Reverend Gail R. Geisenhainer, Senior Minister
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The first call to ministry came to the Rev. Gail R.Geisenhainer as a teenager in her family's Congregational church, and was finally realized three decades later with her ordination as a UU minister in 1996 at age 46 in Ellsworth, Maine. Along the way she entered college to study music, learned about community organizing in the politically turbulent 1960s, dropped out of college, then returned to earn a Bachelor's degree in accounting. She began seminary studies at The Episcopal Divinity School, left the Episcopal Church and was "forthrightly evangelized into Unitarian Universalism" while living in a small town in Maine. She has incredible energy and enthusiasm for life and her ministry, and is deeply excited about the opportunity to minister with our congregation. Read more about Gail ...

Reverend Mark Evens, Associate Minister
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Rev. Mark Evens grew up Catholic in Royal Oak and West Bloomfield, Michigan and completed his undergraduate studies in biology at Brown University. He then spent two years as a laboratory research assistant and two months traveling and studying Spanish in Mexico, before relocating to Oakland, California where he came to Unitarian Universalism in 1989 while working in the software industry.

For ten years he helped lead the church men's fellowship, and served in a wide variety of lay leadership positions, while enjoying singing in choir and playing with "children" of all ages. He began answering his call to professional ministry by earning his Masters of Divinity degree at the Starr King School for the Ministry. He then had the pleasure of interning at the first Unitarian Church of Dallas with Rev. Laurel Hallman.

Rev. Evens has served churches in Sacramento, California and Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. He is joined in Ann Arbor by his wife Jennifer Marshall Evens, and daughter Emma born in November, 2008.

Mark's focus in ministry is on learning and teaching love of life through relationships with individual people and through building up congregations that embody and support intimacy, maturity, creativity and exploration with their living traditions. Within this framework, Rev. Evens feels a special calling to act against racism and for full inclusion and respect for gay, bisexual, transgender, and lesbian persons.

His responsibilities this year at AAUU will include pastoral care, supporting adult religious education and spiritual growth, and chalice circle programs.

Rev. Evens is delighted to be here at this momentous time in the congregation's growth and looks forward to the exciting year ahead. You can reach him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Raised in the suburbs of Chicago, Sandy made her way to Ann Arbor via Wisconsin, Minnesota, western Michigan and Strasbourg, France. She was first introduced to Unitarian Universalism in 1995 when she lived a stone’s throw from the First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis. She has attended the UUAA since 2004, served as the SGD Program Assistant for Rev. Nancy Shaffer and currently serves as the Interim Director of Spiritual Growth and Development.

Sandy sees all the good that there is in the world in each and every person and feels blessed to have the opportunity to serve the UUAA’s Spiritual Growth and Development Program. Her husband, Jeff, and young children, Christopher and Ryan, are also active participants in the congregation.

She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Illinois College of Law. When not with her family, friends or at the UUAA, she loves walking with her dogs near the Huron River.

Thom Bales, Executive Director
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Originally from Morristown, Tennessee, Thom is a graduate of East Tennessee State University and Columbia Theological Seminary (Presbyterian). Most of his 20 year professional career has been spent in nonprofit management, most recently as the Senior Manager for the Borders Group Foundation in Ann Arbor. Thom's responsibilities at FUUAA include, among other things, overseeing building & grounds, communications, finance, and personnel areas.

An avid golfer, Thom also loves all college sports, has an emerging interest in Shakespeare, and is every trying to learn how to ballroom dance. Thom and his wife Karin Stratton reside in their relatively new home in Ann Arbor's west end, under the watchful eye of a large, orange housecat named Otis.

Glen Thomas Rideout, Director of Music
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Glen Thomas Rideout, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, is an award- winning conductor and baritone. Glen Thomas earned his bachelor’s degree in voice from Vanderbilt University and a master’s degree from the top- ranked conducting program at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. Glen Thomas has studied voice with Gayle Shay, Jonathan Retzlaff and Stephen West. His conducting mentors include Philip Olsen, Robin Fountain, Paul Rardin and Jerry Blackstone.

