Janet Loew, Assistant Treasurer
… grew up in Virginia and received a dual degree in Marketing and Management Information Systems from the University of Virginia. She moved to NC after college and worked in project management for several corporations before getting an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She met her husband, Josh, during grad school and upon graduation they moved to Winston-Salem together, where they both took jobs with Hanesbrands.
When Janet and Josh had children, Janet left the corporate world and lent her skills to non-profits. In 2006 she co-founded Piedmont Environmental Alliance, a non-profit dedicated to building a more just, resilient, and sustainable Piedmont Triad.
Over the years, Janet has been Treasurer for non-profits, political campaigns and PTA’s and is very comfortable with spreadsheets and financial reporting.
Elizabeth Burner, Trustee at Large
… was born and raised in Oklahoma City, OK. She was raised in evangelical Christianity, but over time, she began to feel an increasing conflict between what she was taught and what she truly believed. In early adulthood she didn’t have a religious community until she stumbled onto Unitarian Universalism and was surprised to find that there was a faith community that really does endorse an individual “free and responsible search for truth and meaning.” She began attending First Unitarian Church of Oklahoma City in 2019 and never looked back. When she moved to Winston-Salem in late 2020, one of the first things she did was look up UUFWS. She officially joined in July 2021.
Elizabeth has been a physician assistant for 12 years working in primary care, then veteran health. She now travels around the Winston-Salem area doing in-home Medicare exams, helping address the nonclinical factors that affect health (mobility, access to care, safe environment, mental health support, etc.). She is also working on completing a Masters of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
Elizabeth lives in the Ardmore area of Winston-Salem with her 8-year-old Labrador, Bennett, who is a forever-puppy at heart. She enjoys reading, travel, cooking, and theater.
Elizabeth recently served the Fellowship as a member of our Ministerial Search Committee.
A.J. Johnston, Trustee at Large
… says: I was raised, schooled, and worked in Massachusetts for a long time (65 years to be precise) as a litigator. Anyway, in 2018, I had a life epiphany and realized that other climates could be more forgiving to my health issue. What is my health issue? I am coping with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis which, for me, manifests itself in mobility issues and numbness in my hands and feet (hence the mobility problems and the knitting as physical therapy to retain what little dexterity I have left). So, we moved to North Carolina (whose climate I love).
I have been a UU since the mid-1980s. I was raised a Congregationalist where we had a very cool female minister back in the dark ages where women weren’t ministers. When she left to take a position in Hawaii, I was faced with a “fire and brimstone” minister, who turned me off organized religion completely. Fast forward to living in Vermont, and I needed a community, so, I joined the UU church there. There, I had a religious epiphany and discovered the religion did not have to just dogma and anger. So, back in Massachusetts, I joined the Unitarian Universalist Society of Grafton and Upton. It was a 35-50 congregation then where I was a member of its board and an alto in its choir. But, after our search for a new minister, the new mister grew that congregation to approximately 150 people with all the related growing pains.
Now, I am here in North Carolina with my wife, Charlotte Rancourt, my little dog, and my very large Maine Coon cat. We planned this move from Massachusetts with a pin in the map around this church and around the Baptist MS center.
I am a firm believer that one must practice what one advocates. In other words, practice what you preach. So, true to my maxim, I am running for the Board.
Kathy Orms, Trustee at Large
… grew up in St. Louis, MO. She received degrees in education, specializing in working with children from the inner city and early childhood special education. She worked in a variety of educational settings for over 10 years.
Always interested in adoption, Kathy adopted children from Vietnam, Colombia, and Korea. Adding to the mix of countries, in 2001, she married Mike Hobby, who was born and raised in England. She was happy to welcome her Irish stepdaughter, and Belgian grandchildren and son-in-law. In addition, she is delighted to share Mike’s family in Wales and South Africa.
Finding the educational field difficult with three children, Kathy changed careers from working with children to adults. This began with work in mental health, school consulting, and community development, and later expanded to being a director of organizational development at Rush, Loyola, and Wake Forest Baptist medical centers. She retired in 2014, but continued to provide organizational development consulting, course development, and training. She currently volunteers with The Women’s Fund, participates in helping political campaigns, and serves on the board of Children of Vietnam. At the Fellowship, she chaired the Personnel and Leadership Development committees, helped initiate the Women’s Retreat, and from 2015-2017 served on the UUFWS board. She recently completed terms as co-chair of the Committee on Ministry and EcoSolutions, just before serving as a member of our recent Ministerial Search Committee.
Michael Smith (He/They), Trustee at Large
…was born and raised on Long Island, NY. They left NY for NC during the pandemic in order to be closer to his parents. They live in Kernersville with their spouse Thea and dogs Lady and Hansolo. They enjoy reading, writing, and walks in nature.
Mike has been a Pagan since 2013 and a Unitarian Universalist since 2020. They are a proven faith leader, with several years of experience. They have served as the Youth Board Representative for St. Martin’s Roman Catholic Church, Grammateus (Secretary) of Hellenion, and Voice of Ministry (Board Member) and Acolyte (Minor order of clergy) for The Nemeton of The Ways.
