On May 16, POAMN’s membership elected four officers to lead the organization in the coming years. These four, plus those they have appointed to serve with them on the board, bring energy and valuable experience as POAMN launches a new organization structure and mission. We are grateful to their generosity of time, expertise, and enthusiasm.
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Rev. Denise Shannon
Office: Co-moderator
Denise is an ordained pastor in the PCUSA and lives in Thornton, Colorado. Denise’s passion for older adults began over 25 years ago when she worked as an RN, mostly in Hospice Care. Now, as a pastor, spiritual director, and hospice chaplain, she feels blessed to hear the incredibly rich stories and life experiences of the older adult population and loves using people’s creativity to facilitate their spiritual growth.
Bill Wildey
Office: Co-moderator
Bill spent 31 years working with Church World Service and was a former interim pastor in South Bend, Indiana. Bill began as older adult ministry coordinator at Palms Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, in 2018. Initially focused only on people over 65, with a goal of helping older adults to thrive in community. Bill is now the adult ministry director, working with adults of all ages.
Nancy Rojas
Office: Secretary
Nancy Rojas is vice president of marketing and development at United Adult Ministries, a residential community for older adults in Flushing Queens, New York. She has served as POAMN’s secretary since 2020.
Chris Pomfret
Office: Treasurer
A retired aerospace consultant, Chris Pomfret founded the Third Thirty concept in 2012 after witnessing the aging of his parents. He has been a member of POAMN since 2014, is a former vice-chair and has served as its treasurer since 2021. After living in Dayton, Ohio for 25 years, Chris now lives in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Larry Pazier
Office: Connectivity Co-lead
Larry Pazier is an elder on the Spiritual Journey team at Westview Presbyterian in Longmont, Colorado. He lives in Casa Grande, Arizona. He has 15 years of experience working in the senior ministry arena and teaches an eight-session class called Older Adult Spiritual Journey.
Zeena Regis
Office: Connectivity Co-lead
Zeena Regis serves as the director of Faith Engagement and Priority Populations at Compassion & Choices, a nonprofit working to improve care, expand options, and empower everyone to chart their end-of-life journey. Prior to her role with Compassion & Choices, Zeena served as a hospice chaplain and grief care coordinator for almost a decade. Zeena also serves on the faculty of Columbia Theological Seminary’s Older Adult Ministry Certification program.
Jenifer Rabenaldt, CRE
Office: Education, Resources, & Training Co-lead
Jen Rabenaldt wears many hats at First Presbyterian Church in San Luis Obispo, California. She was a childhood member of the church, then became a volunteer, and now serves as the director of Christian education and the office manager. She also is a commissioned ruling elder.
Dr. Paul Rader
Office: Education, Resources, & Training Co-lead
Paul is the pastor of Northside Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He has served congregations in Kentucky, West Virginia, and Tennessee as well as the Coalition for Appalachian Ministry. Paul is the author of “Do Not Cast Me Away,” a book on how congregations can help families deal with dementia.
Rev. Dr. Sarah Erickson
Office: Partnerships Lead
Sarah retired as the director of the Center for Lifelong Learning at Columbia Theological Seminary in 2023. She was part of the team developed the OAM Certificate Program partnership with POAMN in 2014-15. In 2021-23, she led a comprehensive revision of the curriculum, instituting the Level I and Level II certificate levels, during that time. She now serves as a course leader.