Board of Trustees

Connect with the Board of Trustees by emailing board@southchurch-uu.org

Molly Cooper Campbell - Chair of the Board of Trustees

Molly is a Senior Lecturer in Composition and Rhetoric at the University of New Hampshire and Co-Director of The HUGEmanities Project for the College of Liberal Arts. She has worked in many grassroots movements for justice and equity as well as assisting in grant writing for organizations in need. Molly began attending South Church with her family around 2013 and joined soon after. Coming from diverse religious backgrounds and beliefs, they were grateful South Church provided a spiritual community aligned with their family values. She lives in Dover with her spouse Scott Campbell and two children Kiley and Zoey.  Molly taught in RE classes for a number of years and served as a Social Justice Associate for almost four years, serving as convener during the third year. Molly also worked with Meghan Bairstow, for two years, as Co-Organizer for the South Church Soup Kitchen. 

Greg Wurtz - Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees

 

Greg Wurtz has lived on the Seacoast for over 20 years and has been a member of South Church since 2015. Having served on the Small Group Ministry Steering Committee for five consecutive seasons, Greg has developed a sound understanding of the South Church community and mission. He recently helped facilitate the official naming process for the South Church Meeting House at 73 Court Street and has enjoyed performing as a member of the South Church Choir. Greg started his UU journey at First Church in Dedham, Massachusetts. Originally from Huntington, New York, he earned both his undergraduate and MBA degrees from Boston University. He currently directs client success in the healthcare data analytics field. Greg is the proud father of three young men and has a passion for sailing and maritime history.  

Laurie Bilby - Treasurer of the Board of Trustees

Laurie Bilby worked for nearly thirty years as an estate administrator for a Boston law firm, a job she now enjoys much more on a very part-time basis. She began attending South Church with her late wife, Fenn Duncan, around 2013, and they immediately became involved in Small Group Ministry.  In addition to continuing to serve often as a convener of covenant groups and a member of the Covenant Group Steering Committee, Laurie also holds deep appreciation for her deep and wide variety of experiences on the Committee on Ministry, the Annual Budget Campaign, Worship Associates, Coming of Age mentoring, Morning Poems, Table of Plenty in Kittery, and most recently, the Learning Associates.  Laurie also enjoys investing time in traveling, puttering in the garden, watercolor painting, volunteering with the Kittery Art Association, book group gatherings, and is an excellent practitioner of just hanging out with friends.

Janis Wolak - Secretary of the Board of Trustees

Janis Wolak worked for almost 20 years as a Senior Researcher at the Crimes against Children Research Center at UNH and is now enjoying retirement.  She lives in Kittery and is happiest when her hands are in garden soil.  She joined South Church in 2006, has served with the Pastoral and Fellowship Associates and as registrar of the Star Island retreat, and she often participates in choir and small group ministry groups.  She also serves South Church as a member of the Seacoast Interfaith Sanctuary Coalition. She loves and is inspired by the South Church community and appreciates the opportunity to serve South Church as a member of the Board of Trustees.

Board Members

Angela Newbury 

Angela has been attending South Church since she was an infant, when her Dad was a "deacon" (the old version of the board) and sextant and her mom was in the choir. She joined again as a newlywed 15 years ago, and has since served several terms as a pastoral associate, Spirit Play teacher since the program's inception, and regular member of small group ministry. She enjoys crocheting during services, while her three kids are involved in Religious Education. Angela is studying to be a CranioSacral Therapist, with a private practice in Eliot, Maine. In her spare time, she enjoys nature walks, herbalism, seasonal crafting, and painting.

Charlotte Ramsay

Charlotte has been attending South Church since 2019. She is active in immigration work and was the co-leader of the volunteer team supporting an Afghan family in Portsmouth 2022-23 and is co-convenor of the South Church Immigrant Support Fund steering committee. She has been a UU for over 40 years and at her previous church in Canton, NY served as treasurer and later as President of Church Council. Charlotte enjoys public service and was on the Canton School Board and the Canton Village Board. A retired early childhood educator and school psychologist, she lives in Durham, NH where she is currently on the Durham Public Library Board. She enjoys gardening, walking, and spending time with her family, especially her 5 grandsons. Charlotte is excited about becoming more involved in South Church as a member of the Board.

