About

Regina Heagle is the programs administrator for the Center. 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.

With over half a decade of nonprofit experience, a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies and an associate’s degree in paralegal studies, Shaney joined the Center with a wealth of knowledge. Splitting her time between supporting the Southeast region and the coordination program as a whole, Shaney organizes and runs events, assists with grant administration, and is excited to strengthen the hope of local congregations and communities.

When not at work, Shaney loves being outdoors in nature and spends her time visiting zoos across the country, as well as museums and art galleries. She loves to garden, read, and bake (and is a county-fair ribbon-winning baker), as well as spending time with her spouse, her cat Percy, and her dog Charlie Pumpkin.

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 an EDD from UNC Chapel Hill. 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.

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.

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.

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.

Rev. Michael Jefferson, II is an itinerant elder in the Indiana Annual Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He serves as Secretary of the Indiana Annual Conference supporting the Bishop of Indiana’s 37 A.M.E. churches and Administrator of the South District, supporting the Presiding Elder of the 18 churches from Indianapolis to Jeffersonville. Michael is the former pastor of two Indiana A.M.E. Churches in Richmond and Plainfield, IN, respectively. In the secular arena, Michael is an energy policy advisor and former educator. A lifelong learner, Michael has several degrees, but is proud to be a Master of Divinity alumnus of Christian Theological Seminary, one of the Center for Congregations’ supporting institutions. Michael chairs the personnel committee of the Board of the Center for Congregations.

Rev. Dr. Lynn Jameson lives out her calling through preaching, teaching, and leading workshops centered on care, compassion, and community. With more than four decades of experience in business management, community service, and religious leadership, she bridges the worlds of corporate strategy and spiritual formation with grace and grit.

Her ministerial journey includes leadership in the United Methodist Church, the Baptist Church, and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), where she is ordained and serves as an elder. Lynn is currently a Hospice Chaplain and Co-Founder of Cultivating Caring Communities, a nonprofit dedicated to helping people build caring relationships and practice compassion in the communities where they live, work, and serve.

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.

Rev. Dr. Andrew Pomerville is the 11th president of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. He worked previously as the founding director of the Center for College and Community Engagement at Alma College, as well as Alma’s Assistant Vice President for Community Engagement and Senior Chaplain. Dr. Pomerville was ordained as a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) in 2007, serving as the senior pastor for The Peoples Church in East Lansing (MI) and pastor of Church in the Hills in Bellaire, MI. He is passionate advocate for ecumenical dialogue and cooperation and brings an enthusiasm for congregational revitalization.

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.

Rev. Annettra R. Jones is the senior pastor of Scott United Methodist Church in the historic Martindale-Brightwood community of Indianapolis. An alumna of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, she has served in leadership roles across the Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church, including as associate director of Diversity, Missions, and Justice Ministries. An ordained elder in the United Methodist Church and certified intercultural development administrator, She brings deep experience in intercultural development, justice ministry, pastoral leadership and has a passion for helping individuals and communities move from trauma to transformation.