Dr Brown comes to us from one of our neighboring churches, Kennedy Heights Presbyterian , where she has served as a congregation member as well as a lay pastor. She has also served as a lay pastor at Pleasant Run PC here in Cincinnati, and at Trinity Presbyterian on the Navajo reservation  in Chinle, Arizona. She has served the Presbyterian Church USA as moderator of General Assembly and member of the General Assembly Council as well as chairing the Media and Interpretation Committee. Dr Brown has also served in leadership roles in our own Presbytery of Cincinnati as moderator, Chair of Council, and Chair of Mission Proposal Review. She has served the Synod of the Covenant, Ohio and Michigan as a member of the Executive Committee and Chair of Review and Evaluation Staff Services.

            Dr. Brown's accomplishments are also notable outside of the realm of the Presbyterian Church. She has served our local community as the Vice-President of the Board of Directors of United Cerebral Palsy, Special Events Chair for the United Negro College Fund, Board of Directors and Newsletter editor for Stepping Stones Center for the Handicapped, and Vice-President of the Board of Directors of the Sycamore Senior Adult Multi-Service Center. Her passion for serving others has also extended to being the National President of the Association of Mothers of Special Children.

            Dr. Brown also brings to NPC a wealth of experiences and distinctions. She has been named one of the Cincinnati Enquirer's Women of the Year, as well as being awarded the International Year of Disabled Persons State Award. She has also been named one of the Outstanding Young Women of America and has been included in the prestigious Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities. Her training is in social work and community organization and  she has also worked as a speaker, meeting planner, business owner, storyteller, consultant, program director, therapist, caseworker and puppeteer. She is an author , writing  Preaching from the Pew, and a short story which was included in the Highlights  anthology,  as well as being a contributor to the “Celebrate Series” of the Presbyterian Publishing House.

            Dr. Brown was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. She is a life-long Presbyterian and shared that her mother was the first female Elder in their church. She went on to college at Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina where she met and married her husband, Thomas. After graduation, she and Tom moved to New York City where Tom had accepted a job in his field of architectural engineering. Pat began her career as a social worker in the New York City Department of Welfare. A new job, two children, and a move back to Baltimore prompted Pat to get her Master's Degree from the University of Maryland( in her spare time!). Pat and Tom accepted a move to Cincinnati for a three year stay when Tom went to work for Federated Stores, designing and building shopping centers. That three year stay has turned into many and the Browns now consider Cincinnati their home. They are the parents of three, Erik, Tamara, and Ivan. Ivan passed away at the age of twenty-two leaving a huge void in the life of his family. Erik and his wife, Meredith,  are the parents of Pat and Tom's two adorable grandchildren, Max (Maddox) and Vivi (Vivian). Tamara Brown Moomaw is a 7th-8^th grade teacher at Clark Montessori and according to her mother, is one of those rare individuals who has an innate gift and calling to teach! We look forward to meeting the entire family and welcoming them as a part of our “family” at NPC.

            I asked Pat for a quote that might sum up her idea and philosophy as she begins on this journey with us and she replied, “For those whom God calls, God will equip, and for those whom God equips, God will prepare, and for those whom God prepares, God will support.”

Celebrating in India.

Shopping - Navajo Nation.

Vicki Gabbard is our Administrative Assistant.  Vicki and her husband Michael have been residents of Norwood their entire lives.  They are now raising their four children in the wonderful community in which they grew up.  Vicki is an active member of New Bethel Baptist Church and Norwood Soccer.  "I love my job at NPC.  I thank God every day for you all."

 

    

The music director of NPC, Takako Hayase, DMA, NCTM is on the faculty of Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana and Preparatory Division of University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music where she serves as a coordinator of the Suzuki Piano Department and co-founder of Cincinnati Piano Institute. She is also a member of College of Examiners in National Certificate of Music Program. She holds a master's degree in piano performance from Eastman School of Music and a bachelor's and doctorate degree in piano performance from CCM. Dr. Hayase has performed internationally  including a 1998 appearance at Weill Hall in Carnegie Hall, New York City.

 

THE SESSION