godly play FOUNDATION
Dr. Heather Ingersoll
Executive Director
Heather Ingersoll joined the Foundation staff as its Executive Director in the fall of 2020. Heather earned a PhD in Education from Seattle Pacific University in 2017. Her dissertation focused on religiosity in upper elementary aged children. In 2010 she earned an MA in Human Service, Family Life Education from Concordia University in St. Paul. Her undergraduate degree, from Trinity Lutheran College was in Christian Education with a focus on early childhood education. She jumps at any opportunity to dive into the research. Her current research interests include religiosity in children, happiness, spiritual well-being, early childhood, child development, parenting, and Christian education. Before coming to The Foundation, she worked for several Christian churches supporting children's ministry programs, she served as a professor and chair of early childhood education and taught courses in child development, positive psychology and spirituality in the schools, philosophy of early childhood education and children's ministry. Heather also supervised an early childhood program for a public school district. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and 2 young sons.
AIMEE FORMO
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND TRAINING
Aimee Rose Formo lives in Indianapolis, IN with her husband, two precocious daughters, a flock of backyard chickens, and an epic stash of fiber arts supplies. She holds Master's degrees in History and Library Science, is a certified UX/UI designer, and really enjoys research, data, and facilitating learning experiences. Outside of work, her greatest loves are being a Godly Play storyteller at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, leading two troops of exceptionally kind and active Girl Scouts, and advocating for pediatric cancer funding and awareness.
Joy Studer
creative Co-Director, everyday godly play
Joy Studer fell in love with the Godly Play program immediately after her first Core Training and has implemented over 10 different programs since then. She believes that Godly Play is the support children need to know they are deeply loved just as they are. Joy became a Godly Play Missioner in 2018 and a Trainer in 2022. Prior to all of her Godly Play work she started in ministry as Director of Children and Family Ministries connecting families to community and walking alongside them as they grow in faith. Joy’s passion for Godly Play only continues to grow the more she is in circles with children and other parents/caregivers who strongly believe in the importance of nurturing children’s spirituality. With a history in grant acquisition, Joy has a passion for finding funds that do great work then planting seeds and watching them thrive. She is the Creative Director of Everyday Godly Play and her enthusiasm for the program is contagious! Joy Studer lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and 2 wonderful sons.
Raenelle tauro
administrative co-director, everyday Godly play
Raenelle Tauro is a non-profit professional with over 20 years of experience engaging young people and families and began her Godly Play journey 12 years ago as an Associate Director for Children’s Ministry at Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church. Since then, she earned a Masters in Business Administration and a Masters in Museum Studies and has continued to work in a variety of settings, supporting children, youth, parents, and educators. Raenelle became a Godly Play Trainer in 2022 and is thrilled to help equip communities to foster children’s spiritual development. She is passionate about creating environments where children and adults connect through engaging the mystery of spirituality and the beauty of wondering. Some of the things she enjoys in her spare time are hanging out with friends and family, eating good food, and travel adventures. Raenelle will serve alongside Joy as the Administrative Director.
Anna Thomas
Communications
Anna Thomas lives in Boca Raton, FL and is the mother to 5 beautifully wild children. With her husband, Ben, who serves as Associate Rector and Theologian in Residence at St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church where they regularly build Godly Play circles together with children of all ages, including traditional Godly Play as well as monthly family services, retreats, and new comer’s classes. She loves novels, children’s books, her greyhound, traveling, and good thunderstorms. Anna is also a Godly Play Foundation Trainer.
THE CENTER FOR THE THEOLOGY OF CHILDHOOD
The Rev. Cheryl V. Minor, PhD
Director
Cheryl Minor is the Director of the Center for the Theology of Childhood, the academic/publishing arm of Godly Play. She is the author of Godly Play in Middle and Late Childhood, published in 2021. Dr. Minor was the Consulting Editor for Volume 6, 7, and 8 of The Complete Guide to Godly Play, the newly revised edition of Teaching Godly Play, and for the revision of Volumes 2, 3, 4 and 6. She is currently working with Dr. Jerome Berryman on the revised edition of The Complete Guide to Godly Play, Volumes 8. Her most recent academic articles were published in the Journal of Religious Education and the International Journal of Children’s Spirituality.
Dr. Minor is an Episcopal Priest in the Diocese of Massachusetts. She and her husband Paul have been Co-Rectors of All Saints’ Church in Belmont for 27 years. Before serving in Belmont, they served churches in Manhattan and Philadelphia. They have two grown children and 2 grandchildren.
Godly Play Resources
Michael McCown
General Manager
Mike McCown became involved with Godly Play in 1990 while developing products for Jerome Berryman's first Godly Play catalog. In the years to follow other products were developed and produced as well – the Mystery of Easter pieces, Liturgical Furniture, The Upper Room and Temple, Noah's Ark, the box for The Greatest Parable... and the list continues to grow. In 2008, shortly after the Godly Play Foundation was formed, Mike became the general manager of Godly Play Resources. The loves of his life are his two children Katherine and Andrew, and of course, woodworking.
Teresa Arnold
Office manager
Teresa Arnold had her first sneak peek of Godly play in the spring of 1989, when she was asked if she would be interested in cutting pieces of felt for the newly developed and still-in-progress lessons for Godly Play. She said, “Sure!” and began working for several years in a basement in Ashland, Kansas doing whatever needed to been done and developed. Teresa joined the Godly Play the team full time in 1999. She currently serves as the Office Manager for the Resources division. In her spare time she teaches barn quilt classes and other crafty projects. She loves to travel and camp with her husband Terry who also makes materials for Godly Play. They have 2 daughters and 4 grandchildren.
Connie Herl
Shipping manager
Connie Herl, has been involved creatively in developing and producing items for Resources since the early 1990’s. In 2008 she started working inside the warehouse in the shipping department. She continues being involved in building products, creating new products, and doing her own art. She continues to spend most of her spare time outside, gardening, golfing, and spending time with her family.
Teika Arnold
PRINTS AND ARTWORK MANAGER
Teika Arnold graduated from Fort Hays State University with a BFA in Drawing and started working at Godly Play Resources in the summer of 2012. Both as the prints and artwork manager, and as a contract vendor producing Godly Play materials, such as the Temple artifacts set, the Ark of the Covenant, and other similar products. Teika is the third generation to work as a Godly Play materials producer. She also completed Core Training during the North American Conference at Sewanee, Tennessee in 2015. Teika enjoys small town ranch living with her husband and baby girl, sketchbook doodling, and a good cup of warm coffee in the morning. She enjoys the artistic creative challenges that Godly Play Resources offers and looks forward to developing her artistic skills as Godly Play continues to expand.
Godly Play Global
The Rev. Canon Dr. Andrew Sheldon
Global Consultant
Andrew Sheldon describes his introduction to Godly Play in this way: “It was love at first sight!” Andrew immediately recognized the value of this innovative program and became an early advocate of the programme promoting it in his roles as both priest and professor in the Diocese of Toronto. Andrew was trained as a storyteller in 2006 and became an accredited trainer in 2009. In late 2015 he assumed the role of Godly Play Advocate for International Development. In this role Andrew provides support to both the global community as a whole, as well as its constituent parts made up of regional and national associations. He is privileged to travel the world to provide training to storytellers and trainers, speak at Godly Play conferences or gatherings, or to engage in the ‘business’ of Godly Play. But perhaps his greatest delight is the weekly opportunity to get on the floor with children for stories and wondering.
