Leadership

Our leadership team is comprised of a group of dedicated, compassionate, and supportive individuals who have each experienced immense grief in our own way. Because of our experiences, we choose to serve others by providing them with the resources and community to travel through their journey of grief knowing that they are not alone. We invite you to contact our team with any questions or comments you may have.

Click each picture below to learn more about our ministry leaders.

FOUNDERS

Founder

Sharon Balch

Sharon began as a volunteer at Faith & Grief Luncheons. She worked at Texas Instruments for 27 years in marketing, communications, and finance. She has an MBA and a Graduate Specialist’s Certificate in Aging from the University of North Texas. She is a Stephen Minister and a Presbyterian elder.

Founder

Wendy Fenn

Wendy recently retired from being Associate Pastor at First Presbyterian Church, Dallas, TX. Previously, she was Chaplain and Director of Spiritual Care at a non-profit hospice in Dallas. She received a Master of Divinity from Perkins Theological Seminary, and a Master in Family Studies from TWU.

Founder

Fran Shelton

Fran received a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Her doctoral project was “Blessed are Those Who Mourn: Offering Comfort Through Worship and Theological Reflection.” Recognizing a tremendous benefit of spiritual disciplines for those on the journey of grief, she obtained certificates in Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Direction

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Board Member

Mike Shaw

Mike was led to become a Stephen Minister in 2005 after his middle son, Bryce, died in 2004. He became a Stephen Leader in 2007. Sensing his experience as a griever could help others, Mike started a twice annual Grief Group at Grace Presbyterian Church in Plano in 2011. Realizing everyone has unique needs and talents he became a Gallup Certified CliftonStrengths Coach and Trainer in 2015, after an extensive leadership career in retail management. CliftonStrengths is helpful in relationships, businesses, faith communities and learning environments.

Board Member

Ann Golding

Ann is a graduate of Baylor University and Dallas Theological Seminary. She has a passion for coming alongside others in times of grief and crisis and has written a curriculum titled “The Ministry of Presence,” which she has been teaching since 2003. Ann has Clinical Pastoral Education training from Methodist Hospital System, Dallas; a Victim Relief Chaplain’s Association Certification; Dallas Police Department Volunteer Chaplaincy training and has worked as a volunteer chaplain at DFW Airport Interfaith Chaplain’s Office. Ann has previously held the position of chair for the Association of Women in Ministry Professions and has been a member of the Women’s Leadership Team at bible.org. She has also served as a guest lecturer at Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing. Ann currently serves as a staff chaplain at UTSW Clements Hospital. Ann loves spending time with her family; husband Steve, son Garrett and wife Elizabeth, daughter Mallory and her husband Brian, and especially her sweet grandbabies. Her favorite pastimes are singing, backyard birding, and watching college football.  

Mary Ann Johnson

With over 20 years of experience in all aspects of Human Resources with a large global technology company, Mary’s work now focuses on coaching leaders on how to create an engaged and connected workplace community. Her speciality is working through the organization’s challenges by guiding all parties through a process to create a sustainable and successful path forward. Think of her as a “Conflict Concierge”. As an executive coach and advisor, She works with leaders to assess their conflict style and to create a plan for the development of that style. As they learn to lean into their challenges She guides their focus on problem-solving in human interactions. Her intent with her clients is to help them to grow, learn and move forward from the conflict through a transformative process.

Board Member

Stanley Larson

Stanley, born in Raymondville, Texas, is a 2nd generation Lutheran pastor who has served Lutheran churches in Kansas and Texas. After marrying a Presbyterian pastor, Rev. Kris Crawford, he served as interim pastor for several Presbyterian churches in Arkansas. He loves sharing her three children and now five grandchildren. Stan currently ministers to the congregation at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Shreveport, La. and has served there for over nine years.

Board Member

Susan McDaniel

Susan, raised in a military family, attended UNT, then settled in Dallas. She worked as a sales executive and branch manager for a Dallas IT support company for 25 years. Retirement led her into volunteer work, first as an elementary school tutor. Susan’s grief around the loss of her husband, Ronn, at age 49 drew her to join the F&GM Gathering team at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church. She has capably led that ministry for 6 years, and finds that her faith and understanding of grief have grown exponentially in the process.

Board Member

Lisa H. O’Bryant

Lisa is a Certified Public Accountant and Partner at Francis and Associates CPAs, a boutique public accounting firm in Dallas, Texas. The firm specializes in tax and consulting services. She graduated Cum Laude from the University of North Texas earning a Bachelor of Science Degree. She began her career at Ernst & Young serving as a senior accountant in the Dallas tax department.  Lisa has also worked for a regional accounting firm during her career as well as a local company with real estate and car rental investments before joining Francis & Associates in December of 1996. In her spare time, Lisa loves to read and enjoys the outdoors. She also enjoys spending time with her two grown daughters and her grandson.

Board Member

Caesar Rentie

Caesar is a Licensed Local Pastor for North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. Prior to his leadership role he began his chaplaincy with MHS in 1992. He also served as Sr. Pastor for Acadia Park United Methodist 2003-2011.

He is currently an Associate Pastor for First United Methodist Mansfield where he serves in care ministries.   He earned a BA from the University of Oklahoma in 1988; he majored in Communications, where he also played football for Barry Switzer and the Oklahoma Sooners.  He attended Texas Christian University in 1997, Brite Divinity School where he received his Master of Theological Studies. He completed six units (2 years) of CPE.  

In his former career, he played professional football in the NFL and in the world league of American football.  During that time he played for the Chicago Bears, the New York New Jersey Knights, and the Birmingham Fire.

