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Concrete Wall

Our Team

We are here to be of help and invite you to contact the church office with questions about First Presbyterian Church Hilton Head Island, 843.681.3696.

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Rev. Dr. William (Will) E. W. Robinson

Senior Pastor/Head of Staff

Will is committed to making disciples of the Lord and to helping people know Him and His love and to live their faith in Him. Will came to FPC as Senior Pastor/Head of Staff after serving as Senior Pastor/Head of Staff at Salem Presbyterian Church in Salem, VA. Prior to that, he was an Associate Pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Tulsa, OK. Will is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, Princeton Theological Seminary and Union Presbyterian Seminary, where he earned his Ph.D. in Biblical Studies. His revised dissertation was published as Metaphor, Morality, and the Spirit in Romans 8:1-17 (available on amazon.com). In addition to being a passionate and faithful pastor, preacher and teacher of the gospel, he enjoys writing and community service as well as art, music (including 80's hits!), reading and travel. Will and his wife Kate, a speech pathologist, have two children, Mary, who's in college, and Eddie, who's in high school. To contact, wrobinson@fpchhi.org

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Rev. Elizabeth Johnson

Associate Pastor of Congregational Evangelism and Engagement

Elizabeth was ordained in the PC(USA) in 2019 and is excited to return to her Presbyterian roots. She believes God is calling her to serve others who love God and love their neighbors as they love themselves. She is excited to join a congregation that is open to creativity in worship, courageous in their love of others, and seeks to build the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. Before coming to Hilton Head, Elizabeth served as Minister for Family and Community Life at United Church of Christ in Vero Beach, FL. She worked with families to deepen their faith, develop spiritual practices at home, and discover inter-generational fellowship opportunities. She taught a weekly Women's Bible Study, Caring and Sharing Group, and Healing After Loss Group. Elizabeth and her husband, David, are eager to explore the Lowcountry! To contact, ejohnson@fpchhi.org

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Dr. Diane Knauf

Associate Pastor of Congregational Care
and Connection

Diane is an experienced pastor who enjoys listening and being present to people as they navigate the joys and challenges of life. She likes meeting new people and making relationships and finds her role in congregational care and connection to be a great fit. Prior to joining FPC Hilton Head as Associate Pastor, she served churches in North Carolina. Her favorite Bible verse is Romans 8:38-39, a reminder that nothing can separate us from the love of God through Jesus Christ. Having grown up in Rochester NY, she and her husband, Drew, enjoy exploring the beauty of the Lowcountry. Diane received her doctorate of ministry at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in May 2023. To contact, dknauf@fpchhi.org

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Beth Green

Children's Music Director

Now in her 24th year as “The Music Lady,” Beth Green has been blessed to serve as Director of Children’s Music Ministry at FPC for 16 years. She loves working closely with Jodi & Jackie and fosters a love of music for children in preK-through-5th grade who participate in FPC’s children’s choir. Beth holds an M.Ed, with a specialty in Integrated Teaching Through the Arts, and she is also a Certified Teacher Trainer. In her role as the Founder/Director of The School for Performing Arts, she provides children with voice, piano, voiceover and audition prep lessons. She produces professional voiceovers for commercial and business applications. Beth’s favorite role is being proud Mom to her 27-year-old son who serves in the U.S. Army.

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Jane Jude

Audio/Visual Coordinator

As FPC’s Audio Visual Coordinator, Jane Jude is responsible for the systems that amplify sound, provide on-screen lyrics, scriptures and images, and broadcast services for viewing via livestream or as recorded videos. Jane prepares the worship presentation slides and pre-service announcement video loops that help inform the congregation about upcoming events.

She also recruits, trains and schedules members of the tech team who operate soundboards, cameras and computers during worship services, memorial services and other events. Jane and her husband, Keith, have been members of FPC since 1984. They have two adult children, Amelia and Stewart, and an English Cocker Spaniel named Mack. To contact, jjude@fpchhi.org

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Jodi Krivda

Assistant Director of Faith Formation

As the Assistant Director of Faith Formation, Jodi works to maintain, grow and enrich relationships with families and children. She manages the children’s Sunday School program along with its volunteer base. On Wednesdays, she works with Beth Green and other volunteers to run an afterschool program which allows children from FPC and the community to enjoy Bible study, fellowship, music enrichment, and a meal together.  Throughout the year, Jodi works on special events for children and their parents. She also contributes to the Family Ministry and Communications Ministry, as well as supporting youth and adult education activities along with Jackie Wilhelm. To contact, jkrivda@fpchhi.org

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Chad Martin

Director of Music and Organist

Dedicated to celebrating God through music, joy, and laughter, Chad is excited to serve a congregation that exemplifies Christ and his unconditional love for all people. Previously, Chad served as Director of Music Ministry and Organist at a church near Summerville, SC and participated in the Charleston Men’s Chorus. He is the Dean of the Lowcountry Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and has been a featured artist with the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra. Chad earned a master’s in music at Winthrop University and bachelor of organ performance at Anderson University. He enjoys singing in gospel quartets, playing for silent movies, dancing the “shag” (the South Carolina state dance), and writing poetry.

