The Board of Trustees is responsible for overseeing the activities and affairs of UUCB on behalf of the congregation, pursuant to UUCB bylaws. A total of nine trustees are elected for three-year terms, and may not serve more than two terms consecutively. The Board annually selects trustees to serve as Board President and Vice President, and appoints a Secretary and Treasurer from the congregation as ex-officio Board members. Board policies and protocols for its work are contained in a Board Governance Manual.
The Board meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom. UUCB members are welcome to attend. Current and recent agendas and materials can be found in the Board of Trustees current year folder, by month. Prior and current agenda packets also can be downloaded from the Church Documents page.
Board of Trustees Members and Their Candidate Statements
Pier Sun Ho (Co-President)
2nd term (2025-2028)
Pier Sun Ho (Co-President)I have been at UUCB since 2006, when I moved to the Bay Area. I wasn’t raised within organized religion, and I came here initially for community. I’m happy to say that I found that, but I also found a spiritual connection to the world that continues to develop and enrich me greatly. I made social and spiritual connections through Chalice Circles, and the young adult group. I was married here on the terrace by Barbara and Bill Hamilton-Holway, and subsequently brought my two babies to be blessed in the Sanctuary after they were each born. Unlike me, they will (perhaps and hopefully) be lifelong UUs.
I’ve served in various roles such as the Bylaws Committee and the Nominating Committee, but my primary service to the church has been through Family Ministry. I’ve taught elementary RE for 10 years, at all the different grade levels, and I’ve served on the Family Ministry Committee in two separate terms. My interest in Family Ministry, and how to grow our congregation to serve the needs of our community, is my primary reason for accepting this nomination. The past two years have been very challenging for everyone, but like so many other families, attending church over Zoom was not a priority, or even of any interest to my littles! I hope that I can bring a perspective to the Board that will both represent those families who have fallen away, and also ignite interest and involvement of the future families who will come seeking us, as I did. Thank you for considering my candidacy for the Board of Trustees.
Selene Fabiano (Co-President)
Appointed for 2026-27
Selene Fabiano (Co-President) I came to UUCB in 2000 for the same reason that many folks come to UUCB – looking for community and to be part of something larger than myself. Prior to arriving at UUCB, I had done some “church-shopping” but felt uncomfortable with churches where there was a very specific creed. The Unitarian Universalist fourth principle of “a free and responsible search for truth and meaning” was very exciting and liberating for me. During my first visit to UUCB, I was wowed its vibrancy. Here was a place where people were really interested in ideas and very engaged with trying to make the world a better place!
I feel so fortunate to have found UUCB and am regularly inspired by the people I meet here. I have really appreciated the warmth and support I feel from fellow UUCB congregants. I love that there are many different generations who enrich and benefit from our church. Seeing the Youth and Children’s Choir on the chancel brings me a lot of joy, as do services that honor our senior members. I am also deeply grateful for our Covenant of Right Relations and rely on it as a guide during challenging times.
I have been involved in a number of different aspects of UUCB – connecting with others through Chalice Circles, as an usher, a greeter. I have also served on the Nominating Committee and with several Stewardship campaigns. In 2022 I was asked to serve as Board Secretary and have really enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about what it takes to keep our church a thriving place. I am honored to continue my service as Board Co-President.
In my work as a psychologist, I have learned the importance of deep listening and safe relationships that allow us to take risks and develop new skills. I bring my organizational skills and my belief in the value of community to my position on the board.
Kristen Jensen (Vice President)
1st term 2025-2028
Kristen Jensen (Vice-President) UUCB is a thriving, welcoming community and I loved becoming a member in 2020.
There are so many ways to connect at UUCB. I have been involved in Chalice Circles, Parent Discussion Groups and recently, the Welcome Committee. I am proud to part of a community that offers a place for connection and spiritual grown, at a time when the general culture makes it easy to become isolated and materialistic.
Through the difficult times during the pandemic, I was impressed at the creative ways our UUCB community continued to connect through online services, coffee hour and Chalice Circles. Now that we are together in-person again, and with the infusion of energy brought by our new settled minister, the community is growing quickly and it’s very exciting! I find peace and joy being part of an organization whose core values are JETPIG (Justice, Equity, Transformation, Pluralism, Interdependence, and Generosity).
