Board Nominees for 2021-2022 Fiscal Year

Dear Church Member,

We invite you to mark your calendar and make plans to attend UCOH’s annual congregational meeting on Sunday, November 7th immediately following the 11:25 a.m. Service. The meeting will be held in the Sanctuary and will also be streamed via Zoom. At this important meeting, we will be electing three board members to serve and guide the direction of UCOH in the coming years.

After careful and prayerful deliberations, the Nominating Team has nominated the following candidates and, if elected, they have each agreed to serve:

Art Carter •  Debbie Tam  •  Lori Plicque

The nominations are the result of a process that began in July with a request for nominations from the congregation. The team carefully considered a potential nominee’s commitment to UCOH, their understanding and support of UCOH’s Mission & Vision Statements, and their participation in active volunteer capacities and leadership roles. Likewise, the team also thoughtfully deliberated on the expertise and experience demonstrated by the candidates in their professional and secular lives.

Additionally, the team carefully considered a potential nominee’s commitment to UCOH, as well as their understanding and support of UCOH’s Mission & Vision Statements, along with their participation in active volunteer capacities and potential leadership roles. Likewise, the team also thoughtfully deliberated on the expertise and experience demonstrated by the candidates in their professional and secular lives.

The Nominating Team interviewed each candidate using a standardized set of questions. This process allowed the team an opportunity to not only get to know each candidate better, but also to gain a sense of how each one viewed the vital role of a Board Member. Each candidate was afforded the opportunity to express how they could contribute to the success of the Board in guiding our beloved spiritual community into the next chapter of our development.

The Nominating Team feels confident that the nominees offered for consideration to the congregation represent a dynamic balance of skills, experience, expertise, and temperament. Each of the nominees has demonstrated their commitment to UCOH, and a willingness to serve on the Board of Trustees here at UCOH.

It has been our privilege and honor to serve the UCOH community in this process, and we invite each of you to attend this important congregational meeting to lend your voices and hearts in support of the election process. We thank you in advance for your attention and attendance at this important annual congregational meeting.

Love and Blessings,

UCOH Board Nominating Team
Neil Feiereisel, Kay Christopher, Ted Paone, Rev. Sheree Taylor-Jones, Sheree Ross

Art Carter

Art came to UCOH at the urging of a good friend and longtime Unity member in 2011. At his first UCOH Sunday service, Celebration sang, and Art said “I knew I not only found a home, but confirmation that my soul had found a resting place.” Art also found Unity Village inspiring and a true respite where love abounds. A native Pennsylvanian, he considers himself a “convener” i.e., someone who brings people together for the greater good. For example, Art chaired a Community Red Cross Branch; participated in Leadership Councils in the cities of Phoenix and Tempe, AZ; allocated funding to social service agencies; and was honored as Phoenix’s Citizen of the Year for his work in civil rights. From both a spiritual and community perspective Art says he believes strongly in “liberation theology” in which we realize that Christ and “social justice” are of one body.

Art is happily retired after years in higher education serving as a professor and dean at Penn State, Arizona State and Tulane. He is a self-described “gym rat” who has drawn his husband, Tom Shindell, into his workouts. He notes gratefully and proudly that their relationship resulted in Tom gaining an “instant” family and grand-parenting responsibilities. Art’s three adult children and two grandchildren totally embrace their marriage. Art has served on the Board for the last two years and he is also on the Counting Team, Unity members who process Sunday tithes and gifts.


Debbie Tam

Having gone through a personal and spiritual transformation in 2015, Debbie found comfort, support and love from UCOH. She found solace in the Sunday messages and was amazed with how much it related to what she was going through at that point in time. The Prayer Chaplains provided her with needed prayer support and gave her relief knowing that she was not alone and that God is always there to support her. 

Having gone through the transformation and growth with UCOH, Debbie decided to give back to the church through service and teams. She has served on the Women’s Retreat Planning Team, as a member of the Prayer Chaplain Team from 2019-2021, and on the Endowment Fund Board from 2018-2021, with the last few years as chairperson. Debbie also can be seen serving with numerous teams including Hospitality, Easter pancake breakfast flapjacker, Hands on Housing, Hands on Unity, and Youth Education as an angel and teacher.

She states, “I’m blessed and grateful to be part of this wonderful community. With the support of UCOH I have grown leaps and bounds personally and spiritually. It is a great honor to be able to give back and be of service to the UCOH community where lives are transformed.  I am especially blessed to serve on the Board of Trustees these past 2 years.  It gave me huge insights on the running of a church and the impact this church has on everyone in the community.” Debbie holds a master’s degree in Business Administration and currently works for Dell Technologies as a Business Analyst Sr. Manager.


Lori Plicque

Lori Plicque paid a visit to no less than 10 other types of churches before proclaiming UCOH as her spiritual home. It was the perfect combination of soul-rousing music and soul-calming meditation. Any lingering doubts were quickly erased once she took the inaugural Path Class where she learned her beliefs and values aligned perfectly with Unity’s principles of love and truth. Over the years, she has volunteered with the Music Ministry by participating in the Fun choir and Celebration, as an active member of the Counting Team, and recently served the last year on the Board of Trustees. Most of you probably know her as the Celebration member who can’t seem to not dance. However, most of you don’t realize the managerial, budgetary responsibilities, and strategic vision implementation experience she brings from her professional career as a global manager in Fintech.

Lori is passionate about her family (her wife volunteers with the Youth and Family Ministry and serves on the Bylaws Committee), being a sincere and continuing student of Unity, and bringing the next prosperous vision of UCOH to fruition.

Lori says, “I’m so grateful for the spiritual foundation that this loving community has provided thus far, and now I feel called to serve the purposes of this ministry through active interest, love, and support. I feel this is the time to demonstrate our fifth principle and walk our talk!”


BlogBoard Nominees for 2021-2022 Fiscal Year