Staff & Board

Crossing Staff

Mallory Moore: Executive Director

I am so excited to be a part of The Crossing! I began as Executive Director in November of 2017 and am thrilled about what The Crossing stands for and all the passion I see in the staff and students. I love being a transplant to Madison, where there is so much to do all year round. My fiancée Dan and I love exploring the city, and sometimes our pup Nora gets to tag along. I grew up in a suburb of Chicago then moved to central Illinois for college at Illinois State University. It was at my campus ministry, ISU Wesley, in undergrad that I realized God’s call for me to be in ministry. After a few years of work in youth ministry, I moved to Evanston, Illinois for seminary at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary where I received my Masters of Divinity in 2015. Life seemed to go full circle when my campus minister at ISU Wesley hired me as the Campus Minister/Associate Director.  I am grateful I have the privilege of navigating life with the UW community through all the amazing ministry at The Crossing.

I am passionate about campus ministry and creating space for college-aged people to be authentically who they are. I believe that we need each other to ask questions, talk about the hard topics, learn how to love the way God calls us to love, and of course laugh and have so much fun along the way.

I can’t wait to meet you- please come say hi! Even better, let’s go for coffee or lunch at your favorite local spot! Contact me at mallory@crossingministries.org. 

 

Karla Schmidt: Campus Minister
As we begin the 2019-20 school year in September, we are excited to welcome back returning students as well as new students who will find in the Crossing a space of welcome and belonging.  I have been with The Crossing since 2001 and feel so blessed by the many students who have enriched us with their presence.  I grew up in the Midwest (a small town in southern Illinois) attending Illinois State University majoring in History (Middle East focus) and Anthropology.  After graduation from Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis, I did an internship with PrairieFire Rural Action in Des Moines, IA and then served churches in Peoria Heights, Il; Madison, WI; and Whitewater, WI.  Since 2001 it has been my joy to serve as Campus Minister at the Crossing.

Here at the Crossing we seek to offer a ‘space for grace’ where your own faith journey can be nurtured (even as you encounter questions, doubts, and challenging life situations).

It has been exciting to work with the various traditions which support The Crossing.  I find myself embracing each tradition and their convictions of:

  • “God is still speaking”  (United Church of Christ, the tradition in which I am ordained)
  • “Open minds, Open hearts, Open doors”  (United Methodist welcome of everyone)
  • “Soul Freedom” (American Baptist belief that we each have our own faith experience and understanding beyond dogma)

I also embrace the Quaker understanding of the ‘inner light’ and the value of contemplative practices to open our hearts and minds more deeply to the Christ within.  As I grow in my own spiritual journey, I more and more embrace FR Richard Rohr’s understanding of God when he writes:   “God’s life of love is being lived within you, and you must simply learn how to say yes to that life. If you exist on a level where you can see how ‘everything belongs,’ you can trust the flow and trust the life.”

What a gift it is to offer a space where you as students can explore your spiritual lives and beliefs and commitment to service during your university career.  Come visit and find your place among us!  Consider the Crossing a home away from home – a community where you are known and loved.  I am excited to meet YOU!  If you have questions or would just like to visit, please contact me at karla@crossingministries.org.

 

Benjamin Coakley: Director of Worship & Office Administrator

I’m so excited to be joining this awesome community! I stumbled onto The Crossing unexpectedly, but I’m glad I did. I am a Wisconsin native (Janesville is home) and I love Madison! In 2017, I graduated from Spring Arbor University in southern Michigan. I have a degree in Pastoral Ministry, but my focus was on worship arts.

I’ve always been enamored by the various traditions of Christian worship. At the heart, our timeless rituals are made up of everyday, human practices: singing together, eating together, and sharing in one another’s joys and burdens. I hope The Crossing can be a place where you bring your whole self to worship and take a seat at the table that God offers to everyone — with no exceptions.

