2020 Webinar Presenter Bios

PRESENTER BIOS

Roxie Beall is the Preparedness Public Outreach and CERT Training Coordinator for the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security.

Rev. Derrek Belase is the director of Connectional Ministry for the Oklahoma Conference of the United Methodist Church where he assists more than 470 Oklahoma United Methodist churches as they build capacity to make disciples in their local settings. A lifelong Oklahoman, Derrek graduated from Carnegie High School, University of Central Oklahoma, Oklahoma City University and Saint Paul School of Theology. He also studied at the Center for Socio-Legal Studies at Oxford University. He has degrees in criminal justice and theology and is also a certified police officer in Oklahoma. Before entering full-time ministry, he was the criminal justice coordinator at the Caddo Kiowa Technology Center in Fort Cobb. Derrek has served in full time appointed ministry for seventeen years and has been a QPR trainer for 4 years.

John A. Call, Ph.D., J.D., ABPP is a psychologist, an attorney, and a Diplomate in Forensic Psychology of the American Board of Professional Psychology and the American Board of Forensic Psychology. Dr. Call is also a trained emergency medical technician with a specialty in disaster pre-hospital medical care. He is the Coordinator of the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps Stress Response Team, is Chairman of the Oklahoma VOAD Disaster Health Committee, and is a Director of SRT, Inc. a Not-for-Profit disaster health organization.

Christa Figgins, Esq. (Licensed in Florida) is Director of Mission Advancement for Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc. She is responsible for overseeing all statewide aspects of organizational fundraising and marketing, including an endowment campaign, a private bar campaign, foundation and corporate giving, and grant proposal writing and management. Following the devastating EF-5 Moore Tornado in 2013, Christa began overseeing LASO’s statewide Disaster Response, which is ongoing due to further tornado and flooding disaster events in 2015, 2016, and 2019. Christa trains disaster case managers to spot common legal issues experienced by disaster survivors and educates other agencies and Oklahoma emergency managers regarding the importance of post-disaster legal services. Christa is Chair of Oklahoma Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster for 2020-2021.

Dr. Candace Fish is the Director of Traditional Worship at St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Edmond. She has adjudicated and taught across the state, including Oklahoma City University, where she taught piano and piano pedagogy. An active member of the Oklahoma music community, Fish is also the director of the St. Luke's Academy of Music. She has studied with Jane Magrath, Carolyn True, Jeongwon Ham and Ruth Morrow. Fish received a B.M. in Piano Performance from Trinity University and an M.M. in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma and a D.M.A. in Piano Performance and Pedagogy at OU.

Glenda Ford-Lee, MHR has worked in the Oklahoma State Department of Health, Emergency Preparedness & Response Services for 13 years. As the At-Risk Populations Coordinator, she focuses on the Access and Functional Needs populations in Oklahoma. She ensures people with and without disabilities, seniors, pregnant women, the homeless, and the Deaf communities are included in emergency planning, response, and recovery activities. She has a Master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma in Organizational Development.

Julie Geddes has been in suicide prevention for over 20 years working on suicide prevention through the Garrett Lee Smith Youth Suicide Prevention Grant and other collaborations. She is a Master Trainer in Oklahoma for Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR), an instructor for the evidence-based school Lifeline’s Suicide Prevention Curriculum, and Working Minds trainer. She also provides postvention support to communities after a suicide.

Rabbi Vered L. Harris became the spiritual leader of Temple B’nai Israel in Oklahoma City in 2012. She is the fifth rabbi to serve the congregation since its founding in 1903.

Rabbi Harris’ community work in Oklahoma City includes interfaith dialogue, guest lecturing, and multi-faith prayer services. At the Temple she enjoys serving with a professional and volunteer team offering religious education, pastoral care, prayer, and social action opportunities. Although she was born Jewish, her formal study of the religion did not begin until college. Through learning and living Judaism, Rabbi Harris has become more passionate about civil rights, more compassionate for those who suffer, more open to universal truth, and overall a better human.

Rev. Pamela G. Holt

Rev. Pamela Holt has served the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) as the Regional Minister since January 1, 2015. She has traveled the entire region visiting Oklahoma’s Disciples congregations and is moved by the diversity and depth of ministries around the region.

