Co-Chair
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Chris Berry has been a member of LC/NA for almost 30 years. He received a BA in Classical Rhetoric and an MA in Interpersonal Communication from California State University, Fresno. He studied for his MDiv at Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago and Wartburg Theological Seminary. His doctoral work was at the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago in Ancient Semitic Languages. He has served as a parish pastor in Joliet, Illinois, and Melbourne Beach, Florida. The Lutheran Campus Pastor at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington, for the past 18 years and an adjunct professor of counseling, health and wellness, he has research fellowships at Hebrew University, Jerusalem; University of Nice; University of Toronto; and was appointed a research fellow at the Pontifical Biblical Institute by Pope John Paul II. Chris has been a lifelong advocate and ally, working for farm labor equality in Central California as a high school student to working for full inclusion in our church. He is the Senior Research Fellow and Lead Trainer for the Pacific Violence Prevention Institute (PVPI), which works at preventing and ending all types of violence in society, concentrating on bullying and harassment prevention and preventing violence and suicide among youth and young adults. PVPI works closely with the US Department of Justice in aspects of ally-building and recognizing and responding to violence among youth and young adults in numerous violence prevention areas.
Co-Chair
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Nicole Garcia has previously served on the board as Secretary to the Board and Transgender Representative. In 2003 Nicole first became involved with the Reconciling in Christ (RIC) program at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Denver, Colorado. Since then, Nicole has presented workshops and participated in panels concerning gender identity and spirituality in Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Houston, San Francisco, Minneapolis, and throughout the Denver/Boulder area. Nicole holds membership in many LGBTQ organizations, including the Latino/a Roundtable sponsored by the PSR Center for Gay and Lesbian Studies in Religion and Ministry, Out Boulder, Boulder County PFLAG, Boulder Out Door Fund, One Colorado, TransFaith Online, the Interfaith Working Group, the Human Rights Campaign, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and National Center for Transgender Equality. Nicole is studying in a master’s program in counseling at the University of Colorado, Denver, with the intention of becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor. Nicole has been selected as a Voting Member at the Rocky Mountain Synod Assembly and for ELCA Churchwide Assemblies in 2009 (Minneapolis) and 2011 (Orlando).
Vice-Chair of Development
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Jeannine Janson previously served as Co-Chair of LC/NA from 2002-2008, after serving as the West/Northwest Regional Director for two years. In addition to serving as Co-Chair, Jeannine was the Campaign Director for ONE VOICE, the $2,000,000 joint appeal to benefit LC/NA, Lutheran Lesbian & Gay Ministries (now Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries), and Wingspan Ministry of St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church. In 2008 Jeannine was given LC/NA’s distinguished service award, which was renamed at that time as the Janson Distinguished Service Award. Jeannine has also served as President and Fundraising Chair of Friends of St. Francis Childcare Center in San Francisco. Jeannine worked in San Francisco as a legal secretary for 35 years. In 2006 Jeannine and her partner, Mari Irvin, moved to Yachats, Oregon. In 2008 Jeannine began working as Administrative Assistant at Yachats Community Presbyterian Church while remaining a Lutheran. Jeannine and Mari are still members of St. Francis Lutheran where they met in 1992 and were married in 1998.
Secretary
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Kurt Neumann served as the first Youth and Young Adult Representative for Lutherans Concerned/North America (LC/NA) from 2005-2008. After receiving a Dual Bachelor’s degree in European Studies and German in 2008, he worked for the U.S. State Department in Berlin, Germany. He returned to the U.S. later that year and has since been working at the Marriott Austin Downtown as a Front Desk Manager. Continuing his passion for International Relations, he began his Master’s degree in Diplomacy in 2010. While on the board of directors, he advocated at annual Lutheran Campus Ministry gatherings for greater youth participation in LC/NA. He also worked during the summers of 2006 and 2007 at the LC/NA St. Paul headquarters to prepare the organization for the 2006 Biennial Assembly in Toronto and the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Chicago. He lives in Austin, Texas and is an avid runner. His home congregation is First English Lutheran. He still participates with Lutheran Campus Ministry Austin while continuing his Master’s studies. He is excited to rejoin the LC Board in this leadership role.
Treasurer
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Laura Lazar is a professor teaching in the MBA program at Augsburg College, a resident of Minneapolis, Minnesota. An MBA and PhD graduate of Indiana University, majoring in accounting, Laura has 20 years experience teaching accounting and business and extensive experience working in non-profit organizations, having been the treasurer for the Groveland Food Shelf, the Minnesota Literacy Council, and the Lutheran Deaconess Conference. She is currently treasurer for the DIAKONIA World Federation.
Director of Communications
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Phil Soucy has served as the Director of Communications for Lutherans Concerned/North America (LC/NA) from 2005 to 2010 and again since March 2011. Prior to that, he had extensive experience in both governmental and industry practice of public relations, concentrating on media relations and external issues management. He served as a career Army Infantry Officer and as an Army Public Affairs Officer, culminating with service as one of the press spokespersons for the Secretary and Department of the Army. After retirement from the Army, Phil worked in public relations in the aerospace industry, finishing his paid working career in the London headquarters of a global company as Director of Media Relations. He lives in Arlington, Virginia, with his partner, who are proud to be among the LGBT 18,000 legally married in California. A member of the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod of the ELCA, Phil has served on synod council and executive council, and is active in various roles in his home congregation.
