Board of Trustees 2022-2023 Candidates
Becky Howland, President (starting new term in this role)
Becky Howland has been a member of UUSM for twelve years, having served on the board of trustees, as chair of the music director search committee, (paper!) newsletter editor, choir member, and most recently as co-chair of the All Together Now online auction with Tricia Dell. Three of her children participated in religious education in the early 2000s.
A strong proponent of actively soliciting and integrating diverse thought, Becky has a three-decade career history of building and leading teams through challenging situations, primarily in corporate marketing, integration of corporate acquisitions, and communications. She believes in and practices warm, respectful, open communication among all interested parties, and pledges to bring this practice to UUSM’s leaders, staff and congregation.
Through their work as co-chairs in last year’s and this year’s auctions, Becky and Tricia together have built a strong working relationship and friendship. Becky’s corporate experience is balanced by Tricia’s extensive experience in the non-profit sector. Together they plan to bring energetic, upbeat, steady, thoughtful leadership to UUSM as board president and vice-president.
Tricia Dell, Vice-President (starting new term in this role)
Tricia has been a member of UUSM for 25 years and has served in leadership capacities including fundraising, strategic planning, and a Ministerial Search. She is currently a member of the Board of Trustees.
Tricia is grateful for the religious education and OWL programs that were available for her two now adult daughters. And for being held by this community in countless experiences of joy, sorrow, and learning resulting in growth and friendships of all kinds.
Tricia enjoys her Aging to Saging group and co-chairing the All Together Now Auction with Becky Howland. She completed Beloved Conversations Virtual in Fall ‘21 and is continuing the work in the Spring ‘22 class. As a Coastsider, she periodically participates at UU Coastside Community. She’s proud to have completed the Shared Pulpit class that they offered earlier this year which led to the delivery of her first sermon at UUCC.
Like Becky, Tricia values diverse thought and perspectives and plans to bring energetic, upbeat, steady, thoughtful leadership to UUSM as a board president/vice president team.
Kathy Kinner, Secretary (returning for one more year as Secretary)
Kathy has been a long time member of UUSM. She is a retired R.N. In addition to serving as a Trustee, she is currently a member of an Aging to Saging group, the Anti-Racist Coalition (ARC) and is on the Pastoral Care team. She found that the 2020-21 BOT term was challenging, interesting and helped her better understand the inner workings of UUSM. She is grateful for the support of staff and fellow Board members throughout the last year. She looks forward to serving the congregation as Secretary.
Tom Newman, Treasurer (returning for one more year as Treasurer)
Tom Newman and his wife, Johannah, have been members of UUSM for about 25 years. Tom has served on the Board twice previously and on multiple committees. He also taught in the OWL program and sings with Johannah in the choir. He is partially retired from his job as Professor of Epidemiology & Biostatistics and Pediatrics at UCSF. He has learned a lot about UUSM finances since beginning his term as treasurer in 2021, and is looking forward to using what he learned and learning more as we try to continuously improve our policies and procedures related to finances.
Colaine L.A. Roepke, Trustee (2nd year of two-year term)
My 2 daughters and I started attending UU San Mateo in 2004. I worked with the RE council and taught religious exploration and loved every minute.
Lisa Stalteri, Trustee (2nd year of two-year term)
Lisa became a member of UUSM in 2019. Lisa grew up in San Mateo and Belmont. She is an environmental attorney and mother to 3 young adults. Lisa has volunteered with Religious Education for children, is the Social Justice Activities Coordinator and serves on the Anti-Racist Coalition.
Bryan Klech, Trustee (continuing as Trustee since end of 2021)
Bryan joined UUSM in 2016 seeking youth focused programs for his now adult children, and subsequently staying for the community. In addition to his role as a Trustee, Bryan serves on the Committee on Ministry and the Governance Task Force, and in the past as a mentor in our Coming of Age program. Bryan invests most of his volunteer attention in the local Scouting community.
Hildur Carlen, Trustee (beginning a new term as Trustee)
My husband Conrad and I have been members of UUSM since 2010. I hail from Minnesota and was raised attending UU churches there. I am a proud 3rd generation Unitarian Universalist! UUSM was a big part of my daughters, now a young adult and a teenager's, growing up years. I’ve taught RE, OWL, supported COA and UU youth involvement in the Peninsula Multifaith Coalition. I also served twice on the RE hiring committee and the RE Council, now Faith Engagement Committee. My background is in Early Childhood Education and I’ve been a mother for 20 years, so I seemed to be naturally drawn to all things RE…. I also have most recently been serving as Co-Leader of the Covid Task Force, formerly known as the Moving Forward Together Task Force. Now that the kids have grown up, and I have too, I’ve decided to spread my wings and my faith a bit and am joining the UUSM Board of Trustees. I’ve served on Boards before (education related) and I look forward to serving you all by bringing a little of what I know and learning a lot along the way.
