Board of Trustees Profiles
President
Marylin takes her responsibilities as Board President to heart. “Doing what I can to make the world a better place includes doing what I can to bring the worldview of UUism to more people,” she says. Marylin’s spiritual journey started with Protestantism, “but I became disenchanted with that religion as a teenager,” she explains. “My husband was raised Unitarian Universalist [UU], so I checked out the local UU church when I hunted for a wedding venue. I joined UUCDC many years later to find a spiritual home in which to raise my children.” Marylin adds that her relationships at our church have become “an incredibly important part of my life. This is where I have grown into a better person. I feel valued here.”
Vice President
John gets some of his spiritual inspiration from his love of science fiction like Star Wars. “I see connections between the idea of ‘the Force’ and UU values such as the interconnected web of life.” As social justice coordinator on the Executive Team, he serves as liaison among the advocacy teams at UUCDC. “Growing up in the 1970s, I developed a strong sense of fairness due to my Catholic Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) classes.” As a Ph.D. from the University of Delaware and an adjunct instructor at three area universities, where he teaches history and the humanities, John developed a deep understanding of how inequality is embedded in social, legal, financial, and political institutions. “Participating in the Anti-Racism Coalition [ARC] and helping coordinate the church’s social justice groups allows me to do something more than just ‘being aware.’” He and his wife have one child in college and the other beginning high school. “During the pandemic, we adopted a cat, Emma,” he adds. Besides watching and reading science fiction and fantasy, John walks and takes photos of what he sees. “But I most enjoy reading history, science for non-scientists, other types of non-fiction, and graphic novels.”
Board Treasurer
At Large
Kelli came to Unitarian Universalism (UU) by accident. “I was raised Catholic but couldn’t reconcile what my heart told me with many of that faith’s stances. In 1998, I happened to see a UU church flier in the student union of West Chester University, where I earned my master’s in social work. The first service I attended brought my heart joy because I found the spiritual home I was missing.” Now in her own counseling practice, the married mother of two is co-founder of the annual CCHB, takes part in ARC, and is an at-large member of the Board. “I accepted the nomination for that because I care deeply about our church. During this transition time from our former settled minister to a new one, I needed to say ‘yes’ to helping it grow as a spiritual sanctuary, a place that supports congregants in living our values and creating a true beloved community here in the church and the surrounding area.” Despite challenges, “the lessons of the last few years have left me focused on finding moments of awe in the mundane and remembering to accept chances for joy.”
At Large
At Large
At Large