Ed Glaize
Senior Pastor
Vern Collins
Pastor of Discipleship
Vern has been on staff at Boone UMC since the fall of 1998. He has a passion for helping people share their faith with others and for ministering to young professionals and graduate students. Vern leads Crossroads, a multi-sensory worship gathering.
Laura Beach Byrch
Pastor of Blackburn's Chapel & Pastor of Community Engagement
Patti Connelly
Pastor of Congregational Care & Hospitality
Patti joined Boone UMC in December 2014 as the Director of Adult Ministries after working with congregations in the Charleston, W.V., area. Patti and her husband, Ken, are parents to five grown children and enjoy being grandparents to their awesome grandchildren who live nearby.
Laura Padgett
Director of Children's Ministry
Laura Padgett, our Children’s Ministry Director, brings to the role years of experience in ministry with children, higher education, and administration. A lifelong resident of the High Country, Laura and her husband, Donald, have worshiped and served here at Boone UMC since 2011.
Ben Fitzgerald
Youth Director & Crossroads Worship Leader
Ben Fitzgerald has been on Boone UMC staff either leading worship, managing tech, or working with the Youth Group for more than a decade. He is passionate about shepherding youth through their journey of faith and finding identity in Christ.
Emily Greene
Youth Ministry Assistant
Emily Greene brings to the Youth Ministry a great sense of joy, a huge heart for the young people of Boone UMC, and devotion to living life in Christ. Before joining the team as Assistant, Emily served as the Interim Youth Director.
Dana Davis
Director of Worship & The Arts
Sam Kohler
Technology Director & Facilities Coordinator
Sam Kohler, the Technical Director for Boone UMC, grew up a Presbyterian preacher’s kid in Pennsylvania. After graduating from a Christian college, he always knew he wanted to work in ministry.Sam brings with him a wealth of experience running sound and tech for churches and theaters.
Lisa DeLaurentiis
Business Administrator
Jacob Penick
Kitchen Manager
Jacob joined the team in 2024 to manage the functions and events of one of our greatest assets — our kitchen! His expertise in running a commercial kitchen and preparing meals for large gatherings helps make our feeding ministry possible.
Kelly Broman-Fulks
Director of Communications
Emily Wright
Director of Preschool
Emily Wright is our newest edition to our church staff leadership. She has worked for Boone United Methodist Preschool previously as a lead teacher. Help us welcome Emily to the team!
Becca Wood
Director of Afterschool Bilingual Program
Before joining our staff to lead our Afterschool Bilingual Program, Becca taught with Kinderwood/Imagine Bilingual School, which meets at Boone UMC. She loves working with children and helping connect them across language and culture.
Mike Carson
Custodian