From the Rev. Dr. Terasa Cooley, UUA Director for Congregational Life, and Janine Larsen, UUA Pacific Northwest District Executive:
Tandi Rogers
We are delighted to announce that Tandi Rogers, currently serving the UUA in two half-time positions as (1) Growth Strategies Specialist and (2) Program Specialist in the Pacific Northwest District (PNWD), will be moving to full-time as the UUA Growth Strategies Specialist as of July 1, 2012.
This move underscores our commitment to growth of Unitarian Universalism by strengthening resources available through the UUA Growth Strategies Office, which was established last year as part of the Congregational Life staff team.
While Tandi will work primarily from her home in Tacoma, WA, she will have a regular presence at UUA offices in Boston, and will travel throughout the UUA to work with congregations, districts and regions. Tandi will continue to work closely with the Rev. Stefan Jonasson, Director of Growth Strategies and Large Congregation Development.
Tandi has served the UUA in the Pacific Northwest District since 2002. In her ten years, Tandi has supported new and emerging congregations, leadership development, Lifespan Faith Development, youth and young adult ministries, social and environmental justice activities and consulting, and has facilitated networks for lay leaders serving their congregations in worship arts and pastoral care.
Tandi was instrumental in developing the use of webinars for leadership training and coaching in the Pacific Northwest and for the entire Pacific Western Region of the UUA. She greatly advanced the Goldmine Youth Leadership experience, and received a grant to train trainers from other parts of the UUA, allowing this vital youth program to be successfully established in other districts. Recently, Tandi initiated a “Faithful Leadership” program for small congregation leaders in the PNWD, for which the district was awarded a pilot grant.
In 2010/11, Tandi was tapped to lead the UUA’s office of Youth & Young Adult Ministries as Interim Director, and was released from her PNWD duties part-time in order to so serve. The following year, she was chosen to help launch the Office of Growth Strategies, splitting her time equally with her PNWD position. Tandi is a Credentialed Religious Educator (Master Level), holds a Master’s degree in Education and is a Candidate for the Ministry.
The PNWD is currently exploring shared and expanded staffing with other districts in the Pacific Western Region, and will be making decisions about future staffing configurations in the next few weeks. No loss in service is anticipated. More information will be announced as plans are determined.
Tandi’s energy and enthusiasm has buoyed and strengthened the PNWD, its leaders and its congregations for ten years. We are extremely pleased that her many gifts and passions will be more broadly shared in years to come as full-time Growth Strategies Specialist for the UUA. We will miss her focus and influence on the PNWD, but we look forward to working with her in new ways as our Association’s Growth Strategies Specialist! There is no change to Tandi’s email address, trogers@uua.org. She will continue to serve the PNWD through June 30, 2012.
A message from Tandi:
I am so grateful to the Pacific NW District congregations and leaders for raising me into the religious leader that I am. Over the years you have modeled innovation, initiative, collaboration, and generosity. I will take your spirit with me and spread that good growth life-force throughout the Association and beyond. You have extended me safe, encouraging space to experiment, sometimes fail, to learn and to grow. I want that for all our religious leaders and will work to make that so. May we cultivate new ways of partnering together to grow joyful, vibrant Unitarian Universalism. Thank you for my strong start. May I make you proud!