Rev. Holt graduated from TCU in 1990 and Brite Divinity School in 1993 and was ordained by South Hills Christian Church in February, 1994. She served three very different

congregations in Texas, with her last pastorate as senior minister in Mineral Wells, TX.

Rev. Holt serves as a board member on the following organizations: Oklahoma Disciples Foundation, Phillips Theological Seminary, Reach Beyond Mission, and serves as the Region’s representative to the denomination’s College of Regional Ministers and General Commission on Ministry.

Rev. Holt and her husband, Randy, live in Tuttle, Oklahoma. Their daughter AnnaCarole is a TCU graduate and is employed in Dallas. The Holt family travels annually to their favorite vacation spot in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado to enjoy the many beautiful hiking trails. Pam and Randy delight in playing with their grandson, Quincy Holt, who lives with his parents in San Francisco.

Rev. Mary Gaudreau Hughes, is an ordained United Methodist deacon, licensed professional counselor, and nationally known disaster response specialist with 25 years' experience working in crisis and disaster response. Rev. Hughes serves as the Executive Director for Crisis Care Ministries. A frequent teacher and Facilitators in Oklahoma and beyond, she has authored and contributed to numerous disaster response curricula and resources and has provided key leadership in developing national standards and best practices in disaster spiritual care. She provides leadership in both the National VOAD and Oklahoma VOAD Emotional and Spiritual Care Committees.

Kit O'Neill, PhD Dr. Kit O’Neill is a member of the National VOAD Emotional and Spiritual Care Committee and chair of the committee’s Disaster Emotional Care task group. She led a writing group which produced the Disaster Emotional Care Guidelines, which were approved by National VOAD in June, 2020. For the past 25 years, Dr. O’Neill has served as a disaster mental health volunteer for the American Red Cross and has responded to numerous local, regional, and national disasters.

Dr. Naomi Paget BCC is the Chair for the National VOAD Emotional & Spiritual Care Committee. She represents Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, is a 54-year Red Cross volunteer, and FBI Chaplain/Crisis Interventionist. Instructor, curriculum writer, awarded Fellowship in American Association of Experts in Traumatic Stress and National Academy of Crisis Management, she is a published author and K-LOVE CRC and ICISF Approved Instructor for many crisis and trauma courses, consulting for several national/international organizations.

Dr. Michael D. (Mickey) Potts, D. Min., LPC, LMFT, is a 30 year veteran in pastoral care, counseling and consultation. In 1995, Dr. Potts co-founded the Associates in Psychotherapy & Religion, Inc. for the purpose of helping individuals, couples and families find a healthy balance in their lives by utilizing the resources from the Behavioral Sciences and traditional religious disciplines.

Dr. Potts is a licensed professional counselor, a licensed marriage and family therapist and a nationally certified pastoral counselor with a doctor of ministry degree in pastoral counseling from the Graduate Theological Foundation at Notre Dame. He received both his master of divinity and master of theology degrees from Duke Divinity School.

He has served in various professional capacities including his own practice of pastoral psychotherapy in Edmond, director of the Transitions Pastoral Center of Willow View, supervisor of clinical pastoral education and director of pastoral care at St. Anthony Hospital in Oklahoma City, and clinical chaplain at a treatment center for juvenile offenders in Topeka, Kansas.

He has completed more than seven years of clinical training in pastoral care, counseling and consultation. He is a Clinical Fellow of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, a Clinical Member of Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, a Clinical Member of American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and is a charter member of the American Association of Christian Counselors.

Dr. Potts has received recognition as a Graduate Fellow of the Graduate Theological Foundation, Who's Who in Human Services, and the Distinguished Service Award from the Oklahoma United Methodist Disaster Response Committee, and Volunteer of the Year Award from the Oklahoma County chapter of the American Red Cross.

He continues to be involved in seminars and workshops for helping professionals, members of the clergy, their families and religious organizations, dealing with the blending of psychotherapy and spirituality.

Taylor Snider, is a Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate. She graduated from Oklahoma City University with a M.Ed in Applied Behavioral Studies, and Oklahoma State University with a B.S. in Psychology. Taylor currently works with Catholic Charities at St. Joseph's Counseling Center. She has a passion working with mothers suffering from postpartum depression and anxiety, as well as aiding couples during marital distress.