News brief: New leadership for UUA’s MFD, Stewardship and Development

On January 16, Janice Marie Johnson became co-director of Ministries and Faith Development (MFD), joining the Rev. Sarah Lammert, who has led the staff group since 2010. Johnson replaces Jessica York, who became the UUA’s director of Congregational Life in November 2018. A religious educator, Johnson previously served as Racial and Ethnic Concerns director and Multicultural Growth director in the Multicultural Growth and Witness (MGW) staff group. Her transition will shift some of the additional Multicultural Ministries programs and staff into MFD as well, including the Rev. Michael Crumpler, LGBTQ and Intercultural Programs manager. The Rev. Elizabeth Nguyen will lead the remainder of what used to be MGW under the newly created Organizing Strategy Team.

On February 4, the Rev. Lauren Smith became the new director of Stewardship and Development. Smith has served as co-senior minister of South Church UU in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, since 2012 along with her husband, the Rev. Chris Holton Jablonski, and previously served a congregation in San Mateo, California. Prior to her career in ministry, she was assistant director at the Harvard Business School Fund.