • Organizational voting rights within UUAMP on issues affecting the future of our faith.
  • Increase your value to your congregation by professional development and from sharing of fresh insights, new perspectives and best practices.

Our Mission

The Mission of UUAMP is to develop and support the ministry of membership through collaboration and professional development.

The Board's Goals

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Starting work on our new strategic plan.

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Growing UUAMP Membership.

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Increase Awareness of UUAMP among congregations and the UUA.

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Get more members involved.

UUAMP History

2015

A Place for ALL

In 2015, we opened up membership to all passionate about the Ministry of Membership, both paid and unpaid.

2011

Establishing UUAMP as a
professional group

Since our first Annual Meeting and inception at General Assembly in 2011, UUAMP has been very active in promoting shared ministry and collaboration with webinars, book discussions, workshops for regional gatherings and General Assembly, and a certification program.

UUAMP is run by an elected Board of Directors as well as a nominations and audit committee.

2010

Steering Committee

In June of 2010, 10 people volunteered to be on a steering committee to start the work of becoming a UUA related association for Membership Professionals.

2023

Looking Ahead

In June of 2023, our new logo was revleaed as well as a new strategic plan with a focus on growing our membership and growing our visibility.

More About UUAMP

Board Committee and Members

President: Nicole Duff  (she/her/hers)
membership@esuc.org

Nicole (she/her) serves as the Director of Membership Development at East Shore Unitarian Church in Bellevue, Washington, where she has been since 2015. She loves being able to welcome new people to the church with a focus on inclusivity and communication.

She is so thankful for UUAMP and its members and is so honored to be nominated to represent all of you. Please feel free to reach out to her any time.

She previously worked at a church in Columbus, Ohio, as their Director of Communications and also worked as a morning show news producer. She has a degree in Mass Communications and Social Media from The Ohio State University and is a Buckeye through and through. In her free time she enjoys exploring Seattle (where she lives) with her husband, Shaun, and spending time with her cats, Kittie and Cosmo.

Click here to view/download the UUAMP President's Roles & Responsibilities

Vice President: Kristin Cleveland - At Large (she/her/hers)
clc@uuschenectady.org 

Kristin is the Congregational Life Coordinator at the UU Society of Schenectady (NY), and she has also served two years as a Membership Coordinator at the First Unitarian Society of Newton (MA). Kristin’s earlier career in communications and outreach with environmental non-profits provided her with a foundation for UU membership work, but she has greatly appreciated the learning opportunities provided by UUAMP, and is excited to support that important work by serving on the UUAMP Board. When not at church, Kristin and her spouse Joe enjoy wandering the Adirondack woods near their home, listening to live local music, playing with their cats Phryne and Jack, and visiting extended family.

Click here to view/download the UUAMP Vice President's Roles & Responsibilities

Treasurer: Margaret Rush (she/her/hers)
margaret.rush@richmonduu.org 

Margaret is a lifelong UU and has been a member of her congregation in Richmond, VA for 20 years. For a long time, she dreamed of being a diplomat, but she says she  “lacked the requisite political connections!” In her early professional career, Margaret was a paralegal, a marketing assistant, and a receptionist, among other things. After the market crash in 2008, she vowed never to work for corporate America again. After considering, ministry briefly, she felt it just wasn’t right. But church work was - administration, managing the million little things.

Previously, Margaret was an Administrator for a small Episcopal church (Administrator equaled “entire non-clergy staff!) for about six years, and an Executive assistant to the Rector of a large Episcopal church. Margaret speaks “church” pretty fluently, and in many ways she has achieved her dream of being a diplomat!

Margaret is a single mom to 2 grown sons and 1 dog. She loves books and movies, and she travels whenever time and budget allow. Margaret is looking forward to being a part of the UUAMP Board.

 

Click here to view/download the UUAMP Treasurer's Roles and Responsibilities

Secretary: Ashley Lessa (she/her/hers)
office@uufairhaven.org

Ashley is the Congregational Life Coordinator at the UU Society of Fairhaven in Fairhaven, Massachusetts.

She has held several roles at UUSF, at first taking on a very part-time role in the nursery before becoming the church’s Office Administrator and later the Congregational Life Coordinator, her current position, which includes both administrative and membership-related duties.

