Get to Know Your Leaders: The Next Class of Elders and Deacons
One of the unique things about the Presbyterian church is our commitment to electing leadership from within our Church Family. They serve alongside our members, staff, and pastoral team in a number of ways. Our Elders provide leadership and prayerful direction as stewards of the church’s vision, and our Deacons provide nurture, care, and support to our Church Family. Both roles are essential in the life of the church.
Get to know our leaders
For the office of Elder:
Grace Brown
Grace and Jeff have three children - Martha Mayes (12), Allie (10), and David (8). We moved to Orlando for Jeff's work in 2015 and attended First Pres within days of moving, along with our neighbors, Reid and Jan Cox. Jeff owns a flooring business in Clermont, and Grace has been a college counselor with The College Map for almost ten years. Meredith Carpenter and Grace have spent years leading the Fellows women in discipleship. Jeff and Grace have served as a host home, an Elder, and a Deacon.
Justin Domeck
Justin has been married to Hailey Domeck for sixteen years and has two daughters, Heidi Rose (8) and Waverley (5). Justin was born in Columbus, OH (go Buckeyes!), but moved to Orlando as a child. After graduating from Furman University in Greenville, SC, Justin spent one year living in Turkey working with Cru, before moving back to Orlando. Justin and Hailey have been Covenant Partners at First Pres since 2011, and Justin has served as an Elder at First Pres for the past three years.
Kent W Sterchi
Kent has been happily married to Michelle for forty-three years (they were married in the Chapel in 1983). They have two children: Lindsay, married to Elliott Drake, and John, married to Astrid. They have five grandkids, Avery (17), Lucas (15), and Linton (13) Drake, and Aron (4) and Ada (2) Sterchi. Kent and Michelle have been involved in the life of First Pres for all of their married life, raised their children here, and have been involved in countless ministries. Over the past twenty years, the Sterchis have led hundreds of engaged couples into marriage through their ministry, Dwell, and together they lead marriage retreats in the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica. Kent is so honored to become a ruling Elder and is super excited to serve his beloved church, having been a covenant partner for fifty-six years.
Carolyn Caplan
Carolyn has been a longtime member of First Pres, having been raised in this church. She is married to John, a past Elder, and has two adult children, Wesley (Ashton) and Chris, plus two granddaughters. Carolyn has been active in Women's Ministry Bible Studies and continues to lead a very special small group. She has served two terms as a Deacon and is looking forward to further serving First Pres in the role of Elder.
Shannon Basso
Shannon Basso is a daughter of First Presbyterian, joining the church with her family over thirty-five years ago! Shannon has served our church family in a variety of ways over the years and is humbled to step into the role of Elder. She is passionate about discipleship and had the privilege of serving as the Director of Women's Ministry at First Pres for five years. Shannon and her husband, Justin, were married at First Pres in 2003, and they have three beautiful kids, Evelyn (19), William (17), and Olivia (15).
John David Mitchell
John David ("JD") Mitchell is a husband, a father, a worker, and a friend who has been rooted in Orlando since birth. John David is married to his childhood sweetheart, Anna Bret, and takes joy in the shared work of building a marriage and a family. Anna Bret and John David have two children: Anne Warren (3 years old) and Jack (7 months old). John David works at Broadcrest, an investment partnership where he seeks to hone the art of investing in quality businesses. He met the Lord as a child, became a covenant partner at First Pres in 2020, and is convicted by God's call to advance the Kingdom via the local church.
FOR THE OFFICE OF DEACON:
Vicky Mixson
Vicky Mixson recently retired from Wycliffe Bible Translators, where she served as Executive Vice President and Chief Communications Officer. She and her husband, Bob, have two grown children, Patrick (married to Amy) and Natalie (married to Rick), and are the proud grandparents of five grandsons. At First Pres, Vicky has served as a Stephen Minister and currently serves as a trustee of the Heart of the City Foundation. She is passionate about encouraging others, serving our church community, and investing in the next generation.
Donna T MacNichol
Donna MacNichol has been a covenant partner at First Pres since 1992. Donna and her late husband, Nick, raised their children in the church as their whole family served in many areas. Donna sang in the choir for many years, taught Sunday School, served in VBS, and is now an active Stephen Minister. Donna is the school nurse at The Christ School.
Hattie Summer
Hattie Summer has two sons, Kyle and Kevin. Kyle and his family live in St. Petersburg, whilst Kevin and his family are members of First Pres. She is a retired teacher from OCPS, followed by ten wonderful years at Weekday School. Hattie is part of a Women’s Bible Study group, a Life Group, a past Deacon, and recently trained as a Stephen Minister.
Linda B Bailey
Linda has been a member of First Presbyterian Church of Orlando since 1998, when she and her husband, Mike, and children, Julianne and David, joined as a family. Her parents, Lurene and Don Braswell Sr., brought her up in a strong Christian home. They were an active part of their church, attending services on Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night, as well as many church camps. Her daughter, Julianne, lives in Tampa and was married to Danny Hendrickson at First Pres in 2008. She and Danny have two children, Blake, 12, and Bailey, 10. Her son, David, is married to Samantha, and they have twin boys aged 2 1/2 and live in Orlando. Linda enjoys spending time with her family, being an active part of each of her grandchildren's lives, being involved with her Bible Study group, traveling, reading, gardening, the Flower Ministry at First Pres, and helping elderly friends.
