Judith Birtles

Judy and her husband, Bill, live in Andover. She is a retired teacher, having taught for 38 years - 4 of them in Medford and the rest in North Andover. As a member of FUMC North Andover, she has served on and been chairman of several committees. Presently she Chair of the Church Council, works in the education area and is on the Social Justice Committee. In retirement, she continues to enjoy her church connections and her church family. She also volunteers at the Andover Thrift Shop and is now serving on their Board. Judy belongs to a book club whose members are former colleagues at the North Andover Middle School. Judy enjoys reading- most all genres - along with crossword puzzling and the occasional jigsaw puzzle.

Rev Jin Yong Choi

Jinyong lives in Andover, MA with his wife Seunghea and children Amanda and Greg.  He currently serves as the pastor of North Boston Korean United Methodist Church.
 

Rev Richard Cullen

Rich is originally from Rhode Island and has lived in New England for almost all of his life including serving churches in Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire.  Although he is serving the Main Street UMC in Nashua, NH, his wife, Lauren, and he also live in Litchfield, ME (just 20 minutes from Camp Mechuwana).  Lauren and he have been married for 38 years in June of 2019. They have four adult sons, all of whom have spent time at Camp Aldersgate and/or Camp Mechuwana.  They have one dog, Parker, who just celebrated his 16th birthday.   In his spare time (when not taking care of the obligatory house, yard, and snow clearing work) he enjoys outdoor activities such as canoeing, kayaking, hiking, camping, snowshoeing and cross country skiing.   In the late 1980’s and early 90’s Rich served for eight years on the former Board of Camps and Conferences for the Southern New England Conference and the New England Conference after the merger in 1993.  He served as both vice-chair (1988-1992) and chair (1992-1993).  Although he has had a long hiatus from the Conference’s camping and retreat ministry he feels as though he never left and is looking forward to being able to contribute towards strengthening Rolling Ridge’s already strong programs.
 

Jacquelyn Dove

Jackie is founder and president of Paraclete Place. A nonprofit that provides spiritual companionship, emotional and meditative sacred space, education awareness, and short-term residency to Breast Cancer and other cancer survivors and their families as they journey through treatment and recovery. As retired clergy from the New England Conference of The United Methodist Church, Jackie received her training as a Spiritual Director/Companion from Gateways at Rolling Ridge and Boston University and is a member of Spiritual Directors International. Jackie attended Howard University, Boston University, Hood Theological Seminary (MDiv) and is a current Doctoral Candidate with a dissertation on providing spiritual support to Millennials who were raised in the church but are no longer associated with a community of faith. Currently residing at Paraclete Place on beautiful Lake Gaston in North Carolina, she is committed to the New England Conference and the Rolling Ridge Retreat Center ministry.

Lisa Fagerstrom

Lisa Fagerstrom  is a life-long United Methodist (currently “taking a sabbatical from the UMC” and attending a Unitarian Universalist Church). Lisa has over thirty years of experience in volunteer and paid positions within church leadership. She is the past Chair of the New England Annual Conference Commission on Religion and Race and an active member and supporter of the Reconciling Ministries Network. Lisa has a B.E. from Vanderbilt University and has pursued studies at Andover Newton Theological School.  She is a graduate of the Gateways to God spiritual direction training program at Rolling Ridge.
 

Rev Rachel Fisher

Rachel and her husband Sam reside in North Reading, MA with their four school-aged children.  She has been pastor at Aldersgate since 2002, and is active in New England Annual Conference groups:  the Board of Ordained Ministry, CMA District Committee on Superintendency, and the Church Planter Interview Team.  Other activities Rachel enjoys include exercise, singing with a community chorus, cooking, and the busyness of family life.
 

Kris Girrell

Kris Girrell is an author, speaker and leadership coach who has presented a TEDx talk and has written two books on the dark night experience (Wrestling the Angel and Stations in the Night). He holds a Master’s degree in Theological Research from Andover Newton and advanced degrees in Psychology and Counselling from Penn State University. He and his wife Sarah founded and operate a charity, Operation ELF, for the past 22 years, where he still serves as the event manager and as a member of the Board of Directors. Kris has been a program presenter at Rolling Ridge and is a member of the Ridge’s Board of Directors, co-chair of the Program Subcommittee and the Faculty Liaison for the outside presenters of the Ridge’s Day Apart series.

Rev Dr Lawrence Jay

As the Executive Director of Rolling Ridge, Rev. Dr. Lawrence Jay works in partnership with the staff to ensure that the guest experience at the Ridge is top quality.  He also partners with retreat leaders to provide excellent programming at the Ridge, and is available to speak about the ongoing ministry and historic mission of Rolling Ridge as a place of rest, retreat, and transformation.  A trained spiritual director and ordained American Baptist pastor, Larry (as he is known by friends) is a graduate of UCLA, Golden Gate Seminary, Franciscan School of Theology, American Baptist Seminary of the West, and the Gateways to God Missional Spiritual Direction Program.  He is also Adjunct Faculty at Merrimack College in the Masters of Spirituality and Spiritual Direction programs.  Eco-spirituality is his passion (and was his doctoral dissertation), encouraging everyone to live into the fullness of our connection with nature, God, and all people.  

Jamie Michaels

Rev. Jamie Michaels lives with her family in Reading, MA where she has served Old South United Methodist Church since 2016. She grew up in Unitarian Universalist camping programs in North Carolina, and has a passion for helping people connect to the divine in themselves and in community. She enjoys singing, cooking, art, sci-fi and fantasy, and the outdoors. 

Mary Tremblay

Mary grew up in the Chicago, IL area.  She became a United Methodist in 1980 when she moved to New England from North Carolina.  She lives in Hampton, NH with her 3 ferrets.

Mary was a member of the Rolling Ridge Site Committee from the mid-1980s through the 90s. She is currently active in the New England Conference serving on the Conference Council of Finance and Administration and the Board of Trustees’ Insurance Committee. 
She enjoys being active in her local UMC church, singing in a community chorus, taking drives and hikes along the ocean, traveling, and finding new adventures in retirement.