Our GYPC delegation.

Below you will find bios and links to videos (click their pictures) from the youth, young adults and adult workers chosen to serve as our NCJ voting members to the Global Young People's Convocation in 2018. 

SUPPORT YOUR DELEGATES!

Youth

Meredith

My name is Meredith Spors and I am very active in my community. Through school I am in concert and marching band, concert and show choir, and I am also involved in yearbook and Spanish club. I love doing these things with all of my heart and put everything I have into these activities. Along with those, I am active in 4-H where I show projects at the county fair and I'm also in another show choir through that. I have been active in 4-H since 3rd grade and will continue to do it until I graduate. [Wisconsin]

Isabella

Hi my name is Isabella Nowak! I am so thankful to share my journey and experiences of my life with Jesus Christ with all of you! I am 16 years old, I have been attending United Methodist Church's since I was 8 years old. I attend Pinconning United Methodist Church and Pinconning High School where I am a sophomore. I hope you will take me into consideration! I would love to explore my journey with God even farther! I am extremely passionate about Global ministries as a whole and have attended several Detroit Annual Conferences and District conferences. I hope to attend general conference in the future and learn more about church politics on a global scale. I would love to be able to take my New learned discoveries of god home and share them with my community. [Detroit]

Carly

Carly Welch is a senior at Rufus King International School in Milwaukee, WI. She is a dedicated participant in the youth program at Community United Methodist Church in Elm Grove. Having served on 4 mission trips and planning on attending more, Carly is passionate about helping others. She has served on the youth delegation at the recent Wisconsin Annual Conference. In her free time, she enjoys cooking for her family and reading. [Wisconsin]

Jordan

Jordan is a member of Plymouth United Methodist Church where he has been active in youth group, and volunteers at the food pantry, and participates in mission trips. He is currently serving his second year on the East Ohio Conference Council on Youth Ministry as the Executive Team Music Coordinator. He was a delegate to Annual Conference this past year. Jordan will be a senior at St. John’s School and hopes to pursue a degree in Japanese with an end goal of teaching overseas. At school, Jordan is a member of the Key Club, secretary for the Youth Philanthropy Board, tutors, participates in choir and band. [East Ohio]

Gianna

My name is Gianna Hamann and I am a junior at Brookfield Central high school in southeastern Wisconsin. I attend Community united Methodist church and am an active member in both the youth group and choir. This past June I served as a youth delegate for the Wisconsin annual conference and participated in my third mission trip. In addition I'm a committed member of my schools swim team, key club, DECA Chapter and FCA program. In my spare time I enjoy running and painting. [Wisconsin]

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Young Adults

Emily

Emily Kvalheim finished her term of service as a Global Mission Fellow US-2 in July 2017. She served with South Florida Justice For Our Neighbors (JFON) in Miami-Dade County, Florida. JFON is a United Methodist immigration ministry. Emily earned two bachelor's degrees, Political Science and International Studies, from American University in Washington, DC. She mainly worked on homelessness/poverty issues as a student/intern. A member of Church of the Messiah, Emily is a Certified Candidate for Ordained Ministry (Deacon) in West Ohio. Emily will begin law school in the fall, in pursuit of a career in faith-based social justice ministry. [West Ohio]

Austin

Austin is a member of Wadsworth United Methodist Church where he has been active in youth group and mission trips. He served for five years on the East Ohio Conference Council on Youth Ministry, serving for four years on the Executive Team with his final year being Chairperson. He was a delegate to Annual Conference for four years. While on CCYM, the team helped to bring awareness to Human Trafficking in the state by raising money to produce a movie that is being used in churches and schools. Last year he went on an UMVIM trip to Liberia. Austin will be a freshman at Mount Vernon Nazarene University in the fall where he plans on majoring in Mechanical Engineering. He feels called to use his gifts in developing nations. [East Ohio]

Allison

Allison Stickley-Miner is a junior Religion major at Goucher College. She currently serves as a staff member at Camp Otterbein where campers are taught about the love of God through fun games, activities, and time spent in nature. Allison also works as an intern in Goucher’s Office of Religious and Spiritual Life. She works on a team to create Interfaith community and programming. As a member of Church for All People, she has grown up learning about the importance of equity and social justice and how faith can play a role in creating abundant life for all people. [West Ohio]

Andres

My name is Andres De Arco and I am an Afro-Latino student of faith with a strong passion towards seeking social justice for marginalized populations. Throughout my involvement in ministry, I have gotten to lead in many UMC-based projects such as the National Hispanic Plan, HYLA, and MARCHA. Experiencing the Church’s intentionality in uplifting communities has not only opened my eyes to the transformative work the UMC can have, but has also solidified my aspiration towards becoming an empowering leader of faith. With this mentality, I hope to carry forward my dreams of shaping long-lasting, positive change in this world. [West Ohio]

Dominic

Dominic J. Mejia is a recent graduate from Ohio Wesleyan University and a Certified Candidate (Elder track) in the West Ohio Conference. He will be attending seminary at Boston University in the fall. With a heart for interfaith work, Dominic has come to articulate his call as to use academics and activism as a means of pursuing peace for the glory of God. He most recently served as a Pastor’s Apprentice at Stone Village Church in Columbus, OH, where he preached, led small groups, and organized young adult ministries. Dominic is a member of Wesley United Methodist Church in Bryan, OH. [West Ohio]

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Adult Workers

Kaye

Kaye Wolfinger is the Director of Young People's Ministries in the East Ohio Conference. She has be in Youth Ministry for 18 years. Prior to being called into ministry, Kaye was a high school English teacher. She is active in her local church serving on SPR, teaching Sunday school and Confirmation. She has organized several mission trips, and was blessed to travel to Liberia in 2016 as a guest at their Annual Conference. Kaye’s passion is being an advocate for young people and walking beside them in their faith journey as they develop their leadership skills. [East Ohio]

Kellen

Kellen Roggenbuck has been working with youth professionally for 11 years. He began his ministry after going to school for Music Education and has been working to educate and inspire youth ever since. At 33 years old, he's spent over a third of his life in youth ministry. He has worked at the conference level to organize the youth delegation and create regional retreats. He currently serves as pastor of Immunuel UMC and enjoys playing ukulele and spending time with his family. [Wisconsin]

First "Alternates"

The following persons have agreed to participate in GYPC in case any of the primary voting members cannot serve for any reason.

YOUTH - Anna Wolfinger [East Ohio]
YOUNG ADULT - Casey Madsen [Indiana]
​ADULT - Ryan Russell  [Iowa]

JoBurg or Bust!