It is an honor to be on the UUCB Board. In my day job I am a curriculum developer, project manager and team leader. I believe these analytical and organizational skills will be a support to the mission of the UUCB. Whether as a Board member or in other roles, I look forward to continuing to serve this wonderful community.
Ryan Devine
1st term 2026-29
Ryan Devine I grew up in Berkeley and have been coming to the UUCB in Kensington since I was very young, when my family used to visit for the Sing-along Messiah. I will always remember my moment of shame standing in the pews when I came in slightly too early at the very end of “Hallelujah,” a true rite of passage. Many years later, during the pandemic, I started attending semi-regularly with my mother Nancy Lemon and found that I enjoyed the services and the community greatly. Later, when Marcus was appointed minister, I decided to make a commitment by becoming a Member in November of 2023.
In the past, I have often expressed my love for organizations and groups by trying to find ways to improve them. I do this in my career as a Compliance Manager in the renewable energy storage industry, and in my hobbies running a Dungeons and Dragons campaign and producing Pro Wrestling. I would like the opportunity to join the board of the UUCB so that I can help make well-informed and conscientious choices that will ensure the future success of UUCB for many years to come.
Michael DeWitt
1st term, 2024-27
Michael DeWitt
My Spiritual Journey:
In 1977, at a Christian summer camp, I became “born again.”
Raised in a protestant Covenant church, I participated in this faith until about age 20. I found such faith too simplistic and thirsted to search for deeper truth and meaning. I loved the questions more than the answers, while most resisted such. While I found more comfort in a Presbyterian church for a while, I stopped attending church at about age 25 when I moved to San Francisco.In about 2004, I first attended my first UU service here at UUCB where Rev. Barbara introduced me to the words “liberal theology”. The humanist and universalist themes throughout the service spoke to me. Over the years, I have grown to appreciate many other UUCB core values including social justice, “living as a loving community”, and our “covenant of right relations”.My potential contributions to the board:
* I appreciate and share the mission of our church and look forward to an opportunity to take a more active role in church governance.
* Broad familiarity with most members of our congregation having attended for nearly 20 years, participated in several chalice circles, choir and the Freestone committee.
* Good communication and interpersonal skills. I believe I get along well with most and play in the sandbox nicely.
* Current Sanctuary AV lead volunteer. I’m familiar with much of the present church electronics in each venue as I used to assist as volunteer in setup for many events. I can potentially serve as a liaison to the board with new technology implementations.
* Past experience in leadership of youth ministry and scouting could serve to advance our church’s R.E. activities.I believe there is much to be excited in at UUCB right now. Having a great new minister in Rev. Marcus, continued talents of Bryan Baker in music and exciting leadership by Heaven Walker in R.E., I think we have an exciting opportunity to let UUCB shine. Through many scheduled activities and good marketing, I really think we have great growth opportunity on the horizon. I’m ready to help in many ways.
Beth Jerde
1st term, 2024-27
Elizabeth Jerde
I have been a member of UUCB since 2010. I bring to the UUCB Board my creative spirit, joy, a desire to learn and experience things in life, as well as an intense sense of curiosity.
Though I have been told more than once that I ask too many questions, I like to understand how things function/operate. Especially when entering a new “culture.”
I have been very engaged with the Social Justice Council here at UUCB since its re- vivification in 2015: I have managed the Good Neighbor Program and have been SJC chair. I have also organized various events such as viewing the film Ghost Town to Havana, presenting Coach Roscoe, the film’s director Gene Corr and Oakland A reps, to discuss the disparity of parental/societal engagement in youth sports here in Oakland and Richmond. We also hosted the Dine and Dialogue with our Muslim Neighbors dinner so that we could get a taste of Islam 101 thanks to Ameena Jandali from ING (Islamic Network Group); participate in prayers led by Imam Wali Muhammad; learn what goes on in the kitchen with Fayza Ayyad by working side-by-side; listen to music from a Near Eastern trio; and experience calligraphic artistry. Most recently, we launched the Sponsored Project Blessings Bags: Bags containing personal toiletries, warm sox, edibles and a drink, to be distributed to unhoused people.