He is active in the community where he serves as a Board member for the Golden Cross Foundation, Pastoral Counseling Center, Project Transformation North Texas, and The Board of Visitors for Brite Divinity and he is the Chair of Desoto Police, Community, and Clergy.  He is a Board member for the South Dallas Fair Park Faith Coalition Executive Committee, Advisory member of the Dallas Fort Worth Multi Faith Collaborative; he is a member of the African American Clergy Fellowship of the North Texas Conference and serves as a mentor for Big Brother Big Sister organization. 

In his role as Vice President of MHS he oversees the Pastoral Care and Faith Community Nursing; he also serves on the Corporate Ethics Committee, Corporate Palliative Care Steering Committee and the Corporate Intentional Inclusion & Diversity Council. He is the husband to his lovely wife of Cynthia Rentie and the parent to three children Dennis, Carra and Chloe.

Board Member

Patricia Stein

Pat Stein is an Assistant Attorney General in the Texas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division. She is the Managing Attorney of the Dallas Regional Office. Her practice includes litigation involving false, misleading, and deceptive marketing of foods, drugs, and devices.

 

She is a graduate of Southern Methodist University School of Law, earned a Ph.D. in Nursing from Texas Woman’s University, and attended Texas Christian University as an undergrad. Before joining the legal profession, she taught nursing and worked as a pediatric nurse practitioner.

Board Member

Ron Somers-Clark

Ron Somers-Clark is a retired Christian Church (Disciples) clergy. He served as pastor of two congregations . He founded three Pastoral Care and Clinical Pastoral Education Programs including Children’s Medical Center of Dallas.  He also served as adjunct faculty at Princeton and Perkins Theological Schools. He received a  Bachelors degree from TCU and his MDiv and ThM degrees in pastoral psychology and counseling from Brite Divinity School, TCU. He served 40 years as a chaplain and Clinical Pastoral Educator. He has served as a volunteer of Faith & Grief Ministries.

TEAM LEADERS & STAFF

Executive Director

Liz Harling

Liz leverages years of experience as a nonprofit leader and former attorney to bring a framework for new growth to the ministry of Faith & Grief. Living in the Dallas area for more than 20 years, she is a longtime school district and PTA volunteer. She has championed multicultural adult and family literacy and learning in her non-profit leadership roles. She has served as a teacher, deacon, and elder in her faith community. She is humbled to bring her collective experience to guide Faith & Grief now. She received her BA from Newcomb College of Tulane University and her JD from Loyola University College of Law in New Orleans.

Facilitator

Bonni Brophy

While going through the grieving process after her husband Jack died, she attended a Faith & Grief Ministries workshop and found the tools to help rebuild her life while also giving her new friends who were also working through this difficult transition. Bonni has been facilitating for Faith &Griefsince 2013. Bonni spent 20 years in youth ministry with the Catholic Diocese of Dallas, founding The Pines Catholic Camp in 1988. She has served in philanthropic leadership for 15 years in the Dallas area, helping clients create a legacy for their favorite charities.

Program Director

Shelley Craig

Shelley Craig as the saying goes, “got to Texas as fast as she could” after growing up on the East Coast. She believes ministering to those who are grieving and suffering is a vital part of loving others. She is honored to join the Faith and Grief Ministries team and to work to fulfill its mission. She served in various church volunteer leadership positions which led her to work in ministry. She has a passion for serving others and has experience in non-profit consulting, digital marketing and corporate training. She has a degree in Communications from the University of Southern Mississippi and a master’s degree in eLearning from Texas A&M-Commerce.

Community Educator

Regina Hunt

Regina grew up in Ohio and moved to Texas after the loss of her business partner. After a long career in retail buying and change management/training, she earned certificates in spiritual direction and lay ministry. In her work in spiritual direction and as an elder in the Presbyterian Church (PC) USA, she felt called to support those who have experienced the loss of loved ones. In her work with Faith & Grief, she has accompanied many on their journey through grief and continues to be inspired and honored by those who share themselves and their stories in search of healing.

Host Liaison & Administrator

Susan Ingle

Susan is a social worker by training having both an undergraduate degree (University of Oklahoma) and master’s degree (University of Kansas).  Much of her work has been in medical oncology settings where she encountered many patients and families going through the process of death and grief.  Through her work with families experiencing end of life issues, she was drawn to those who were coping with their grief and loss. She is an elder in the Presbyterian Church USA and served as a Stephen Ministry Leader.

Susan is the resource administrator for Faith and Grief as well as the Host Site Liaison.  She monitors the registrations for the gatherings/workshops, handles communications for the ministry, keeps the statistics for all the gatherings as well as serves as co-leader at one of the Dallas area sites.  As Host Site Liaison, she supports each host location through contacts and visits during the year.

Susan is married with two adult children and five “beautiful, gifted, special” granddaughters

Facilitator

Diane Pennington

Diane Pennington (CSD) is a Certified Spiritual Director specializing in grief work. Her BA degree in counseling psychology focused on working with special populations. Diane has years of experience working with people with developmental and physical disabilities, including spinal cord injuries, Multiple Sclerosis, and other neurological conditions.

In 1999, she founded and directed Human Animal Relational Therapies, Inc., an animal-assisted therapy organization, in Putnam County, NY, working with animal/handler teams in over 25 programs, including those who had experienced traumatic loss after 9/11.

Currently serving at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in the office of Institutional Advancement, she is the development liaison for Grace Presbytery and Oklahoma.

Her ministry includes serving through Faith & Grief Ministries as a grief workshop facilitator throughout north Texas.  She has formerly served as an ordained elder and deacon and is a member of Canyon Creek Presbyterian Church in Richardson.

Her newest venture is the start of her custom the crafting company, “Reimagined Keepsakes.” Diane takes treasured objects and reimagines and repurposes them into a new creative forms to be enjoyed and remembered.