Board of Trustees
Samuel Prince, President
Rev. Samuel became involved with the Unitarian Universalism after leaving the Anglican convent. His journey took him to the Unitarian Society of New Haven, becoming a member in June 2007, where he served as a chair on for the Adult Religious Education and co-chair of the Anti-Racism Team, two areas of passion.
After moving to Meriden, CT., and becoming a member of UU Church in Meriden, he continued to follow his passions by creating an ARE (Allies for Racial Equity) Committee and starting the congregation towards becoming an Anti-Racist Church while being on the Board of Trustees and later serving other leadership roles, Board Trustee and others. He was then invited to be a member of the GRACE (Growing Racial And Cultural Equity) Team of the New England Region leading congregations in ARAOMC (Anti-Racism Anti-Oppression Multicultural) initiatives.
After relocating to Sandusky, Ohio, and serving three years on the Board and the Board President, he presently attends the UU Church of Akron. One of his joys was the group organizing of the first gathering of People of Color (POC) in OMD when ARE (Allies for Racial Equity) held their gathering in Cleveland in 2014. He also served on the General Assembly Planning Committee and currently serves on Black Lives UU Organizing Collective Board, the Unitarian Universalist Funding Program and the UU Christian Fellowship.
Parker Cohen, Secretary
Parker grew up in small town North Carolina and attended Salem College, a small Moravian woman’s college in Winston-Salem, NC. It was in the philosophy classes and American Religion class that her world opened up to different religious backgrounds and beliefs. After two years working at a law firm, Parker ventured to the University of South Carolina to earn a MA in public history and was introduced to Unitarian Universalism. Parker and her husband, Fred, were married in a UU ceremony at the conclusion of her masters class work and his medical residency and then moved to the Washington DC area where she worked in history at the US Capitol.
Upon moving to Indianapolis two years later, Parker decided that it was time to join a UU church. She became an active member of All Souls UU Church while spending time working for a variety of history organizations. After starting a family in 1998, the young family moved to Pennsylvania in 2000 and Parker immediately became involved in the UU Church at Washington Crossing. During her 21 years at UUCWC, Parker has been an active RE teacher, co-teacher of several adult classes, an active member of several committees, facilitator of the Earth-based Spirituality Circle for seven years, the congregational archivist and an occasional choir member. She is very proud to have been able to give her two children a wonderful UU background.
Even after starting a family, Parker remained active out of the home and taught preschool and preschool music, worked retail, and has done a variety of history jobs for the David Library of the American Revolution, her UU congregation, and Murray Grove. She currently works for the Pennsylvania State Legislature and enjoys helping citizens in the district office.
Parker was first drawn to Murray Grove for the inaugural women’s retreat. Finding peace and community off NJ Route 9, she knew that she had found a magical place and has been an active volunteer archivist, event co-planner, and participant in many of Murray Grove’s wonderful programs.
Joseph Yelder, Vice President
Joseph Yelder has been a mental health social worker for The Mental Health Association of Monmouth County for nine years He is responsible for collaborating with clients to create a crisis plan that utilizes all community 24-hour services. He educates clients on how to follow a crisis plan developed by both the client, their case manager and or peer advocate. Joseph has the ability to identify clinical crises that may require emergency intervention. He also addresses substance abuse/dependence issues and offer appropriate rehabilitation programs.
Previously, Joseph managed benefits administration for Electronic Data Systems (formally Towers Perrin) for 10 years. He worked with a select group of clients, in addition to managing the plan administration staff in the areas of benefits administration, training and development.
Keith Timko, Treasurer
Keith Timko is Executive Director at Support Center and leads efforts to strengthen the leadership and management of organizations and advance Support Center’s vision for social change. develop and promote an integrated and collaborative approach to capacity building for nonprofit organizations and social enterprises. Prior to joining Support Center, Keith was the Director & CEO with Build with Purpose, a nonprofit real estate development organization.
Keith brings over twenty five years of experience in nonprofit leadership spanning nonprofit leadership and management, community development, education, and urban policy. Keith is past co-chair with the Alliance for Nonprofit Management and former Treasurer with the NJ Center for Nonprofits and currently serves on the boards of Murray Grove, the National New Markets Fund (advisory), and the Senior Residence at St. Peter the Apostle in River Edge.
Keith has a Bachelor’s degree in History and Russian from Rutgers University and a Master in Business Administration from Columbia University and is currently a part-time lecturer in social entrepreneurship at Rutgers Business School.
Craig Hirshberg
Rev. Craig Hirshberg is celebrating her 26th year in UU ministry. Rev. Craig Hirshberg has a wealth of experience in the pulpit and in the community. She is Minister Emerita of the UU Congregation of Somerset Hills where she served as the founding minister. She brought to her ministry extensive non-profit experience including training, planning, community organizing and program development. She is a spiritual director and hosts meditation classes, retreats and other spiritual development activities.
She is a graduate of Drew Theological School, and the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. She received her spiritual direction training at Shalem in Washington DC and from the Rowe Spiritual Direction Program.
Rev. Hirshberg has served on the board of the Unitarian Universalist Trauma Response Team, being deployed in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy. Before her retirement, she served as Executive Director of UU Faith Action NJ (formerly the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of New Jersey (UULMNJ).
She currently lives in Easton, PA where she is involved in local community activity, the arts, and Red Cross Disaster Response. She is married to her husband, Dominick DePinto, and has three children, and four grandchildren. Craig believes in the history, in the transformational capacity and in the future of Murray Grove.
Farooq Zama
Farooq Zama bio coming soon!
Kevin Trayner
Kevin Trayner bio coming soon!
