Contact Us

The ministry of the Gathering is dreamed, planned and executed by Gathering leaders, nearly 98% of whom are volunteers, working with a small staff out of the ELCA churchwide organization. These individuals pour their energy into the ministry of the Gathering (and two smaller, concurrent events, the tAble and the Multicultural Youth Leadership Event) so that congregations can experience this life-changing faith formation experience.

Are you doing youth ministry in your community or looking for regional support to attend the Gathering? Connect to your regional representatives, youth ministry professionals who have attended the Gathering and are here to help.

If you have questions about the Young Adult Gathering, please email young.adults@elca.org.

Gathering Staff

Deacon Jess Liles
(
she/her
)
Director, ELCA Youth Gathering, ELCA Youth Ministry
Justin Wilson
(
he/him
)
Manager, Engagement and Resources
Deacon Beth Hartfiel
(
she/her
)
Coordinator, Event Logistics and Administration
Catherine Slabaugh
(
she/her
)
Communications
The Rev. Cassie Overcash
(
she/her
)
Community Life
Dannica Olsen
(
she/her
)
ENGAGE
The Rev. Chris Marien
(
he/him
)
Mass Gathering
The Rev. Nicolette Faison
(
she/her
)
Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE)
The Rev. Kim Adams
(
she/her
)
Operations
The Rev. Shawn Hannon
(
he/him
)
Safety and Security
Kris Bjorke
(
she/her
)
SERVE
Jonathan Zitelman
(
he/him
)
Technology
The Rev. Jonathan Vehar
(
he/him
)
the tAble
The Rev. Jennifer Schultz
(
she/her
)
Volunteers
The Rev. Tony Acompanado
(
he/him
)
Worship and Chaplains
Daniel Kirschbaum
(
they/he
)
Senior Director, Young Adult Communities
Deacon Kayla Zopfi
(
they/them
)
Young Adult Networks Coordinator

Gathering Team Leaders

The Rev. Tony Acompanado
(
he/him
)
Worship and Chaplains
The Rev. Jennifer Schultz
(
she/her
)
Volunteers
The Rev. Jonathan Vehar
(
he/him
)
the tAble
Jonathan Zitelman
(
he/him
)
Technology
Kris Bjorke
(
she/her
)
SERVE
The Rev. Shawn Hannon
(
he/him
)
Safety and Security
The Rev. Kim Adams
(
she/her
)
Operations
The Rev. Nicolette Faison
(
she/her
)
Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE)
The Rev. Chris Marien
(
he/him
)
Mass Gathering
Dannica Olsen
(
she/her
)
ENGAGE
Catherine Slabaugh
(
she/her
)
Communications
The Rev. Cassie Overcash
(
she/her
)
Community Life

Young Adult Gathering

Daniel Kirschbaum
(
they/he
)
Senior Director, Young Adult Communities
Deacon Kayla Zopfi
(
they/them
)
Young Adult Networks Coordinator

Regional Representatives

Jess
Liles
(
she/her
)
Director, ELCA Youth Gathering, ELCA Youth Ministry
Justin
Wilson
(
he/him
)
Manager, Engagement and Resources
Beth
Hartfiel
(
she/her
)
Coordinator, Event Logistics and Administration
Catherine
Slabaugh
(
she/her
)
Communications
Cassie
Overcash
(
she/her
)
Community Life
Dannica
Olsen
(
she/her
)
ENGAGE
Chris
Marien
(
he/him
)
Mass Gathering
Nicolette
Faison
(
she/her
)
Multicultural Youth Leadership Event (MYLE)
Kim
Adams
(
she/her
)
Operations
Shawn
Hannon
(
he/him
)
Safety and Security
Kris
Bjorke
(
she/her
)
SERVE
Jonathan
Zitelman
(
he/him
)
Technology
Jonathan
Vehar
(
he/him
)
the tAble
Jennifer
Shultz
(
she/her
)
Volunteers
Tony
Acompnado
(
he/him
)
Worship and Chaplains
Daniel
Kirschbaum
(
they/he
)
Senior Director, Young Adult Communities
Kayla
Zopfi
(
they/them
)
Young Adult Networks Coordinator

Connect with the Gathering!

gathering@elca.org
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