Jana Reister, Associate Pastor

Jana Rae Reister joined Knox as our Associate Pastor in 2009. She received her degree in psychology and sociology from Hope College in Holland, Michigan in 1988. She moved to Seattle where she worked in the financial industry from 1991 to 1996 before joining the US Peace Corps and serving as a volunteer in Uganda for two years. While there, Jana built relationships with farmers and small business owners, both men and women, working to increase their crop yields, business skills and overall incomes. She also became involved in a local worshiping community and organized a fundraising effort with her church, friends, and family in the US to help construct a church for the Ugandan congregation. Following the Peace Corps, Jana returned to Seattle and joined the staff of Professional Women's Fellowship, a marketplace ministry to women in the workplace. Jana entered Princeton Theological Seminary (PTS) in July of 2003 and received her Masters of Divinity in May of 2006. PTS awarded her the Bryant M. Kirkland Price for Excellence in Practical Theology and the Graduate Study Fellowship for Parish Pulpit Ministry. The fellowship allowed Jana to travel to Peru, Ecuador, Guatemala and Belize where, over the course of seven months, she lived with local families, studied culture and the Spanish language, traveled throughout each country, volunteered, and participated in mission trips. After returning to the US, she was called to First Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she served for two years an an ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament as part of the Lilly Endowment Pastoral Residency program.

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Open Position, Director of Christian Education

The position of Director of Christian Education is currently vacant. If you would like to submit an application, please refer to the Job description.

David Annett, Director of Youth and Young Adults

David Annett serves Knox as Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries. He began his work in Youth ministry at Montgomery Presbyterian Church in 2002 before coming to work at Knox. David coordinates activities and youth meetings, in conjunction with a team of youth advisors. David provides both a personal connection with Knox and an infectious enthusiasm for the life of the church and the youth's part in it. He is a graduate of Walnut Hills High School, and holds a BA degree in Chemistry from Wittenberg University. David also runs a Media Production company called Stone Bridge Media!

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John Adams, Church Administrator

John Adams is Knox Church's third Church Administrator. John joined the Knox staff in July, 2008 after a twenty-five year career in the automotive computer business. He holds a BA degree in Economics from DePauw University in 1973. He is married to Janis Adams, who is the Stated Clerk of the Presbytery of Cincinnati.

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Pam Ward, Faith Community Nurse

Pam Ward, R.N. is Knox's Faith Community Nurse and brings over 27 years of diverse nursing experience. Pam’s nursing career has included the practice of neonatal, maternal, pediatric, psychiatric and geriatric nursing, at well-esteemed institutions, including the Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Stanford University Medical Center, Langley-Porter Psychiatric Institute at U.C.S.F., and The Children’s Home of Cincinnati. Pam is a native of St. Clair Shores, Michigan, and resides in Hyde Park with her husband Tom and daughters Casey and Anna Marie.

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Jan Annett, Director of Stephen Ministry

Jan Annett is Knox’s Coordinator of Stephen Ministry. She also has a full-time position as Admissions Director at Springer School, a school for children with learning disabilities. Jan and her husband Larry have been members of Knox since 1976. They have two grown children, Liz and David, and live in Hyde Park.

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Earl Rivers, Director of Music

Dr. Earl Rivers, Director of Music at Knox since 1974, is also the Director of Choral Studies and Head of the Division of Ensembles and Conducting at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. From 1988-2008 he was Music Director and Conductor of the Vocal Arts Ensemble of Cincinnati, a professional chamber choir. He has taught conducting, master classes, and lectured at The Juilliard School and Westminster Choir College of Rider University. Internationally, he has guest conducted and lectured in Seoul, South Korea, the Taipei International Choral Festival in Taiwan, and most recently at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music in Chengdu, China. In the USA he has led festival choirs in Carnegie Hall and 35 years of programs for conventions of the American Choral Directors Association.

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Christina Haan, Organist

Knox's Organist, Christina Haan has an extensive background in opera and music theatre. In her position as organist at Knox Church, she plays for many major works and performs many organ concertos. Her professional engagements have taken her to venues including England, Italy, Paris, and Carnegie Hall. She is in great demand as accompanist and chamber musician, and performs frequently with local groups such as Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra and Vocal Arts Ensemble. Christina is currently a doctoral candidate in organ performance at Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

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Marie George and Laura Johnson, Preschool Co-Directors

Marie George and Laura Johnson are the co-directors of Knox Preschool. Marie has her degree in early childhood education and over 20 years of teaching experience She taught at Knox as a lead teacher for over 10 years and is now the director of curriculum and education. Laura has over 12 years of management experience and holds a CDA in child development and is the administrative director responsible for tuition and registration.

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Renche Le Roux, Financial Secretary

A native of South Africa, Renche received her Bachelor of Commerce degree and Diploma in Accountancy from the University of Natal in Durban and she was certified as a Chartered Accountant in 1982. Renche received an Advanced Tax Certificate from the University of South Africa and qualified as a Certified Public Accountant in the USA in 1998. She was employed be Deloitte and Touche in Johannesburg. In addition to serving at Knox, Renche serves as Treasurer for St. Paul United Methodist Church in Madeira. She and her husband Andre resides in Madeira.

