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Rev. Kena Newkirk, Associate Pastor
Rev. Kena Hawkins Newkirk is a provisional Elder in the North Georgia Conference of the UMC. She has a bachelor's degree in Communication and Religion from Campbell University. Kena has spent the last 10 years working in youth ministries, most recently at Fayetteville First UMC. Kena moved to the Atlanta area from Raleigh, NC, in to attend Candler Seminary at Emory University, and work at Northside UMC. On her first day of work, she met her now-husband William, who was on staff doing missions. Their son Jonah was born on their third wedding anniversary. Kena enjoys ultimate frisbee, her Aussie-doodle Blue, trivia, blogging, and traveling. She has a background in biblical languages and loves to paint. |
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Allen Whittaker, Executive Director of Discipleship
Allen Whittaker is a native of Enterprise, Ala. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from Auburn University. Allen has been in the ministry for the past 25+ years, primarily working in student and activities ministries at several Methodist churches in the Metro Atlanta area. Allen and his wife Rachel have been married since 2007. In his free time, Allen enjoys running, watching and playing sports, pop culture, playing guitar and pretty much all things Disney. Allen has completed marathons in Boston, Berlin and London. |
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Leslie Bowers, Director of Worship Arts
Leslie Bowers is the Director of Worship Arts at Northbrook UMC. She graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education with a focus in Language Arts from the University of Alabama. In a past life, some time in the distant past, she was an English teacher in 8th, 9th and 12th grades, and most recently she was the Director of Children and Family Ministries at Northbrook UMC. Originally from Clanton, Ala., Leslie moved to Georgia in 2001 and to the Woodstock/Roswell area in 2007. Leslie is married to Drew and they have two children, Tucker (15) and Cora (8). Leslie enjoys all forms of music (making, listening and dancing to), musicals, traveling, reading voraciously, all forms of crafting and hugging all the people, and is frequently found whistling and singing absent-mindedly. |
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Chad Hunt, Director of Music
Chad Hunt has been the Director of Music Ministry at Northbrook since 2018. He was born in Bogalusa, La., and grew up in Mississippi. He holds a bachelor’s degree in music education and a master’s of choral conducting, and has completed all coursework for a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Conducting, all from the University of Southern Mississippi. He has taught high school choir and music in Mississippi and has worked in music ministry at many churches. In addition to his work at Northbrook, currently Chad teaches music theory and aural skills at Kennesaw State University. He has a special interest in shaped note music, a tool for teaching visual learners to sight sing easily if they don’t have a musical background. Chad is proud of Georgia's rich history of teaching shaped note music and preserving it as folk art. |
He is married to Randy, and they have four children: Colin, Caleb, Chloe and Gracie. In his spare time, Chad enjoys playing piano, Disney vacations, snow skiing and traveling.
