Staff

PASTORAL STAFF

Rev. Kristine Zakarison

Kristine was raised in Pullman, a third generation daughter of the Palouse on both sides of her family (her family continues to farm North of Pullman).  She left Pullman to attend Whitman College, where she received her B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Religious Studies.  Upon graduation, she attended Harvard Divinity School, where she received her Masters of Divinity degree and studied for the ministry.  Her first ordained call was working as the Chaplain at Harvard Divinity School.  Kristine met her husband, Jonathan Bliss, while they were both graduate students.  In 1995, Kristine was called to her current position as Pastor at her home church, Community Congregational UCC.  Kristine and Jonathan have two children, Jake (13) and Leda (17).  Kristine’s other interests and work within the community include work with the Interfaith community, the local foodbanks, the FEMA Board, and serving on the Board of the Pullman Soccer Club.  She teaches yoga, meditation, and Nia (a form of dance for exercise) and enjoys sharing those activities both within the church and at a local dance studio.

Rev. Chip Laird

Chip grew up in western Pennsylvania and went south to receive a BA in English from Wake Forest University.  After some time teaching and working as a carpenter, he attended San Francisco Theological Seminary, receiving an M.Div. as well as a Diploma in the Art of Spiritual Direction.  He was ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA) although his initial call was to First Congregational United Church of Christ in Boise, Idaho.  While in Boise, Chip held dual ministerial standing in both the PC(USA) and the United Church of Christ.  Chip was called to Pullman in 2005.  He, his wife Kelly, and their two children, Emma (14) and Graham (11) all think Pullman is a great place to continue to learn and grow. Chip also serves on the governing Council of The Common Ministry at WSU.  He enjoys facilitating group conversations and practices that help people to become more loving, open, and compassionate.  He loves to play basketball (between injuries), and golf, and is attempting again to learn to play the guitar.

PROGRAM STAFF

Sheila Converse, Choir Director

Sheila Kearney Converse, Clinical Assistant Professor at WSU teaches Studio Voice, Vocal Pedagogy, Women and Music and A Domain of the Arts seminar in the Honors College.  She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York: a Master of Arts in Music Therapy from New York University, New York, NY; a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from The University of Idaho, Moscow, ID; and an Interdisciplinary Ph. D. exploring gender issues in 20th Century music from Washington State University.   She adds her sense of humor and a compassionate spirit to this expertise as she directs the Choral program at CCUCC.

Kathy Spencer, Church Organist/Pianist

Ruthie Fisher, Church Office Administrator

Chandra Crow, Learning Community Coordinator