Staff

 

Paulette West, Executive Director.  She has served as the Executive Director since May 2009, but was on the Board of Directors since 2001. Paulette has been married for over 30 years to a CPA. They have a daughter who lives in Oxford, MS and a son who plans to finish his degree at Ole Miss this summer. Paulette’s first mission experience was with Trinity-Birmingham Youth serving with Upper Sand Mountain Parish in 1988.  ”I had two young children at the time and it was difficult to be away. She loves UMVIM because she said, “short-term mission experiences changed my life, so I wanted to be part of how God transforms people’s lives through this type of service.  Being able to allow others to become part of God’s mission and live out their call is the most rewarding vocation.” She loves the time that her family spends at Logan Martin Lake or scuba diving. “It’s my heaven on earth.” In the picture of Paulette, she was serving with a team in Zambia working on the SIFAT Training Facility/provincial Annual Conference Compound. paulette_west@umvim.org

 
 

Cristin Farrington, Communication Director. She has worked for UMVIM, SEJ since June 2010. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Auburn University. Her first mission experience was with a food bank in her hometown as a freshman in high school and has been active in service since then.  ”I love UMVIM because it gives people of all ages an opportunity to respond to their calling.  We are not a cookie-cutter ministry.  There are many different possibilities for service throughout the world.” Cristin loves a good game of freeze tag and the time that her very large family fellowships around the kitchen table. In the picture of Cristin, she was serving with an AHMEN team in Honduras working with education and sustainability. cristin_farrington@umvim.org

 
 
Leslie Bethea, Office Manager. Leslie joined the UMVIM office in August of 2012.  She is a long-time Birmingham resident who also spent several years living in Nashville.  She received her Bachelor of Arts in English from Vanderbilt University and a Master of Arts in English from the University of Louisville.  Leslie’s first hands-on experience in international mission work was an eight week posting in Japan teaching English and Bible Study (with a translator). In 2010, she went with a team to Zambia for a construction project.  ”I am excited to be working here to gain front-line knowledge of the work that God, through the United Methodist Church, is doing locally, nationally, and internationally!” leslie_bethea@umvim.org
 
 
Mandy Wright, Office Intern and recent graduate of Birmingham-Southern College, has been with UMVIM since March 2012.  ”I am proud to be a part of an organization with such an inspirational message and that does so many wonderful things, not only in our community, but all over the world.”  Mandy will begin Graduate School at the University of Alabama at Birmingham January 2013. mandy_wright@umvim.org