Meet our Co-Pastors

About Jarrett

About Meg
Program & Administrative Staff

About Ryan
Ryan Byrnes join the UPC staff in May 2022. Born in St. Louis, MO, Ryan has a background in event and facility management through his operations work at convention centers (most recently the Durham Convention Center). He is married to Stephanie, and together they have four children. When not at work, Ryan is most likely to be playing with his kids, reading, teaching himself something new, or daydreaming about the places he hopes to travel one day.

About Johnny
Johnny Clay began working as the UPC Sexton in September 2021. Born in Thailand, Johnny moved to the United States in 2007. He has worked both for University Methodist Church and UNC Dining Services before coming to join the UPC staff. In his free time, Johnny enjoys spending time with his family, especially his four children (2 girls, 2 boys).

About Erin
Erin joined our staff in February 2021 as our Director of Communications and Development. A native of Richmond, Virginia, Erin earned her Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from the University of Mary Washington and a Master of Divinity degree from Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. She is an ordained Baptist minister who has served in several congregations, most recently as an associate pastor at First Baptist Church of Lumberton, NC. At UPC, she enjoys serving in a new capacity through the ministry of communication and storytelling.
In her spare time, Erin enjoys reading, catching up on shows on Netflix and Hulu, and spending time with her husband, their energetic daughter, and their extroverted dog.

About Peter
Peter Costa joined the UPC staff in September 2021. Peter is originally from Rhode Island, where he spent 22 years as the Finance Director at a Catholic School. Wanting both a warmer climate and to be close to their daughter, son-in-law, and new grandchild, he and his wife moved to Durham in 2019.

About Joey
Joey joined the UPC staff in June 2020. Originally from Honolulu, he moved to New York to attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where he graduated with degrees in architecture and lighting while also serving as Director of Music at First United Presbyterian in downtown Troy. He then returned to his first passion of music and attended Yale University where he received a master’s in organ before moving to Durham to take a position as organ scholar in residence at Duke University Chapel where he met his wife Sarah, a Duke Divinity student.
As church musician and teacher, Joey has also served at Chapel of the Cross (Chapel Hill), and St. Paul’s (Norwalk, CT), working with their choirs and chorister programs, and as a teaching artist for the Yale Music in Schools initiative. As an organist, he has had the opportunity to perform across the country in notable spaces including St. Patrick’s Cathedral NYC, Trinity Church Boston, Harvard University’s Busch Hall, and Washington National Cathedral and has been a featured recitalist at conventions of the American Guild of Organists and the Organ Historical Society.
In his free time, Joey enjoys open water swimming and cooking Asian cuisine.

About Berry
Berry joined the UPC staff in August 2020. A native of Lumberton, North Carolina, he attended the University of North Carolina, graduating in 2003 with degrees in both Economics and Recreation and Leisure Studies. But between freshman dorm move-in and donning a cap and gown, he found a home here at PCM.
After two years of camp and conference ministry and extensive international travel in Central America and Africa, Berry discerned a call to ministry and attended Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond. From there, he has served as an associate pastor at both White Memorial Presbyterian Church in Raleigh as well as Black Mountain Presbyterian Church near Montreat. In 2017, Berry and Katie, their daughter Aubry and son Will embarked on a two-year journey sailing through the Caribbean and the North American Eastern Seaboard, visiting 12 Caribbean countries in their own 43’ sailboat from Grenada to Maine.
Berry loves the outdoors, hiking, camping, biking, gardening, and playing outside with his kids.

About Hadley
Hadley joined our staff in June 2021. A native of Laurinburg, NC, she is an ordained United Church of Christ minister and has most recently served as a pediatric chaplain for UNC Health Care. Hadley has a degree in English from UNC-Chapel Hill and completed the Master of Divinity degree at Duke University’s Divinity School, and is looking forward to living into her ordination in new ways by having the opportunity to serve, lead, care for, and love our congregation.
Hadley is married to Drew, and they are the proud parents of Hannan and Ruby.

About Nancy
Nancy began as the Staff Associate for Children’s Ministries in October 2014. She grew up in west central Illinois and graduated in 2005 from Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, with a Bachelor of Science in elementary education. She continued on to get a Master of Arts degree in education from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Before joining the staff at University Presbyterian Church, Nancy served congregations in Knoxville, TN, and Indianapolis, IN. Nancy is a Certified Christian Educator in the PC(USA) and is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity degree at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Charlotte.
In her free time, you’ll find her reading, watching Michigan State sports, and doing just about any craft imaginable! She also enjoys traveling to visit her family.

About Ellen
Ellen Parker was hired as Director of University Presbyterian Preschool in August 2009.

About Sara
Sara Richard began as our Administrative Assistant in September 2021. Born in New Hampshire and raised in Apex, North Carolina, Sara graduated from William and Mary in 2020 with a degree in Film and Media Studies. During college, she was a member of the William and Mary Choir. From August 2020 through July 2021, she was a member of the Johnson Service Corps, through which she served at a partnering non-profit organization and lived in an intentional community in Durham with three other people. Sara lives in Carrboro with her rabbit, Oswald; her roommate, Mary; and Mary’s cat, Gonzo. In her free time she enjoys singing, embroidery, watching movies, and playing Stardew Valley with her friends.

About Melani
Melani serves University Presbyterian Church as the part-time Financial Assistant. In this role, she assists with the day-to-day financial duties of the church and of University Presbyterian Preschool (UPPS). Melani grew up in Watkins Glen, NY and moved to NC in 1999. She graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2004 with degrees in Management and Society and Sociology. With her husband, Patrick, she has four daughters.