Nominees for the Board of Directors
Vice President-President-Past President (3-year term)
Heather McLean (she/her)
I’ve been a member of WBUUC for five years. My partner Chris and I share a rambling, 130 year old house in Stillwater with our children Finn and Cat, my parents, two dogs and two cats. My hobbies include writing, watching British crime dramas, weightlifting, gardening, and hiking. Although I am a fifth generation native Californian, I’ve been happily transplanted in Minnesota for 17 years. I’m a medically retired police officer who worked primarily in South Central Los Angeles. My background is certainly a bit different from most in our church, but my personal experiences fuel my passion about issues such as immigrant rights, gun control, social justice, access to health care and mental health treatment.
In my church community, I have served on the Sanctuary Committee, I co-facilitated a multi-session class centered around the book “My Grandmother’s Hands”, and I help to hang the fabric banners in the sanctuary each season. I spent the last year serving on the Search Committee, which was one of the most intense and rewarding experiences of my life.
Board Treasurer (3-year term)
Alan Wenker (he/him)
Along with Laurie, his wife of 34 years, Alan has been a member of WBUUC since 2010. They live in White Bear Township and have two daughters (Eleanor, age 26, and Lillian, age 23). Alan is a reformed catholic and earned a degree in accounting from the University of Minnesota in 1986. He currently works as a consultant for a large CPA firm.
At-Large Board Member (3-year term)
Sharon Gooch (she/her)
I have been a member of WBUUC since 2016. I live in Little Canada with my husband Minh, two teenage kids Owen and Logan, an old German shepherd named Boomer, and four cats. I am a project manager at RBC in Minneapolis. In my spare time, I like to run, read, and try new things.
At-Large Board Member (3-year term)
Mena Hautau (she/her)
I have been a Unitarian Universalist since the mid 1980’s and was an active member of the Davenport Unitarian Church in Iowa and First UU of Berks County, Reading, Pennsylvania. In those congregations I was involved with the Pledge Drives, Board of Directors and a Search Committee. My spouse, Debra and I have made our home in Stillwater, MN since moving in 2021 from River Falls WI. I retired from 36 years of working with farmers as a Penn State Extension Educator in 2016. At WBUUC, I enjoy singing in the choir and helping (along with others) 4 young Afghani refugees. I have been involved with groups such as Women Spirit, Theme Circle and the Black Film Canon. Most recently I served on the Ministerial Transition Team and currently as a Chalice Lighter. I consider Earth Centered Spirituality to be my path and WBUUC to be my spiritual community. I would look forward to serving on your Board of Directors at a time when we are coming out of the trials of Covid and with our newly called senior minister.
Nominees for the Nominations and Leadership Development Committee
NLD Member (3-year term)
Priscilla (“Prill”) Snelling (she/her)
I was born in Illinois but grew up in the UP of Michigan near the great lakes of Michigan and Superior. I ended up in Wisconsin and then Minnesota when I married my first husband. I trained to be a nurse in the UP, began working as a pediatric nurse and attended the University of MN as a young mother to accomplish a BSN in nursing. I worked in pediatrics in various roles for 39 years before retiring. My first husband and I were married for 40 years before he died; we have three sons. I was widowed for four years before meeting the man who is my current husband, incidentally he also had been my next-door neighbor since 2002. We have been married for a little over one year. I love to read, sew, and also volunteer for hospice.
I grew up in the Methodist church and was a questioning kid, which did not always go over well. Looking back, I think I liked to push the buttons and get the reactions. I did have a minister as an adult that did listen to me and suggested that I might be happier in the UU faith. Unfortunately, it took me quite a few more years to actually act on that idea. I did belong to another UU congregation in Wisconsin for years and had visited WBUUC with a friend before the pandemic hit. The Wellspring class through WBUUC on zoom became the pivot point for me to find a spiritual home that felt right. I became a member here when we started to meet in person again, so I am relatively new. I look forward to do as our mission states: grow my soul and serve the world which includes WBUUC.
NLD Member (3-year term)
Mary McNamara (she/her)
Mary McNamara has been attending WBUUC since 2014 and started formal membership in 2021. Mary has participated in a social circle after church service and most recently in the Leadership as Spiritual Practice workshop hosted by the NLD Committee. Mary was raised in White Bear Lake, MN and still has many family members in the WBL/Mahtomedi area. Mary has a loving husband of 14 years, Dan, and a 7-year-old son, Quentin. She has two cats (Seamus and Lily), enjoys doing puzzles/crafting, drag makeup, time outside in nature and time with family. Mary has worked as a Psychotherapist for the past 12 years working primarily in treatment settings with adults who carry severe and persistent mental illness diagnoses. She has worked in outpatient and residential settings. She is currently working as an individual therapist for adults, part time, and is the training and employee development coordinator for the agency. Mary was connected to this church via her grandmother, Marlys. When Marlys passed away it was important for her to connect with the church in her own way in her own time. WBUUC has been a light in the dark and connected Mary back to her spiritual side, giving inspiration and soothing experiences and connections. She is excited at the prospect of joining the NLD Committee and participating in our community.