Photo of previous Elder Team
Elder Team Class of 2026-2027
- Lauren King [Discipleship]
- David Leach [Stewardship]
- Elizabeth McNair [Personnel]
- Bill Newton [Mission]
- Pat Ogden [Member Care]
- Cheryl Rogers [Worship and Music]
- Nancy Staley [Finance]
Nominating Committee for 2026–2027:
- Marianne Evans
- Bill Ogden
- Elizabeth McNair
Pat Ogden: Member Care
Bill and I have been married for fifty-nine years, raised three sons, and are blessed with seven grandchildren and two great-grandsons. That’s a lot of birthdays to remember! We met in my hometown, Dayton, Ohio, in 1965 while Bill was stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and I was in my senior year at Miami Valley Hospital School of Nursing. We married on September 10, 1966, and then moved to Columbus, Ohio, so I could attend the RN to BSN program at The Ohio State University, which I completed in 1969.
Our first two sons were born in Columbus in 1970 and 1973, and I became a Lamaze Instructor, which literally was a labor of love. While in Columbus, we joined Overbrook Presbyterian Church, which offered fellowship in the Highlanders Group for young married couples and also introduced me to hearing handbells for the very first time, cascading from the balcony as if coming from heaven. Happily, I was able to join the Handbell Choir, and I have been a “ding-a-ling” ever since. In 1978, we moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, for a new job for Bill. We found another church home at St. Giles Presbyterian Church, which happened to also had a handbell choir. It was a beautiful church nestled in the pine trees and offered lots of activities for family and youth. Bill and I both became Elders there. I also continued to teach childbirth classes, and in 1980, our third son was born. We loved living in Raleigh and would have been content to stay there forever; however, God had other plans for us.
A job transfer for Bill brought us to Tampa in 1989, and we bought a home in Valrico. We visited FPCB just to check it out. We were warmly welcomed, and we have felt at home here ever since. Of course, it helped that there was also a handbell choir. With one son in college, one in high school, and one in grade school, I decided it was time to pursue a full-time nursing career.
I worked as a Public Health Nurse for two years and then eighteen years as Patient Health Education Coordinator for Tampa General Hospital Ambulatory Care. I had the opportunity to attend the USF College of Public Health and receive an MPH degree. I love combining teaching with nursing and enjoy serving our church as a Faith Community Nurse, along with Linda LaComb Willians, and serving on our Health Ministry Team, which is part of Member Care.
I look forward to serving as an Elder on the Member Care Ministry Team to welcome visitors, friends, and new members, and care for our congregation “…to promote hope, Christian nurture, spiritual maturity, and commitment to the life of Christ.”
Cheryl Rogers: Worship & Music
Hello, Church Family! I am happy to be coming on the Session in the Worship Ministry Team. I served on Session about ten years ago, and it feels right at this point in time to be coming back. My husband, David, and I returned to FPCB in 2003 after he retired from the Marine Corps. We had previously been members of the church in 1986-89 when David was stationed at MacDill Air Force Base. We have two daughters and three grandchildren, who you will occasionally see attending services. I have enjoyed serving as a Sunday School Teacher, VBS Crafts Leader, Preschool Board Member, and “Behind the Scenes Banner and Adornment” Committee. I grew up in the Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Georgia, graduated from the University of Georgia, traveled as a military spouse with David for thirty years, and settled here in Brandon. I am looking forward to working for you, my Church Family, and praising God together.
Elizabeth McNair: Personnel
I am a native North Carolinian, born into and raised in the Howard Memorial Presbyterian Church in Tarboro, North Carolina. I can honestly say I am a Presbyterian by birth, and as Paul Reiter said, also by choice.
My family moved to Brandon in October of 1975 from Fort Wayne, Indiana and I have been a part of this congregation since then. My husband Ed and I have 2 daughters, Beth and Catherine, who were raised in this church. They, like their mother, found First Presbyterian, Brandon, to be a very special place.
