Our Leadership
Clergy
Ministers of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA) are called individually by vote of the congregation and under the jurisdiction of Grace Presbytery, the regional governing body of the PC(USA).
Presbyterian ministers must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and a Master of Divinity degree from an approved and accredited seminary.
Rev. Dr. Clay Brantley
Parish Associate
Rev. Dr. Clay Brantley
Parish Associate
Clay has been a Presbyterian pastor for over 34 years, serving churches in Malvern, Arkansas and five churches in Texas. Clay’s passion for our neighbors has taken him on mission trips to Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, the U.S.–Mexico border, Cuba, Israel/Palestine, Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria. He has participated in a Civil Rights Pilgrimage in this country and speaks and leads conversations around racism, particularly at the Retreat House Spirituality Center in Richardson. Five years ago, Clay left the local church he was serving to follow a mystical path, a call into a deeper following of Christ. Clay is an artist, speaker, spiritual director, and published author. He serves as a participant and director of Retreat House where he is the guide for two monthly meetings – Contemplative Painting and the Writer’s Gathering. Clay is married to Crysta. They have two children, Drew and Michaela, two dogs, and a turtle.
At Trinity Clay’s focus will be to help us walk more deeply and reflectively with Christ and also to help us explore and address racism.
Pepa Paniagua
Volunteer Parish Associate
Pepa Paniagua
Volunteer Parish Associate
Rev. Pepa Paniagua is a cradle Presbyterian, and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. She loves the ocean and mountains, she is a SF Giants Fan, and roots for the 49ers, even when they make it hard. She attended Whitman College in Walla Walla, Wa- the town so nice, they named it twice!
After graduating, with degrees in Religion and Gender Studies, she moved to Austin, Texas where she attended Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Despite a proclamation that she would “never live in Dallas”, Pepa has been living in the DFW area, and serving in Grace Presbytery for more than 13 years. In 2020, Pepa pursued a call to create a more inclusive and affirming space for our LBGTQIA siblings, and kin∙dom community was born. The team for kin∙dom community is thrilled to be partnering with Trinity Presbyterian as we continue to nurture this new worshiping community, and we are excited to see what God will do in and through this relationship.
Pepa and her wife, Kelli, live in McKinney with their dogs, Posey (after Buster Posey of the SF Giants), Opie and Tyson who regularly remind them why they can’t have nice things.
Pepa is the organizing pastor of kin∙dom community, a new worshiping community reaching out to our LGBTQIA siblings and those who aren’t comfortable in the traditional church. Because of her commitments there, Pepa will not generally be a part of our day to day activities, but we anticipate learning with her as we support her in this innovative endeavor.
Ralph Graham
Parish Associate
Ralph Graham
Parish Associate
Ralph McCulloch Graham, a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, observed the 50th anniversary of his ordination as a minister of the Presbyterian Church USA on June 13, 2010. He has been pastor of churches in Pennsylvania and Scotland, as well as serving as interim pastor or stated supply for fourteen churches in Texas and Arkansas. Rev. Graham has served congregations ranging in size from less than 50 (Mammoth Springs, Arkansas, and Leonard Texas) to 2,500 (Drumchapel Old Parish Church, Glasgow, Scotland).
Ralph and his wife, Jeannie (an ordained elder and retired nurse), have been married for 56 years. They have three married daughters: Heather Graham, Holly Baker and Leslie Vestal (Holly and Leslie are both TPC members); four granddaughters, one grandson, and one great granddaughter. Ralph and Jeannie have lived in McKinney since January, 2001.
Rev. Graham holds a Ph.D. from the University of Glasgow, Scotland; as well as a Master of Divinity from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (Presbyterian), and an MBA from Trinity University. His undergraduate degree is from Muskingum College (Presbyterian), Ohio.
Dr. Graham was associated with Trinity University in San Antonio both as a member of the Religion Faculty and as an administrator. He subsequently served as Vice President of Lyon College, a Presbyterian school in Arkansas. He has taught at Texas Lutheran College and Schreiner College. He has been a Visiting Lecturer at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.
His other ministries includes Program Director of Mo-Ranch, the conference center of the Synod of the Sun, and Coordinator of Mission Support for Presbyterian mission work in Northern Mexico. He has served at every level of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and recently served as moderator of the Examinations Committee of Grace Presbytery.
