Our Team and Locations

Noemi Cifuentes hails from Guatemala City as the youngest of nine children.  She became a resident of New York in early 2001, however, shortly after 9/11 Noemi relocated to Indianapolis, IN.

Since being in the great city of Indianapolis, Noemi has served the Christian community in multiple capacities both personally and professionally.  For nine years, she served as the Director of Hispanic Ministry at Old Bethel UMC. She later became a Case Manager at Wheeler Mission Ministry as the Family Coordinator and the Office Manager for SENDCDC. After working with the Center for Congregations as a Contract Resource Consultant for several years, Noemi joined the team full-time as an Associate for Resource Consulting.

Noemi enjoys interacting with people and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Her passion for teaching the Bible to beginners is unparalleled.  She is married to the love of her life, Temo, is the mother of three children and a proud Grandmother. In her free time, Noemi loves to drive and listen to music, paint, and sew and has been noted for having quite the sense of humor.

Kara Faris is the Center’s executive director of programs. Over her time at the Center, she has also served as the director of resource grants and resource consulting and the education director.

Before working at the Center, Kara served First Friends Meeting of Indianapolis as associate pastor. With a degree in marketing from Butler University’s College of Business Administration and a master of divinity degree from Christian Theological Seminary, Kara brings a blend of pragmatism, intuition and passion for lifelong learning to the Center. Kara has authored Including Laity in Education Events Empowers Congregations and co-authored the book Divergent Church.

Karen Goley serves as the senior director of the Congregational Resource Guide (CRG) and Resources.  Prior to joining the Center, Karen spent over fifteen years in the human resources field, serving nonprofit and financial services organizations in the Indianapolis area and the suburbs of Chicago.

With faith as her foundation, Karen enjoys spending quality time with her family and is a very proud Purdue University alum.  Having earned a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership and Supervision, Karen put her pride on full display by naming the family pup Mackey- after Purdue basketball’s Mackey Arena.  Boiler Up!

Catharine Green develops and maintains the Center’s database system. This system is an essential tool in the Center’s mission of identifying the right resources for congregational needs, and learning how congregations make effective use of specific kinds of resources.

Weronika Hajduczyk-Wilson joined the Center for Congregations in January 2024 as the administrative assistant for Congregations With Community. Prior to joining the Center, she was a paralegal and holds a Bachelor of Arts in German from IUPUI.

Weronika is a first generation Polish American and  is TESOL-certified, which has afforded her several years of experience as an ESL teacher and German/Polish language interpreter and translator. She is currently enrolled at Indiana State University in the Student Affairs and Higher Education Master’s program, with a projected graduation date of 2025.

Ashley Ivy is the senior director of finance for the Center for Congregations. Ashley performs all financial and accounting processes, necessary for the efficient operations of the Center. Ashley has a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Ball State University and an MBA-Accounting Specialization from Indiana Wesleyan University. Ashley brings more than 12 years of accounting and management experience; specializing in not-for-profit accounting, strategic planning, and operations. She also has 5+ years of experience in human resources, managing compensation and benefits packages, as well as fostering positive work environments. Ashley also serves as an independent small business consultant and is experienced in teaching college level accounting courses and training others to utilize various Microsoft Office applications.

Ashley is a member of Repairing the Breach Ministries in Muncie, Indiana, where she serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors. She is very active in her community; serving on the Thrive Credit Union supervisory committee, the Whitely Community Council education committee, and is a member of other various service organizations. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their children.

Wynesia Jackson joined the staff of Center for Congregations in March 2024 as the Director of Staff and Grants Administrator for Congregations with Community.

Wynesia is a graduate of DePauw University (B.A. Sociology) and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div.).  Before joining Congregations with Community, she served the local church in various capacities. She most enjoys teaching and writing Bible studies and developing leaders.

Wynesia is passionate about faith formation. In 2021, she authored her first book, a six-week devotional on the fruit of the Spirit, entitled Refueling Your Faith: Daily Encouragement for a Spirit-filled Life.

John James is a person who centers compassion and connection at the heart of his work. He has a professional background in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and a deep commitment to serving others across all contexts. With a Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis from Spalding University and Board Certification as a Behavior Analyst (BCBA), he brings a wealth of expertise in providing support and guidance to others in need. John’s journey in the field of ABA has been driven by a desire to integrate his passion for helping others with his professional practice, bringing compassion, empathy, and a spirit of service to his work.

