2024 Forma Conference Planning Team

Maggie Paul Baker

Maggie Paul Baker is a cradle Episcopalian who grew up at Church of the Holy Comforter Episcopal in Montgomery, AL. She spent her summers attending Camp McDowell as both camper and staff member. After high school she began undergraduate work at Berry College and finished at the University of Alabama with degrees in Religion and Geography. (Roll Tide!)

Upon graduation, she took a position as a Youth Ministry Intern at the Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta, GA and went on to become Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry, which afforded her the opportunity to attend the Forma conference in 2017 in Orange County. She has attended every one since. In 2019, along with getting married to her husband Brad, she took a position at Christ Church, Charlotte as Assistant, now Director for Youth and Family Ministry. She has written curriculum for her parishes, served on diocesan and National Happening committees, written for Faith at Home, and consulted for Church Publishing. This Fall, Maggie begins her journey as a Postulant for Holy Orders attending the Virginia Theological Seminary. She has a passion for formation in all of its forms, and she hopes to help continue to make Forma a place for sharing, learning, and growing.

In her free time, Maggie likes to spend time with her husband and their pets, Maisie, River, and Lena. She is also a musician who loves to use her gifts and talents as a singer to nurture her own spiritual journey and inspire others on theirs. She will read pretty much anything written by Kate Bowler, loves attending musicals, and recently discovered aerial silks as a form of exercise.

“One of the things I pray for [...] is that people with power will get good sense, and that people with good sense will get power…” - Julia Sugarbaker, Designing Women

Sarah Bentley Allred

Sarah Bentley Allred is the Senior Formation Associate for Lifelong Learning at Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS). Her portfolio includes serving as the Building Faith Editor and the Forma Convener.

Sarah grew up in a small church in the Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia where she participated in everything from the Christmas pageant to the children’s choir. During college, she began her formal ministry with young people as a counselor and then chaplain at Camp Kanuga.

Since college, Sarah has served in the area of children and youth ministries in three congregations and received an MDiv from Virginia Theological Seminary. In addition to her work with VTS, Sarah serves as a Godly Play Trainer, leads MasterClasses for Vibrant Faith, and serves on the Commission on Ministry in the Diocese of North Carolina.

When not working, she enjoys exploring the world with her husband, Richard, and their dog, Grace. She loves local coffee shops, board games, long naps, the beach, and writing. Learn more at sarahbentleyallred.com.

Sarah Bentley Allred es asociada principal de formación para el aprendizaje permanente en el Seminario Teológico de Virginia (VTS). Su cartera incluye servir come editora de Building Faith (Construyendo Fe) y coordinadora de Forma.

Sarah creció en una pequeña iglesia de la Diócesis Episcopal del Suroeste de Virginia, donde participo en todo, desde el espectáculo navideño hasta el coro de niños. Durante la universidad, comenzó su ministerio formal con los jóvenes como consejera y luego capellán en Campamento Kanuga.

Desde la universidad, Sarah ha servido en el área de ministerios infantiles y juveniles en tres parroquias y recibió una Maestría en Divinidad (MDiv) del Seminario Teológico de Virginia (VTS). Además de su trabajo con VTS, Sarah se desempeña como entrenadora de Juego Sagrado (Godly Play), dirige clases magistrales para Fe Vibrante (Vibrant Faith) y forma parte de la Comisión de Ministerio en la Diócesis de Carolina del Norte.

Aimee Bostwick

Aimee has served in The Episcopal Church as a professional lay minister for nearly 30 years. Her love of the Church and her desire to serve began when she was a summer camp counselor at Camp Hardtner, an Episcopal camp and conference center in Louisiana. That summer began a journey of ministry in the Church that has led her to serve as a youth minister, diocesan youth coordinator, and director of programs for a large parish in Austin, Texas. Aimee also served on the board of Forma. Each step along her journey, Kanuga has been a place of transformation and preparation for the next step along of her vocational path. It seems only fitting that the Spirit has led her back to Kanuga in the role of coordinator of community and spiritual life.

Aimee is completing her Masters of Spiritual Formation from the Seminary of the Southwest. In her free time, she loves hiking, dancing to live music, and being with her family and friends around a campfire.