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Lavon Stevens

CrossRoads Worship & Music Director

As the Worship and Music director of Crossroads, Lavon brings an uplifting beat to FPC. Formerly the Minister of Music at Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church on Hilton Head for 16 years, he has also served in various capacities with other churches, communities, and charitable organizations.  Born in Thunderbolt, GA and educated in voice, piano and theater at DeKalb College in Atlanta, Lavon is equally comfortable with classical music, jazz, pop, R&B, gospel and spiritual music. His community involvement includes work with the Native Island Gullah Celebration, the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, the Junior Jazz Foundation, and the Mitchellville Restoration Project. He has two sons who are his pride and joy. 

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Jackie Wilhelm

Director of Faith Formation

Jackie is a graduate of Wake Forest University. A lifelong educator, she brings to her position as Director of Faith Formation her teaching experience in public secondary schools, as well as many years at FPC helping to guide children, youth and adults in their faith journeys.  Jackie and her husband, Todd, feel blessed to have raised their daughters, Brooke and Jordan, in the FPC faith community. To contact, jwilhelm@fpchhi.org

Administrative Staff

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Cindy Bobbitt

Communications Coordinator

Cindy is a native of South Carolina and earned a BA in Journalism from the University of South Carolina. After graduating, she worked in Chicago for multiple national nonprofit organizations. There she met her husband, Allan, who is retired from DePaul University. After returning to graduate school and earning a Master's in Education, she accepted a teaching job in the Lowcountry to return "home." To contact, cbobbitt@fpchhi.org

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Susan Brannon

Director of Administration

Susan was born and raised in Indiana. In 1981, Susan came for a summer visit and has been here ever since. She is a Purdue University graduate and has been on the staff of FPC since 1995 in various administrative capacities. Currently, Susan is the director of administration where she is responsible for the administrative and operational functions of the church. To contact, sbrannon@fpchhi.org

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Edward Gray

Events Manager

Edward Gray is a native of the Lowcountry, currently living in Ridgeland. He has been employed by FPC since 1992 and has become an invaluable resource for the congregation. His job includes acting as the point person and the hands-on manager of event setups, breakdowns and cleaning. This position is in addition to normal duties as a sexton. Edward has one daughter and granddaughter and enjoys fishing and old cars.

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Scott Helms

Facility Manager

Scott Helms is a passionate follower of Jesus Christ. He joined the staff at First Presbyterian Church in 2009 and currently has 25 years of maintenance, management, and property operations experience. Scott works with the Facility Ministry Committee to ensure the facility is compliant with all required standards. The main areas of focus being maintenance and upkeep, housekeeping, hospitality, and safety.

To contact, shelms@fpchhi.org

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Sue Koppenol

Bookkeeper

Sue was born in Naples, Italy, to a naval family. She received a BS in Economics from the University of Delaware and subsequently held a number of positions at Beneficial Reinsurance Company and Group International Associates in NYC and Madison, NJ, where she and her husband, Bob, raised their three children. While in Madison, Sue opened Starting Line Sports, a run/swim/triathlon store and joined the Madison Board of Education as secretary to the Superintendent/ Administrative Assistant for Human Resources. Looking to join family on HHI, she and Bob moved to the island and are grateful to be here. To contact, skoppenol@fpchhi.org

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Nancy Putnam

Receptionist

Nancy Putnam is a native of Westchester, NY. She graduated from Centenary College and has worked in both for-profit and not-for-profit sectors as an executive administrative assistant. Prior to moving to Hilton Head Island in 1999, at which point she joined the FPC staff, she and her husband, Bill, called Morristown, NJ, their home. To contact, nputnam@fpchhi.org  