In his current role as Resource Consultant with the Center for Congregations, John is dedicated to fostering growth, providing congregations with pertinent resources, guiding congregational leaders through the Center’s many pillars or support, and creating a meaningful and inclusive community for all. Drawing on his experience in clinical leadership and informed by behavioral philosophy, he offers a unique blend of professional expertise and guidance to address the holistic needs of congregations. With a heart for helping and a commitment to serving others in alignment with their faith values, John seeks to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those he encounters.

Ben McKibben is the senior web developer for the Center for Congregations. His primary responsibility is the development, enhancement and maintenance of the Congregational Resource Guide (CRG). The CRG is provided by the Center as a service for anyone seeking to find the right resources for their congregation.  Ben has a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi and an MBA from Indiana University. He has more than 20 years of experience developing internet applications. Ben lived in Malaysia for ten years while serving as an associate director for a cooperative program between Indiana University and a Malaysian university.

Kelly Minas designs and directs evaluation processes for grants, resource consulting, and educational programs at the Center for Congregations. Kelly received an undergraduate degree in American culture from Vassar College, where she was active in interfaith work on campus, and a master’s degree in contemporary sociology from the University of Leicester in England.

A Baptist minister, McKenzie Scott Lewis’ faith experience ranges from Methodist, Church of God in Christ, Charismatic to Baptist. He has taught at IUPUI, served as corporate diversity director at Wellpoint Inc, coordinated diversity and inclusion efforts at Clarian Health Partners and served as CEO and chief cultural strategist for The MSL Group. He brings energy and experience to engage listeners from all walks of life.

A graduate of DePauw University, McKenzie has written extensively in his area of expertise, including the articles “Building Boardroom Trust” from the July 2009 Leadership Ventures Newsletter; “Editorial on Diversity” in the November 2008 Indiana Business Journal (IBJ); “Clarian Health Partners: United We Thrive” in the April 2007 issue of DiversityInc, Magazine; and “Helping Diversity to Grow Up” in New York Voice/Harlem USA October 1997 edition.

Formerly the director of the Center’s Northwest office in Crown Point, McKenzie Scott Lewis is the director of a new Center for Congregations project: Congregations with Communities.

Tim Shapiro is the Indianapolis Center’s president. He began serving the Center in 2003 after 18 years in pastoral ministry. For 14 years, Tim served Westminster Presbyterian Church in Xenia, Ohio. Prior to his pastorate at Westminster, he was pastor of Bethlehem Presbyterian Church in Logansport, Indiana. He holds degrees from Purdue University and Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

Tim’s interest in how congregations learn to do new things is represented in his book How Your Congregation Learns. After his extensive work on the Center’s Sacred Space initiative, Tim co-authored the book Holy Places: Matching Sacred Space with Mission and Message. He has also authored several articles, including Applying Positive Deviance and The Congregation of Theological Coherence.

Susan Weber coordinates the evaluation processes for Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Religion Division. She spent several years as the Indianapolis Center for Congregation’s director of evaluation and congregational learning, as well as a resource consultant to congregations.

Susan is a Roman Catholic lay woman. Prior to her work at the Center, she served the Archdiocese of Indianapolis as coordinator of boards of education, office of Catholic education from 1976-1985. For almost 20 years thereafter, she was an independent consultant and group facilitator for dioceses, churches, religious communities, and schools nationwide. Sue has degrees from St. Mary-of-the-Woods College and Indiana University, Bloomington and is professionally certificated as a group facilitator through Indiana University.

Christos Reid moved to Indianapolis from the United Kingdom in 2017, after a career spanning marketing, game development, and public speaking, becoming an American citizen in 2021.

Working heavily in strategic planning, Christos also lent his skillset to pro-bono and nonprofit work, from Black Businesses Matter to public media at WFYI. Wanting to continue serving the Hoosier public, Christos came to the Center for Congregations in the summer of 2024.

Christos is an avid painter, writer and designer in his spare time. You can often find him running events for the city’s tabletop community, or judging painting competitions. He lives in the city with his wife, child, and an unbelievable amount of cats.

