Meet our Staff

Meet our Staff

Pastoral
Parish Associates
Program Staff
Music Ministries
Children’s Ministries
Youth Ministries
Administrative
Adult Education
Congregational Care
Communications
Information Technology
Audio / Video Techs
Facilities
Westminster School For Young Children

Pastor and Head of Staff

Donovan Drake

Pastor | Head of Staff Donovan was born in Waukegan, IL, and grew up in Orange City, IA, and Vincennes, IN. A graduate of Northwestern College in Orange City, Donovan also holds a M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ, and a D.Min. from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. He has served churches in Morganton, NC, and Durham, NC. His primary areas of interest and experience in ministry include preaching, teaching and pastoral care. Donovan is married to Beth Beran…
Associate Pastor (Adult Education)

Guy D. Griffith

Guy Griffith is of Welsh ancestry and was raised in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.  An avid reader, Guy is nurtured by art, the theatre, and nature. A lifelong learner, he enjoys reading and writing poetry.  He holds a D.Min. from Columbia Theological Seminary (Christian Spirituality); a M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary (Homiletics and Missiology); and a B.A. from the American University, School of International Service (International Relations with a minor in philosophy/religion). Prior to joining Westminster’s staff, he served churches in Alpharetta…
Associate Pastor (Young Families)

Ashley Higgins

Ashley is the Associate Pastor for Young Families. In this role, she provides leadership, support, and pastoral care for the church’s program and mission with the specific demographic of parents with children birth through fifth grade. She works closely with Sophie Maness, our Director of Children’s Ministry, is in relationship with the Westminster School of Young Children, actively participates in Sunday Morning worship leadership, and sees her role very intertwined with the intergenerational community of Westminster.  Ashley grew up in Small…
Executive Director of Children & Community Life

Sophie Maness

Sophie Maness was born in Richmond, Virginia and grew up in the Presbyterian Church. She received her BA in psychology from Randolph-Macon College and her MA from the Presbyterian School of Christian Education in Richmond. As a certified Christian Educator, Sophie has enjoyed working with children and parents for over twenty years. Her husband Roger has recently retired from thirty-nine years of service to the Presbyterian Church. Her twins, Jerry and Sophie Ann, have recently graduated from college. Sophie and…
Parish Associate (Congregational Care)

Stephanie Boaz

Stephanie Boaz is a graduate of Sweet Briar College and Princeton Theological Seminary. She was ordained in 1998 as a Minister Of Word and Sacrament in the PCUSA. Since then, she has served churches in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Georgia. She moved to Tennessee with her husband, Craig, and son, John, in 2021 to be closer to family. They live in Hermitage with their dog Bali. The Boaz family began attending Westminster during the Fall of 2022 with Craig joining…
Director of Theology and Community Initiatives

Will Wellman

Will is serving as the Director of Theology and Community Initiatives. He is originally from Florida and last served as a Director of Adult Faith Formation at Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church in Tampa.  Will has an undergraduate degree in Horticulture from University of Florida and a Master of Science in Forestry from the University of Kentucky. He is also a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary and was ordained in 2018.  Will is also a writer, poet, and the cofounder of The…
Parish Associate (Youth Ministries)

Adam DeVries

Adam is a graduate of Sewanee, and received his Masters of Divinity and Masters of Arts in Youth Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary. Adam served as the High School Youth Outreach Director at FPC Nashville from 2004 to 2007. From 2007 to 2010, he served as the Chaplain at Alliance Academy International in Quito Ecuador. From 2014 through 2022 Adam was the Associate Pastor for Youth and their Families at First Presbyterian Church of Nashville, TN. His work at FPC included a combination of volunteer…
Director of Music

John Semingson

John Semingson is the Director of Music Ministries for Westminster Presbyterian Church, where he oversees a multi-faceted music program, involving nearly two hundred (200) children, youth and adults.  Prior to this, John served as Minister of Music and Organist at the Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in Asheville, North Carolina; Director of the University of North Carolina-Asheville Community Chorus; the Carolina Chamber Singers; and was Centennial Summer Director and Organist for the Montreat Conference Center.  Since his childhood days in the…
Organist and Associate Director of Music

Dale Nickell

Dale Nickell is excited to be Westminster Presbyterian Church’s new Organist and Associate Director of Music Ministries! He had previously been the Director of Music Ministries at First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, TN, where he played the organ and directed the Adult Choir, Children’s Choirs, and Handbell Choir.  Dale received his Master’s Degree in Organ Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music in the studio of Nathan Laube. At Eastman, he also studied improvisation and clavichord with William…
Youth & Missions Program Coordinator

Hannah Norris

Hannah was born and raised in Nicholasville, Kentucky, as a lifelong Presbyterian. She received her BA in English Literature and Religion from Maryville College and her MA in Mission and Discipleship from Dubuque Theological Seminary. Hannah has served Presbyterian Churches in Youth Ministry for the past 18+ years in Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Hannah loves to find ways to help youth connect more deeply to the church and their faith: whether that be through mission trips and service projects,…
MLC Graduate Resident

Julius Hooper

Julius hails from Hendersonville North Carolina. A recent graduate from Western Carolina University, Julius received a degree in Parks and Recreation Management. His love for the outdoors and spiritual guidance comes from Camp Henry, located in the Canton, North Carolina; he has served there as a counselor, as well as, directing their outdoor backpacking program. Julius is passionate about bringing diversity to the outdoor adventure side of recreation and brings with him years of experience working with youth. In his…
Youth Ministry Intern

Nathan Scott

Nathan is from Albany, NY, and lived there until 2022 when he moved to Nashville to attend Lipscomb University. At Lipscomb, he got his undergraduate degree in Pastoral Leadership and is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity there as well. Nathan has had a wide variety of ministry experiences, having interned in birth all the way to high school-aged ministries, and has been a Resident Assistant while at Lipscomb. He enjoys basketball, hiking, board games, and road trips to Buc-ee’s. …
Pastoral Care Youth Engagement Resident

Jessie King

Jessie was born and raised in Boone, North Carolina, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She recently graduated from Belmont University here in Nashville, where she studied Faith and Social Justice. During her college summers, she worked in various roles at Camp Henry, an Episcopal Summer camp located in Western North Carolina. While in Nashville, she gained experience in ministry in multiple settings (including here at Westminster!), and deeply valued her time as a part of UKirk.  During her time…
Executive Director of Operations

Jo Ann McFarlin

Jo Ann relocated to Nashville from Oklahoma City, where she was the Executive Director of Westminster Presbyterian Church for more than 13 years. Prior to that, she lived in Chicago and was the Business Administrator at 4th Presbyterian Church for 3 years.  When she relocated to Chicago, she came from Tulsa, Oklahoma and was the Church Administrator at First Presbyterian Church for more than 12 years.  She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a major in…
Children’s Ministry Coordinator

Jaleen Rayburn

Audio / Video Tech

Joe Debusk

Sexton

John Penton

Sexton

JW Pryor

Sexton

Mary Davis

Lead Maintenance

Steven Fradette

Sexton

Teviona Ridley