LACE Leadership
President: Dr. Diane E. Shallue, AiM
Diane currently serves as the Director of Christian Education and Small Group Ministries at University Lutheran Church of Hope in Minneapolis, MN. She has served as an Associate in Ministry for 20years in four ELCA congregations. Diane has a doctorate in educational leadership and has been an adjunct instructor at Luther Seminary in St. Paul since 1999. She has served on the LACE Board in the position of Region 3 Representative and was the 2005 LACE Christian Educator of the Year. Diane and her husband, Bob, have three grown children and two grandchildren. Diane loves to garden, walk and read.
Vice President for Membership: Charlene Leone
Char is currently serving St. Mark’s Lutheran Church by The Narrows in Tacoma, Washington as children’s faith formation coordinator. She is dedicated to the spiritual formation of children and the contexts of congregation and home for faith nurture. Char holds a BA in Youth & Family Ministry from Augsburg College and has served in two Minnesota congregations.
Vice President for Communications: Deborah Streicher
Debbie is a life-long Lutheran and served on staff as Director of Family Ministry for 10 years at the Lutheran Church of the Abiding Presence in Burke, VA. She also served as a Consultant for Christian education for 2 years in the same congregation. She has a passion for family ministry and shares what she has learned with others in her role as Family Ministries Consultant at Faith Inkubators. Debbie hss been Chair of the Division for Congregational Life in the Washington Metro DC Synod for over 10 years.
Debbie’s background is in teaching language. She applies her knowledge and experience in teaching languages as a tool to implement systems for teaching the language of faith. Her vision is to involve all ages in Christian education, strengthen family relationships through Spiritual growth, and empower God-given gifts to do ministry.
Financial Secretary: Rev. Cynthia Schnaath
Cynthia has served as the Synod Assembly Manager, Church Resource Center Co-Director for the Central States Synod. She has experience and expertise in planning events. She graduated from Bethany College, Lindsborg, Kansas in 1981 and LSTC in 1988. Cynthia has served three parishes in Central States Synod, one urban as a Christian Educator and Youth Director, one rural and one suburban as solo pastor. She most recently was the Assistant to the Bishop for Events and Resources.
Secretary-Historian: Lorie Hughes
Lorie was born and raised in the Chicago area. She married Gary in 1977, and they have three grown children: Sarah, Michael, and Amy. Lorie graduated from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, majoring in elementary education. She earned her master’s degree in guidance and counseling from the University of Colorado at Denver. After teaching and other jobs, she was a stay-at-home mom and active volunteer in church and schools for many years. She has been serving on the staff of King of Glory Lutheran Church in Billings, Montana as the Christian Education Coordinator since the fall of 2005. Lorie also started a LACE Chapter in her area.
Past President: Teresa Kaldor
Teresa currently serves as the Acting Financial Secretary . She served as president of LACE from September 2003 through December 2008. In addition, she was chosen as the 2008 LACE Christian Educator of the Year. A lifelong Lutheran, Teresa Kaldor has a B.A. in Social Studies Education from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio and a Master’s degree in History from Harvard University. She taught both middle school and high school students for eleven years in public school settings before moving into the area of Christian Education, first through volunteer work connected to Vacation Bible School, and then as a lay staff Christian Education director in Indianapolis, Indiana. For the last three years, she has served as Christian Education team leader at Calvary Lutheran Church in Solana Beach, California and been actively involved with the local LACE chapters. While her favorite program is Vacation Bible School, Teresa’s passion is for family ministry and she continually strives to find ways to help parents nurture the faith of their children at home. Teresa has been married to her husband Steve for almost 25 years and they have a wonderful seventeen year old son, Adam.
Chaplain: Carolyn Steinfeldt, AIM
For the past six years Carolyn has served as Director of Faith Formation at Zion Lutheran Church in Sandusky, OH. Besides all things related to Christian education, she also works with the Evangelism mission team to share God’s word and love in the larger community. In addition, Carolyn is the Book of Faith Advocate for the Northwestern Ohio Synod and chairs the Synod Christian Education team. She is married to Bill, has two children (Juli, who is associate pastor at Grace in Springfield, IL and Chris, Newburgh, IN). She is mother-in-law to Rob and Heather and grandmother to Caroline, Sarah, Christian, Jordan, and Devon.
Coordinator: Catherine Puisto
Catherine has served as Coordinator since March 15, 2012. She is also on the staff of Messiah Church (ELCA), Madison, WI, as the Coordinator of Children's and Family Ministry. She has taught Sunday school for children aged 3 years to 5th grade, helped “transform” Sunday school to a lively, colorful rotational style, and designed Family Ministry events. Catherine has a B.S. degree from UW-Madison and has completed the coursework of the Lay School of Ministry (South-Central Synod of WI). She has 20+ years experience in computer programming and project management. Catherine and her husband have two grown sons. Spending time with family, cooking, baking, gardening and reading are amongst the things she enjoys.
Region 1 Representative: Ingelaurie Lisher
Ingelaurie feels blessed to serve as the Director of Youth and Family Ministry at St. Mark's Lutheran Church by The Narrows in Tacoma WA since October of 2000. Before serving at St. Mark's she worked at Calvary Lutheran in Federal Way WA. Ingelaurie is a true Washingtonian except for the few weeks when she lived in St. Paul, MN during graduate school. She is a graduate of Luther Seminary with a Master of Arts Degree in Youth and Family Ministry. In addition to being called to St. Mark's as an Associate in Ministry and serving as the Region 1 representative for the LACE board, she serves on the synod's candidacy committee and synod youth and family ministry team. When she's not in the offce or at a youth event, she can be found hanging out with her husband or with family and friends, at a baseball game, traveling to warm places, or dreaming about them.