I’m eager to get to know the UW community. I may be an introvert, but I love meeting new people, so don’t be afraid to say hi! Let me know what music you’ve been jamming to, the best coffee shops to hit up, or what classes you’re loving (I’m a huge nerd at heart). You can contact me at: benjamin@crossingministries.org

 

Andi Nelson: Building Manager & Program Intern
I am incredibly blessed I stumbled upon The Crossing as a student here a little over 2 years ago; they have welcomed me into their space lovingly as well as provided a supportive environment where I can continue to grow in my faith. As a senior here at UW, I am excited to step up to the position of intern where I will focus on expanding community outreach and leadership opportunities for our students. Additionally, I will continue to manage weekly free food recovery meals to strive for sustainability, nourishment, and community within our campus. When I am not in my office listening to music I am most likely on an adventure around the Madison area, traveling to see family, or cuddling with my Border Terrier, Belle. You can contact me at andi@crossingministries.org 

 

Robert SchuettpelzRobert Schuettpelz: CPA, Crossing Financial Consultant
I am excited to take the experience I have gained over the years working with other not-for-profits and apply it to the Crossing.  I have 18 years of experience in public accounting working with a wide range of not-for-profit organizations.  I am the proud father of two nine year old children adopted from Russia eight years ago.  I am also the Executive Director for a Madison based NGO working in Ukraine called Friends of Chernobyl Centers U.S. (FOCCUS).

Crossing Board of Directors

We are thankful for the thoughtful guidance and oversight that we receive from our talented Board of Directors. Each of our Board members brings something special to our ministry, and we treasure their ongoing investment of time, wisdom, and support.

Barbara Dick, President
A member of Wellspring United Methodist Church, I serve on the Spiritual Formation Resource Team for the Wisconsin Annual Conference. I work as a freelance editor for Abingdon Press, Westminster John Knox, and other religious publishers on a wide variety of leadership, worship, and preaching resources, including The Wesley Study Bible. I am coauthor of Equipped for Every Good Work (with my wonderful husband Dan). I believe in the strength of relational leadership for the church shared between caring, informed clergy and laity who understand the responsibility of the freedom we have chosen in following Christ. I am the proud mom of Greg, a true inspiration and a firefighter in Asheville, NC, and of stepson Joshua, a fine young man and a student of mathematics in NYC. I am thrilled to serve on The Crossing board. This ministry is a witness of light and hope for all people of faith.

Edmond Ramly, Vice President
I have been connected with The Crossing in a number of ways since I lived in its international housing cooperative in 2007, when I moved to Madison. I grew up in Beirut, Lebanon, and still visit my parents there every year. My two younger brothers both live here too, working on the east coast and west coast. I value learning and love engaging my imagination and creativity in various ways. I am a health systems engineer on faculty at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, where my research and teaching focus on improving preventive care care processes in specialty clinics and long-term care. In the rest of my time, I am an actor and organizational development coach with Atlas Improv Company and enjoy painting, writing, dancing, hiking, and cooking with friends.


Kristen Seashore, Secretary
I began attending The Crossing as a student during my junior year of college in 2007. I fell in love with Vespers services and kept coming back. The pastors, staff, musicians, and students were welcoming and helped guide me as I followed my own faith journey. In 2010 I was able to go on the first Quest Kenya trip, which was a life-changing experience. Since then, I have been a big proponent of The Crossing’s Quest trips and their impact on the students. I have since graduated and now work as an engineer at GE Healthcare in Madison, but I continue to stay tied to The Crossing. My husband and I were lucky enough to have Rev. Karla Schmidt perform our wedding ceremony in 2013, which made it even more meaningful to both of us. I am excited to join The Crossing’s Board of Directors and start a new journey with this wonderful ministry!


Anna Walther, Student Liaison
As of May 2019, Anna will be a senior, studying Community and Environmental Sociology with a concentration in analysis and research. She spends most of her time working and volunteering with the Badger Volunteers program, Morgridge Center for Public Service, Institute for Research on Poverty, and, of course, The Crossing. She loves birds, black coffee, sitting in the sun, and cooking vegan food.

 

 

Dan R. Dick
Dan R. Dick currently serves as Assistant to the Bishop with the Wisconsin Annual Conference. He served as the Director of Connectional Ministries (2009–2015). Dan worked for the General Board of Discipleship in Nashville, TN for 15 years: providing resources in stewardship, leadership development, spiritual formation, congregational and conference planning, spiritual direction, spiritual gifts discovery, and conflict transformation. He continues to author the blog, United Methodeviations (doroteos2@wordpress.com), and has been a speaker and teacher around the world. Author of fourteen books and hundreds of articles, Dan is also an avid reader and loves to play with new ideas. He and his wife, Barbara, live in Sun Prairie.

