Your Harmony Board of Directors Candidates

Election Dates: October 25 - 29, 2019
All candidates are listed here alphabetically.

John Billings
Candidate for Treasurer
​Candidate for Congregation Support Coordinator

I am retired and living in San Antonio, TX. My work life spanned 40 plus years where it touched lives through teaching, appointee ministry with Community of Christ, restaurant management, and retail sales. I was married to Sherry Billings for 39 years. She died in 2014. We have three adult children and two adult grandchildren. I am devoted to my family and friends around the globe.
 
As a person of hope and truth, I believe in unconditional love for my family, my friends, and my
neighbors. I believe I should share what I have with others; especially with those who may be touched by hunger, poverty, injustice, loneliness, or hate. I believe that all persons are of immeasurable worth and that discrimination, prejudice, hate, and abuse because of issues regarding religion, economics, culture, race, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, and different abilities should not be tolerated or allowed to happen. I believe in compassion which also requires action. Acts of charity must be linked with acts for peace and justice. These words have guided my adult life through my work life as described above and volunteer work that spanned my work life and continues today.
 
Volunteer work includes:
  • Advocacy with GALA/Harmony
  • Key leader in the beginning of the Welcoming Community Network
  • 20 plus years in interfaith and ecumenical ministry
  • AIDS ministry with programs in St. Louis and Community of Christ
  • SCUPE: Seminary Consortium for Pastoral Education
 
It is my commitment to work with all persons of goodwill to promote mutual respect, appreciation, justice, and peace in all relationships.

Jerry M. Dale, Jr.
Candidate for Secretary

Jerry has been involved with Harmony (formerly GALA and WCN) since October 11, 1995 (the day after they came out as a gay man).  Jerry has served in many roles in both organizations, both on and off the board of directors.  Jerry has been serving as the Interim President of Harmony...leading the organization through the process of the merger (GALA and WCN) from the beginning. Jerry has been involved in leadership since a youth...starting as a chaplain and ultimately attaining the rank of Eagle Scouts in the Boy Scouts.  Jerry has been recognized as an emerging leader at the American Red Cross and continues to participate in their Executive Leadership Development Program.  Jerry’s day job is to facilitate collaborative relationships between Unions and Management.  Jerry would be proud to serve Harmony in any of the roles they are nominated for.

Maggie Fout
Candidate for Member-at-Large

I am 34 years old, use she/her/her’s pronouns.  I am a priesthood & congregation member of the Portsmouth Welcoming Community in Portsmouth, Ohio United States. There I serve on the leadership team and the steering committee as well as serve as the congregation secretary.  Our congregation sponsors the Annual Portsmouth Pride event and 2020 will be our third year! 2019 Pride I was a Committee member and for 2020 Pride I am the Vice President & CFO of the Pride Committee and am excited to see what this year brings.  Besides my congressional life I am a wife with an adoring spouse of nearly 9 years and the mom of three children ages 13,7 & 4. I am a stay at home mom that stays very busy with church, Pride, PTO & my kids and wouldn’t have it any other way. I am a proud member of the queer community as a pansexual human. And loud and proud advocate for every member of the LGBTQIA+ Community.  I want to work to make this world a safer and more peaceful place.

Stephanie Gustave
Candidate for Membership Support Coordinator
Candidate for Congregation Support Coordinator

Presently I am a 72-year old single adult living in Ft. Collins Colorado. I attended Graceland College in 1964-65, then attended and graduated from the San School of Nursing. In addition to my nursing career, I have a BMus Degree as well as a MSEd in Educational Psychology. I am a licensed professional counselor (LCPC) and a licensed marriage and family therapist (LCMFT). I am a mother to two grown children, a son-39, and a daughter-37. I have one 2-1/2 year old grandson, expecting a second in mid-September. Of all the roles I have had, motherhood and beging a grandmother have been my greatest callings.

In 1990, I was able to travel to Kenya for the church as an adult supervisor, serving in Nairobi, Mombasa, and the small village of Njukini. For many years following that experience, I was able to serve as a delegate for the African delegation. It was truly a growth experience.

