Staff

Fred Holbrook, Interim Pastor

Fred retired in July 2022 following three and a half years of service as interim general presbyter and stated clerk of the Presbytery of the James. He received a Doctor of Ministry in 1982 from Union Presbyterian Seminary with a focus on ministry with young adults. Pastorates have included Amity Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, NC; Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church, Fishersville, VA; First Presbyterian Church, Lynchburg, VA (interim); Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, Overland Park, KS (interim); and First Presbyterian Church, Charlottesville, VA (interim during pastor’s summer sabbatical). From 2002 to 2014, Fred was executive director of Massanetta Springs Conference Center, Harrisonburg, VA. His wife Laura is a Christian educator who received her Master of Arts degree in 1980 from the Presbyterian School of Christian Education (now Union Presbyterian Seminary). She has served each of the churches as well as Massanetta Springs in both Christian education and program ministry. They have three adult children and their spouses plus six wonderful grandchildren! Fred is humbled to serve at Second Pres in a post-pandemic world and excited to be a part of this downtown ministry. He will be working closely with the pastor nominating committee as they trust the Spirit to guide them to the pastor and head of staff whom they will nominate to the congregation. As a pastor musician, Fred enjoys singing; playing 12-string guitar, the Great Highland bagpipes, tenor ukelele, mandolin, djembe, and other instruments; joining Laura in providing loving care for and laughing with their grandchildren; traveling internationally; and visiting as many national parks as possible in these amazing United States. 

Kate Fiedler, Associate Pastor

Kate grew up as a child of the church in Virginia and North Carolina, and she has moved across the state line eight times. She is a graduate of Davidson College--where she nurtured her joy of community building and cape-wearing--and Union Presbyterian Seminary. Before arriving at Second in August of 2020, Kate served in different calls: at Trinity Episcopal School in Charlotte, as Director of Admissions at Union Presbyterian Seminary, and as Associate Pastor at University Presbyterian Church in Chapel Hill. Kate loves the church and dreams of how the Spirit leads us to build up the beloved community through advocacy, justice, and truth-telling. During her leisure time, Kate enjoys road trips, live music, reading poetry and mysteries, exploring new restaurants, swimming, and cheering on her favorite sports teams:  the Cubs, the Warriors, and the Tar Heels.

Hannah Garrity, Director of Christian Faith, Life, and Arts

Hannah Garrity is an artist. She is the director of christian faith, life, and arts at the wonderful 2nd Presbyterian Church, of Richmond, Va. Hannah is founding creative partner of A Sanctified Art, LLC: Art, Faith, & Honest Connection; We make art & creative resources for church leaders and spiritual seekers. She serves as liturgical artist for the Montreat Conference Center’s Summer Worship Series. Hannah graduated with her Bachelor of Fine Art degree with a concentration in painting from Cornell University, in 2004, and was inducted into the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame, in 2014. She also holds her Master of Science degree in teaching from Pace University and was an educator in public and private schools for 17 years, beginning with Teach for America in Brooklyn, NY. She loves and is dedicated to her precious family. She explores the intersection between theology, race, and the image of God.

Paul Nalla, Children’s Minister and Director of Urban Engagement

Paul recently completed his ThM degree at Union Presbyterian Seminary this past summer. His journey of faith is shared with his wonderful wife, Deepthi, who continues her studies at Union. Paul is also an artist and a musician in Indian genre, adding a unique and creative aspect to the ministry. On Sundays, you can look forward to his leadership in Sunday school and engaging children with meaningful messages. During the week, Paul will be actively involved in supporting our urban ministries. He will play a crucial role in our efforts to provide meals and showers to the unhoused members of our downtown community. His heart for service and compassion align perfectly with our mission to make a positive impact in the lives of those we serve. Paul has extensive ministry experience in India before coming to the United States for study, bringing a rich cultural perspective and the diversity of thought and experience.

 

Roger Gench, Theologian in Residence

Roger retired in 2019 from seventeen years of service as the senior pastor of The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington DC. He has also served for twelve years as the senior pastor of Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church in Baltimore, Maryland. He has spent the last thirty years connecting the contemplative arts and theological reflection to the practice of community organizing and ministry. He is currently working on a book on spirituality and activism for Cascade Press. He is an alum of Union Presbyterian Seminary, where he completed a Ph.D. in Theological Ethics.

Mary Jane Winter, Pastoral Care Minister

Mary Jane serves as the minister of pastoral care at 2nd Presbyterian Church! She has long been in ministry in Richmond, Virginia, and raised her child in 2nd Presbyterian Church of Richmond, Va! Mary Jane’s gifts in pastoral care and world mission are a blessing to our church family!

Jeffrey Riehl, Director of Music

Jeff was appointed Director of Music at Second Presbyterian Church in the summer of 1999. He leads the Adult Choir and oversees the church's various music ministries. Additionally, he is Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at the University of Richmond, where he has taught since 1995. Jeff earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Conducting at the Eastman School of Music where he was a conducting Fellow and received the Walter Hagan Conducting Award, the Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting at Westminster Choir College, and the Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education at Lebanon Valley College of Pennsylvania. He is also an active solo singer and choral clinician.

