Program Consultant for
Lifespan Faith Development and Youth Ministries
Jan Gartner

A Credentialed Religious Educator and lifelong Unitarian Universalist, Jan comes to us with nine years of congregational staff experience.  She previously served as Director of Religious Education at First Unitarian Church of Rochester, NY, where she retains congregational membership.  Jan will continue in her current, part-time position as Director of Religious Education at First Universalist Church of Rochester.

Jan has enjoyed nurturing the development and well-being of our religious professionals through various volunteer roles.  She recently held the Professional Concerns portfolio on the Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA) Board, coordinating the LREDA Good Offices program and serving as Board liaison to the UUA's Religious Education Credentialing Program.  She is the Good Officer for the Seaway Chapter of LREDA, a mentor in the Religious Education Credentialing Program, and the religious educator on the Music Leadership Credentialing Committee. 

Within the St. Lawrence District, Jan has been active in membership, inclusion, and leadership development efforts.  She is currently a member of the SLD Nominating Committee, which is evolving to include leadership development functions.  A member of the regional Unitarian Universalist Leadership Team Institute (UULTI) Design Team since 2008, Jan served as Dean for the SLD/UULTI Leadership Retreat in the summers of 2009 and 2010.  She has facilitated leadership and radical hospitality workshops at the congregational, cluster, and district levels.

Jan received her B.A. in Psychology/Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of Michigan, and her M.S.E. in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania.  She has perfect pitch, she's a vegetarian, and her favorite color is purple.  Jan and her husband, Mike Weinstein, live in Pittsford, NY; they have three children.  Jan is thrilled to be joining our staff and looks forward to working with – and learning from – the people and congregations of the Ohio-Meadville District!