Glen Thomas enjoys an active schedule as a music minister, conductor and clinician, 
having led the music ministries of congregations in Maryland, Tennessee and Michigan. While serving as artistic director of the Voices of Praise at Vanderbilt University, Glen Thomas facilitated the choir's growth from 20 to 70 members in three years and remains the choir's longest- serving elected director. While studying at the University of Michigan, Glen Thomas won second prize in the National  Student Conducting Competition of the American Choral Director’s Association. He has served as assistant conductor and resident composer for the McDonogh Concert Choir's tours of Poland, Prague, East Canada and Croatia. Upcoming conducting engagements include concerts in Catalonia, Paris and Andorra. In addition, Glen Thomas has founded chamber choirs in Maryland and Tennessee that continue to provide unique leadership opportunities to aspiring young conductors and music educators.

Glen Thomas’ work as a vocalist includes singing engagements include work with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, the Mark Morris Dance Group and the University of Michigan.  An award- winning pianist, he has served more than 15 churches, ministries and organizations as a concert and worship service artist. Glen Thomas's compositions have been performed in the United States and Europe, six of his gospel songs having been recorded by the Holiday Choir of Hemingway Temple A.M.E. Church in Baltimore, Maryland.

Glen Thomas has served the First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor as Director of Music since August, 2007.

Hannah Hotchkiss, Welcome Ministry Coordinator
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Hannah discovered her affinity for Unitarian Universalism when she was introduced to the First UU of Ann Arbor in 2002. Five years later, she was thrilled to join the staff as the Welcome Ministry Coordinator. Hannah's responsibilities include member services, database management, newcomer hospitality, publicity of congregation events, and most importantly, assisting people in connecting with our diverse and vibrant community.

Hannah has a B.A. in German from the University of Connecticut, studied abroad for a number of years, and eventually received an M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language from Eastern Michigan University. She taught ESL to adults for over 10 years so she is no stranger to assisting people in adapting to new surroundings.

Reverend Andrew Weber, YRUU Advisor
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Andrew Weber is a lifelong Unitarian Universalist and just became an ordained UU minister. Andrew went to seminary at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and recently finished his ministerial internship at Horizon UU Church just north of Dallas, Texas. He comes to Ann Arbor with his wife, Isabella, who attends the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Andrew is a vegan and enjoys running and biking. He is very excited to be working with the high-school aged youth here at UUAA.

Allison Halerz, Pianist-In-Residence
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She is a graduate of the University of Michigan School of Music with a degree in Performing Arts Technology. In addition to piano, she also sings with various groups including the A La Mode jazz quartet. As a previous member of the UMS Choral Union, she participated in the Grammy Award-winning recording of William Bolcom's Songs of Innocence and of Experience in April 2004 under the direction of Leonard Slatkin.

Erin coordinates as well as  provides care for the nursery and special church events. Erin started by coordinating child care for the silent auction a few years back which progressed into being a part time staff member. Erin enjoys being with children very much. Currently she is working full time as a preschool teacher and attending classes at Washtenaw Community College. Erin earned her Child Development Associate Degree (CDA) in December of 2007, and is now working on an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education.

Erin and her husband Ken have been married for 25 years and have two children. Jill is a senior at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, VA majoring in math and science, and Kenny has just completed his senior year at Pioneer H.S. Erin is very excited to be able to offer our congregation quality child care.

Reverend Kenneth W. Phifer, Minister Emeritus
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Kenneth W. Phifer was the senior minister of our congregation from 1980 - 2005. His thought-provoking sermons, caring leadership, vibrant sense of humor and dedicated community involvement provided our congregation with much inspiration for 25 years. Ken continues active work with the Human Subject Review Committee of the University of Michigan Medical School. Ken is a founder of the Interfaith Roundtable, and has worked on issues relating to peace, aid in dying and lesbian/ gay male/ bisexual/ transgender concerns. A graduate of Harvard University and the University of Chicago Divinity School, Ken is the author of two books: Hold On: Getting Through Tough Times and Becoming at Home in the World.