Staff
Settled Minister
Starting August 1, 2021
Rev. Jennifer Youngsun Ryu
Phone: 541-686-2775×1
Email: minister@uueugene.org
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.
Minister of Pastoral Care and Adult Faith Formation
Jennifer A. Hackett, MDiv
Phone: 541-686-2775×7
Email: assistantminister@uueugene.org
Jennifer ended her internship June 13, 2021, and will return to us in August as our Minister of Pastoral Care and Adult Faith Formation!
Jennifer Hackett earned a humanities degree (BGS) from the University of Dayton (OH), which, naturally, necessitated further schooling. She obtained her Master of Divinity Degree from Vanderbilt University’s Divinity School.
She has completed 3 units (9 months) of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) – the best of which was done in Honolulu, Hawaii, where she went snorkeling every day after work to unwind. On a long and winding road to ministry, Jennifer has worked primarily in the nonprofit sector: working with women experiencing poverty, students from diverse backgrounds, and working toward the protection of the earth. She is an Adjunct Team member for the Southern Region of the UUA, and a facilitator for the nationwide UUA Retooling for New Realities program.
She lives in Nashville with her family – whose favorite pandemic activity has been doing “Just Dance” on the old school Wii.
Accompanist
Susanne Zudegi Giordano
Collaborative Keyboardist
Email: pianist@uueugene.org
Susanne accompanies the UUCE Choir and provides solo & ensemble music on piano and pipe organ for Sunday services and other special events. Susanne’s background includes a five-year bachelor program in pipe organ performance from Berry College, Rome, Georgia under the tutelage of Margaret Hawke, is a member-at-large on the Eugene Chapter Board of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) 2018-present; and retired in 2017 with 31 years of staff service at the University of Oregon.
Office Administrator
Isabelle (Izzy) Crecca
Phone: 541-686-2775×3
Email: office@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.
Bookkeeper & Office Administrator
Jen Dondero
Phone: 541-686-2775×6
Email: accounting@uueugene.org
Jen moved to Eugene from the East Coast and comes to the UUCE with experience in Real Estate and many years in Restaurant & Hospitality Management positions. She started off as the Office Coordinator & Rental Manager in October of 2016 and became the Bookkeeper in 2018.
Technical Communications Coordinator
Katherine (Kat) Johnson
Phone: 541-686-2775×8
Email: tech@uueugene.org
Custodian
Ghani Djamai
Email: custodian@uueugene.org