​Suzanna Green

Suzanna Green is a cradle Episcopalian who spent most of her growing up years in the Diocese of West Texas. She has been working in formation ministries for churches over the past 11 years. Before that she served at her various home churches helping with VBS, the Christmas pageant, children’s Sunday school, and working in the nursery. She also served on staff at Camp Capers and Mustang Island Family Camp for a few summers each as a counselor, staff member, and teacher. She continues to serve at one or both camps as a teacher most summers. Suzanna has a Bachelor’s degree in Child and Family Studies and a Master’s degree in Theology and Ministry. She has experience in curriculum development, curriculum curation, mentorship and coaching, planning and hosting events, and leading formation for children and adults. Currently she serves as the Bishop’s Deputy for Christian Formation for the Diocese of West Texas. She has been a member of Forma since 2019.

Suzanna lives in Beeville, Texas with her husband Andrew, her 9-month-old, and her 12-year-old pup. She is passionate about connecting people of all ages to resources that help them learn more about God, sharing Godly Play stories, playing board games, reading children’s books, listening to podcasts, and taking time in nature.

Rev. Edwin Johnson

Edwin is a self-described smiling-dancing-Jesus freak. The product of two proud Episcopalians/Anglicans from Montserrat and Costa Rica; Edwin has had a deep appreciation of the broad flavor and diversity of our church, along with the great opportunities that exist to create Beloved Community. He is currently the Director of Organizing for Episcopal City Mission. Prior to joining the team at Episcopal City Mission he served as the Rector at St. Mary’s Church in Dorchester, a diverse, multilingual congregation committed not only to meeting and caring for Lazarus at the gate but also organizing around why there is such poverty and suffering in the first place.

After over twelve years of Parish ministry Edwin is excited to manifest his priesthood more broadly through the work of social justice while continuing his general church leadership around Beloved Community Initiatives as the Chair for the Presiding Officers Advisory Group on Beloved Community Implementation.

While confronting the injustice and racism in our world is hard Edwin has a lot of fun doing so alongside the members of his community and his family including his partner Susan and their sons Francisco and Santiago. Edwin enjoys spending his free time with family and friends, lifting weights and dancing and is excited to continue to offer whatever he can to the generations of church leaders to come.

​Miriam Willard McKenney

Miriam Willard McKenney is a child of God who fiercely loves her husband, David, and their three adult daughters. Miriam felt God’s call to the ministry of librarianship from an early age. After receiving her Master’s in Library Science at the University of Michigan, she practiced librarianship for over 20 years before joining the staff at Forward Movement. Miriam taught Godly Play for several years at her home parish, Calvary Episcopal Church in Cincinnati. She served as youth minister on staff at Calvary for five years. Miriam serves as Director of Mission at Forward Movement and Director of Dismantling Racism for the Diocese of Southern Ohio. She’s also a professor of children’s literature at Xavier University. Miriam loves to spend time outdoors year-round, as nature has gifts to give us every day.

Miriam Willard McKenney es una hija de Dios que ama apasionadamente a su esposo, David, y a sus tres hijas adultas. Miriam sintió el llamado de Dios al ministerio bibliotecológico desde una edad temprana. Después de recibir su Maestría en Biblioteconomía en la Universidad de Michigan, ejerció la biblioteconomía durante más de 20 años antes de unirse al personal de Ven Adelante (Forward Movement). Miriam enseñó Sagrado Juego (Godly Play) durante varios años en su parroquia natal, la Iglesia Episcopal de Calvary en Cincinnati, Ohio. Se desempeñó como ministra de jóvenes en Calvary durante cinco años. Miriam se desempeña como directora de Misión en Ven Adelante (Forward Movement) y directora de Desmantelamiento del Racismo para la Diócesis del Sur de Ohio. También es profesora de literatura infantil en la Universidad de Xavier. A Miriam le encanta pasar tiempo al aire libre durante todo el año, ya que la naturaleza tiene regalos que darnos todos los días.

Marvin McLennon

Meet Marvin McLennon (he/him/his), a “cradle” Episcopalian born and raised in Little Rock, AR where he grew up attending St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. After high school, he went to Hendrix College, a liberal arts school in Conway, AR where he studied communications with an emphasis in broadcast journalism. After graduating in 2013, he joined the Episcopal Service Corps in Baton Rouge, LA. Moving back to Little Rock in 2016, Marvin began working at Christ Episcopal Church where he is today, serving as the Director of Children’s and Youth Ministries. The favorite parts of his ministry are the surprising deep conversations that occur in youth group. Seeing the gears turn in young people’s heads and watching them connect the dots months later is very rewarding.

In his free time, you’ll find Marvin playing “Dungeons and Dragons” and other board games along with spending time with friends. He plays guitar and also nerds out over video games and comics. While he enjoys reading, he has a bad habit of starting one book and then another, and then another without finishing any of them. While currently watching season 2 of The Umbrella Academy, he claims his (unfinished?) reading stack includes How to Ruin Everything (a collection of essays by musician and poet George Watsky), The Art of Gathering by Prya Parker, and Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff.