Ashley is passionate about continually working toward broader inclusion and welcoming across all offerings at UUSF. Ashley has enjoyed working on the church’s yearly welcoming renewal efforts, revamping and creating church promotional and educational materials, and creating engaging, fun, and informative programming for both newcomers and long-time members. It is important to her that members and visitors of all ages, abilities, and needs feel deeply welcomed!

Ashley holds a BA in Writing, Literature and Publishing from Emerson College and is a licensed 5-12 ELA teacher. When she isn’t at UUSF, she works in her community as a freelance writer and as a teaching artist for kids. In her classes, she loves to make connections between literature and visual art and to promote the arts as a tool for fostering mental well-being.

Ashley loves iced coffee, used books, and road trips. She lives with her wife, Paige, and their beloved pack of four-legged family members in New Bedford, MA.

Click her to view/download the UUAMP Secretary's Roles & Responsibilities

Kelly Greene - At Large (she/her/hers)
kelly@uuccharlotte.org 

As Director of Member Relations at the UU Community of Charlotte, NC, Kelly’s areas of responsibility include Membership, Community Building, Congregational Care, Denominational Relations and Stewardship. She also serves on the Coordinating Team and the Community Sundays Planning Group. She recently earned a MS in Talent and Organization Development from Queens University of Charlotte. When not working, she crochets, co-teaches a class at the county jail, enjoys slam poetry and goes dancing every chance she gets.

Garnett Losak - At Large (she/her/hers)
garnett@fuub.org

Garnett (she/her/hers) is the Director of Congregational Life at The First Unitarian Congregational Society in Brooklyn.  She was hired as half-time membership coordinator in 2009, a job that expanded every year until 2017 when the position was made full-time with additional administrative responsibilities. As a member of the congregation, Garnett served on more committees and task forces than she can remember including as Board President and then chair of the most recent minister search committee.  Garnett has two grown children, Joseph (28) who works in humanitarian aid in South Sudan, and Katie (33), a nurse who lives with her husband and two adorable sons, Simon and Micah (and a baby girl on the way), in Plattsburgh, NY.  Garnett steps away from work to do Yoga, take morning walks with her dog, McKenzie, and play bridge.  She is thrilled to have an opportunity to continue to serve UUAMP and its mission as a member at-large. This is what Garnett looks like when she’s on her 5th Zoom call of the day!

Rose Littler-Riedel - At Large (she/her/ella)
Rose@firstuusandiego.org 

Rose (she/her/ella) is the Membership Development and Communications Coordinator at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego. Rose has found great joy working at First UU in various capacities, and is thrilled to now be the Membership Development and Communications Coordinator. She grew up in San Diego and has been married to her high school sweetheart since 2004, and together they are raising three fantastic kids (young adults)! She has a passion for theatre and art, both of which she has found wonderful outlets for right here at First UU. Rose is currently in Seminary at Starr King School for the Ministry, and is so grateful to be supported by our community.

Click here to view/download the UUAMP Members-at-Large Roles & Responsibilities

Unitarian Universalist Association of Membership Professionals
Covenant of the Board of Directors

 
Our work together springs from our mutual passion for membership work. Upon that foundation we build this covenant.
 

  • The mission of UUAMP is the board’s primary and ultimate guide.
  • We value mutuality, collegiality and collaboration, therefore we promise to bring open hearts and open minds to our work together. We will practice and cultivate honesty, trust, kindness and appropriate vulnerability.
  • We acknowledge the role that power and privilege play in group dynamics and strive to create equity, appreciate diversity and work together as leaders of our organization to dismantle racism and other oppressions.
  • We promise to be accountable and to hold one another accountable for effective leadership. We promise to ask for help, to be open to help and to offer help when it would be beneficial.
  • We embrace opportunities to move through conflict, valuing discomfort as a path toward growth. We promise to listen even when it is hard and to speak the truth as we see it, even when it is hard. If we are unable to arrive at consensus we support Board decisions, so that ultimately, as a board, we speak with one voice.
  • We promise to balance confidentiality with transparency for the health of the association and to seek “the wisdom to know the difference.”
  • We acknowledge the wholeness of each individual as we work, worship, and play together

UUAMP Bylaws

These bylaws were amended, voted on and approved at our annual meeting on June 17, 2021.

This Code of Professional Conduct was voted on and approved at our annual meeting on June 23, 2020.

Please contact uuampboard@gmail.com with any questions or comments.