board of trustees nominees 2019
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HEATHER O'CONNOR The most memorable thing about my first visit to CCCH was witnessing my husband, Larry Gottschalk's astonishment when he saw another parishioner wearing shorts. I knew we were home. In high school, I had attended youth group at the Unitarian Church of West Hartford, CT. Later, Larry and I married in the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House of Chatham, MA. It only made sense, as new arrivals to the Triangle, that we seek out a spiritual home that shared our values of inclusion, acceptance and social justice. I am so excited to bring my professional and volunteer leadership experience to the CCCH Board of Trustees. I am a communications and marketing strategist for the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, where I've had broad exposure to nonprofit governance through my work supporting CPA audit committee members. I'm driven to give back in my community and among my professional peers. I'm a past mentor, captain and fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I'm also a Toastmaster, having served as president of two clubs in Durham and Chapel Hill. My volunteerism at CCCH has been centered around my children, Erin (14) and Davis (10), helping with religious education and, more recently, playing a role on the Youth Ministry team. The beloved CCCH community means so much to me. This is a place where I, and my family feel a deep sense of belonging and appreciation for the inherent value each of us brings to the world. I appreciate this opportunity to offer my service and help guide the CCCH forward in meeting its strategic goals. |
SALEM MACKNEE
I moved to Chapel Hill in 1972 and attended Chapel Hill High School, then majored in Journalism at Carolina. In 1980 I started at The Chapel Hill Newspaper. I moved between the business side and newsroom jobs in editing and layout at six newspapers in four states, and then in 1999 I moved into the IT division and ultimately did tech support for journalists in 30 McClatchy newsrooms across the country (including North Carolina's power players, the N&O and the Charlotte Observer). The communications and deadline skills from the newsrooms and the tech skills from IT have proved useful in my volunteer work here at church and previously on PTA boards and as a board member of the Charlotte Folk Society.
I came to the Community Church in 2015 after moving back to the Triangle to help my elderly parents. I was leaving behind a strong community in Charlotte, where I raised my family, and I knew I would need one here as well. Rachel Rose's welcome on my very first Sunday told me I had found the place. Dinners, nature outings, music, marches, the ad hoc grief-processing session after the 2016 election, meals delivered during my mother's final illness, and the spiritual renewal of weekly services -- this beloved community gave me the refuge and the sense of belonging that I had hoped for. In a role on the board, I would keep an eye toward maintaining that welcoming first impression and the variety of activities that provides so many ways to "plug in" and be part of things here.
My main volunteer involvement here has been on the Music Team and on the steering committee of the Sanctuary and Immigrant Support Ministry, with minor roles in Hogwarts on the Hill and the fall musical Oliver! two years ago. I look forward to broadening my knowledge of other church teams and finding the ways I can best be helpful.
I moved to Chapel Hill in 1972 and attended Chapel Hill High School, then majored in Journalism at Carolina. In 1980 I started at The Chapel Hill Newspaper. I moved between the business side and newsroom jobs in editing and layout at six newspapers in four states, and then in 1999 I moved into the IT division and ultimately did tech support for journalists in 30 McClatchy newsrooms across the country (including North Carolina's power players, the N&O and the Charlotte Observer). The communications and deadline skills from the newsrooms and the tech skills from IT have proved useful in my volunteer work here at church and previously on PTA boards and as a board member of the Charlotte Folk Society.
I came to the Community Church in 2015 after moving back to the Triangle to help my elderly parents. I was leaving behind a strong community in Charlotte, where I raised my family, and I knew I would need one here as well. Rachel Rose's welcome on my very first Sunday told me I had found the place. Dinners, nature outings, music, marches, the ad hoc grief-processing session after the 2016 election, meals delivered during my mother's final illness, and the spiritual renewal of weekly services -- this beloved community gave me the refuge and the sense of belonging that I had hoped for. In a role on the board, I would keep an eye toward maintaining that welcoming first impression and the variety of activities that provides so many ways to "plug in" and be part of things here.
My main volunteer involvement here has been on the Music Team and on the steering committee of the Sanctuary and Immigrant Support Ministry, with minor roles in Hogwarts on the Hill and the fall musical Oliver! two years ago. I look forward to broadening my knowledge of other church teams and finding the ways I can best be helpful.
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BECKY WILKES
My husband Chris and I have been members of C3HUU for nearly 18 years now, and being raised a non-church-goer, I’m still sometimes amazed to have really found my “spiritual home” here. Chris began exploring the UU faith when we first moved “up north” and settled into the Research Triangle in 1998, and for a while we were members of the Ethical Society in Carrboro. It wasn’t until the days after 9/11/01 that I personally saw the need to reach out to a church, and came here for a visit on my own, on that sad, sad Sunday. I think it was the Building Your Own Theology course with Charlie that first “hooked” us both, but a certain fabulous new Religious Education Director who happened to share my occupation as a mom of three was the one who hooked us all, as a family. Our youngest was just a toddler, and it was so nice to find a place so welcoming to all ages. And now I’m somehow an “empty nester”, as that toddler is now in college, and I’m feeling it’s time for me to support the church as a board member. I’ve had some experience serving on boards, having been an officer/chairperson in our elementary school PTA, and later again in our high school PTSA, both in Durham public schools. I’ve also served as President of the 200+ member Durham Mothers’ Club. In the past 12 years at my job as a GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Specialist at UNC's Carolina Population Center, I've co-written two online courses about the use of GIS in addressing global health challenges, and have led a number of presentations and workshops about ways to use spatial data and maps to study and manage health information. I have, for many years, co-facilitated an annual meeting of other GIS/public health folks up in DC. I've also worked extensively with several types of graphics and page/web layout software for most of my career. Here at church, I’ve served as Co-chair of the RE Committee and Co-chair (with Chris) of the annual pledge drive. I’ve also been involved in so many other things here over the years that I get a little overwhelmed thinking about it! Teaching Pre-K, teaching 3-5th graders, arranging the menu and groceries for countless Shelter Neck retreats for families and youth, working on the grounds at church, participating in circle suppers and in covenant groups and in cottage meetings, and painting backdrops and wrangling children for many, many pageants and musicals. I’d be proud and happy to serve on the board of this special, special place for the next few years. |