Staff

PASTOR/HEAD OF STAFF

STEPHEN CAREY HANCOCK

Steve became Pastor of Second Presbyterian Church of Little Rock in August 2001. Before coming to Little Rock, he served as pastor of Second Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, for 10 years. From 1983-91, he was Dean of Students at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and before that served churches in Indiana and Kentucky. While in Indiana, Steve also served as a Visiting Instructor in Preaching for two years at St. Meinrad School of Theology, a Roman Catholic Seminary. While Dean of Students at Louisville Seminary, he taught as an Adjunct Professor of Preaching, and while in Nashville served as Lecturer in Church and Ministries at Vanderbilt Divinity School.

Steve grew up in Kentucky, and is a graduate of DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and a Master of Theology degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville.

As Pastor of Second Presbyterian Church, it is Steve’s responsibility to provide overall spiritual leadership, pastoral care and administrative oversight to the congregation in its programs of worship and preaching, Christian education and spiritual nurture, service to the larger community, and fellowship within the congregation. He oversees, coordinates and supports the work of the Ministerial and Program staff, and serves as staff resource to the Worship Ministry, Stewardship Ministry, Outreach Ministry, Personnel Committee, and Nominating Committee.

Steve currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Lyon College and the Board of Trustees of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. He is on the steering committee of the Arkansas Interfaith Alliance, and teaches in the Presbytery of Arkansas Commissioned Lay Pastor program.

Steve is married to Missie Hancock, a speech-language pathologist who works for the North Little Rock School District. Missie and Steve have two sons: Matt, who is Assistant Men’s Baseball Coach at the University of North Alabama, and William, a student at Catholic High.

Steve enjoys playing tennis and following the University of Kentucky basketball and football Wildcats.

ASSOCIATE PASTOR

KAREN K. AKIN

Karen Kokles Akin serves as Associate Pastor for Congregational Nurture. She is passionate about caring for people, helping people to find their place in the church, encouraging the ministry of lay people, and creating space in people’s lives for re-creation and fellowship. Karen serves as staff resource for Pastoral Care, Belonging, Fellowship and the Heritage Committee.

Karen was born in Dallas, Texas where she spent most of her growing up years. Her education includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion from Trinity University; a Master of Divinity degree from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary; and a Doctor of Ministry degree in Nurture from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

Karen has served the church in a variety of community settings and pastoral positions. Ordained in Narka, Kansas, her first pastorate was serving four small churches in northern Kansas. She next served as an associate pastor at Grace-First Presbyterian Church in Weatherford, Texas. Following her marriage to husband Doug she served as interim pastor in two churches in Colorado – Longmont and La Porte, during which time Doug earned his degree in forestry from Colorado State University. Before beginning her service here at Second Presbyterian Church in January, 1992, Karen served as interim head of staff in Camden, Arkansas.

Doug is a forester with the Arkansas State Forestry Commission. Karen and Doug have two daughters. Sarah is living in Nashville, Tennessee working with the Young Adult Volunteer Program of the Presbyterian Church. Jordan attends Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas. The Akins enjoy spending time together as a family, particularly in Montreat, North Carolina. Karen enjoys gardening, hiking, and reading.

ASSOCIATE PASTOR

CAMILLE LeBRON POWELL

Camille was born in Heidelberg, Germany, and grew up in Dallas, Texas. She graduated from Garland High School and then attended Austin College in Sherman, Texas. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a religion major and art minor in May 1998. During her last two years of college, she served as Director of Youth Ministries at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Sherman, Texas. After graduation from Austin College, she served as the intern in the denomination’s Office of Youth Ministry in Louisville, Kentucky. In May 2002, Camille received her Master’s degree in Christian Education and a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary and Presbyterian School of Christian Education in Richmond, Virginia.