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Wendy Rose

Administrative Assistant

Wendy and her husband, Walt, moved to the Lowcountry in 2021. They moved to Bluffton to be near Walt’s brother and his wife — and to enjoy life in the sun. They moved here from Traverse City, MI. In April 2023, Wendy joined the FPC staff as part-time Administrative Assistant. In this position, she assists in the work and ministry of Pastor Will, assists Associate Pastors Diane and Elizabeth, and supports other staff members as needed.  Wendy brings a career of administrative experience from her 40 years with the University of Michigan Hospital. To contact, wrose@fpchhi.org

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Andrea Siebold

Volunteer Director of Volunteer Ministry

Andrea Siebold has been a volunteer member of the FPC staff since 2019. With an undergrad degree in Social Work, a Masters in Education, a partial MBA in Accounting, and a varied entrepreneurial career of starting and/or buying various companies, retirement on Hilton Head Island brought a chance to focus on several nonprofit organizations. Her work at FPC is directed at connecting members and visitors with spiritual, missional and congregational opportunities. To contact, asiebold@fpchhi.org

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Jean Tharin

Administrative Assistant Membership

Jean and her family moved to Hilton Head from Massachusetts in June 1994. Joining the church as a nursery worker in June 1996 and full time staff as an Administrative Assistant in August 1998. Her responsibilities include Membership, Calendar and Columbarium. Jean enjoys spending time with her husband Pat, daughters, Alicia and Stephanie and granddaughters Kacie and Sophia. To contact, jtharin@fpchhi.org

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Anniel White

Housekeeper

Anniel is a native of Jamaica. She subsequently immigrated to England where she attended nursing school. She came to the United States in 1981 and began working at FPC in 1998. Since that time Anniel has become a truly valued employee of FPC. She also works at The Cypress and with Hospice of the Lowcountry. Anniel is married and has five children.

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Elders

Michele Green, Clerk of Session

Class of 2024

Jack Alderman

Communications

Planning & Research, Chair

 

Moses Awe

Finance, Chair

Planning & Research

 

Ed Finison

Outreach, Chair

Personnel

 

Lisa Black

Personnel, Chair

 

Blaine Lotz

Nominating, Chair

Social Witness

Worship & Music

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Martha-Anne McDonald

Adult

Giving, Co-Chair

 

Tim Pollard

Finance

Outreach

Planning & Research

Class of 2025

Ingrid Boatright

Congregational Life

Outreach

 

Sharon Chaney

Adult, Chair

Social Witness

 

Dawn Edington 

Congregational Life, Chair

Planning & Research

 

Jim Hipp

Facilities, Chair

Finance

 

Sissy Jarrell

Facilities 

Worship & Music

 

Mark Matlock

Communications, Chair

 

Karen Smith

Family, Chair

Outreach

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Class of 2026

Michele Green

Nominating 

Clerk of Session

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David Lauderdale

Communications 

Social Witness

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Nancy Millette

Family

Worship & Music, Chair

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Pat Myers

Congregational Life 

Worship & Music

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Christine Russell

Family

Worship & Music

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Tom Upshaw

Facilities

Finance

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Gayle von Seggern

Adult

Giving

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Deacons

The ministry of Deacon as set forth in Scripture is one of witness, service and compassion; sharing the love of Jesus Christ with the poor, the hungry, the sick, the lost, the friendless and the oppressed. The Board of Deacons serves the congregation and others with ministries focused on…

 

  • Lay Visitation, calling upon those in need of comfort

  • Health, promoting wellness of body, mind and spirit

  • Prayer, praying for those in our congregation and beyond

  • Family Promise, supporting temporary housing for the homeless

  • Memorial Receptions, offering refreshments and hospitality to memorial service guests

  • Neighborhood Care Groups, creating opportunities for neighbors to care for and fellowship with one another

  • Knitting, gifting items hand-made with love to convey sympathy or joy

  • Stephen Ministry, caring for those experiencing grief, divorce, illness or other life changes

Edwina Dunlap ~ Moderator

Class of 2024

Julie Hellman - Health Ministry

Lindsay Jones - Family Promise

Cord Middleton

Jan Raisch - Memorial Receptions

Shari Slusne - Flower Arrangement

Tim Treisch

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Class of 2025

Betsy Baker - Scribe

Charlie Deaton - Prayer Project

Nominating Ministry

Edwina Dunlap - Moderator

Jan Meyer - Flower Delivery

Bill Roesch - Finance

Prayer Ministry

Robin Swift - Lay Visitation

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Class of 2026

Anne McClintock

Sue Murray - Neighborhood Care Groups

Patsy Roberts - Meals From the Heart

Elaine Shinn

Judy White 

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