Spencer Pelfrey
Spencer has been a First Pres Covenant Partner since 2020, shortly after he moved from his home state of Virginia. His wife, Courtney, and their three kids live in Winter Park. Spencer works in philanthropy and enjoys working with individuals, families, and foundations on their personal legacies and community impact. When not working or chasing around the kids, Spencer is probably running, cooking, or doing some soccer-related activity.
Daryl Place
Daryl and Alex have been married for thirty-six years. They met in a Methodist Youth Fellowship in Coral Gables, Florida. Daryl and Alex have three children, Parker, Lee, and Easton. Their sons grew up at Winter Park Methodist Church, started attending First Pres during COVID, and became Covenant Partners a few years ago.
Cher Headley
Cher has lived in Central Florida for over sixty-five years. She has been married to her husband, Chip, for almost forty-nine years. They have four amazing children and seven beautiful grandchildren who all live within ten minutes of them! Cher is blessed in the caretaking of her grands, playing with her five Cavaliers, and enjoys her Bible Study Fellowship group and serving on the hospitality team at First Pres.
Carol Henry Lee
After growing up Methodist in Bartow, FL, attending a Southern Baptist university in the middle of the Jesus Freak movement, and then attending UF with mostly Catholic friends, Carol Lee finally found her home and joined First Pres as a single mom with son Jeff in 1997. After “signing up” as a member, Jeff grabbed his mom’s hand and said, “We have a church family!” And that they did! With a desire to be involved with the church, Carol was soon teaching Sunday School, leading a few Bible study groups, serving as a Deacon and later as a Stephen Minister, assisting the Camp Geneva director for many summers, and volunteering often during Jeff’s Weekday School and TCS years. Now she attends church with her son, his wife Jessie, their daughter Parker, and another; Baby Lee is on the way. After working mostly as a technical/digital project manager and a stint teaching manners after school at TCS, Carol is retired and can’t figure out how she’s busier now than when she was working!
Annalea Krumm
Annalea Krumm is an Orlando native and has been a part of First Pres since 2019, when she participated in the Orlando Heart of the City Fellows program. She works in the community as a mental health counselor who provides play therapy for children and counseling for teens and adults. First Pres has been a meaningful part of her post-college and early adult years, providing a place where her faith has deepened through meaningful relationships, discipleship, and opportunities to serve others. Annalea and her husband, Kyle, recently welcomed their first child, Arthur, and are grateful to be raising their family within the church community.
Emma Allen
Emma Allen is married to her husband, John, and works in digital marketing and public relations. She is grateful to have been a part of the First Pres church family since 2023 and has been thankful for the ways the Lord has used the church to deepen her love for Christ. Emma has been involved in the church through the Orlando Fellows program, small groups, weekly worship, and other service opportunities. She is grateful for the opportunity to serve as a deacon and to support the church body in practical and compassionate ways.
Betsy McClelland
Betsy has been married to Bob for over thirty years. They have two grown children and a brand-new granddaughter, Dorothy Joan, aka Dot, to parents Alex (McClelland) and Chane Rennie. Will McClelland is attending UC Davis. Betsy has been attending First Pres since 1992, and this will be her 2nd Deacon term.
Marnie McCree
Marnie McCree graduated from Auburn University with a Bachelor in Architecture. She is a proud mom to two beautiful children, Marilyn and Tommy Waldrop. She has grown in her faith as a covenant partner for twenty-five years, serving in the flower ministry, Choir, Stephen Ministry, and Deacon role. After much love and support from First Pres, Marnie founded Camaraderie Foundation in 2009. Currently, she chairs the Orlando Health Philanthropy Council. She loves spending time with family, friends, and her best friend Gracie, a Boykin Spaniel.
Tam Costar
Tam Costar and her husband, Chuck, are active members of First Pres and are blessed with four children: Emily, Kate, Caroline, and Baker. At First Pres, she is a committed member of a weekly small group, regularly attends Case Thorp’s Formation hour, and enjoys working in the church nursery. Professionally, she serves as the Director of Admission at The Geneva School. Tam is thankful for the ways in which First Pres has blessed her and her family.
Glenna Hancock
Glenna loves her Lord, her First Pres family, and is excited to serve as Deacon another three years! She is a multi-generational Floridian, having grown up in a Citrus Family in her hometown of Leesburg in Lake County. She earned a Journalism degree in 1974 from the University of Florida and worked in professional sports, Disney, the automotive industry, and Country Clubs! Glenna is retired, loves people, and stays busy serving on the First Pres Flower Ministry and any other spot where she can be of service. Her goal is to know and befriend every Covenant Partner, and she's just about 3/4 of the way to that goal!