It was during the summer of 1999, when Camille’s interest in young adult ministry was sparked while she was part of a ministry team for the college and young adult staff at Montreat Conference Center. Serving as a chaplain for the hematology and oncology patients at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas in 2000 was another formative experience for her pastoral identity. In the summer of 2001, Camille was the intern for Christian Nurture at First Presbyterian Church in Fort Worth, Texas. After graduation from seminary, Camille returned to Montreat, where she served as the intern in the Center for Youth and Young Adult Ministry. In this position she worked with youth conference planning teams in theme development and promotion of conferences. In addition, during this time she did formal and informal research into alternative worship services and young adult ministry.

Camille was ordained in July 2003, and Second Presbyterian Church is her first call. Primary responsibilities include Young Adult Ministry and the Nine O’clock Worship service.

Camille has served the Presbyterian Church (USA) as part of the Young Adult Ministry Coordinating Team. She is currently serving the larger church as a member of the Presbytery of Arkansas’ Committee on Ministry and as a Co-Director of the 2010 Montreat Youth Conferences.

In 2004, Camille and Jonathan Powell were married at Second Presbyterian Church. Together they share their home with daughter Lily, born July 2007, son Jackson, born December 2010, and their cats, Eloise and Harley. They also enjoy the outdoors, Arkansas Razorback football, and movies.

CHURCH EDUCATOR

JEANNIE FORD ANDREWS

Prior to joining the staff in November 1992, Jeannie has served as Director of Christian Education at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Richmond, Virginia and First Presbyterian Church in Ft. Smith, Arkansas. As Church Educator, Jeannie’s primary responsibilities include oversight of Christian Nurture programs for children and their families, educational programming for adultss of all ages and stages, and our Confirmation program for eighth graders. Jeannie serves the Presbytery of Arkansas as a Educator Certification Advisor, a member of the Presbytery Resource Center Advisory Council, and as moderator of the Christian Education and Nurture Committee

Jeannie is married to Collins Andrews, who is retired from Acxiom Corporation and is now working as a business consultant. Jeannie and Collins have three sons: Collins Andrews, who lives in Fayetteville with his wife and two daughters; Spencer Andrews, who lives in Little Rock and works for Verizon; and Daniel Ford, who is a student at the William H. Bowen School of Law. Jeannie and Collins enjoy traveling, music and art, Razorback sports, and spending time with family and friends at nearby Lake Hamilton.

 INTERIM DIRECTOR OF YOUTH MINISTRY

DOUG WALTERS

Doug is serving his second stint as Interim Youth Director, having begun this term in August 2011. He has also served previously as a youth sponsor and as an adult chaperone on several youth trips. He and his wife Lynn are active members of Second Presbyterian Church. They have three children – David, born in April 2004, Joshua, born in April 2006, and Kate Elizabeth, born in November 2009.

Originally from New Jersey, Doug grew up in the Presbyterian Church. He is a communications graduate of Ithaca College, whose career path tended toward broadcast journalism and video production before following a call into full-time Camp and Conference ministry within the Presbyterian Church in 1998.

Doug is enthusiastic about Presbyterian youth ministry and brings with him a wealth of experience and creativity, having served for over a decade in a variety of leadership roles at various PC(USA) summer camps and retreat centers. These sites include Johnsonburg Presbyterian Center in northern New Jersey, Chesapeake Center northeast of Baltimore, Maryland, Dogwood Acres in Florida, and most recently Ferncliff Camp & Conference Center here in Little Rock. Doug has also served multiple terms on the Board of the Presbyterian Church Camp and Conference Association.

A “Jack-of-all trades” and “technology-geek,” Doug provides freelance graphic design, video production and website development services when he’s not building pillow forts or Lego castles with his children.

DIRECTOR OF MUSIC AND THE ARTS

BEVAN KEATING

Dr. Bevan Keating is our Director of Music and the Arts. Bevan is Director of Choral Activities and Assistant Professor of Music at UALR. Originally from Canada, he earned bachelor of education and bachelor of music degrees from the University of Western Ontario. He went on to earn a masters degree and then a doctorate in Choral Conducting from Ohio State University. He and his wife Kira, who is also very gifted musically, live in the Governor’s Mansion area of Little Rock with their twins Brock and Blythe.

