district staff
Rev. Bobbi Kaye Jones
District Superintendent
Bobbi Kaye grew up in the Rio Grande Valley, graduating from Mercedes High School, where her extended family still lives. After graduation from the University of Texas in Austin, she was an early Methodist student at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, receiving her M.Div in 1980. Serving local churches (including Memorial UMC Austin, First UMC Austin, Grace UMC Corpus Christi, Saint John’s Austin) since 1980, she received appointment to the Austin District as of October 15, 2008.
Married to a pastor, Rev. David Gilliam of Saint John’s, Austin, she is the mother of three adult daughters and really ‘just wants to be outside’.
Jill Barre
Administrative Assistant
Jill Barre began working for the Austin District office in 1995 as the program assistant. In July of 2003, she moved to her current position as administrative assistant. Barre grew up in Portland, Texas and moved to Austin in 1979. She holds a BBA in Accounting from the University of Texas and worked for the UT Lands Accounting office and a small CPA firm before "retiring" to raise her family. Barre is a member of the Professional Association of United Methodist Church Secretaries (PAUMCS) and attended the certification institute in Atlanta in 2006.
Jill enjoys reading, jogging, skiing and traveling, but is an admitted "tv-a-holic." She and her husband, Bruce, have been members of First UMC-Austin for 25 years. They have two sons: Brent, a junior at Texas Tech University, and Derek, a freshman at Clemson University.
Contact Jill Barre by email at jill@umcad.org or 512-444-1983.
Rachel Wright
Director of Congregational Excellence
Rachel Wright is responsible for district programming, church transformation, and communications. Wright also provides special leadership with regard to student and young adult ministry. Currently, she serves on the Southwest Texas Conference committees on nominations and futures. Her home church is Oak Hill UMC in Austin.
Wright graduated from S.F. Austin High School and she holds degrees in English and Creative Writing from Bryn Mawr College and the University of London. She still dabbles in short-story writing and enjoys photography and film. After a long-distance romance, Wright lives in Austin with Richard, her husband of two years.
Contact Rachel Wright by email at rachel@umcad.org or 512-442-9444.
Youth Ministries Coordinator
Contact by email at adyouth@umcad.org.
Marvin Morgenroth
Treasurer
Marvin Morgenroth grew up in San Antonio, Texas and was baptized and confirmed at Harlandale UMC. He attended the University of Texas at Austin where he received a BA in History. Morgenroth joined the United States Navy reserve in 1967 and served for 37 years including four years of active duty. He was employed by the Texas Comptoller's office and served in many capacities there over a 28 year career--including Business Analyst for the IT division.
Morgenroth has been a member of Saint John's UMC since 1971. Over the years, he has sung in the chancel choir as hand bell choir. He has held leadership positions on many committees including Pastor Parish Relations, Finance, Administrative Board and Trustees. For the last 17 years, Morgenroth has been the chairperson for the Austin District Trustees. He was elected treasurer for that body and for the Austin District Mission Board on May 4, 2008.
Contact Marvin Morgenroth by email at treasurer@umcad.org.
Michelle Packer
Program Assistant
Michelle Packer has joined the district staff as program assistant. She will help Director of Congregational Excellence Rachel Wright with event publicity, management, and registration as well as assist with the administrative functions of the District Office. Michelle is a degreed artist who enjoys painting and working with metals. In her spare time, she likes to read, ride her bike and cook healthy food. Welcome Michelle!Contact Michelle Packer by email at admin@umcad.org or 512-444-1983.