It has been both a privilege and a blessing over the years to have been an active part of many of our church’s programs as well as serving on Session several times. I look forward to service this time and pray I will discern what God would have me do now in these challenging times.
David Leach: Stewardship
My wife, Hyeim, and I have been with this church for over 8 years, and we have both been in the Presbyterian Community since we got married in Honolulu, Hawaii. Most of our service in the church has been in the Korean Communities until we joined First Presbyterian Church of Brandon. I have been involved with the youth children of our church for over 6 years, until recently in when some of the families have stepped in to help support this wonderful program. I have been actively involved with a couple of our mission groups because I believe it is our responsibility to support the efforts to help others in our community, and I feel that this church does it very well. I was part of the Discipleship Committee for about 6 years, and this was the first role as an Elder that I served on. Stewardship is a new path for me, and I believe that God is providing an opportunity for me to grow and enrich my spiritual journey. I look forward to serving as Stewardship Elder to support our church’s vitality and growth.
Nancy Staley: Finance
My husband, Andy, and I have been members of FPCB since 2012. We’re childhood sweethearts and have been married for 55 years. We’re blessed with two adult children, Tammy and Marc, who live in Colorado, and three grandchildren—Tynan, Laney, and Katie. Though Tynan and Katie were called home far too soon, their lives continue to shape our hearts and faith in profound ways.
I was a late bloomer when it came to college, attending Regis University at night while working full-time as an executive admin for Progressive Insurance in Colorado. In December 1996, I proudly graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration from Regis University. After moving back to Florida, I continued again as an executive admin at Bausch & Lomb Pharmaceuticals for nearly 20 years before retiring in 2016.
My hobbies include genealogy, creating Mixbooks (photo books of our travels), and preparing Wednesday Night Bible Study lessons. For ten years, we were blessed to care for my mother in our home until her passing in 2022 at the age of 94. With both Andy and me now retired and no major obligations at home, we’re joyfully embracing our dream of traveling the world together.
I was born in Orlando and raised in Apopka, and I’ve been a Presbyterian all my life. From the moment we found FPCB, we felt at home and quickly became involved—attending Sunday School and participating in church functions. Before COVID, I coordinated communion for both services, and since then, I’ve taken on coordinating the usher schedule. Andy and I have also led the Wednesday Night Bible Study classes for women and men for the past ten years. I’m deeply grateful for the faithful group of women who gather each week and have helped me grow in my walk with Christ.
Though I’ve often served quietly from the sidelines, I’ve felt God’s gentle nudge to step forward this year and serve as an elder. I’m honored by the opportunity and look forward to learning, listening, and growing in faith as I serve our church family.
Bill Newton: Mission and Outreach
Originally from Parkton, North Carolina, I graduated from NC State University and was a cadet in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). I entered the US Air Force as a communications and computer maintenance officer. I had assignments in several states, including Alaska and overseas in the Azores. I retired from MacDill AFB in 1986. I became a government contractor for two years before returning to government service with the United States Special Operations Command at MacDill AFB as a Program Manager and later Acquisition Executive, retiring in 2006. My hobbies include golf and playing the bagpipes. As a mason, I am a member of the Egypt Shrine Bagpipe Band and a past member of the Tampa Bay Pipes and Drums. My wife’s name is Sharon, and I have two daughters and a son (deceased), along with three grandchildren.
Past Elder Teams
Class of 2025
| Lauren King (Ordain & Install) |
| Linda Lacomb-Williams (Ordain & Install) |
| John McIntosh (Install) |
| Terrie Morrison (Install) |
| David Royle (Install) |
| Jackie Williams (Install) |
| Jim Yockey (Install) |
| Ken Gay, Clerk of Session |
Class of 2024
| Elena LaRussa: Building & Grounds |
| Bill Ogden: Mission & Outreach |
| Kim Pickens: Member Care |
| JoEllen Preston: Discipleship |
| Rae Vinson: Worship & Music |
Class of 2023
Roz Dill
David Leach
John McIntosh
Ben Pabst
Kathy Thorson
Jann VanDyke