Ministers and Staff
MINISTRY
Rev. Leslie takahashi
LEAD MINISTER
Rev. Leslie Takahashi serves as the Lead Minister at the Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church where she has been part of the ministry for 16 years. Prior to entering into the ministry she worked as a journalist and in public policy and leadership development. Her previous positions included serving as Assistant Vice President for the 59-institution North Carolina Community College System and as the Executive Director of the Wildacres Leadership Initiative, a statewide leadership program focused on building a network of leaders across a diversity of backgrounds. Leslie is a contributing author of two books related to the impact of race and her faith and has an upcoming book called Truth, Trauma, and Transformation. She has held numerous national leadership position in her association and currently served as the president of the Unitarian Universalist Minister’s Association. She lives in Martinez with her two bully breed pups and is the mother to two remarkable adult children and is a new grandmother to two grandschildren 3 years and 10 months!
REV. DR. RODNEY LEMERY
JUSTICE AND ENGAGEMENT MINISTER
Rev. Rodney has a Master's of Divinity from Meadville Lombard Theological School and advanced degrees in Epidemiology. Currently, he serves as the Justice and Engagement Minister here at Mount Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church. He is passionate about creating a better world through service, and relationship building. With previous experience as a prison/jail minister with Worthy Now Prison Ministry and Solano County Jail, Rodney remains committed to a Love so big that it reminds us all we are not the worst thing we have done. He lives in West Contra Costa County with his husband of 22 years and their furry companion, Basil. rodney@mduuc.org
REV. JIM LEWIS
COnsulting MINISTER
Jim Lewis received his Master of Divinity from Starr King School for the Ministry and is now a fellowshipped Unitarian Universalist minister. He works primarily as a hospice chaplain and bereavement coordinator in San Rafael and has the pleasure to do some ministerial support at MDUUC. Before graduating from seminary, his focus was on music and education. Jim has a strong interest in how justice work intersects with our theology and how we find theology in popular media. Send email to jimlewis@mduuc.org
REV. RANWA HAMMAMY
AFFILIATED MINISTER
Ranwa earned her Master of Divinity degree at Union Theological Seminary, where she focused on Interreligious Engagement. She serves on the Steering Committee for DRUUMM (Diverse & Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries), and was a facilitator at the UUA’s Multicultural Leadership School for youth and young adults of color. During seminary, Ranwa served as a Lead teacher with the children’s religious education program at the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, where she created a story-based interfaith curriculum called “Patchwork.” A self-described “UU-Muslim,” Ranwa hopes to serve both living traditions in her ministry. She is also a classically-trained vocalist, cat parent, and lover of children’s books. Send email to Ranwa@mduuc.org
REV DAVID SAMMONS
MINISTER EMERITUS
Dave Sammons was ordained into the Unitarian Universalist ministry in 1965 and has served UU churches in Rochester, N.Y., Cincinnati, Ohio, and Evanston, Illinois, as well as MDUUC, where he was Minister from the end of 1983 through June, 2016. After this he served on the faculty of Starr King School for the Ministry and was had interim ministries in Golden, Colorado and San Francisco, as well as serving as consultant for the Unitarian Universalist Association and UU Ministers Association. Dave has been a part of many denominational and civic groups, including the boards of Starr King, PSR and the Graduate Theological union. He has earned several awards, including an honorary doctorate from Starr King and Outstanding Graduate from Pacific School of Religion, where he also earned a Doctor of the Ministry, to go along with his Master of Divinity from Starr King. Dave’s wife, Jan, is a retired teacher and they have five children and six grandchildren. Dave still occasionally preaches, does weddings and memorial services and serves on the Collegial Ethics Task Force of the UU Minister’s Association.
Marena McGregor
Director of religious education
Marena earned her Bachelor of Arts in musical theater with a minor in music from California State University East Bay. She has been an active participant in the Religious Education Program at MDUUC since childhood and has served in various religious educator capacities since 2010. This has included serving as the Assistant Director of Religious Education, supervising childcare staff, teaching religious education classes, leading youth and young adult programming, facilitating Our Whole Lives programming, directing family choirs and theatrical productions. When not working at MDUUC, Marena teaches music and theater to children of all ages. Send email to Marena@mduuc.org.
MUSIC
BRETT CARSON
ACCOMPANIST
Currently working toward his MA in Music Composition at Mills College in Oakland, Brett has performed and has had works performed around the country. Drawing from jazz, experimental, and concert music traditions, he seeks to incorporate an eclectic range of influences in his work. He currently performs and composes in two Oakland-based avant-garde groups, the Medium-Sized Band and Quattuor Elephantis.
ADMINISTRATION
JEN MARSH PRINK
CONGREGATIONAL ADMINISTRATOR
Jen has extensive experience in project and event management, web development, and digital marketing that she wanted to bring back to MDUUC in 2017. Although she graduated from St. John’s University with a BS in Toxicology, she started working in technical and event project management roles within a few years of graduating. She has 18 years of experience working for non-profit organizations and spent 9 years as an agency and freelance digital project manager/web developer/producer. She enjoys playing with her grandchildren, digital and watercolor painting, floral design, cooking, football, and hanging out with family in her spare time. jenm@mduuc.org
GING LEE
COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT
Ging’s blend of graphic arts design and marketing background spans the corporate realms of real estate, investing, and information technology, guiding her to MDUUC where she can contribute to a community focused on service rather than profit. Raised with Taoist and Animist beliefs, she is passionate about exploring diverse cultures, religions, and perspectives.
At home in Contra Costa County, she wrangles a lively crew: a husband, two kids, a dog named Appa Cabbage, a cat named Coco Banana, and some plants that could use some therapy. When she's not coaxing life out of her garden (fingers crossed!), she's rooting at her daughter's soccer game, grimacing at her son's tae kwon do sparring match, rescuing treasures from the roadside, and experimenting with watercolors, illustrations, and oil pastels. Want to chat? You may reach her at ging@mduuc.org.
LIAM TAKAHASHI
TECH COORDINATOR
COMING SOON! You may reach Liam at liam@mduuc.org.
