Q: Please talk about your education and career path.
A. BA-English Education Washburn University, Topeka, KS; MA-Communication Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, NM; EDD-Higher Education Administration Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Tx. I worked in dental offices during college; taught junior high English, taught college communication classes, was the Coordinator of Promotion for the ENMU College of Fine Arts; ENMU Coordinator of Curriculum Services; ENMU Director of Student Academic Services and TRIO Grant Student Support Services; ENMU Asst. Vice President for Student Affairs.
Q. Where did you grow up?
A. Early childhood was in Hutchinson, KS; then Emporia, KS, where my mother completed BA and MA at Emporia State Teacher’s College (its name then), after my father’s death when I was seven; then on to Topeka, KS, where I completed junior and senior high school and BA at Washburn University of Topeka–one of the only municipal colleges in the US at that time. It’s now a part of the Kansas system.
Q. Tell us about your family.
A. My sister, Ruth Turner, lives in Vienna, Va. with CPA husband Jim. I have four nephews—Bob, Scott and Randy Seitz and Jon Turner, and one grandnephew, Seth Seitz, Scott’s son. Ruthie’s 11 years older than me and is a joy. I was the bane of her existence as a kid, once sending a cigar box full of locust shells collected from the neighborhood elm trees to one of her Navy boyfriends! I was sure he would love them!
Q. What are you passionate about and how is that reflected in your life?
A. I LOVE BOOKS and collect and read a lot. I like hearing about a book someone else has enjoyed. Book stores and used book sales are dangerous places for me! I’m passionate about women’s rights and active in organizations that support those rights. I’m also passionate about our need to address climate change by recycling and using solar and electric power—see my hybrid car and the solar panels on my roof which power my home.
Q. If you had a motto, what would it be?
A. Listen carefully with your ears and your heart; speak clearly with your voice and your compassion.
Q. Share your church activities and involvement.
A. I have been the Clerk of Session since January 2018 and have served several terms on Session as a Ruling Elder. I began directing the vocal choir in 2004 and the bell choir in 2009. I am an active member of the Adult Sunday School Class and love our discussions and the varied and engaging ideas/books Richard Lindeborg invites us to study. I have been the FUPC Commissioner to Santa Fe Presbytery for a number of terms and have served on the Worship Networking and Leadership Team of that body. I am a member of the Worship & Music Committee, and the Mission & Peacemaking Committee, having served as the chair of those committees.
Q. What community activities are you involved in?
A. I am the local coordinator for the Las Vegas CROP Hunger Walk sponsored by Church World Service since 2003. In 2021 our largest amount of $18,038 was raised and resulted in 25 percent–or $1503 each–going to Samaritan House, the Las Vegas Community Soup Kitchen and Comedor de San Pascual Soup Kitchen. In 2022 I took on coordination of the Mobile Food Pantry Food Distribution at Rodriguez Park in cooperation with The Food Depot of Santa Fe, which occurs on the second Friday of each month. We’ve distributed food to nearly 300 households each time.
Q. Add anything you would like folks to know about you.
A. I am so grateful for the kindness and support given to me by this church family since Patrick’s death. I am truly blessed!