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Jerome Young, Facilities Supervisor
Jerome Young has been Northbrook UMC’s Facilities Manager since 2015. A native New Orleanian, Jerome began his career first in the grocery business then the hotel industry. He was displaced by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and moved to Alpharetta to be near family temporarily, and then made a more permanent move. Jerome and his wife Patricia have been married 50 years and have one son. In his spare time he enjoys fishing and watching old Westerns. |
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Sara Armstrong, Finance and Office Support
Sara Armstrong is an adventurer, a true survivor of numerous life transitions. Born in Chicago, Ill., she joined the Peace Corps for two years of adventure in Uganda. She married a Ugandan and after a ruthless military coup, fought for survival under the regime of Idi Amin Dada. Her book, The Shattered Pearl, recounts those terrifying years. After returning from Uganda, Sara was widowed and threw her energies into raising two children, taking care of her aging parents and participating in local politics. She helped to incorporate and served as the first mayor of Shorter, Alabama. Sara moved to California and married Bob Armstrong. After Bob passed away following a brave fight against cancer, Sara relocated to Georgia to be close to her family. She is a writer and motivational speaker with a Master of Arts in Religious Education from Claremont School of Theology. |
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Lesé Cooper, Member and Office Support
Lesé (pronounced Lisa) Cooper is a native of Augusta, Ga. She covers Member and Support Services and has also been a member of Northbrook UMC since 2019. Lesé has a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from Georgia State University, and previously taught kindergarten and served as a long-term substitute teacher. Her family was called to the mission field and they served in China from 2010-13 before coming back to Georgia. Then Lesé obtained her TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification and taught English to Chinese students in person and online. In her spare time, Lesé enjoys specifically swimming, hiking, running, kayaking, walking, painting, reading, pollinator gardening, and playing Pickleball. She has been married to Mike for 37 years and they have two grown daughters, Catherine and Lauren, and a dog named Murphy. |
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Jennifer Picquet, Director of Northbrook Preschool
Jennifer Picquet has been the Director of the Northbrook Preschool since 2017, and previously was a Northbrook Preschool teacher beginning in 2008. She is a native of Buffalo, NY, and moved to Georgia in 2001. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Master of Reading Education (K-12) from SUNY Geneseo. Prior to working in preschool education, she taught Kindergarten for five years. Jennifer loves to read, cook, garden and travel, and she and husband Scott are beekeepers. They have two children, Aidan and Lily. Jennifer’s favorite place she’s traveled is London, and her favorite vacation spot to return to each year is Lido Key in Florida. |
Christy Merritt, Director of Children's Ministries
Christy joined the Northbrook UMC staff in 2023. She has a social work background and has spent her career protecting children and strengthening families in the nonprofit industry. Through her nonprofit work, she was often creating partnerships with the faith community. She is excited to continue her profession by being of service to the families of Northbrook UMC.
An Ohio native, Christy has lived in Roswell 24 years. She is married to her college sweetheart Joe, and they have two grown children and three grandchildren, all of whom live in Roswell. In her spare time she enjoys being outdoors playing tennis, hiking, biking, kayaking and playing with her grandchildren.
Christy joined the Northbrook UMC staff in 2023. She has a social work background and has spent her career protecting children and strengthening families in the nonprofit industry. Through her nonprofit work, she was often creating partnerships with the faith community. She is excited to continue her profession by being of service to the families of Northbrook UMC.
An Ohio native, Christy has lived in Roswell 24 years. She is married to her college sweetheart Joe, and they have two grown children and three grandchildren, all of whom live in Roswell. In her spare time she enjoys being outdoors playing tennis, hiking, biking, kayaking and playing with her grandchildren.
Jodi Tomassi, Director of Nursery
Director of Nursery Jodi Tomassi has been caring for the children of Northbrook UMC for over 24 years. Jodi, a Kentucky native who grew up in the Northeast, moved to Roswell with her family in 1995. Her daughter became a student of the Northbrook Preschool, and soon Jodi became a nursery staff person on Sunday mornings and for Bible studies during the week.
In 2014, Northbrook began the popular Parents Time Out service for families with children from age one and walking to age five, providing parents the opportunity for respite several mornings a week. Since its beginning, Jodi has interacted with over 400 children through PTO, and countless others through her work in the nursery. She loves seeing their different personalities and getting to know parents.
When she’s not working Jodi enjoys tennis, reading, walking and the beach. She spends time with her friends, and loves family vacations and going to concerts. Jodi is married to Joe and they have two grown children, Paige and Joey.
In 2014, Northbrook began the popular Parents Time Out service for families with children from age one and walking to age five, providing parents the opportunity for respite several mornings a week. Since its beginning, Jodi has interacted with over 400 children through PTO, and countless others through her work in the nursery. She loves seeing their different personalities and getting to know parents.
When she’s not working Jodi enjoys tennis, reading, walking and the beach. She spends time with her friends, and loves family vacations and going to concerts. Jodi is married to Joe and they have two grown children, Paige and Joey.
