I joined the UBC church family in 2022 and highly value being among such warm and accepting Christian brothers and sisters. My role as the chair person of the new Website Committee is rewarding and the skills and positivity of its members are amazing. I have had many careers during the long course of my life: breeder of Golden Retrievers; secretary at several colleges; counselor and manager in the social service field; general manager of a national calendar company; and telemarketer at AT&T. I co-managed several family owned businesses with my husband: a commercial vegetable farm, a specialty postage stamp company, two maple syrup operations, and two commercial real estate properties. My interests include gardening and reading. A URI Master Gardener, I worked on the URI hotline answering gardening questions, and was President and a member of the Gentian Garden Club of North Scituate, RI. I enjoy reading, especially history and theology books. Currently I am writing a biography about my great-grandfather who was a pastor in the mid-nineteenth century. My husband and I have raised four children, now grown, and are blessed with seven grandchildren ranging in age from 16-22.
I joined Union Baptist Church in November, 2020 and people call me “Pepper!” I grew up in Burrillville, RI and am a 1984 graduate of Burrillville High School. In 2020, I earned my A.S. Degree from Quinebaug Valley Community College and will be pursuing my Bachelors degree at Eastern Connecticut State College.
I have worked in the insurance industry for nearly 20 years, and am currently a Personal Lines Account Manager at the Byrnes Agency in Dayville, CT. I am an active member of the Northeastern Insurance Professionals.
I am an active member in our church and currently serve on the finance committee, the social media committee, and also volunteer in our church community outreach program. I serve as an officer at the Elks in Danielson, CT, Lodge # 1706, as the lodge Tiler, and also actively volunteer my time in the organization.
I am married to my husband Geno and have 3 children, Jeffery, Kelly, and Patrick.
My interests include music, traveling, helping others, spending time with my family and my two English Bulldogs, Bubba and Cocoa Chanel No 5.
I grew up in the town of Thompson (no relation), CT, but am a West Virginia transplant. Yes, those country roads really do call me home. I came to Christ in 1993-1994, through a series of youth outreach events. My faith walk has played a critical role in every dimension of my life, even in those times when I had no intention of walking in faith.
In 2002, I graduated from Messiah University, with a major in History. My intention was to teach, but after a miserable student teaching experience, I vowed never to do so again. That is, until I came to New Hope Academy, hosted here at Union Baptist Church. From 2009 until 2016, I truly enjoyed teaching! I even counted my two children among my students. With my children recently grown and (mostly) moved out, I began serving as UBC Treasurer in 2022 and am a member of the Finance Committee. I also work on the development of UBC’s website and social media as a member of the Website Committee.
I’ve explored different careers since teaching: the Postal Service, human services, and even a brief stint as a grant writer. I currently work as a sawyer at Chace Building Supply in Woodstock. With no experience, I was thrown into the proverbial deep end of milling lumber. I’m blessed to have good coworkers (many of whom are believers) and the privilege of working outdoors.
While my hearing loss impedes verbal interaction, I love listening and talking to people. Interests ebb and flow like the tide- and sometimes end up as flotsam or jetsam. I love games like cribbage, Scattergories, horseshoes, and baseball. I enjoy driving, especially along the coast– or through the mountains!