Meet the Staff
The fellowship is open Sundays – Thursdays. Please call or email ahead to arrange a meeting with our staff to ensure they are not in other meetings when you drop by.
Reverend Kayla Parker
Minister
To schedule an appointment, send Rev. Kayla an email.
Rev. Kayla Parker (she/they) began as our settled minister in August of 2023. She has served congregations in Virginia, Indiana, West Virginia and Connecticut. Rev. Kayla believes deeply in the transformative power of community and chocolate. She is comforted and challenged by a Love that is always there when we fall, and that pulls us into changing for the better.
Rev. Kayla is originally from Massachusetts, and received her M.Div from Yale Divinity School in New Haven, CT. She is now happy to be settled in to Winston-Salem, where she lives with her husband Dan Taylor – and the bosses of their home, their cat and child.
Pam Lepley
Director of Lifespan Religious Education
Office Hours: Sun 9-noon; Tues & Thurs 9-1; or by appointment
Pam Lepley coordinates and oversees our religious education classes for children and youth as well as a variety of enrichment programs that reach beyond the traditional classroom setting. Pam is available to meet one-on-one for discussions on life, religion and family matters. She is also able to make referrals if needed for professional counseling.
Pam graduated from Wake Forest University in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a minor in religion. Before working at the Fellowship, she served as an advocate for battered women and survivors of rape in Concord and was a foster-care social worker for the Guilford County Department of Social Services. Pam lives in High Point with her husband, two children and a menagerie of family pets.
Caron Armstrong
Director of Congregational Life
Office Hours: Usually in the building Sun, Mon & Wed; by appointment via phone or zoom Sun-Thurs. Days off Fri & Sat.
As Director of Congregational Life, Caron oversees the processes of welcoming and educating newcomers, promoting membership, engaging members in programming, and recruiting volunteers. She maintains the member database and works with the Membership Committee on programs for new and existing members. Caron also assists in recruiting volunteers by matching Fellowship needs with the interests of members and friends of the Fellowship.
Caron Armstrong is a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill, where she met her husband, Steve. They have three grown children. She lives with her family and her many pets in Kernersville.
Lea Henderson Lagesse
Fellowship Administrator
Lea Henderson Lagesse oversees the administration of the finances and daily operations of the Fellowship, drawing on extensive experience in administration. Her role extends beyond numbers, showcasing a creative flair for identifying opportunities beneficial to nonprofits and local businesses.
Prior to working at the Fellowship, Lea has worked for local non-profit organizations, serving most recently as a Volunteer & Collaboration Coordinator, and a Director of Development. She cares deeply about her community, and is a long-time volunteer to many local events and arts groups.
Originally from Virginia, Lea has been living in Winston-Salem since 2016 with her husband, Jason, son Daniel, and their beloved Old English Sheepdogs, August and Birdie.
Mignon Dobbins
Music Director
Office Hours: by appointment
Mignon Dobbins oversees our music program and has directed our outstanding choir since 1998. Mignon holds the Master of Music in Music Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. A National Board Certified Teacher, she is the director of choirs at Reagan High School in Pfafftown. She sang with the Bel Canto Company for 15 years and is now the vocalist for the Salem Swing Band.
About her work, she says, “I like nothing better than researching, preparing and performing challenging, thought-provoking music to enhance the worship or meditative experience. I also value the relationships that develop and are strengthened through choral music: the emotional connectedness, the nonverbal communication, the sense of trust, the thrill of achievement, and the inspiration of poetry and music.” Mignon lives in Winston-Salem with her professional musician wife, Eileen, and their spoiled rotten cat, Shelley.
Yong Im Federle
Pianist/Accompanist
pianist@uufws.org
In addition to providing beautiful music for our Sunday services and accompanying the Fellowship choir, Yong Im is an accomplished performer and teacher who received her Bachelor’s Degree at Indiana University South Bend, Masters Degree at Longy School of Music, and her Doctor of Musical Arts Degree at UNCG. She and her husband, Ted Federle, a professional opera singer, have both lived, worked and studied in the Triad area for a number of years.
Yong Im has performed numerous recitals throughout South America and the United States. She was born in Seoul, South Korea and raised in Santiago, Chile. She serves as a piano faculty at Salem College and Wake Forest University, and owns a private piano studio in Winston Salem.
Libbie Mayr
Communication Specialist
Libbie is passionate about helping organizations during periods of growth and creating impact through thoughtful, collaborative, and strategic communications.
Originally from Virginia, Libbie has been a part of the Winston-Salem community since 2012 and is the mother of two school aged children whom she shares with her husband, Kristian.
