Minister

Rev. Jennifer Youngsun Ryu

Phone: 541-686-2775×1
Email: minister@uueugene.org

Office Hours:

  • Monday, OFF
  • Tuesday, 10am to 3pm
  • Wednesday, Writing Day
  • Thursday, 10am to 3pm
    Friday, 10am to 3pm

Rev. Jen was born in Seoul, grew up in Toledo, became a UU in Baltimore, and went to seminary in Berkeley.   Ordained by the Virginia congregation she served for nearly 10 years, Rev. Jen moved into healthcare chaplaincy, earning her board certification.    But having grown up in church, she missed the rhythms of a multigenerational community and has returned to parish ministry.  

When she’s not at church, you’ll find her kayaking, painting, practicing tai chi, or playing the piano.  She loves the creative energy generated by spiritual living and could not imagine life without music or poetry.

Rev. Dennis Reynolds, Associate Community Minister

Affiliated Community Minister

Rev. Dennis Reynolds
Email: dwreynolds123@gmail.com

Reverend Dennis began his involvement in Unitarian Universalism in the late 1960’s as part of the Liberal Religious Youth group at the Salem, Oregon church.  He was not involved in church again until the 1990’s, when he joined the Unitarian Universalist Church in Eugene (UUCE).    He was ordained by UUCE in 2012 after having served as a hospital chaplain in Puyallup, Washington and as a minister in Klamath Falls, Oregon and in Humboldt County, California, and the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Whidbey Island, in Freeland, Washington and is Minister Emeritus there.       

He and his wife Suzanne returned to Eugene in 2019.  They have three grown children and two young grandchildren who live all over the world.  Dennis is active in climate and racial justice advocacy work in the larger community.

Izzy Crecca, Business Administrator

Business Administrator

Isabelle (Izzy) Crecca
Phone: 541-686-2775×5 (for rentals)
Email: bizadmin@uueugene.org 

Izzy grew up on the Olympic Peninsula, in Port Townsend, Washington. Though she did not attend the UU church regularly throughout childhood, she likes to say she grew up “UU adjacent” with her closest friends, and later her family attending Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. She graduated from Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA in 2018, with a BA in Linguistics. Izzy started at UUCE with the Children’s Program as a SpiritJam Teacher in 2018, and later moved into the Office. Her passions include, learning cool things about language,  riding horses, and playing music on the guitar, fiddle, and ukulele. 

Susanne Giordano, Collaborative Keyboardist

Collaborative Keyboardist

Susanne Giordano
Phone: 541-686-2775×7
Email: pianist@uueugene.org

 

Susanne provides accompaniment for the UUCE choirs  on piano and pipe organ. She also provides some of the other music of Sunday services, either solo piano or organ, or in duet with another UUCE instrumental musician. 

Other things to know about Susanne: Five-year undergraduate major in pipe organ performance at Berry College in Rome, Georgia under the tutelage of Margaret Hawke, 1971-1976; Pianist/accompanist for UUCE 2013-present; Treasurer to the Board of the Eugene Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, July 2021-present; Organist for UUCE 2017-present; Member-at-large on the Eugene chapter board of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) 2018-June 2021; Retired 2017 from 31 years of service at the University of Oregon

Kat Johnson, Communications Coordinator

Communications Coordinator

Kat Johnson
Phone: 541-686-2775×7
Email: tech@uueugene.org

 Sunday-Thursday, various hours

Custodian

Ian Sonnemann

Custodian

Michelle Rathburn

Ryan Doppelmayr, Director of Faith Formation

Director of Faith Formation

Ryan Doppelmayr
Phone: 541-686-2775×2
Email: faithformation@uueugene.org

Ryan is an Oregonian born and raised, who briefly ran away to serve in the Peace Corps in Kyrgyzstan, before returning to her beloved Pacific Northwest. She started attending UUCE while studying education at the University of Oregon. She earned a master’s degree in educational leadership and her winding path led to teaching, tutoring, homeschooling her kids, and running an in-home daycare. She is excited to work with kids, youth, and adults as a co-conspirator in religious exploration.

When she’s not at church she’s at home chasing her three kids, reading, daydreaming about travel, playing board games, or watching Star Trek or Marvel movies with her spouse.

Joe Rondeau, Director of Music

Director of Music

Joe Rondeau
Phone: 541-686-2775×4
Email: music@uueugene.org

 Joseph Rondeau finds himself in Eugene as a PhD candidate in music composition at the University of Oregon. He is from Massachusetts where he earned a master’s degree in music composition from Tufts University and a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. Joseph has been teaching voice lessons, directing choirs, and music directing plays for 15 years, working with singers of all ages. Joseph served two Massachusetts congregations as a section-leading vocalist, the Congregational Church of Needham and the First Baptist of Boston, before moving to Eugene and stepping into this music director role. 

Faith Formation Teacher

Hannah Bullinger
Email: hannah@uueugene.org

Faith Formation Teacher

Imani DenHerder
Email: imani.denherder@uueugene.org

Hello everyone my name is Imani DenHerder and I am one of the Faith Formation teachers at UUCE! I have been at UUCE for almost a year and love coming to work every Sunday. Some fun facts about me are: I am married and have three dogs; I love to read and also work at SMART Reading during the week; and I am a Philadelphia native who has lived in Oregon for around 6 years now! I can’t wait to see what this year has in store for us at UUCE and please say hello when you see me in the halls!!

Mel Keller Faith Formation Teacher

Faith Formation Teacher

Mel Keller
Email: melissa.keller@uueugene.org

Mel Keller is originally from the Chicago suburbs, and she has been living on the West Coast for 5 years. She is currently a PhD student at the University of Oregon in political science, studying the welfare state. Previously, Mel has worked for nonprofits and spent time in both Quaker and Congregationalist churches, building her own spiritual identity. In her free time, Mel enjoys knitting, baking, and taking her chihuahua Apollo to the dog park. She is excited to work with UU Eugene and to learn and grow with this congregation! 

Faith Formation Teacher

Sam Waddell
Email: sam@uueugene.org

Office Assistant

Colin Hill
Phone: 541-686-2775 x 3
Email: office@uueugene.org

Colin grew up in Evanston, Illinois, where he worked for the finance office of a national religious organization there. He moved to Eugene in 2020 for graduate school, and to live closer to his grandparents on the coast. He has devoted himself to serving low-income families and spiritual community-building in Eugene ever since! Colin likes riding his e-bike all over town, cooking huge group meals, and watching classic movies.