I am an Elder in the Community of Christ, attending the Ft. Collins congregation. I serve in varied capacities, my favorite being one of nine pianists for worship services.
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I consider myself a progressive thinker who is supportive of many life styles. Freedom of choice is important to my way of thinking

Crystal Hazelwood
Candidate for President
Candidate for Vice President
Candidate for Treasurer
Candidate for Membership Support Coordinator
Candidate for Congregation Support Coordinator
Candidate for Member-at-Large

MS Counseling Post-Doctoral Psychology 
Created pilot program for Florida State Mental Health Hospitals for private groups for women for sharing and support for domestic violence and all forms of sexual abuse.

Implemented program at NE Florida State Hospital Received Governor’s Sterling Award for program creation —-Owned and operated a private practice on Orange Park, Florida—had three other practitioners working there including an occupational therapist. 
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Lead Listening Circles—groups about sexual orientation and forms of abuse—in group room there—all of these groups were offered at no cost to participants. Groups were held at my private practice group room evenings when no one else was present.

Served as co-pastor in Jacksonville, Fl and served as a visiting minister to Gainesville, Fl. 
Directed Jr/Sr High retreats at Deerhaven campground and Jr. High Summer Camps there. Directed first openly friendly Camps for all orientations. 

Ongoing member of Outreach International 
Active member of Church Women United 

I was diagnosed with non-hodgkin’s lymphoma and was in chemo for 7 yrs. After a miraculous survival I retired and sold my private practice and moved to Lee’s Summit, Mo. I remarried in 2017 after moving back to Mo. .  

I started as a World Conference Delegate when I was 16 years old and Florida was short this year and asked if I would represent Florida Mission Center again for 2019. 

One of my daughters is gay and happily married—I planned their ceremony and assisted performing it. Currently attend Raytown Community of Christ and volunteer at the Community of Christ Temple retreats when available.

Parker Johnson
​Candidate for President

Parker Johnson is a lifelong member of Community of Christ and an international business development professional. His career has afforded him the opportunity to represent multiple organizations - including Community of Christ - across Asia, Europe, North America and South America in strategic and crisis communications capacities. His specialties include communications, change management, and business development. Parker earned his bachelor's degree in 2010 from the University of Oklahoma in Art, his master’s degree in International Management at Colorado State University in 2015, and a Master of Arts in Religion from Community of Christ Seminary in 2018. His writing has been recognized by several prestigious organizations such as the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), Ragan Communications, and Hermes Creative Awards. Parker currently works as Community of Christ Canada West Mission Centre’s Church Mission & Young Adult Ministry Specialist and resides in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

For the last few years, Parker has served in the role of Vice President on the Interim Harmony Board of Directors, spearheading projects like the re-branding effort, communications overhaul (e.g. website, marketing automation, social media, etc.), and our World Conference presence.

Tammie Lay
Candidate for Membership Support Coordinator
​Candidate for Congregation Support Coordinator

First and foremost, I am a part of a family that is twenty-one members strong.  A husband, four daughters, three sons-in-law and twelve grandchildren weave a diverse tapestry full of love, energy, challenges and strong-willed opinions!  This family constantly brings me into the pieces and parts of social structures that beckon me to stretch, contemplate and integrate into.  

Throughout my teaching career of 26 years, I always found myself positioned in classrooms of elementary children who live with their families on the fringes of society.  Urban core, at-risk, ESL and low socio-economic status, these children and their caregivers became the center of my work ethic as they brought me into the pieces and parts of social structures that beckoned me to stretch, contemplate and integrate into.  I decided to go further, and acquired a Master’s in Elementary Education.  I worked within the framework of an Assistant Principal, which brought opportunities of being the ‘middle voice’ allowing me to be the link between what Administration wanted and the staff and student body needed.  I delighted in the bridging of both communities; I advocated for the issues which each community needed to be recognized. 
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I retired and turned to other avenues in which I could be the voice for those who are often not heard.  I have recently completed the Masters in Religion at Graceland University.  This rigorous course of study has strengthened my work as an Elder of Community of Christ.  I recently became the site coordinator of Community Service League Farview Food Pantry.  We serve an area of Independence which is economically suppressed, depressed and short on resources.  My education, career, family and discipleship continue to bring me into relationship with the Creator and those communities of the marginalized in ways and moments that teach, bless and create sacred space. 

