Meet the Team
Meet the Team
Letitia M. Campbell, PhD
Assistant Professor in the Practice of Ethics and Society
Director of Contextual Education I and Clinical Pastoral Education
Dr. Campbell coordinates students’ placements in social service or clinical settings during the first year of the Contextual Education Program. She has a background as a journalist and has served in congregational, campus ministry, academic, and non-profit settings. She received her MDiv from Union Theological Seminary in New York City and earned her PhD in Christian Ethics from Emory’s Graduate Division of Religion. She is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Email: letitia.campbell@emory.edu
Phone: 404.727.3704
Thomas W. Elliott, Jr., DMin
Director, Contextual Education II
Director, Teaching Parish Program and Internships
Associate Professor in the Practice of Practical Theology and Methodist Studies
Dr. Elliott facilitates students' placements in their second year ecclesial settings for the Contextual Education Program. He is able to build effective partnerships with area churches given his knowledge and experience as an elder in the North Georgia Conference.
Email: thomas.elliott@emory.edu
Phone: 404.727.3006
Senior Program Coordinator
Carmen oversees all Contextual Education programs (Contextual Education I, Contextual Education II, Teaching Parish, CPE, and Internships) and is the point person for any questions regarding them. Students, faculty and supervisors should reach out to her with any questions or concerns.
Email: Carmen.Toussaint@emory.edu
Phone: 404.727.4178
Jordan Grassi Dauterman, MDiv
Program Coordinator
Email: jgrassi@emory.edu
Alexa Lawhorn, MDiv '25
Contextual Education Intern
Alexa graduated from Miami University of Ohio in 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Religion. Alexa serves as the intern for the office of Contextual Education supporting staff and programs. Alexa brings experience from serving at Lee Arrendale State Prison as her ConEd 1 site.
Email: candlerconed@emory.edu
Keith A. Menhinick, PhD
Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Advisor
The Rev. Dr. Keith A. Menhinick is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Spiritual Care and Pastoral Theology, and the Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Liaison with the Office of Contextual Education. He has seven units of ACPE and experience as a chaplain in healthcare, education, and children's home settings. Students who are interested in CPE can find Keith in his office (RARB444).
Email: kmenhin@emory.edu
Office Hours: Tuesdays from 1pm – 3pm or by appointment (RARB 444)
Contextual Education I Site & Teaching Supervisors
Meet The ConEd Team (PDF)
Rev. Betty-Brewer Calvert
Site: Campbell-Stone Apartments
Rev. Brewer-Calvert is the Director of Chaplain Ministries at Campbell-Stone Christian Centers. She is ordained in the Disciples of Christ tradition. She earned her BA in Political Science from NC State and her MDiv from Union Theological Seminary.
Rev. Dr. Lisa Heilig
Site: Toco Hills Community Alliance
Rev. Dr. Heilig is the Executive Director of Toco Hills Community Alliance. She belongs to the Metropolitan Community Churches tradition. She earned her BA in English Education and Religion from Florida Southern College, her MDiv from Candler, and her DMin from Columbia Theological Seminary. Her favorite part of ministry is "creating and nurturing inclusive spiritual community." Her favorite part of being a CE1 supervisor is "helping students find, claim, and use their gifts as spiritual leaders."
Rev. Emily Kelly
Site: Metro RYDC Juvenile Justice
Rev. Emily Kelly is a chaplain for Georgia's Department of Juvenile Justice. She began her journey at DJJ in 2015 as a Contextual Education I Intern at Metro RYDC. She graduated from the University of Georgia with a BA in Sociology and BS in Psychology and then earned her MDiv from Candler School of Theology. She is currently a Provisional Deacon in the United Methodist Church.
Rev. Allyn Maxfield-Steele
Site: Justice, Advocacy, & Movement Building- Hybrid
Rev. Allyn Maxfield-Steele has been Co-Executive Director of the Highlander Research and Education Center since 2017. Allyn received a BA in History from Wofford College and an MDiv from Vanderbilt Divinity School. He is ordained clergy with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
Rev. Stanley Ramos
Site: Refugee & Immigrant Communities- Hybrid
Rev. Stanley Ramos is a faculty member at the University of Central Florida School of Social Work. Stanley received his Master of Social Work from the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice at the University Of Chicago, and his Master of Divinity from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University. He is an ordained minister with the Metropolitan Community Church and presently is the founding pastor for Alabanza MCC.
Bec Cranford
Site: Care In Community- Hybrid
Bec currently serves as a Community Responder at Policing Alternatives and Diversions and has served with Candler School of Theology since 2015, with a break in 2022. Bec planted Church of the Misfits, the first dually affiliated Disciples of Christ and United Church of Christ LGBTQ affirming church in West Georgia in 2011. She served as the lead pastor and founder from 2011-2015. Bec served at Gateway Center, Atlanta’s largest homeless service agency, for over 10 years as a Coordinator and then Director of Community Engagement. Bec served as a Coordinator and then as the Director of Community for Wildgoose Festival from 2017 until 2020.