Director of International Programs
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Philip W. Moeller, a Senior Institutional and Social Specialist, works on institutional and governance issues for the World Bank. He initially started working at the chapter level of LC/NA but currently serves on the Board as the Director of International Programs of LC/NA. In carrying out this work he provides liaison with such international advocacy groups as the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission in New York on behalf of LC/NA. Philip also lectures at various colleges on globalization and development. He lives in Washington DC in a townhouse he restored that was initially built in the 1870s by Madison Davis. In addition to restoration, he is an avid gardener and enjoys cooking for friends.
Co-Director of Committee for Working at the Intersection of Oppressions
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Judy A. Griffin is a Rehabilitation Specialist with the Department on Disability Services in Washington, D.C. She assists individuals with a multitude of disabilities find and maintain employment after injuries or illnesses that prevented them from working in the past. Previously, Judy worked more than a decade in the non-profit sector as a manager of three substance abuse programs and a shelter for women with mental illnesses. She has a Masters Degree in Human Services from Lincoln University; her thesis evaluated the needs of Transgender Women in the Washington, D.C., area. Over the years, Judy has worked on social issues with diverse audiences by providing workshops in the following areas-addiction, poverty, homelessness, mental illness and racism. She believes her call to work with LC/NA is a beautiful blessing from God.
Co-Director of Committee for Working at the Intersection of Oppressions
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The Rev Darryl Kiehl is pastor of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Birmingham, Alabama, and a Licensed Professional Counselor (Ph.D. Georgia State University). In addition to LC/NA’s Board, he is on the Board of Lunches for Learning, Honduras, and actively helping form Birmingham Faith in Action, a community organizing network. He has served on the Synod Council, Mutual Ministry Committee, and Support Team (conflict resolution), and on the boards of AID Atlanta, Lutheran Ministries of Georgia, and Lutheran Community Food Ministry. He was active in counseling and public speaking on LGBT issues in Atlanta. His congregation recently hosted the “Building an Inclusive Church Workshop,” and he took the lead in starting the first LC/NA chapter in Alabama. Interests include running, meditation, antique cars, boats, and travel trailers.
Bisexual Representative
 Olivia-Beth Horak
Olivia-Beth Horak feels blessed and excited to volunteer for LC/NA as Bisexual Representative. She has a Master of Science in Social Work (Clinical Concentration) at the University of Texas at Austin. She works for the American Cancer Society as a Cancer Information Specialist. She is very active in the Lutheran Church and around issues of social justice.She was the National Advocate for Diversity and Services Learning for Lutheran Student Movement, presented and assisted on an educational series related to A Better Understanding: A look into the Transgender Community for Austin AIDS Services, and helped on the curriculum planning team, fundraised, and was a small,group leader for Spiritual Pride Project, the first LGBTQ Christian camp in the Southwest. Olivia-Beth is a member of Living Word Lutheran Church in Buda, Texas. She enjoys playing her guitar and spending as much time as possible with her friends.
Canadian Representative
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Everett Freeman is a Certified General Accountant and has been employed in a multi-hospital/multi-corporation for 25 years. He was born in a town in Northwestern Ontario, Canada, where he has lived all his life. He became involved with Lutherans Concerned in 2007 and became Treasurer of Lutherans Concerned in Canada the same year. This year, he was elected to serve as the Canadian Representative to Lutherans Concerned/North America. “Becoming involved with LC/NA is very important to me as living in a small town doesn't present as many opportunities for supportive fellowship as would living in a bigger city.” He has been a member of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Fort Frances, Ontario, for over 50 years. He attended the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada’s national convention in 2009 as a steward while also representing Lutherans Concerned. He has been involved in music for over 40 years, singing in church and community choirs and playing violin and hand bells. He also works in the penalty box for high school and Junior A hockey teams.
Transgender Representative
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JamieAnn Meyers is a transexual woman who is active in the GLBTQIA community as a lead trainer with the Minnesota GLBTA Campus Alliance, a board member of the Minnesota Trans Health Coalition, and a member of Lutherans Concerned in North America. She also interacts with GenderFold in the Coalition of ONA churches of the UCC. She takes a social justice and anti-oppression approach to her activism and advocacy. JamieAnn retired in 2010 as Professor Emerita of Geoscience at Winona State University, Winona, Minnesota, and is now using her 39 years of classroom experience to do education on GLBTQIA concerns in secular and faith communities. Her work focuses on advocacy for Transgender and Bisexual persons, and on trainings for Allies across the boundaries of all GLBTQIA communities. Originally from Pennsylvania, she is a 31-year resident of Winona, Minnesota, has been married to her wife Peggy for 44 years, and has two adult children and three grandchildren, all of whom live in the area around Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota.
Youth Representative
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Charlette is a first-year student at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts. She graduated from College Park High School in The Woodlands, Texas, where she has lived most of her life. Charlette was raised in the Lutheran church and has been an active member since she was confirmed at age 14. She has attended multiple mission trips and service events, and looks forward to working on the board to help make a difference in the church as it moves toward full inclusion.
Chaplain
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Katrina Foster is the pastor of Incarnation Lutheran Church, Bridgehampton, and St. Michael Lutheran Church, Amagansett, both on Long Island, New York. She served Fordham Evangelical Lutheran Church, Bronx, New York, for 16 years prior to her current call. She earned her Master of Divinity from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, South Carolina, and her Doctor of Ministry, Stewardship and Luther's Theology of the Cross, from Lutheran Theological Seminary Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Pastor Foster and her family were featured in the 2009 Goodsoil documentary, ”One Baptism, Many Gifts: the story of three Lutherans called to ministry.” Pastor Foster, her wife and daughter live in Water Mill, New York, and go to the beach as often as possible.
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