MINISTER & STAFF
The Reverend Thomas Rosiello
The Reverend Thomas A. Rosiello was called to be the minister of the First Parish of Stow & Acton in May 2002. Immediately prior to coming to First Parish he served as Associate for Faith in Action at First Parish in Framingham, where he led and coordinated the numerous social justice ministries of the church. He is a member of the board of directors of the Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry and served as president of the Board of Directors of Partakers Inc. and Interfaith ministry that strives for reconciliation between prisoners and society through rehabilitation and educational programs. Reverend Rosiello is also the past president of the Clara Barton District Unitarian Universalist Ministers' Association.
After many year as a practicing trial attorney, Tom, as he prefers to be called, chose to pursue a career in Ministry. He is a graduate of Harvard Divinity School and also holds a Juris Doctorate degree from Suffolk University Law School and a Bachelors degree in Communication Studies. He enjoys teaching and has served on the faculty of Clark University in Worcester. Presently he serves as a field education supervisor for Harvard Divinity School. He has been active in a variety of social justice causes ranging from AIDS and gay rights to poverty and prison reform. Tom also enjoys music and has participated in and served on the board of several community musical organizations.
At First Parish, you will find that Tom wears many hats. He serves as the head of our staff, supervising our employees and overseeing the day to day operation of the church. With the assistance of the other staff and the Worship Committee he creates our Sunday morning worship experience. He is available to provide pastoral care and rites of passage for members and friends, and works with the Board of Directors and many committees to carry out the mission of our church. minister [at] fpc-stow-acton [dot] org (E-mail Tom)
Michelle Coté, Director of Religious Education
Michelle has a Master's in Education, and she has worked in education for about 25 years. She's a member of the UU church in Framingham, where she served on the RE Committee. She also helped develop a program there for special needs children that is really exemplary. Michelle lives in Natick with her partner and young daughter. re [at] fpc-stow-acton [dot] org (E-mail Michelle)
Mike Pfitzer, Director of Music
An experienced choral director, Mike Pfitzer previously taught at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he was the conductor of the University Chorus and the assistant conductor for the UW Concert Choir under Director of Choral Activities Beverly Taylor. While a student at Tufts University (Medford, MA), he was the assistant conductor of the Tufts Chorale, Chamber Singers, and Concert Choir, leading the latter group in a performance of Faure's Requiem in 2008.
An involved church musician, Mike has extensive experience as a cantor and choir director, having led the bilingual English and Spanish choir at St. Clement's Church in his hometown of Saratoga Springs, NY. In addition to his church work, Mike has a strong affinity for music on the stage, having served as the conductor and assistant conductor for musicals and operas in Medford, MA, Madison, WI, and Central France. An experienced baritone, he has also performed in opera ensembles and choirs for years, having sung in solo performances with choirs across the United States, and in voice recitals in the U.S., France, and South Africa.
Mike received the Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he studied with Beverly Taylor, and graduated magna cum laude with the Bachelor of Arts degree in Music and History from Tufts University, where he studied with Andrew Clark (Harvard University). Other conducting teachers include Dr. William Weinert (Eastman School of Music Summer Institute) and Jeff and Brenda Vredenburg (Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam). Please visit www.michaelpfitzer.com for more information.
Sanghee Kim, Pianist/Organist
Sanghee Kim previously served as the pianist/organist for the Unitarian Universalist Church of Winchendon from 2005 – 2011. In addition to her work in Winchendon, Sanghee has accompanied for the Wesley United Methodist Church (Medford, MA) and played for voice master classes both in the United States and abroad.
Sanghee maintains an active performance calendar, having given recitals in Boston, Cambridge, Worcester, Winchendon, and her native South Korea. She is also a successful teacher, giving private lessons as well as working with the Joy of Music School in Worcester since 2003. Sanghee received the Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance and Music Education from Pusan National University in South Korea and the Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from the Boston Conservatory. She has also received a Performance Diploma in both Piano and Collaborative Piano from the Longy School of Music (Cambridge, MA), where she studied with Sally Pinkas and Brian Moll. Other teachers include David Deveau and Irwin Gelber.
Nancy Grimes, Membership Development Coordinator
Nancy Grimes is the Membership Development Coordinator. She really enjoys the challenges of her job including welcoming newcomers, working with members and friends of the church community to find “their passion” within FPC, and working with Tom Rosiello, our minister, other staff members and church committee members to continue to build a vibrant, healthy, and enriching church community at FPC. Nancy grew up in several protestant churches, including Methodist, Presbyterian, and United Church of Christ. She first started attending a UU church in Lexington Center in 1989. Before long she realized that the UU principles and beliefs were by far the most compatible with her own instincts and beliefs, and she soon became a member. Nancy’s piano teacher during her childhood was a Unitarian in Wisconsin, and Nancy wonders what her life would have been like if she had been a UUer all her life! Nancy received her bachelor’s degree in music from the University of Colorado, and her M.S. in Human Resource Management from Lesley University. She has worked in a variety of places, most recently as Director of Human Resources at the Harvard Divinity School for twelve years; and prior to that she worked for seven years at Repligen Corporation, a biotech start-up company originally located in Cambridge. mdc [at] fpc-stow-acton [dot] org (E-mail Nancy)
Deedee Perkins, Office Administrator
office [at] fpc-stow-acton [dot] org (E-mail Deedee)