Conni Kelley recently joined the Center for Congregations team as the Finance Assistant and Office Manager. Conni’s love of numbers, organization, and paying it forward will help her contribute to the Center’s mission of strengthening Indiana congregations. Her faith and devotion to God led her on this new journey and she looks forward to helping walk each other home.

Eunita Booker has provided administrative support for the northeast Center since 2006. She enjoys welcoming, providing hospitality and interacting with all guests of the Center. She has been an active member at Dupree Memorial Church of God In Christ for more than 15 years. A published author, Eunita enjoys spending time with her family and writing children’s books in her spare time.

Matt Burke is the senior director of resource consulting and grants for the Center for Congregations. Prior to this role, he also served as the director of the northeast Center for Congregations in Fort Wayne and the Center’s Education Director statewide. Matt has a background in classroom, digital and experiential education and most recently served as the associate director of Learning Science at Kaplan Test Prep. He is passionate about using education to develop deeper faith in congregational participants.

Matt earned a B.A. in Religion from Mount Vernon Nazarene University and a Masters of Divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Kelly, and his two sons, Silas and Levi. Matt also loves storytelling in films, books and music and finding the intersections of faith and popular culture.

Abby Miller consults with congregations in northeast Indiana. She has experience resource consulting with congregations from her year as a Center intern in 2018. Abby received her undergraduate degree in ministry leadership from International House of Prayer University in Kansas City and her master’s degree in ministry at Indiana Wesleyan University-Wesley Seminary. She enjoys design and creativity in her free time.

Dr. Terrance A. Bridges, Sr. is the director of the Center’s Northwest office in Crown Point and serves congregations in the Northwest portion of the state. He is licensed with subsequent ordination from Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith International, Inc. An ordained elder, Terrance combines his parish ministry with adjunct professor work for Martin University, WAFIF College of Kingston, Jamaica, Grace College, Horizons Christian University, and guest lecturing at colleges and universities nationwide. His consulting practice includes work in the areas of program development, evaluation, strategic planning and intergenerational ministry.

Terrance has a bachelor’s degree from Taylor University in Upland, a master’s from Ball State University, Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies and Doctoral Studies from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia. His Educational Specialist and Doctorate of Education degrees from Northcentral University. He has served in ministry at Rechurch, Charlotte, The Assembly, Chicago, Kingdom Apostolic Ministries and Eastern Star Church, Indianapolis, and Union Baptist Church, Muncie.

Miriam V. Quezada Mendez serves in the Center’s Northwest office in Crown Point as the Bilingual Associate for Resource Consulting, working to advance the Center’s mission to strengthen Indiana congregations by providing resources to the communities that make up the diverse tapestry of the Northwest region.

Born in Jalisco, Mexico, Miriam immigrated to the United States as a child and grew up on the East Side of Chicago. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Illinois College, graduating with a double major in Communications & Rhetorical Studies and International Studies with a concentration in gender and immigration equity.

Before joining the Center, Miriam served as the Director of Communications at the Parliament of the World’s Religions. In her tenure with the Parliament, Miriam worked closely with faith, community, and nonprofit leaders on outreach, engagement, and interfaith community-building efforts. She is an enthusiastic advocate for youth, Indigenous, and women’s voices in faith and civic spaces.

Miriam is a member of the St. Paul Catholic Church in Valparaiso, where she and her family attend weekly Spanish service.

Rose Villarruel is the administrative assistant for the Northwest Center for Congregations.  Her administrative background is in tax sales and includes work with the Office of the Lake County Auditor.  For more than 10 years, Rose has volunteered to coach grade school volleyball for the Northwest Indiana Catholic Youth Organization.  Rose attends St. Mary Catholic Church in Crown Point, where she is actively involved in the distribution process for Gods Groceries Food Pantry.

Regina Heagle is the administrative assistant for the Southeast office in Seymour.  Her background includes serving for more than 13 years as the Director of the Daycare and Preschool for Kidz First Daycare Ministry in Columbus, Indiana.  While serving in those roles, she concurrently served many of those years, as the Director of Children’s Ministry for her church, where she is still an active member of the Media Ministry at Columbus First Church of the Nazarene.  Regina loves the beach and planning fun adventures with her grandchildren.