Marvin has been a member of Forma since 2016. He shares, “Forma has been an invaluable

resource that has given me so many wonderful ideas and has helped me form so many wonderful friendships that I am grateful for. I come back from every Forma meeting feeling rejuvenated, reminding me that I am a part of a large, wonderful Episcopal family.” He encourages others who are new to their formation ministries to spend their first year building relationships with your youth, children, and their families.

Some of Marvin’s earliest memories of church include sitting with his family during worship, playing in the pews with his friends, and hearing the choir sing while watching the organ director’s hand frantically conducting just above the back wall of the altar. He regularly attended youth group as soon as he was old enough, was a member of the youth council in the Diocese of Arkansas while in high school, and during his college summers worked as a counselor at Camp Mitchell. You can understand why Marvin might say the Episcopal Church has always been a part of his life.

One of Marvin’s favorite Bible stories is from 1 Kings 19. After strong winds and an earthquake, Elijah hears God in the silence. It reminds him to strive to slow down and try to be truly present in quiet moments. One way that helps him is an app (1 Second Every Day ) he discovered in 2019 that encourages you to record one second a day. He has been doing it ever since. Continuing this practice in 2020 has helped him look back at all the special occurrences that do happen every day.

If you ever get a chance to meet Marvin in person, ask him about the cookbook he published with three college buddies - The College Guide to Smoothies. Turns out he is a wiz at combining unusual items from a campus cafeteria and turning them into pretty good smoothies.

Melissa Simpson

Melissa found the Episcopal Church through friends who simply just asked her to come and see. She brings years of nonprofit experience, advocating for youth and emergency service. As Program Director of All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Russellville, AR, she oversees the nursery, Kids Chapel, Episcopal Youth Nights, Episcopal Kids Community, Vacation Bible School, and @TheTable college and young adult ministry.

Melissa is a licensed Lay Catechist, Eucharistic Minister, Eucharistic Visitor, Worship Leader, and completed Education for Ministry in 2022. She currently serves on the board for Camp Mitchell and previously served one term on the Executive Council with the Episcopal Diocese of Arkansas.

When Melissa isn’t at church she’s enjoying time with her four children, her husband Travis, her dog Kona Kai. She likes thrift shopping, spending time outdoors in her hammock, drinking coffee, and traveling.

Melissa encontró la Iglesia Episcopal a través de amigos que simplemente le pidieron que viniera a verla. Aporta años de experiencia en organizaciones sin fines de lucro, abogando por la juventud y los servicios de emergencia. Como directora de programa de la Iglesia Episcopal Todos los Santos en Russellville, Arkansas, supervisa la guardería, la Capilla para Niños, las Noches Juveniles Episcopales, la Comunidad de Niños Episcopales, la Escuela Bíblica de Vacaciones y el ministerio universitario y para adultos jóvenes @The Table.

Melissa es catequista laica autorizada, ministra eucarística, visitante eucarística, líder de adoración y completo Educación para el Ministerio (EFM) en 2022. Actualmente forma parte de la junta de Campamento Mitchell y anteriormente sirvió un mandato en el Consejo Ejecutivo de la Diócesis Episcopal de Arkansas.

Cuando Melissa no está en la iglesia, disfruta del tiempo con sus cuatro hijos, su esposo Travis y su perro Kona Kai. Le gusta comprar cosas de segunda mano, pasar tiempo al aire libre en su hamaca, tomar café y viajar.

Roger Speer

Roger’s first passion is serving young people, which he sees as a sacred calling. He graduated from West Liberty State University with degrees in graphic design, communication, and secondary education, and has been putting those talents to work in a lifetime of service across the Episcopal Church. He sees — and effectively uses — the arts and digital media as conduits to connect people, programs, and institutions to each other and to their purpose.

As an illustrator, writer, and gamer, Roger has published numerous books and articles, inducting I Serve at God’s Altar: The Ministry of Acolytes, The Pilgrim’s Way: A Life-Long Guide to Christian Formation, The Final Covenant: The Messiah’s story set in the World’s Greatest Role Playing Game, and others.

Currently a postulant for Holy Orders from the Diocese of Georgia, Roger will begin his Middler year at the University of the South’s School of Theology, working toward a Masters in Divinity.

He is a husband to Fran and father to Fynn. You can connect with Roger at www.RogerSpeer.com