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Linda Meineke, Administrative Assistant

Linda joined the Knox staff in November 2007. Before working at Knox, she served as Parish Secretary for the St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Terrace Park, from 1996-2007. Prior to that Linda graduated from the Bethesda School of Nursing as an RN and served at the VA Hospital in Lexington and Bethesda North Hospital in Montgomery, Ohio. Beginning in 1980, Linda was self-employed as the owner of LM Ceramics, an in-home ceramic studio where she taught classes and poured and fired greenware. At the same time, she owned and managed up to 15 single family homes with Meineke Property Investments. Other experience include serving on the board of Band Parent Organizations, the PTA for the Milford School System, Treasurer for Branch Hill Church of Christ and Church Directory Volunteer from 1997-2008 at the River Hills Christian Church. Linda and her husband raised a daughter and a son and have six grandchildren.

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Lorelei Zenk, Parish Secretary

Lorelei has been our Parish Secretary since February, 1997. Before working at Knox she held various secretarial positions. Among them were Procter and Gamble and the Hamilton County Park District. Prior to and while working as a secretary, Lorelei attended the College Conservatory of Music, where she studied piano and voice as well as drama. Her aspiration of being a singer has been fulfilled in her role as choir member, cantor and church soloist as well as having sung in the May Festival, Cincinnati Choral Society, and, most recently, in the all women’s group, Voce di Donna. Lorelei is a Cincinnati native but lived for two years in Belgium, where her husband was sent by Cincinnati Milacron to help guide the startup of their new plastics lab. She and her husband raised a family of three, a son and two daughters, and have four grandsons.

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Brian Potts, Youth Choir Director

Brian Potts is looking forward to serving Knox as the Youth Choir Director. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Otterbein College and brings five years of teaching experience in the public schools, both in Ohio and Maryland. Brian most recently taught choir in grades 5-12 in the Wyoming City School district in Cincinnati. He is currently a student of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where he is working on his Master of Music degree in Music Education. Brian lives in Deer Park with his wife, Sara, and their three dogs.

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Ben Hansen, Covenant Choir Director

Ben Hansen is currently pursuing his master's degree in choral conducting at CCM. A native of Nebraska, Hansen comes to Cincinnati via Washington D.C. where he founded and directed the community choir called The Washington Collegium, and directed the children's choir at St. Marks's Episcopal church. He has a masters in vocal pedagogy from Catholic University and his bachelors degree from Yale.

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Charlotte Loflin, Carol Choir Director

Many people at Knox know Charlotte as she is a former member of the Youth Group and grew up at Knox. Charlotte graduated last May from Miami University with a Bachelor of Music, Music Education and Minor in music composition. She currently teaches at the Hebrew Day School and St Martin of Tours, and we are excited to welcome her to this position.

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Sean Taylor, Handbell Director / Assistant Choir Director

Sean is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Conducting from CCM, where he is Assistant Conductor of the Chorale and Music Director of the UC Cabaret Singers. For the past year, he has served as bass soloist at Knox and sang with the Vocal Arts Ensemble in May. Originally from Pittsburgh, Sean recently earned a Master of Music in Conducting from Carnegie Mellon, where he was Assistant Conductor to Robert Page. While in Pittsburgh, among other things, he was Conducting Assistant and a member of the professional core of the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh. Sean received a Bachelor of Music in Music Education, with emphasis on voice, from Westminster College PA. From 2004 – 2007, he taught middle school band and high school choir in the Beaver Local School District in Lisbon OH.

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Brenda Lowry, Lead Custodian / Maintenance

Brenda Lowery is Knox’s Lead Maintenance/Custodian. She has loyally served the church since January, 2006. Brenda is particularly known around the church for her love of animals, especially her fish and two cats. She loves sports, particularly baseball and bowling. In addition to her work at the church, Brenda runs a part-time business of her own cleaning three area offices. She comes from a family of eleven siblings, and currently resides in Oakley.

Greg Morgan, Custodian / Maintenance

Greg grew up in Mariemont and graduated from Mariemont High School. He was active in the Knox Youth Group and was among the first participants in the annual youth trip to Montreat. Greg is married to Julie and they are the parents of Michael, Emma and Matt. In addition to serving on our staff, Greg is employed part-time with Pizza Hut.

Buttons Overstreet, Custodian / Maintenance

“Buttons” Overstreet has been Knox’s part-time Sunday custodian since 2000. He is a regular fixture on Sunday mornings at the church, making sure the church is open and accessible to all worshipers at Knox’s two worship services. He can be found doing everything from giving directions to visitors to shoveling the church’s sidewalks in the winter. Buttons is employed full time by the City of Cincinnati. Part of his responsibilities with this job is serving season Bengal ticket holders at home Bengals games.