Staff and Leadership

Click here to schedule an appointment with Wendy

Wendy received her MDiv and DMin from Columbia Theological Seminary. She served for a year in Belfast, Northern Ireland as a Young Adult Volunteer in Mission through the PCUSA. Prior to being called to serve as General Presbyter for the Presbytery of East Tennessee, she gratefully served three different congregations in this presbytery. Wendy is passionate about equipping and encouraging congregations to be “communities of faith, hope, love, and witness.” (BOO G3.0301). She seeks to do this through nurturing relationships with pastors, congregations, and communities. She is excited to be in ministry with Presbyterians and our partners in East Tennessee. Wendy lives in Knoxville with her husband, two teenage children, and two dogs. She enjoys baking, gardening, reading, walking with her dogs, and streaming British television.

laura@presbyteryeasttn.org

Rev. Laura Becker began serving as our Stated Clerk in November of 2023, but she has been active in our presbytery for the past 15 years, including serving as a previous Moderator and chair of the Coordinating Committee for Vision and Mission. She also serves as the pastor of Northminster Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt Divinity School. In her free time, she listens to podcasts, hikes a little, and looks at crafty things on Pinterest she will never actually make.

 jaclyn@presbyteryeasttn.org

Jaclyn Beeler is a Tennessee native, born and raised in Smyrna. A lifelong Presbyterian, she grew up at First Presbyterian Church of Smyrna, where she later spent three years as the Director of Youth Ministries. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a Bachelor of Science in Christian Leadership and Ministry from Williamson College.

After moving to Knoxville, Jaclyn served as the Children’s Ministries Coordinator at New Providence Presbyterian Church from 2014 to 2017 and as the Communications Coordinator at UKirk, the Presbyterian Campus Ministry at UT Knoxville from 2016 to 2022. Her love for the PC(USA) runs deep, and she’s passionate about serving the larger church through her work in the presbytery office. One of her greatest joys is sharing the story of the incredible ministry happening across East Tennessee—building relationships, strengthening communities, and living out faith in meaningful ways.

Jaclyn and her wife, Katherine, have three wonderful children and a dog named Ollie. Their family calls Westminster Presbyterian Church home, where Jaclyn serves as a ruling elder and co-captain of the Westminster Wombats softball team.

treasurer@presbyteryeasttn.org

Josh serves as the Treasurer of the Presbytery of East Tennessee and has served the presbytery in this role since 2016. He is from Sevierville, Tennessee and now resides in beautiful South Knoxville with his wife Molly and two children, Jackson and Abby. He has a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and a Masters of Business Administration in Finance from King University. Josh and his family attend Lake Forest Presbyterian Church in South Knoxville where Josh serves as a Ruling Elder. He enjoys camping, boating, UT sports and anything his kids want to do.

admin@johnknoxcenter.org

Penny Babelay grew up in Denver, Colorado, and has been Presbyterian her whole life. She attended Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington, where she majored in Communications and Leadership Studies. In 2012, she moved to the Presbytery of East Tennessee to serve as the Program Director at John Knox Center—a role that not only deepened her love for camp ministry but also led her to meet her husband, Weston. Now, she and Weston call Knoxville home, where they run a small family owned business together.

Penny is honored to step into the role of Transitional Director at John Knox Center, continuing her commitment to fostering meaningful experiences for individuals and churches. She is passionate about creating and sustaining programs that help people grow in their relationship with God while deepening their appreciation for the beautiful natural world God has created. Above all, she is excited to build and nurture relationships, walking alongside others in faith and community.