Our Staff

Rev. Kristin Grassel Schmidt

Senior Minister | (She/Her)

As Senior Minister, Rev. Kristin leads our worship services, supervises our staff, and tends to the overall health of the congregation. If you’re in need of pastoral support, a rite of passage (wedding, memorial, baby dedication), or want to learn more about the UU faith, she is happy to speak with you!

Rev. Kristin was born and raised in Wheaton, MD. After graduating from McDaniel College with a BA in music, she moved to England where she attended a Unitarian church and felt the call to ministry. After graduating from Wesley Theological Seminary she was ordained in 2011 and served congregations in California, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Texas before beginning her ministry with the UU Church of Silver Spring in 2020. She is passionate about the role liberal faith communities can play in strengthening democracy and building a world where all people can flourish. Outside of ministry, Rev. Kristin enjoys baking, cooking, hiking, and all things Star Trek. She lives in Olney with her spouse and their two children, cat, and turtle.

Jen Hayman

In her role as Music Director, Jen designs the musical tapestry for our services, conducts the choir and pop-up youth choir, and schedules amazing guest musicians. If you’re interested in joining the choir(s), or offering other musical talents for our services, please connect with Jen!

Jen Hayman is an accomplished Asian American choral conductor, educator, singer, and pianist who believes in the power of music to change lives and culture. Jen has been a music leader in Unitarian Universalism for nearly 20 years, serving congregations in Philadelphia (PA), Washington (DC), Arlington (VA), and Cambridge (MA). She is currently the President of the Association for UU Music Ministries (AUUMM). She is also director of women’s vocal group, bēheld, and the newly formed Sound and Vision Youth Chorus: a social justice youth choir based in Montgomery County. Her work has been featured on the Huffington Post, Upworthy.com, the Rachel Maddow Show and National Public Radio. She has performed for two Supreme Court justices and alongside countless civil rights and social justice leaders.

In her spare time, Jen can be found thrift shopping for retro home goods, trying to coordinate red, orange, and turquoise in the same outfit, and having family dance parties with her husband and their tween son.

Music Director | (She/Her)

Sara Scott

Religious Exploration Coordinator | (She/Her)

Religious Exploration (R.E.) is a core part or our shared values, and Sara coordinates the wonderful programs we use to live into those values! If you want to know more about our childcare, youth groups and adult R.E., Sara can point you in the right direction!

Rev Alexa Fraser

Affiliated Community Minister | (She/Her)

Rev. Alexa is an ordained UU minister who has a long connection with UUCSS as a member and volunteer. She has recently joined the UUCSS team as a Community or Affiliated minister. In that role she preaches a few times a year. Additionally, she engages with social justice issues the congregation supports such as Action in Montgomery (AIM), Poor People's Campaign (PPC), MoCo Immigrant Rights Collective (MoCOIRC) on behalf of the congregation.

Amber Merrell

Rentals & Facilities Manager | (She/Her)

Amber manages our large scale campus needs as both Facilities manager and Rentals Manager. She makes sure our property functions properly for both our congregation and any renters who use our space for events. If you’re interested in renting our space, or would like to help maintain our campus, Amber can guide you through it!

Amber has lived and worked across the eastern US, growing up in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains in southeast Tennessee, earning a B.S. in Environmental Communication from Berry College in Rome Georgia, working as an environmental educator in upstate New York, and an assistant director for a regional parks and recreation agency in central Pennsylvania. Since moving to Silver Spring, Maryland in 2020, she has earned an M.S. in Environmental Sciences and Policy from Johns Hopkins University and currently serves as the co-chair for the Climate Equity Team with AIM (Action in Montgomery). She served as the volunteer Rentals Coordinator at UUCSS for one year before joining staff. Her passion lies in service, working to make the world better for all.

Amber and her husband Erik are semi-professional swing dancers who love board games, chilling on their deck, visiting friends who live around the country, reading, camping, and international travel.

Audrey Dixon

Office & Communications Manager | (She/Her)

In her dual roles as Office Manager and Communications Manager, Audrey organizes our website and calendar, manages the A/V for services and events, and creates other forms of communication for clarity and inclusivity. If you want help finding ways to connect to our congregation or have questions about our various channels of communication, Audrey can help!

O.R.

Custodian | (He/Him)

O.R. keeps our campus clean and provides some assistance setting up for renters and on Sunday mornings. If you see a mess that needs special attention, let O.R. know!

Nursery Staff

Many Sunday mornings we offer Religious Exploration classes for our young attendees, usually from ages 5 to 18. But the youngest members, friend and visitors have other needs and that’s where our amazing Nursery Staff comes in! This is our team of background checked nursery staff that care for our children ages 6months to 5 years on Sunday mornings and in some of our events.