Ralph has been an active advocate for peace and justice in the Middle East for over forty years. He visited Israel-Palestine for the first time in 1964 when he and his wife drove from Glasgow, Scotland to the Red Sea in their VW beetle. His subsequent visits include four in the past decade. Dr. Graham has led international Christian pilgrimages for more than 30 years and has visited more than 30 countries.
Mally Baum
Associate Pastor
Mally Baum
Associate Pastor
Mally has served as the Associate Pastor at Trinity since 2005. Her focus at Trinity includes missions, our Deacon-led ministries of compassion, pastoral care, and our Open Hearts ministry. In addition to her MDiv degree, she is a graduate of HeartPaths Spirituality Center, which provides training in contemplative spiritual practices. Prior to her position at Trinity, Mally worked for years in youth and campus ministry.
Mally and her attorney husband Chuck have been married since 1985. They have two sons, Alec who lives in Los Angeles and Christian who lives in Austin. Their household also includes Mally’s father, World War II veteran Chet Rohn, and Finn (a rescued Golden Retriever/Great Pyrenes mix) who resembles a fluffy bus. For fun Mally enjoys gardening, reading, going to the movies and trying out new ethnic food restaurants/recipes.
Woody Brown
Senior Pastor
Woody Brown
Senior Pastor
Reverend Norwood V. “Woody” Brown, III is from Pine Bluff, Arkansas, where he and his family were active members of First Presbyterian Church. Growing up, Woody became an Eagle Scout and was a long-time camper and counselor at Kanakuk, a Christian camp in Missouri. These experiences impacted his call to the ministry. Woody received a business degree from the University of Arkansas and his Master in Divinity from Columbia Theological Seminary in Atlanta.
Woody has served churches throughout our denomination as senior pastor for 30 years. He served as the senior pastor and head of staff of Rolling Hills Presbyterian Church, a suburban church in Kansas City. While at Rolling Hills, Woody led the congregation to re-establish its sense of mission and vitality as a Community of Grace. With an emphasis on worship, care, and mission, the congregation intentionally reached across the sanctuary, across the street, and across the sea to change lives. Woody is passionate about vibrant and meaningful worship and walking alongside all of God’s people to support them in life’s journey. Most recently, the Session of First Presbyterian Church of Dallas called Woody to serve as the Interim Pastor / Head of Staff. He served as their third Interim Pastor from August 2018 until February 2019.
Joining Woody at Trinity Presbyterian is his wife, Jennifer, and their sons Russell (22) and Parker (16). The entire Brown family is eager to become involved in life at Trinity Presbyterian Church.
Woody commented about Trinity Presbyterian:
“I am honored and excited to serve the people of this great church. Truly, Trinity Presbyterian Church of McKinney is a strong, vibrant, and healthy community of faith. Together, we will grow in faith, care with love, and serve with joy. I hope the congregation feels free to call on me as needed. I look forward to joining the staff of TPC. I am eager to know the members and friends of Trinity as we will share life and faith together.”
Staff Members
Tamara Jenkins
Adult and Youth Coordinator
Tamara Jenkins
Adult and Youth Coordinator
Tamara Jenkins will be taking on the position of the Adult and Youth Coordinator. This role was previously filled by Miriam Ross as the Youth Administrative Assistant. Tamara will be working with both Tami and Miriam to help with sign-ups for classes, camps, and retreats, collecting money, accounting, and all sorts of administrative task. Tamara and her husband Robbie have been members of Trinity for 19 years and have 2 wonderful daughters, Jordan and Taylor. Tamara has not only worked for Trinity before as a childcare worker but has been a youth chaperone for the past 8 years. She has taught Logos and been to many summer camps with our youth.
John Sefcik
Director of Operations
John Sefcik
Director of Operations
John and his wife, Beth, have been members at Trinity since 2008 and John currently serves as an Elder on the Session.
As the Director of Operations, John will manage the overall operations of the church in conjunction with staff, officers, committees, and volunteers. He will be responsible for finance, purchasing, property management, HR and IT management, and other continuous improvement areas.
Helen Fitzhugh
Director of Early Childhood Ministry
Helen Fitzhugh
Director of Early Childhood Ministry
Helen Fitzhugh grew up in Dallas, Texas. She went to J.J. Pearce High School and then on to Texas A&M University and earned a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, specializing in Early Childhood.