Laura Bull, Trustee (beginning a new term as Trustee)
Laura has been an active member of UUSM for 15 years and has volunteered in many areas including 5 years on the finance committee, 3 of those serving on the board as Treasurer (2016-2019). She currently serves on the Benefits and Compensation Committee, and sings in the choir; when her now-adult son was growing up, she volunteered in religious education.
Laura is a transplant from the Midwest living in Northern California since 1987. She is a scientist and has a research laboratory located at UCSF, where she studies genetic factors contributing to liver disease. She recently also became qualified as a dietitian. She enjoys gardening and day hiking.
Steve Latner, Trustee (beginning a new term as Trustee)
I've been a member of UUSM since 2013. I was chairman of the Pastoral Care Committee for three years. I've also worked in the RE program and served on various UUSM committees. I've lived in San Mateo most of my life. My hobbies include fiction writing and following the San Francisco Giants.
David Kramer, Trustee (beginning a new term as Trustee)
David has been a member of UUSM since 2019. He has been part of tech support for services as it evolved from running the sound board to virtual to hybrid. David serves on the COVID Task Force.
David works as a construction executive. He is a Planning Commissioner for the city of Belmont. David is married and had two sons. For fun, he plays bass in a garage band, and podcasts light hearted advice with his college roommate.
Leadership Development Committee (LDC)
Betsy Taub, current Board President & Aspiring LDC Leader
Betsy Taub has been a member of UUSM for 5 1/2 years this round, having returned from a nine-year stopover in Wichita, Kansas. She was also a member from 2004-2007, when she was living in Pacifica. She's still ecstatic to be back in Sunnyvale, CA, where she shares a home with her partner of 2 years, Joy Miley. Betsy has found her tenure as President to be pleasantly challenging and has grown a lot from the experience–particularly in dealing with conflict. She doesn't shy away from it as much and she doesn't get as wobbly-kneed and frightened when in the throes of it!
When she's not busy with Board work or work on Benefits and Compensation, CDTF, and other Committees, Betsy enjoys putting puzzles together with Joy, which they then hang up in the home they rent in Sunnyvale, playing Yahtze with Joy, listening to music and dancing together, watching streamed movies and British mysteries, walking in Redwood forests, socializing, etc. Betsy is also in the process of getting certified to become a Life Coach and working with Joy on our business, Transforms with Joy.com, which focuses on making life easier for Introverts, living in an Extroverts' world!
Betsy is very social and outgoing and enjoys connecting and getting to know people immensely! Also, one of her loves is Recruiting–a definite plus for the LDC leader! She's looking forward to retiring as Board President and leaving a "Dream Team" of very capable and powerful Board participants. One more thing. Betsy loves to laugh and has much laughter in her life! She highly recommends it!
Julianna Rees, returning member:
Hi everyone. I’m Julianna. My family and I have been attending UUSM since 2014. UUSM has proven to be a place where all our differing views on religion can be accepted. My daughter, Allie, and I have found giving to our UUSM community fulfilling. I enjoy working in the background while Allie enjoys working with our youth.
Although myself and my family are not members of the church, we are so glad to have found this loving community.
Marty Hoffman, beginning new term
I’ve been a member since 1987 and have been involved in many ways over the year. Most recently I served as President of our Board of Trustees. I’ve sung in the choir and hope to do so again soon. I served as Director of Religious Education for 8 years
UUSM is my spiritual home and I hope to help nurture it into a new era of love and growth for this beloved community.
Doug Handerson, beginning new term
Thank you for the opportunity to serve. I see all of us creating a sustainable garden here at UU San Mateo. I hope to be a catalyst for continuing the evolution of our Services and membership. I joined soon after I moved to San Mateo from San Jose, in 2019. As a child in Indianapolis, I thoroughly enjoyed attending sermons with my parents at the All Souls Unitarian Church there. I will never forget how Reverend John G. MacKinnon would almost miraculously weave the news events of that week into his identified sermon topic.