I lead the programmatic implementation of Engaging Disability’s initiative Room on Our Pew: Making Space for All Children in Worship. I manage the day-to-day operations of this initiative and provide hands-on support to churches as they develop and implement inclusive worship practices for children with disabilities.
“When we welcome and include people with disabilities into our congregations, we’re not just helping them belong, we are becoming the church God designed us to be. I want to see every church be a community where EVERY person can worship, serve, and be known as a vital part of the body of Christ. I’m excited to be part of Room on Our Pew, equipping churches to enfold children with disabilities into corporate worship.”
ABOUT ME
I grew up in Savannah, Georgia and pursued my passion for special education at Vanderbilt University. After graduating, I taught in public schools across Tennessee, Alabama, and Missouri. In 1998, my husband, Jack, and I moved to Norfolk, Virginia, where he planted Trinity Presbyterian Church (PCA) and continues to serve as the senior pastor.
In addition to teaching, I have supported individuals with disabilities and their families by serving in a community-based day support program and as an educational advocate. I have led community groups and served in our church’s children’s, women’s, and mercy ministries. I currently serve as an assistant to our deacons, but my most enduring calling has been leading our church’s disability ministry, known as Access.
It is my conviction that the church is incomplete when people with disabilities are not welcomed, known, and enfolded. For all my adult life, I have walked alongside individuals and families affected by disability, with a deep belief that every person belongs and brings God-given beauty, value, and gifts to the church.
Jack and I have four grown children, two of whom are married. While our son and his wife reside in New York City, the rest of our family live in Virginia. It is always a great joy when we can all be together.