Kathy Toole, Organist

Kathy grew up in the southern end of Chesterfield County. The first church that listed her as organist was Second Presbyterian in Petersburg. Coming to Second Presbyterian RVA offers a sense of completing the circle. Between these years, she has served in Presbyterian, Baptist, Episcopal churches, and before coming to Second completed 26 years at Bon Air UMC as Minister of Music. During those years, Kathy was actively involved in leadership roles for the Music and Worship Arts Conference sponsored by the Fellowship of Worship Artists at Lake Junaluska, NC. Kathy believes fervently that music is a means of grace, opening hearts and minds to greater resonance with God. Kathy received a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Pedagogy at Hartt School of Music in Hartford, CT and an M.Div. at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C. Outside of the church, Kathy has a passion for gardening, especially planting for pollinators, incorporating natives into the landscape.

 

Dorothy DeJong, Office Manager

Dorothy came to Second Presbyterian Church with 18 years of office work in an Episcopal church. She has been at Second since April of 2006, and considers herself to be interdenominational.

 

Kerry Randolph, Sexton

Kerry has served as sexton at Second since 1989. His major responsibility and love is the care and cleaning of the Sanctuary and the Chapel. You can see his loving touches everywhere.

 

Gene Roland, Building Administrator

Gene grew up in Newport News and spent his college years trying to be a rock-n-roll star. After a 1990 gig at DC’s 9:30 Club, Gene found himself living in a dorm at MCV, serving as the after-hours maintenance man for VCU Housing. Over the years, Gene’s building management experience has included resident housing on VCU’s Monroe Park campus, medical office buildings at the old St. Luke’s Hospital on Parham Road, the historic Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School, and St. James’s Episcopal Church in the Fan. Gene joined Second Presbyterian at the start of 2022 with a tool bag in one hand and a smartphone in the other, sure in the fact that if something can’t be repaired, it can be photographed and uploaded to the internet. When not managing facilities and fixing things, Gene enjoys reading Russian literature, writing songs and short stories, listening to music, watching science fiction, and, on occasion, playing the guitar.

 

Bo Jacob, Production Director

Bo has a 50+ Yrs. background of live music production ranging from local gigs to international tours. He started working for Second Pres. in the fall of 2010. Since coming to 2Pres. he has overseen the design, installation and implementation of the systems that provide Live Streaming of Second’s Sunday Morning Services and the addition of interactive A/V presentation systems located throughout the 2Pres. facilities. During the Pandemic, with the help of key volunteers, Bo recorded and produced the spoken word and music for the weekly online worship services. He is a graduate of VCU (B.S. Advertising). Bo and his wife, Willa, have two daughters, Jacy and Cary.

 

Willa Jacob, Administrative Assistant

Willa came to Second Presbyterian in 1995 to sing with the choir. In October 2012, she began working in the church office, after several years of working for a publication at Union Presbyterian Seminary.

Elva Mapp, Walk-In Coordinator

Born in Bristol, Tennessee, Elva also spent time in Georgia, Louisiana, and Connecticut, but has been in Richmond, Virginia for much of her childhood and most of her adult life. A lifelong Presbyterian, she is an ordained Elder and Deacon, and a participant in many groups in the life of the church. She is a graduate of Yale University, History B.A., The College of William and Mary, J.D., and Virginia Commonwealth University, M.Ed. She also teaches music, movement, games, arts, and crafts to children ranging in age from infant through 8th grade at Tuckaway Ellwood House, Tuckaway Harbor, and St. Bridget's School.

Annabelle Beavers, Seminary Intern

Hello, my name is Annabelle Beavers, and I just started at Union this past July! I have lived in Tuscaloosa, AL my whole life and I just graduated from The University of Alabama in May, with a degree in Human Development with a concentration in Youth and Adolescents. I previously served as the youth intern for a year at my home church, and I can't wait to see what this new chapter of my life holds. Roll Tide! 

Maggie Parrott, Children’s Ministry Team

In 2022, Maggie Parrott graduated from VCU with my master’s in social work (Go Rams!) and graduated with her Master of Divinity degree from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in 2021. 

On Sundays, Ms. Maggie is ever present on our children’s ministry team! She supports Ms. Laura and Rev. Paul as together they offer dynamic programming leading children in forming their faith. 

During the week, Maggie serves as a Treatment Specialist at UMFS’ Child and Family Healing Center where Maggie is responsible for creating programming for teens in residential treatment, offering therapeutic care and assistance through treatment, and managing a support team. I spend my time with teens at UMFS doing mindfulness activities (my favorite being arts and crafts), teaching and learning life skills, and building relationships across conflict with the teens and their families using Collaborative Problem Solving.

Maggie is an Episcopalian seeking ordination, God willing. She has a deep love for building relationships, learning new things, and anything you can buy at Trader Joe’s! As she continues through this labyrinth closer to God’s call, she is engaging in what God is up to at 2nd Pres and in downtown Richmond!