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
Promote the value of UUAMP to our congregations.
Advocate for the value of paid Membership Professional positions as well as strong volunteer-led teams in our congregations.
Provide appropriate support and resources to enhance that value.
Grow and support regional and content area networks.
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.
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.
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.
More About UUAMP
- UU World Article "It's About More than Membership" from 10/17/16
- UU World Article "80 congregations now hire membership professionals" from 10/6/14
- Interconnections Article, December 2013
- Interconnections Article, October 2011
- UU World Article "UU membership professionals form own organization" from 8/24/09
Board Committee and Members
coordinator@uufws.org
Caron is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she met her husband, Steve. Their son, Keegan, lives and works in the NC Triad, daughter Catie lives and works in Raleigh, and daughter Josie is a recent graduate from UNC. As full-time Membership Manager of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Winston-Salem, Caron maintains the member database, works with the Membership Committee on programs for newcomers and members, and supports the Fellowship's vision to work boldly and deeply for justice.
Click here to view/download the UUAMP President's Roles & Responsibilities
Vice President: Nicole Duff (she/her/hers)
membership@esuc.org
Nicole 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. 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 the city with her husband, Shaun, and spending time with her two cats, Kittie and Meeps.
Click here to view/download the UUAMP Vice President's Roles & Responsibilities
peggy.uusic@gmail.com
Peggy has been the Director of Congregational Life at the Unitarian Universalist Society since 2016. She oversees programs and classes for visitors and new members, works with Membership Associates to support member engagement, supports the work of the Publicity Team, leads a Wellspring group, helps engage members in programs of the larger UU movement, does strategic planning for new programs and community engagement, and fills in other ways as needed in the life of the congregation.
Peggy previously served as Minister and Assistant Minister of several United Methodist Churches in Michigan. While there, she served on staff and as President of the Board of Michigan Interfaith Power and Light which helps religious congregations address climate change and save energy.
Peggy grew up in the Chicago area, and went to University of Michigan where she earned a degree in Social Change. After working with college students in New Hampshire for two years, she attended seminary in Washington, DC. She currently lives in Coralville, Iowa with her partner, Sarah Ross, and their three cats: Butter, Confetti, and Dulci. Peggy enjoys Scottish fiddling and dancing, reading, cooking, and sewing. She also enjoys visiting her two sons and a daughter-in-law, who live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and in Syracuse, New York.
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. Ashley came to her in the fall of 2017. 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. It is important to her that members and visitors of all ages, abilities, and needs feel seen.
When Ashley isn’t at UUSF she works in her community as a freelance writer and a teaching artist. As a teaching artist she loves to promote the utilization of the arts in fostering creative self-expression and mental well-being.
Ashley loves coffee, used books, and road trips (in better circumstances). She lives with her fiancee, Paige, and their beloved pack of four-legged family members.
Click her to view/download the UUAMP Secretary's Roles & Responsibilities
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.
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 (25) who currently lives in Nigeria and Katie (30), a nurse who lives with her husband and two adorable sons, Simon and Micah, 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 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!
Sarah Masters - At Large (she/her/hers)
smasters@uucava.org
Sarah is in her 14th year as the Director of Congregational Life at the UU Church of Arlington, VA, with responsibility for membership, stewardship, and database management. She's a lifelong UU whose first UU job was as a Binghamton University student staffing the Nursery at the UU Congregation of Binghamton, NY. With an extensive background in nonprofit management including as Director of Programs for the National Center on Nonprofit Enterprise, as Director of Development for a group of local low-income senior living residences, and with a Masters of Nonprofit Organizations from Case Western Reserve University, Sarah brings a passion for innovative solutions to the unique challenges of our congregations.
Sarah marvels at the rapid change and spiritual growth of Unitarian Universalism in her lifetime (not to mention the many revolutions since her ancestors' Puritan churches voted to become Unitarian in the 1800's) and hopes to help our religious tradition to continue to seek, learn and love through her work with UUAMP. Our faith calls us to look for the people who are hurting and to work for justice to improve lives and communities. Sarah believes UUAMP has an important role to play in transforming Unitarian Universalism into the faith we need it to be for all people.
Sarah's husband, Paul, is the Facilities Manager at UUCA. They love working together to nurture and grow the congregation and they make a point of keeping church work in check. You'll find them at the ballet and theatre, at trout-streams and beaches, and at every dirt floor restaurant they can find. Their 4 kids and 2 grandkids take them from Virginia to North Carolina to Wisconsin, sometimes in
Click here to view/download the UUAMP Members-at-Large Roles & Responsibilities
Janine Gelsinger (she/her/hers)
heartledhead@gmail.com
Janine served as the Director of Membership + Welcoming Ministries at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Phoenix for two and a half years. In 2019, she transitioned to the Executive Director of UUJAZ, the Arizona State Action Network.
With a passion for justice, a skill for relationship-building, and a background in curriculum development and facilitation, Janine is excited to explore the intersections of Membership and Social Justice. She will co-facilitate the membership track at GA 2019, "A Radically Inclusive Pathway to Membership."
When not passing out tacos to protesters at the 4th Ave Jail, or meeting with community leaders over vegan Horchatas at the Coronado, Janine loves to build her patriarchy-smashing muscles at Barre class, and snuggle with her two kiddos, Vivienne Grey and Ramona Drew.
Kelly Greene (she/her/hers)
kelly@uuccharlotte.org
Kelly has served Unitarian Universalist Community of Charlotte as Membership Coordinator since 2014. Her role includes volunteer recruitment and stewardship. A member of this community since 2008, she previously volunteered as high school religious education advisor and on the Board of Trustees. She continues to volunteer as a Coming of Age mentor and in justice actions. Kelly appreciates the deep spiritual learning, loving community and intersectional justice work made possible by this congregation. She is currently a graduate student in organization development.
Click to view/download the UUAMP Nominating Committee Members 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.