Rev. Shellie Riggs Jordan is the director of the southeast office in Seymour. She is an American Baptist pastor who served 14 years at First Baptist Church in Seymour as the minister of youth. Prior to her time at FBC, Shellie was the director of youth and children’s ministries at First Presbyterian Church in Seymour. To her work with the Center, Shellie brings more than 24 years of experience working with youth and young adults, as well as a strong background in ecumenical ministry.  

Shellie holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Ball State University and a Master of Divinity from Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. She loves to travel and explore new cultures. She also loves spending time with her husband, Brent, and their kids, Gabe and Casey. Shellie lives in Seymour.

Dr. JC Campbell is the director of the Center’s Southwest office in Evansville, Ind. and serves 16 counties in the Southwest region of Indiana.  JC is an ordained American Baptist Minister and has an extensive background in non-profit organizations, fundraising, and higher education. JC truly believes in the value of education, professional development, and best practices to improve ministry and its impact. JC is most interested in congregational leadership, board development, and succession planning.

JC received two bachelor’s degrees from Georgetown College, where he was a Regents Scholar at Oxford University, a master’s from the University of Louisville, a PhD from Newburgh Seminary, and is working on a PhD from IU Bloomington. JC is a proud husband and father to three children, and one fur baby named Vincent.

Sofia Cook is the administrative assistant for the Southwest Center. She has worked in service and support positions in different industries, building a variety of skills that she is happy to put to good use at the Center for Congregations. Sofia earned a B.A. in Arts Studio from Berea College and enjoys quilting and sewing in her free time.

Rev. Dr. Richard L. “Dick” Hamm served as a minister of congregations for 23 years, as regional minister of the Disciples of Christ in Tennessee, and as general minister and president of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the US and Canada from 1993-2003. He was the first executive director of Christian Churches Together in the USA, and has served as a vice president of the National Council of Churches and a member of the World Council of Churches Central Committee. Dick is an author and affiliate faculty member at Christian Theological Seminary. As a member of Central Christian Church, Indianapolis, he is active locally in Bread For The World.

Colleen Kenney is an active leader and volunteer in Indianapolis area organizations. She is a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, where she serves on the parish council and is a representative on the Eastside Catholic Community. She is also on the board of directors at Hope Academy Recovery High School.

Elizabeth Clay is a graduate of Louisville Seminary (1987) and serves as the parish associate for Second Presbyterian Church in Louisville, KY.  She has been a volunteer tutor at the Down Syndrome of Louisville for over 10 years and enjoys spending time with her grandchildren.

Dr. David M. Mellott is the president of Christian Theological Seminary. He has served as vice president for academic affairs, dean, and professor of theological formation at Lancaster Theological Seminary in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. An ordained minister with the United Church of Christ, Dr. Mellott provides an especially unique perspective for the ecumenical Indianapolis campus; he grew up with roots in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the Roman Catholic Church. He was originally ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1982.

Originally from Mexico, Javier arrived in Fort Wayne in 2007 and together with his wife founded Many Nations Church, a multiethnic congregation in the Mount Vernon Park Neighborhood. In 2012, Javier established Bridge of Grace Compassionate Ministries, a faith-based community development organization dedicated to building thriving and sustainable neighborhoods in southeast Fort Wayne. Mount Vernon Park has struggled with many of the same problems many older neighborhoods face. Over the past decade Bridge of Grace, has mobilized staff, volunteers, and their neighbors to serve, pray, work on clean-up projects, renovating and building new homes, tutoring, mentoring, testifying at public hearings, and constructing parks in vacant lots and most recently a health clinic and an early learning center.

Javier holds a Masters of Ministry and Leadership from Olivet Nazarene University, has served as Adjunct Professor of Community Development and Urban Ministries at Indiana Wesleyan University.

Ted Waggoner is a retired lawyer from Rochester Indiana. He is a noted speaker on legal issues including ethics, retirement planning, and estate planning and probate, for state and national legal organizations. Ted is also active in his church, at the local, regional and national manifestations. He has been general counsel for the Indiana Regional Church, (Disciples of Christ) and the Indiana-Kentucky Conference of the United Church of Christ. He served as a Vice-Moderator of the General Assembly for the Disciples.  Ted has been a founding member and past Chair of his local multi-county Community Foundation, founding Chair of the local Hospital Foundation, and member and Chair of the Christian Church Foundation. Ted and Nancy are the parents of two daughters and grandparents of seven grandchildren.