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC

MARY IBIS

Fondly known as “Miss Mary” by children and adults alike, Mary is in her ninth year as Associate Director of Music. She directs the Children’s Choirs and bells, the 6-12th grade youth bell choir, an intergenerational handbell group, the Jubilant Ringers, and the advanced adult ringing ensemble, Exultation ringers. In the summer, Mary leads a choir camp and instrument camp (Orff) for children grades K-5, and directs the Summer Ringers. Miss Mary also leads music in Sunday Church School for preschool age-5th grade and the music for the summer Vacation Bible School program.

Mary’s education includes a B.M.E., Bachelor of Music Education, from Henderson State University, Arkadelphia, Arkansas. There, she specialized in music for K-8. She has also attended multiple clinics on the Orff process, Kodaly, and studies offered through Chorister’s Guild and P.A.M. (Presbyterian Association of Musicians) music conferences.

Mary enjoys reading, cooking, and painting. Mary and her husband, Ismail enjoy playing with their sons, Dawson and Eren.

NINE O’CLOCK WORSHIP MUSIC COORDINATOR

MANDY BUZZARD

Mandy received a Bachelor of Arts in vocal music from the U of A in Fayetteville. She is married and has 2 children; a daughter, Anna, and a son, Jackson. She works as a Certified Ophthalmic Assistant for a retina practice in Little Rock.

INTERIM ORGANIST

ADAM SAVACOOL

We welcome Adam to Second Presbyterian as our interim organist. Adam began his work for Second on August 1, 2008. An exceptional talent as a solo organist and with years of experience, Adam will further enhance our worship experience each and every Sunday.

CHURCH BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR

Brian Perry

Brian joined the staff of Second Church in January, 2012 after serving as Director of Mission Support at the Presbytery of Arkansas for five years. He is a member of the National Association of Church Business Administration, Presbyterian Communicators Network, and Society for Technical Communication.

Prior to moving to Arkansas he was a management consultant for 14 years, Manager of Administrative Services at Holy Childhood Association (Washington, DC), Manager of Payroll, Accounting & Information Systems at Association of American Railroads (Washington, DC) and Church Administrator at First Presbyterian (Athens, GA).

Brian is a graduate of Tulane University (M.A.) and Louisiana State University at Shreveport (B.S.). He and his spouse, Deborah Tootle, a sociologist and Associate Professor with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, live in Little Rock with their two dogs and horse.

DIRECTOR OF PLANNED GIVING

MALINDA KIRCHNER

Malinda has been a member of Second Presbyterian for 29 years and she began her work in this newly-created position in November, 2007. She has served on two search committees, in several leadership roles on the youth network team, and has helped with confirmation, stewardship, and Sunday school. She is active in Presbyterian Women and a Bible study group at the church. Malinda and her husband, Larry, an architect, are parents to Bolton, a student at Millsaps College and John, a student at Central High School.

PRESCHOOL DIRECTOR

PAIGE MAJORS

Paige has been a member of Second Church since 1994. She and her husband, Lee, are the parents of two daughters, Mary Carol and Meredith. She is originally from Ruston, Louisiana, and graduated from Louisiana Tech University. Before becoming the Preschool Director in August 2002, she taught in the Preschool for seven years. She is an Elder, is involved with handbells, teaches Sunday School and serves on the Children’s Ministry.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE

PAM LUTHER

Pam, who is support staff resource for Belonging and Outreach Ministries (works Mon-Thurs each week), began working at Second Presbyterian Church in September 1989. Prior to that she served on staff at the Presbytery of Arkansas, Presbyterian Village, and First Presbyterian Church, Batesville. A native of Little Rock, she attended the University of Arkansas and joined Second Church in 1986. Pam is mother to a blended family of four adult children and grandmother to eight. She has earned Levels I, II, and III certification from the Administrative Personnel Association of the Presbyterian Church (USA). She enjoys spending time with grandchildren, quilting, and gardening.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE

NANCY COLEMAN

Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Nancy joined Second Church in 1990, where she has served on the Session. She is an ordained elder and deacon. She is support staff resource for Pastoral Care, Fellowship, Youth and Young Adult ministries. Nancy has a liberal arts degree and has done graduate study in social work. She is a member of the Pastoral Care Ministry and is a Stephen Minister and Leader.