Dr. Winston Persaud
Site: New American Pathways
Dr. Persaud is the Lead Teacher with New American Pathways where he works with refugee and immigrant adolescents in the Clarkston area. He earned his BA from Carleton College, his MTS from Harvard Divinity School, and his PhD from Emory. Dr. Persaud's favorite part of ministry is, "being able to help shape, and be shaped by, both adults and young people including educated, adult seminary students, and adolescent refugees new to the United States, as we engage in the journey of discipleship into the triune God."
Rev. Susan Bishop
Site: Arrendale State Prison
Rev. Chaplain Susan Bishop has been a Correctional Clinical Chaplain with the Georgia Department of Corrections since 1984. She is a Candler graduate, has a master's degree in music education from Georgia State, and has been supervising Candler students since 1997. Susan is an ordained Southern Baptist clergywoman.
Contextual Education II Teaching Supervisors
Rev. Kate Colussy-Estes
Rev. Colussy-Estes is a Minister of Word and Sacrament/ a Teaching Elder in the PCUSA. She currently serves as the Interim Associate Pastor at Covenant Presbyterian Church.
Rev. Susannah Davis
Rev. Davis is the Pastor of Kirkwood UCC. She earned her Bachelor's from Emory and Henry College and her MDiv from Candler.
Rev. Keya J. Hillman
Rev. Keya Hillman is the Pastor-In-Charge at St. Paul UMC Summit Street in Gainseville, GA. She earned her Bechelor's from Harvard University and completed her graduate work at Gammon Theological Seminary.
Rev. Dr. Ca Trice Glenn
Rev. Dr. Glenn is the Youth Pastor at Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She earned her ThD in Pastoral Counseling from Candler.
Rev. Brady Radford
Rev. Radford is a Licensed Professional Counselor at the Lovewell Collective and the Senior Pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church Decatur. He earned his BS in Architectural Design and Architectural Engineering from Tennessee State University, his MS in Rehabilitation Counseling from Georgia State University and his MDiv from Interdenominational Theological Center.
Rev. Dalton Rushing
Rev. Rushing is the Senior Pastor of Decatur First UMC. He earned his Bachelors from Birmingham Southern College and his MDiv from Candler. On his favorite part of ministry, Rev. Rushing writes, "I didn't grow up in church, so I am regularly surprised at the capacity for goodness that people have! I love working with a congregation to vision the ways in which God is calling them to love God, love their neighbors, and love one another." He greatly enjoys working with CE2 students as they help him keep his skills "fresh" and give him hope.
Teaching Parish Supervisors
Rev. Joya Abrams
Rev. Abrams is the Pastor in Charge of Bethany UMC Smyrna. She earned her BS in General Science from Spelman College, her BS in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Tech, and her MDiv from Candler. Her favorite part of ministry is, "connecting theology and practice/ behavior. I love to help us better understand who a disciple of Jesus is and discover what being his disciple might look like.
Rev. Dr. Beth LaRocca-Pitts
Rev. Dr. LaRocca-Pitts is the Senior Pastor at Oak Grove UMC. She earned her BA in Religion at Duke University, her MDiv from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and her PhD in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from Harvard University. Dr. LaRocca-Pitts' favoriteaspectof ministryis"teachingtheBibleand helping people connect the word to their daily lives." As a CE2 supervisor she enjoys hearing about the varying ministry settings that students serve in.
Rev. Dr. G Thomas Martin
Rev. Dr. Martin is the Senior Minister at Fayetteville First UMC. He earned his MDiv from Duke Divinity School and his DMin from Candler. Growing up the son of a United Methodist minister, he says there was never a time when he did not experience God's love in the congregations that raised him.
Rev. Derek Porter
Rev. Porter is the Lead Pastor of Smyrna First UMC. He earned his BA in Political Science from LaGrange College and his MDiv from Candler.
Rev. Mandy Sloan McDow
Rev. McDow is a native of Knoxville, Tennessee. After hearing her call to ministry while working on staff at Camp Wesley Woods, Mandy attended Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, GA, which, ironically, had no religion department. Regardless, Mandy was admitted to Princeton Theological Seminary, from which she received her Masters of Divinity. Mandy has served rural churches in New Jersey, urban churches in Atlanta, and oceanside churches in California. Today, she is the senior minister of Los Angeles First United Methodist Church, the church with land and no building that worships in a parking lot. In solidarity with their houseless neighbors, LA First UMC has pledged to remain unhoused until they can create housing for those who need it the most.
Rev. Dr. Jordan Thrasher
Rev. Dr. Thrasher is the Pastor of Embry Hills UMC. He earned his BA in History from Wofford University and his MDiv and DMin from Candler. His favorite aspect of ministry is all that goes into preaching: exegesis, writing and proclamation. He values the mutual learning that occurs between TP students and mentors.
Rev. Robin Wilson
Rev. Wilson is a pastor in the Alabama West Florida Conference. She earned her BS from Vanderbilt University and her MDiv from Duke Divinity School.
Mailing Address:
Emory University
Candler School of Theology
Office of Contextual Education
1531 Dickey Drive
Atlanta, GA 30322
candlerconed@emory.edu