Conference Staff
Rev. Shana Johnson
Conference Minister
Shana received her Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Ministries from Greenville College. She was the first woman to enter the pastoral ministries program at Greenville College and received the Wilson King religion award upon graduation. After graduating from Greenville in 1993, Shana began her seminary training at Eden Theological Seminary where she earned her Master of Divinity degree in 1997. Shana has served UCC churches in southern Illinois, central Illinois, Missouri, and northern Illinois.
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Hayley Elliott
Acting Director of Outdoor Ministry
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Hayley received a B.S. in Business Administration from Mars Hill University and a MTS (Master of Theological Studies) degree from Vanderbilt Divinity School. Hayley and her wife, Rachel, moved to Denver where she worked as a co-director for youth and children at Sixth Avenue UCC and shared her gifts at LaForet Conference and Retreat Center, the Rocky Mountain Conference's camp. She is passionate about outdoor ministry.
Christy Pursell
ISC Executive Administrator
Christy manages the office in Highland and assists Rev. Johnson with Search and Call details as well as ISC event organization, General Synod, and staffing for ISC Teams and Committees. She has a Masters in Social Work as well as being a mom of three young men.
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Julie Riechmann
DuBois Center/ISC Registrar
Julie started working with ISC and DuBois Center in November 2018 and remains the part-time office support for St. Peter's UCC in Okawville. She is the mother of three boys.
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Rylee Hodges-Stone
DuBois Center Program Director
Rylee initially heard about camp from her home church, Zion UCC in New Baden, and started attending in the summer of 2006, as a half-week camper. She grew up going to summer camp every summer, while also attending retreats and festivals at DuBois Center. Rylee grew up in New Baden and recently graduated from the Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville with a degree in Biology and Chemistry. In Rylee’s free time, she goes boating, goes horseback riding, and hangs out with her family.
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Debbie Kesner
ISC Office Support Coordinator
Debbie began working with Illinois South Conference in June 2019. She keeps the office running smoothly working Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning until early afternoon. She is the mother of two girls and supports her husband's photography business on her time off.
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Lynnette Schuepbach
ISC Communication Coordinator
Lynnette began working with Illinois South Conference in 2008. She devotes her time to the Weekly Connection, website and social media. She is a grandmother of three and an author and illustrator of children's books. She enjoys anything creative.
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