Nancy has four daughters: Amanda and Andy Schultz, Jack & Ben, live in Mt. Juliet, TN; Elizabeth Camper, mother of Ethan & Caitlin who live in Hoover, AL; Evelyn Coleman, a Presbyterian minister is on the staff of Montreat Conference Center, and Katherine & David Hodges live in Los Angeles with daughters Abigail & Juliet.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE

SHARON HUGHES

Sharon joined the staff at Second Presbyterian in October 2005. Originally from Greenwood, Mississippi, Sharon joined Second Church in 1993. She has taught Sunday School on the children and youth levels, including Confirmation. For several years, she taught FAME and was a youth advisor. She has served on planning teams, chaperoned youth trips and participated in mission trips. As an ordained deacon, Sharon served on Youth Ministry and on the Belonging Ministry. She is married to Rick Hughes. Their blended family includes Sharon’s daughter, Marigayden Tippit, a student at the University of Arkansas, son Justin Tippit, and Rick’s son, Richard Hughes, Jr.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE AND FOOD SERVICE MANAGER

SAGE ARNOLD

Sage joined the staff as the Food Service Manager in August of 1993. In March of 1999, Sage added the position of administrative associate to Charlie Bausch. Sage has been a youth advisor for the Spy program for 10 years, a FAME leader, as well as serving as the Youth chair for several years. She enjoys participating in Mission trips and Youth trips. Sage is married to Joe and moved to Little Rock in 1987 from Lake Tahoe, Nevada. They have two children, Libby, who is and Deacon here and is employed by Crews and Associates. Chris graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2010, and is now in law school. Joe and Sage own Arnold Audio. She enjoys riding horses when possible, skiing, gardening and sewing and generally being with family and friends.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE

Robin De Rossitte

Robin De Rossitte joined our office staff in 2011. Having spent the last 6 years with Samsclub.com, Robin brings with her a rich background in both Web and Graphic design. An alumni of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, she earned her degree in Liberal Arts with concentrations in Biology, English, Psychology and Theatre. Though Robin is originally from Little Rock, she and her 4 children, Rowan (17), Beatrice (7), Finnian (4), and Olivia (3), have spent the last 7 years in Bentonville , AR, just moving back down in June, 2011. Robin will be designing the newsletter as well as updating the website and supporting the Education and Worship ministries.

CHILDCARE COORDINATOR

SHEA PICKENS

Shea and her family are active at Second Presbyterian Church. Her husband, Drew, plays the guitar in our 9:00 Worship Band. They have a daughter, Olivia, who is 11 years old and a son, Andrew, who is seven months old.

Shea graduated from Rhodes College with a Bachelor of Arts, and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Advertising and Marketing from Memphis College of Art. She has a varied professional background in project management, public relations, and personnel management. Shea brings to this position a passion for “customer service and satisfaction,” organizational skills, communication skills, and especially a love for children. She will have oversight of our nursery space and our child care workers on a weekly basis. Shea will work with the Child Care Committee and the Children’s Ministry to continue a quality program of Child Care for our little ones.

FACILITIES MANAGER

DAVID BEACH, JR.

David joined our staff August 1, 1994.  He has several years’ experience in custodial services, as well as construction work.  In June 2011, he was named as Facilities Manager with oversight of buildings, grounds and church vehicles. David and his wife, Kristen, the Curriculum Coordinator with the Pulaski County Special School District, have two adult children, Grant and Elizabeth. David enjoys camping and boating with his family and hunting during the fall.

CUSTODIAL STAFF (SEXTONS)