John Taylor Kness, Co-Chair, retired as a Director of Current Schedules from America West Airlines in September of 1999. He has been in the airline industry since 1967. Since retirement, he has done consulting work with Sabre Technologies in Bahrain and Polar Air Cargo in Long Beach. Mr. Kness has a Masters Degree in Education from Northern Illinois University. He is a Viet Nam veteran. He has been a member of First Church for eight years.

Nancy Valencia, Co-Chair, is a native of Long Beach, CA, and a graduate of CSULB with a degree in Criminal Justice. She worked with female offenders, reuniting the women with their families, providing resources for employmnet, housing, drug counseling and parenting classes. Is passionate about issues relating to children and social justice. Taught elementary school in Long Beach; served as member and later Executive Director of the Governing Board of the Downtown Associated Youth Services (DAYS). Currently serving as Chair of DAYS committee; member of Long Beach City Fine Arts Foundation Board, the Dorothy and Edwin Baker Foundation, the Progressive Christians Uniting Board, Rick Rackers, and the Karen and Richard Carpenter Center Board.

Randolph Nielson, Treasurer has been employed by California State University, Long Beach (CSULB fFor the last six years. For the last two years he has been the Cashiering Supervisor, where he coordinates the efforts of 8 individuals who are involved in customer service, accounts receivables, reconciling the general ledger, and preparing daily deposits of on average $200,000.00. Mr. Nielson graduated from CSULB with a BS in Business Administration. He also has a MBA, in Business, from Pepperdine University.

Rev. Jerald Stinson was a magna cum laude graduate of Occidental College and the Divinity School at Harvard. He is Senior Minister of First Church. He has served as a United Church of Christ minister for 35 years. He is an Associate Fellow of the Westar Institute (Jesus Seminar) and just completed his term on the Board of Directors of Progressive Christians Uniting. Rev. Stinson is a member of the Christian Muslim Consultative Group of Southern California, the Jewish-Christian-Muslim Leadership Forum of Long Beach and the National Advisory Board of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. He is on the Steering Committee of the City of Long Beach Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness.


Dr. Mary Ellen Kilsby, Advisor, a resident of Long Beach, CA, received her B.A. from Pomona College (Phi Beta Kappa and Cum Laude) and an M.A. and Doctorate in Ministry (with Honors) from the School of Theology at Claremont. She was the first woman to received the Wilshire Preaching Award, given to a graduating senior from the School of Theology, and a has been ordained by the United Methodist Church (1975) and the United Church of Christ (1978). Dr. Kilsby served as Senior Minister of First Congregational Church of Long Beach, a United Church of Christ, from 1988 until 1999, when she retired and became Minister Emeritus.

Michele Wilson, Esq, Advisor, Ms. Wilson is a native of the City of Long Beach, California. She began her career as criminal defense attorney with the public defenders' office; then she joined a large, corporate firm in the civil defense area defending physicians, acute hospitals, nursing homes, skilled nursing Facilities and their staff. In preparation for her professional career, she worked for 11 years as a law clerk and project attorney in a small civil practice in Long Beach that served low income and disadvantaged citizens. During her years of education she gained extensive experience with public policy administration and within the political arena. Currently she has her own practice, the Law Offices of Michele Wilson.

Teri Brewster, Advisor, has been a member of First Church since 1982 and is currently assistant treasurer. For the last four years she has been the legal secretary to in-house counsel for Mutual Service Corporation. She is chair of the Drop-in-Center. She has a BA from Cal State Fullerton, a California teacher’s credential in Elementary Education from Cal Poly Pomona, and an MBA from University of Southern California.

Each board member contributes annually to Urban Community Outreach.