Region 2 Representative: Kathye Hamm
Kathye is the Director of Children’s Ministry at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Auburn, California. Before serving at Bethlehem, she was in the same position at Advent Lutheran in Citrus Heights, California. She has a BS in Elementary Education and has spent most of her career working in informal education, including several years as an Education Specialist at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas. Kathye is enjoying her empty nest with her husband, Kevin. Their daughter Kelsey attends Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. Her hobbies include exercise, reading, belly dance and anything Disney!
Region 3 Representative: Carole Joyce
Carole is an AIM, Associate in Ministry, and has a passion for passing on the faith. She has been blessed to learn, teach, and grow with children, youth, and adults in congregations for over 25 years. Carole has a BA in elementary education from Augustana College in SD and an MA in Children, Youth, and Family ministry from Luther Seminary. She is currently called by Good Shepherd in Plainview, MN. Carole and her husband have 3 awesome sons ages 23, 20, and 17. She has also been shaped by faith communities of St. John's in LeMars, IA and Mount Olive Lutheran in Rochester, MN. You often find Carole with a book, a quilt, her running shoes, dark chocolate, or her clarinet.
Region 4 Representative: Rev Dinah Dutta
Born and raised in a Hindu Christian Family in India. Rev. Dutta came to the USA after working in Germany for two years to work in the University of Kansas as a Research Scientist. Her husband is currently a professor at KU. Dinah’s parents taught her the word of God and to pray since from a very early age. Her mother taught the Bible through hymns and made her memorize them.Dinah strongly believes that the Christian education she received from her childhood from my parents, Sunday school teachers, youth programs and adult Bible studies has helped her to grow in faith. Dinah accepted God's call to be a pastor after serving 20 years in academics as a research scientist. Her call started with Christian Education again. Upon her pastor’s advise, Dinah went through a lay ministry program that involved seminary level theological education called Parish Ministry Associate (PMA, Central States Synod) that certifies lay people to serve God. Through that education, Dinah could hear her call louder. She was certified in 2006 and served as lay minister. Finally, she enrolled in seminary and graduated through TEEM (Theological Education for Emerging Ministries) program. She currently serves as pastor at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Atchison, Kansas. Dinah states, “I believe Christian education is at the very important to build the church. I make a sincere effort to spend time teaching the word of God. Through Christian education the Spirit of God speaks to people just like how it did for me to listen to God’s call. Christian education is very important to all ages as my parents showed me, so that we can be nurtured in faith, grow in knowledge and experience, and empowered to live as disciples of Jesus Christ.”
Region 5 Representative: Muriel Arms, AIM
Muriel is a retired Associate in Ministry who graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. As part of her calling, she has served as a parish worker in Hudson, WI; a Lay Associate at University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, IA ; a Youth & Christian Education director at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Middleton, WI; a Stewardship Specialist for the ALC and ELCA; and an AiM at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Sun Prairie, WI. She presently holds the position of Director of Christian Education at Our Savior’s in Sun Prairie, WI.
Region 6 Representative: Ed Seykowski
Ed Seykowski is a retired Naval Reserve Officer, Chief Warrant Officer and Naval Instructor. He also retired as an Industrial Educator, designing both technical and management training programs. Ed has been a Christian Educator for over 40 years, teaching at all levels from Sunday school, Confirmation, Vacation Bible School, to adult Bible Study classes. He serves as Chair for the Indiana–Kentucky Synod Christian Education Committee. Ed designed and taught a number of University of Scouting classes. In the past decade, Ed and his wife Karen have traveled extensively to Indonesia to teach English (SALT), Russia with Bibles for Russia, as well as with Habitat for Humanity to Europe, Central America, Africa, and New Zealand.
Region 7 Representative: Rev. Paul Lutz
Paul presently serves as a pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Princeton Junction, NJ. Prior to that, he served for 5 years as the Associate Director of Adult Education with the ELCA Churchwide offices in Chicago. He also served as pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Old Saybrook, CT and Redeemer Lutheran Church, Lawrence, MA. Pastor Lutz graduated from Central Connecticut State College and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree. He also holds a Master of Religious Education degree from Boston College and a certificate in Digital Cultural Ministry from Lumicon and Perkins Theological Seminary in Dallas. He is also an accomplished Bible Storyteller. Paul is the husband of Janet Bender Lutz, father of four daughters, and three grandchildren.
Region 8 Representative: Myra Fozard
Myra Fozard has been working with Christian education since the 1970's in her congregation and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod. She is a past Educational Ministry Facilitator for Region 8 and is currently the chair of the synod's Christian Education Sub-Committee and the Workshop Team. She serves as an Aaron's Minister, a Lay Worship Leader and the executive producer of the synod's television program, "Lutherans Alive!" Convinced that everyone should know systems theory, she is a Healthy Congregations facilitator and also coaches two congregations in the Natural Church Development process. In addition, she is a Reiki Master and has her master's certification in Neuro-Linguistic Programming. She and her husband, Gene, have two children and four grandchildren.
Region 9 Representative: Andrew More
Andrew currently serves at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Columbia, SC as their Ministry Associate for Faith Formation. Now beginning his third year of this call, Andrew also serves on the SC Candidacy Committee. Andrew is a 2002 M.A.R. graduate of Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. He was commissioned as an Associate In Ministry in 2008. Previously Andrew served as the Director of Education and Youth Ministry at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Columbia, SC from 2002 - 2009. Prior to attending seminary, Andrew worked for twelve years as a social worker. He is a BA and MSW graduate of Florida State University. Andrew's passion is teaching the Bible and opening up the riches of scripture to laypersons.