After graduation, she and Matt married, moved to McKinney and joined TPC in 2006. Helen taught kindergarten for six years before her son, Brock, was born and she decided to stay home with him. Since then her family has grown to include daughters, Reese and Delaney. She is a certified Pre-K to 6 th grade teacher.
Helen volunteered in our Early Childhood Ministry for three years before becoming the Early Childhood Ministry Director. She is passionate about our youngest members and finds true joy in welcoming the children of TPC to be an important part of our church family.
Carrie Patterson
Director of Elementary Ministry
Carrie Patterson
Director of Elementary Ministry
Carrie is a lifelong member of Trinity. She literally grew up in our halls and calls Trinity home and wants all our children to have that same feeling when they walk into our church. Carrie has a degree in Speech Communication from Baylor University and obtained her teaching certificate in 2012 from the University of North Texas. Carrie was a classroom teacher from 2013-2015 teaching 7th and 8th grade. She has served on the Board of Deacons leading the Bereavement Ministry and started the Parents of Multiples Ministry. Carrie also was a part of the McCoy Chapel Renovation Committee and says that might be one of her proudest accomplishments. Carrie has volunteered with Vacation Bible School and with Trinity’s Praise Kids. Carrie is married to Trent Patterson and they have two adorable children, Callan and Clara.
Tami Voyles
Director of Christian Education
Tami Voyles
Director of Christian Education
Tami Voyles grew up in Houston, TX, and attended First Presbyterian Church of Pasadena. After graduating from J. Frank Dobie High School, she attended Texas A&M University where she earned a Liberal Arts degree in English Literature. Along with this, Tami is also a Certified Christian Educator within the Presbyterian Church(USA).
While at Texas A&M, Tami met her husband, Bradley. After graduation, Tami moved to Dallas where Bradley was already working. They were married in 1993 and soon moved to McKinney. They immediately joined TPC and began working with the youth. Their first group consisted of just 4 youth!
Tami joined the staff in 2000. Tami is the supervisor for the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Youth ministries while working directly with college age students, adult classes, and the confirmation class. She works closely with other ministries of the church to have a comprehensive education ministry for all our congregants. Tami and Bradley have 3 children: Brett, Jade and Devon. Tami loves long walks with her dog MacKay, yoga, good books and traveling.
Miriam Ross
Youth Director
Miriam Ross
Youth Director
Miriam Ross grew up in Starkville, Mississippi and then moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana as a teenager. She earned a BA in Communication with a focus in Public Relations and a double minor in History and Political Science from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. Miriam has been a lifelong Presbyterian, even meeting her husband Andrew, at the Montreat Youth Conference as a youth in 2000.
In May 2008, they married and continued to travel and volunteer at Montreat as small group leaders where Miriam realized her love for working with youth. The Ross family moved to McKinney in 2009. Soon after, they began volunteering with the youth ministry and in 2011 Miriam became part of the TPC staff.
Miriam is passionate about youth work and youth leadership in the church, currently pursuing her Certification in Christian Education through the PC(USA). In those classes, she has also realized her other passion of Christian Education and the importance of it at all ages. Miriam fully believes that youth are the church of today and is looking forward to helping grow the youth into their full leadership potential in and outside the church.
The Ross family continues to be avid Montreat Youth Conference attendees. Miriam is currently serving as one of the conferences’ Co-Directors for the summer of 2022. Miriam is also very involved in greater church work through Grace Presbytery, where she is on the Children and Youth Ministry Committee, Director of YouthQuake, and on the SHYC planning team.
Miriam also loves spending time with the youth both in the church and out. Miriam and Andrew have 3 children: Kaylie, who is 11 and a new Middle Schooler, Emalyn, who is 9, and Sawyer who is 5. Miriam’s newest challenge, being mom and youth director!
Jennifer Jones
Director of Music Ministry
Jennifer Jones
Director of Music Ministry
Jennifer is our Director of Music Ministry. She leads our choir and also coaches our small ensemble groups and guest soloists. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Music from University of Louisiana in Monroe and a Master of Music from University of Redlands, California. She has been a part of Trinity Presbyterian Church of McKinney Texas since the Fall of 2013.
Jennifer performs in many musicals and operas, and produces an annual music recital for TPC’s Women’s Ministry. She also serves as the head of the Connection Committee for the Presbyterian Association of Musicians South Central Region.
In addition to her career at TPC, Jennifer also owns Jennifer’s Voice and Piano Studio, where she coaches many talented and aspiring musicians, including some of TPC’s members.
