Our Cabinet
Co-Chair
Rev. Heather Fosburgh (She/Her)
Heather is originally from Des Moines, Iowa, where she was raised in the UCC. Heather has a Bachelor of Arts in History and Religion from Simpson College. While at Simpson, Heather was a member of Delta Delta Delta, and it was through that membership that she discovered that she is good with the Administrative side of organizational work. She moved to Atlanta in 2010 to attend Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, graduating with a Master of Divinity. In addition to being the ACM for the Southeast Conference, Heather is the Associate Minister for Church and Worship Administration at Kirkwood UCC in Atlanta. She has also taught UCC History and Polity classes over the years. Her interests include interfaith work, refugee support, and modern biblical interpretations. She enjoys playing board games with friends, reading, and building with Legos in her spare time.
Co-Chair
Rev. Terry Yasuko Ogawa (She/Her)
Rev. Ogawa accompanies clergy and churches through adaptive change; times of transition; and discerning God’s call to meet the needs of their congregations and communities. Rev. Ogawa resources Committees on Ministry in the Northwest Region of the Conference. Contact her for:
Assistance with pastoral transitions.
Discernment about next steps in ministry.
Healthy solutions to challenges in congregational life.
Preaching engagements and celebrating milestones in the life of your congregation.
Rev. Ogawa has always worked at the intersection of land, culture, and spirituality, which is evidenced in her pursuit to explore the hills and valleys of her region and learn regional food traditions—she welcomes your recommendations!
Rev. Cheryl Burke (She/Her)
Rev. Jonathan Roach (He/Him)
Rev. Nora Foust (She/Her)
The Associate Conference Minister of Clergy Care and Formation works across the Conference with Committees on Ministry to support active clergy, retired clergy, and Members in Discernment. Cheryl works full time, with office hours during the week in East Lansing and travels to local churches as needed.
Rev. Burke offers online Boundary Training multiple times a year. Boundary Training experiences for the Conference and across the country can be found on the Conference website under Resources –> Committees On Ministry.
Rev. Foust provides conference wide leadership focusing on preparation, formation and continuing education for ministry in and on behalf of the United Church of Christ for authorized ministers and the ministry settings in the Penn Central Conference.
Jonathan serves as the Associate Conference Minister for the Hawaii Conference. He works with churches to provide support during times of transition. Rev. Roach also engages in ministry on the islands while working side by side with the clergy there.
Rev. Patricia Battles (She/Her)
Rev. Battles provides support in the Central Southeast Ohio Association of The Heartland Conference. As the Associate Conference Minister she works closely with the churches and clergy in the part of Ohio as the seek to do the ministry that God calls them to.