I have a firm grasp of the Social Justice Council culture and its endeavors.
Now, I am graduating to the UUCB Board to learn how it operates, to understand its culture. It’s my intention to learn more about the multiplicitous other cultures alive within UUCB and how we function/operate together. I will have many questions.
Carla McCasland
1st term 2025-2028
Carla McCasland
I am a ‘Jewnitarian’ and proud co-parent in a queer family. I have been a member since 2018.
My journey with Unitarian Universalism began in my college years, where I led a Passover Seder for the local UU group on campus. Since then, I have deepened my involvement as a Coming of Age and OWL teacher at UUSF, as well as an OWL facilitator and training volunteer at UUCB and UU Oakland.
I feel called to help steward UUCB during a time when women, immigrants, LGBT folks and trans kids are facing heightened threats to their safety, dignity and bodily autonomy. With compassion and dedication, I am committed to ensuring that UUCB remains a sanctuary of resilience, support, and justice for all who seek belonging and protection.
David Rosales
(2nd term, 2026-29)
David Rosales
I’m from Texas and grew up around the NASA community, which sparked my fascination with the beauty of our planet and universe at all scales, from the quantum to the cosmological. I love exploring the latest research as well as science-fiction.
My personal interests include art and music as well as science and engineering. Professionally, I was the founder of a startup and am currently an executive in a large corporation. I believe my experiences in collaborative decision processes, listening to stakeholders, and managing change are helpful in the Trustee role at UUCB.
I am a member of the People of Color Caucus (PoCC), and a new member of the Lawrence Lecture Committee. I was a founding member of the “broadcaster” team which prepared a worship video every Sunday from March 2020 until livestream worship was established in 2022. I’m very proud of the work our worship and broadcast volunteers accomplished for our community.
I believe that people are inherently capable of being thoughtful, kind, and generous. I believe that the hard work of embracing and cultivating diversity (of thought, belief, culture, history, experience, etc) ultimately brings with it broader understanding, resilience, and adaptability as well as capacity for patience, tolerance, understanding, and change.
I believe in investing in family and youth programs, inclusivity and accessibility, and I fully support efforts to study and affect changes to fight systemic racism and white supremacy culture such as Widening the Circle of Concern and Working to Overcome White Supremacy.
Helen Toy
(1st term, 2024-27)
Helen Toy
It’s the people at UUCB! That’s why I’m running to join the Board. But that wasn’t why I came here. My arrival here was actually a mistake. A friend had told me that a church up in the Berkeley hills was a good one. Turns out he meant some other church! But I wound my way up to UUCB and have never looked back. At first it was the non-theology that sold me. In 2011, 2012, after I moved to Berkeley, I visited six other churches in town. All were far more conservative than the Episcopal church in Pasadena where I’d been a long-time member. Yet as soon as I drove up that steep hill in Kensington and saw the signs welcoming seekers and searchers, I gained hope. And the welcome I received from the Hamilton-Holways, as well as Aileen Hohmann, certainly raised that hope. The sermons settled it for me at the beginning. But then it was social justice. When Craig Scott started a drive to support youngsters in Richmond in becoming Dreamers, I was all in. Soon afterwards, he and others launched the Social Justice Council, which has done such exciting, important work in our local community. It has also done very special work here at UUCB. I joined the first meeting of LFDMC and the first gathering of WOWS and have been a member of both ever since. My particular connection has been with the SJC itself, where I’ve been involved in a long string of activities—and where I’ve been fortunate to make many good friends. And the longer I’ve been here, the more it is the people who bind me to this place: Rev Marcus now, of course, but so many others. And it’s our congregation, our principles and our programs at UUCB that make me want to offer whatever I can in support of this church. Even in the past year, since spending five months with so many extraordinary folks as we planned Social Justice Sunday, I felt such a love and respect for who they are—who we are as a community—all of which underscores that being of service here ranks high among my values. Feeling so fortunate to have wandered into this church, I truly am honored at being asked to run. I would be especially honored to be chosen as a member of the Board.
Ex-Officio (Appointed, Non-Voting) Members
Lisa Maynard, Treasurer
Appointed 2024
Beth Pollard, Secretary
Appointed 2026