 

Gil Emmert
I retired from the UW faculty (Dept. of Engineering Physics) in 2001. I am still involved in research part-time at the UW as a way to keep my brain cells functioning. I attend First Baptist Church, where I help with the sound system, building issues, and the church web page. I am committed to ecumenical campus ministry, having served on the boards of directors for Madison Campus Ministry, United Ministries in Higher Education – Wisconsin, Francis Wayland Foundation, and now The Crossing. I have been an admirer of The Crossing’s vital and creative ministry since its creation; it has been a great pleasure to me to watch the ministry develop.

 

Bill Fiore
I came to Madison in 1993 after taking an early exit from my corporate job. I have been blessed to work with students ever since arriving. I have always loved the youth and young adults, and the opportunity to serve them once again inspires me. I am in my 19th year as a daily volunteer at O’Keefe Middle School, working in a 6th grade math class. I began serving in Campus ministry in 1994 and have served continuously since then, taking off only a year in 2016. Returning this year excites me because working with the incredible staff and board of The Crossing is simply a pleasure.

 

Mark Fowler
Mark A. Fowler is the lead pastor of First United Methodist Church in Madison, WI. The church is a leader in the capital city. It has chosen to be “downtown for good” and exercise a dynamic public ministry as well as nurture a vibrant congregation. Fowler is the former Leiffer Associate Professor of Congregational Leadership and executive director of the Institute for Transformative Leaders and Communities at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.  He also taught United Methodist Studies and Preaching. The ongoing focus of Dr. Fowler’s work is to bring together the resources of a formative seminary with living communities of faith to develop and empower visionary, vibrant and missional leaders for the church. Fowler holds the Wilbur C. Zieglar Preaching Award and his sermons are featured in a collection from other winners of the award in Unfinished Business. Among journal articles and contributions to other publications, he has authored two editions of Mentoring Into Vocation for the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of The United Methodist Church. Fowler has led workshops and lectured in South Africa, South Korea, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the United Kingdom.  He has been part of the original development team for the Plus program in partnership with the Kellogg School of Management as well as the foundational Vocational Formation and Church Leadership program for Master’s students at G-ETS.  Dr. Fowler serves as a resource to the church, a widely travelled preacher and speaker.

 

Breanna Illéné
I am the pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church, located less than a mile from The Crossing. I believe in the power of campus ministry and credit my own undergrad experiences with helping shape who I am today. I have a strong interest in social justice, multicultural ministry, and thinking about where the church is headed in the future—all things that happen at the Crossing. When I’m not working, you can find me hanging out with my husband, Andy, traveling, or having friends over to eat interesting foods.

 

 

Julie Luecke
Dr. Julie Luecke in an associate professor and associate dean for Graduate Programs in the School of Education at Edgewood College. She was an elementary classroom teacher for nine years before moving into higher education. She is a member at Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ, involved for many years in children’s programming and serving as a trained Our Whole Lives instructor for middle school youth. She received her BS in Elementary Education from the UW, an M.Ed. in Curriculum from the University of Illinois, and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the UW (including an inspiring course in Spiritually Centered Leadership).  During her graduate studies she took a year off to volunteer at Ongwediva College of Education in Namibia.  Julie currently teaches children’s literature at both undergraduate and graduate levels, and undergraduate courses in wellness and gender in education, which grows out of her research interest in building support structures for gender expansive students and their peers  through educational policy and practice. She has also participated in the Madison/Dane County Courage to Teach yearlong series of professional development and renewal retreats. Julie is honored to be a member of The Crossing community through serving on the Board.

Jason Mack
The Rev. Jason Mack is an ordained pastor in The American Baptist Churches of Wisconsin and the associate pastor at First Baptist in Madison where he leads an alternative worship service: “Common Table” (www.commontablemadison.org). Pastor Jason has a degree in Theatre from the University of Washington and an M.Div from Wesley Seminary. Jason is married to Tara Drozdenko, and together they have one son, Ethan, in elementary school. Jason is passionate about the church, reaching out to all people with the good news of God’s universal love, and helping to foster beloved community where people’s lives can be changed.