Jen Zaccarella
Director of Outreach and Engagement
Jen Zaccarella
Director of Outreach and Engagement
Jen Zaccarella grew up in the suburbs of Dallas, Texas. She graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. Jen and her husband, Mike, joined Trinity in 2008 when they were engaged to be married and seeking a church home for their future family. Jen worked in Human Resources for 7 years until she decided to become a stay-at- home mom to her two daughters.
Since becoming a Trinity member, Jen has been active as a volunteer, and also served as an ordained Deacon from 2015 until joining the staff as Membership Coordinator in 2017, and later taking on the expanded role of Director of Communications and Membership in 2018. Jen loves helping people feel welcome at Trinity, which is why she became our newest Director of Outreach and Engagement in October of 2020.
Stacy Rachetta
Pastoral Assistant/Office Manager
Stacy Rachetta
Pastoral Assistant/Office Manager
Stacy grew up in Syracuse, NY and moved to Texas in December of 2011. She earned a BBA in Business Administration, majoring in Human Resource Management from Texas Woman’s University.
Stacy joined Trinity Presbyterian Church of McKinney Texas as a Pastoral Secretary on January of 2017. As of June 2021, she now serves as both the Pastoral Assistant and the Office Manager.
Stacy met her husband, Anthony in 2007, and got married in June of 2013, together they have one child, Caleb. Stacy is a lifelong Presbyterian.
Beth Sefcik
Database Administrator/Technology Specialist
Beth Sefcik
Database Administrator/Technology Specialist
Beth and her husband John have been members of Trinity since 2008. Although Beth is originally from Dallas, she and John met and married in New Jersey. They relocated back “home” in 2006 and built their home in Prosper. They have 4 grown children and 6 grandchildren.
Beth spent much of her career working in telecommunications technology and as a software business analyst. Beth retired from full-time work in 2013 and now works part-time for Trinity as our Database Administrator and Technology Specialist. Beth manages our communications tool known as Realm and our staff’s computers.
Barbara Williamson
Graphic Designer
Barbara Williamson
Graphic Designer
Barbara Williamson was hired in 2017 as Trinity’s first Graphic Designer after years of joyfully volunteering her professional graphic services to her church home. Barbara and her husband Ray have been active Trinity members for seven years.
Barbara graduated from the Baltimore Art Institute with graphic coursework at the University of Texas, Portland State University and the Maryland Institute of Art. With over 30 years of professional graphic design experience, Barbara retired from Maryland’s Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Senior Professional Staff in 2011 where she managed a group of 63 graphic artists, editors, desktop publishers web developers and exhibit specialists. Barbara is also a fine artist and loves to visually represent the Word of God.
Congregational Officers
Men and women may serve as officers in the local congregation.
As a member of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in Grace Presbytery, Trinity Presbyterian Church of McKinney, Texas is organized according to the denomination’s Book of Order. Elders are charged with the spiritual and administrative oversight of the local congregation. Deacons focus primarily on ministries of service and compassion.
Elders
Tim Blair
Stewardship
Paul Hendricks
Clerk of Session
Susan Howe
Christian Education
Taylor Jenkins
Christian Education – Youth
Karen Miller
Member Connections
Kay Morse
Member Connections
Don Roberts
Stewardship/Worship
Sherry Rodgers
Personnel
Bob Seal
PRT/Stewardship
Ada Simmons
Missions/CORE
John Sefcik
Finance
Juli Smith
Missions
Jaci Varnell
Special Projects
Deacons
Lisa Anderson
Vice Moderator/Home Communion/Member Connections
Ken Clowes
Driving Ministry/Faith and Grief
Janie Gantt
Baptisms/Care Notes
Janet Koehler
Sunshine Crew/Bereavement
Dan Muenchau
Church Wide Events/ JOY and Sr. Adult Ministry/ Seniors Helping Seniors
Sara Peck
Caring Cooks/Bereavement
Kristin Pfeil
Prayer/Prayer Shawls
Hal Pruessner
Marriage Enrichment/Men’s Ministry/Open Hearts
Gaynel Richie
Barnabas/Care Givers
Andrew Ross
Barnabas/Churchwide Events
Joel Smith
Moderator/Life Giving/Nominating Committee/Session
Glenn Allen-Wade
Member Connections/ Stephen Ministry
Gail Watson
Military Support/Onward and Upward