Paul Strand 

Paul has been a member of South Church for over 30 years. He was married at South Church in 1990 and he and his wife Deanna have been faithful members since that time. Paul has served on a variety of committees including a previous stint on the board, the ministerial search committee for reverence Chris and Lauren, the committee on ministry, and the interim search committee. He has preached a sermon or two over the years and had a 3-year term as a worship associate.

Peter Somssich

 

Born in Budapest, Hungary, Peter is a product of three cultures:  Hungarian, German and American. His parents were refugees to the United States from Hungary in 1956, but subsequently he spent 17 years in Germany and returned to the US in 1983 taking a scientific position, finding a new home in Amherst, NH. Peter's education started in Hungary, continued in the US and ended at a German high school.  He received a Ph.D. in physics in Germany before moving to the US.  Subsequently, he earned an MBA from Lesley College in Boston.  During Peter's career as a material scientist, he joined Amnesty International, and worked for 30 years for “Prisoners of Conscience” worldwide.  While in Amherst, he coached recreation track & field, served as a Library Trustee and Landfill Commissioner.  In Amherst, Peter was Democratic Chair, and after moving, served in that same capacity in Portsmouth.  His wife Kathleen and he joined South Church in 2002.  In Portsmouth, Peter was an election official, and since 2016 represent Portsmouth as a State Representative (Science Technology & Energy Committee).  After 34 years, he retired from Sylvania Lighting in 2016 as a laboratory manager, but still retains his interest in energy, lighting and climate change issues.  Peter led the private effort to illuminate our Memorial Bridge with LEDs.  Peter and his wife enjoy traveling, with our favorite destinations being:  London, Germany, Hungary and Long Beach, CA.

Mark Eves

Mark Eves lives in North Berwick, Maine with his wife Laura and their three children: Elaina, Lucas and Naomi. Mark is the Executive Director of Woodfords Family Services, a Maine based non-profit organization working with children and adults with autism and intellectual disabilities. He has worked with community based non-profit mental health organizations for more than 20 years. Mark served in the Maine House of Representatives for 8 years from 2008-2016, four of which were Speaker of the House, advocating for a variety of social, economic, and environmental priorities. Mark has served as President of the Maine Association of Marriage and Family Therapy as well as serving on the Boards of York Hospital and the Maine Association of Community Service Providers. Mark and his family have been members of South Church since 2012 after being drawn to the children's Religious Education program, and finding a community where they can explore and grow in their spiritual journey together. 

Theo Wiegand

Theo Wiegand has been a member of South Church since 2015. He has been active in the South Church choir since joining and enjoys participating musically. In 2019, he the attended the Our Whole Lives training program and has been filling in as a facilitator here at South Church on a regular basis. He and his wife, Eleanor Kane, are the owners of Brasen Hill Farm in Barrington, NH. They live on the farm with their daughter Evelyn (1) as well as three dogs, two cats, and numerous farm animals. Theo joined the Board of Trustees in 2023 and looks forward to learning as much as possible about the South Church congregation. 

Matt Madeira

Matt Madeira and his wife, Martha Netsch, have lived in Portsmouth since the mid-1990s. They joined South Church in 2003 shortly after the arrival of their daughter and son. Since then, Matt has been an active member serving on various committees including Personnel, Endowment and Co-Chair of the ABC committee. In the greater community, Matt is actively involved with coaching a high school tennis team, fund raising for The Housing Partnership, and a volunteer for the Appalachian Mountain Club. Active sailors, Matt and Martha are proud members of the Bass Harbor Yacht Club. Professionally, Matt joined Kidder, Peabody & Co in 1979 as a trainee and has been in the financial service industry ever since. In 2016 he joined Steward Partners in Portsmouth as a Vice-president and Wealth Manager