Tyler Marz
Candidate for Member-at-Large

Tyler Marz was born and raised in Washington State. He attended Eastern Washington University and later transferred to Brigham Young University Idaho where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in University Studies emphasizing in Spanish, Culinary Arts, Education, and ESL. Tyler has spent the majority of his working years in the hospitality industry. Namely in pastry, bakery and catering sales. Tyler currently works at Seattle University as a Catering Sales Manager. While at university Tyler was a member, and vice president of USGA, an LGBTQ organization primarily for college students. Currently Tyler is a part of the Spiritual Formation and Companioning Program and is taking classes for his Master’s in Religion through Graceland University.
 
Tyler currently serves as project leader for the Community Elevated Inland West Young Adult virtual community, an online group of young adults in the Inland West Mission Center. Tyler also currently serves on the Board of Directors for Harmony.

Gregory Mashburn
Candidate for Congregation Support Coordinator

I am 53 years old and reside in St. Louis, MO.  I was raised in Community of Christ, but left for about 20 years. During that time I became an Anglican priest and served various parishes for 16 years. I am retired from the United States Air Force where I worked in Personnel and Data Analysis. My undergraduate degree is in Business Management. I went to seminary at Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University and graduated with an MA in Ministry Leadership and Theology.  I am an ordained Elder in the priesthood of Community of Christ and will continue to strive that my mission be about Christ’s mission, especially through the work be ministry of Harmony.

Joy McAdam
Candidate for Membership Support Coordinator
Candidate for Congregation Support Coordinator
Candidate for Member-at-Large

Currently on the Interim Harmony Board of Directors. I'm 33 and live in western Canada with my wife. I'm a bit of a nut about hockey and play as well as work doing stats for the NHL. I enjoy the outdoors in both the urban and rural areas I live.

Saundra Merth
Candidate for Vice President

Although I have lived in the Bay Area of Northern California longer than I can remember I still consider myself from The Great Pacific Northwest. I am an active member of the San Francisco congregation and have been their Financial Officer for many years. We usually have a booth at the Pride event the last weekend of June in San Francisco but because of health reasons among our leadership team we’ve been unable to attend the last 2 years. My first GALA retreat was in 2000 at Samish Island and from that I became an active member for over a decade before becoming President after David Howard's death overseeing the final publishing details for "Touch by Grace" in February 2012 and the GALA booth leading up to the USA National conference in 2013. I have been actively working on workshop content since meeting with the First Presidency in Independence in January of 2016 called Unity in Diversity - A Dialogue Advocating for LGBTQ youth campers - *A conversation for Camp Directors, Counselors, Youth Workers and Parents*. Although this workshop is still in it’s being developed, I have presented it at Happy Valley in NorCal, Lewis River Campgrounds (PNW) for the Youth Ministries Summit and most recently in Phoenix, AZ as part of their Youth Worker Certification training.

Roy Schmidt
Candidate for Member-at-Large

My name is Roy Schmidt. I am interested in serving as a Member-at-Large on the Harmony Board of Directors. I have been a member of Community of Christ for about five years. Soon after joining, I was asked to serve on the Welcoming Community Network Board. I accepted, and served three years, including one as President. One of the reasons I left my former church was because of the way it treated members of the LQBTQIA+ community. We are all children of God, and deserve being treated as such. It broke my heart each time I heard of some person taking their life because their religious leaders told them they were hated by God, and would be spending eternity in hell because of their sexuality. I saw people in love forced out of their church, out of their schools, out of jobs, and out of their homes because of who they are. I helped organize a group to feed homeless youth once a month in Salt Lake City. I have been involved in having CofC represented in Pride events in Salt Lake City and Provo, Utah, and am proud to say the Pride flag flies with pride at our church building. I stand for equality and full acceptance for everyone.
 
I am serving as an Evangelist in the Church. I am a widower, a father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. I live in Provo, Utah with my son and our Beagle Hound, Harriet S Truman.

Val Sundell
Candidate for Member-at-Large

I am an active member of the Austin, Texas branch. Although we have a gay population in our membership we are not a welcoming branch. We talk about it, but it never gets done. 

I was in a gay relationship marriage for 40 years Sharron was not a church member but was actively involved in Austins church activities. 

I am originally from Minneapolis we left Minnesota and moved to Dallas. We lived in Dallas for 10 years and got transferred to Austin and 30 years later I’m still here. 

I have had various careers. I have been in accounting, customer service, adult training for the insurance industry and landed in real estate. 

John wrote and asked if I would put my name up for Harmony’s board I asked him if he knew what he was doing. He said he did. 

I know new blood for a new adventure is a good start so am willing to try.
Harmony