After growing up in Fayetteville, GA, Pastor Valerie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Berry College and worked as a newspaper journalist in North Georgia and Alabama for almost a decade. Upon returning to Atlanta, she joined a medical education company and spent the next eight years helping doctors and nurses earn their continuing education credits.
During this time, she discerned a call to ministry and earned her Master of Divinity degree from Candler School of Theology at Emory University in 2010. She was ordained as an elder in The United Methodist Church in 2016 and earned her doctor of ministry degree from Wesley Theological Seminary in 2021.
Pastor Valerie has previously served as pastor of Rush Chapel UMC in Rome and as minister of nurture at Hillside UMC in Woodstock. She is passionate about sharing her faith and helping others explore and share their faith journeys.
In her free time, you can often find Pastor Valerie working in her garden, reading a book, or taking a long walk around her neighborhood. She also loves concerts, museums and traveling. After completing her first pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2017, she’s excited about retracing parts of Paul’s missionary journeys in the next few years.

 

 

 

Doug has been a long-time member of the congregation of Jonesboro First UMC. He spent many years working with the Jonesboro First Youth ministry as a volunteer leader. before leading our Youth Ministry.

 

 

 

 

Dana Holmes has been a member of Jonesboro First United Methodist Church since moving to this area in 1986. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Georgia State University. She then opened a clothing store in Atlanta, which she ran for eight years. At that time, Dana decided to further her education by attending West Georgia College and University, earning a Master’s in Special Education. She taught language arts and math in the middle school setting. Dana also created a character education curriculum, which she taught school wide. Dana is a member of Delta Kappa Gamma and was named her school’s Teacher of the Year in 2000. She is listed in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. She retired from Henry County Schools in 2013. 

Dr. Zeller began performing in opera, musical theater, and oratorio in his native Pacific Northwest at age eight. Since then, he has performed throughout the United States, Spain, and Austria, and has appeared on German television, including two seasons in the company of the Tony Award-wining Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Dr. Zeller is in demand as an oratorio soloist and recitalist and has appeared as a concert soloist for the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra, New Trinity Baroque, the Terra Nova Consort, and many other symphonies and concert series.
Dr. Zeller is Director of Opera and Vocal Studies at Clayton State University in Morrow, Georgia, and is active throughout the country as a vocal adjudicator and clinician. Dr. Zeller trained at the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX. His graduate studies were at the College-Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati, where he was awarded a MM in Voice Performance and a DMA in Voice Performance with cognate studies in Opera Directing and Musicology.
Dr. Zeller has held numerous church music positions as vocal soloist, choral conductor, and organist since beginning his church music career by substituting for the organists at First and Sunnyside United Methodist Churches in Portland, OR, at age 12. During his graduate studies, he was director of music at Mt. Auburn United Methodist Church in Cincinnati, Ohio.Before relocating to Georgia, Dr. Zeller was tenor soloist and assistant to the music director at First Congregational Church (United Church of Christ) in Portland, OR.

 

 

While serving Jonesboro First UMC as organist and accompanist, Sandee is also an administrative assistant at Oak Grove UMC in Decatur. As a musician, Sandee has also served many other United Methodist Churches in the Atlanta area including McDonough First UMC, First UMC of Austell, and Cliftondale United Methodist Church. Sandee is a native of Atlanta where she graduated from Arlington High School before attending West Georgia College earning a bachelors degree in piano performance. Sandee is married to husband Scott Keesey; each bring 2 children to their blended family. Kristen Edmondson, Brett Edmondson, Emilia Keesey, and Camden Keesey.

 

 

 

Jan joined the staff in July 2012. became a member of this awesome staff. She says, “I have so much wonderful support; my family is behind me 100 percent. My husband Mike and I have three amazing kids together, and we would do anything for them. My oldest daughter Britnay is married and has a baby girl. Then, there is my son Kendall who became an Eagle Scout at the age of 14. Last and certainly not least is my youngest daughter Andrea. She is staying busy playing volleyball and basketball. I’m very proud of all of the supporters that I have. I don’t know what I would do without them. I’m glad that God gave me a chance to meet so many awesome people at a great job that makes me happy.”