Our Board
Unitarian Universalist Congregation operates under a “Covenant-Based Governance Model” within the guidelines of our Bylaws. We have an elected, 7-member Board that holds authority and responsibility for our congregation. These leaders are elected by our members and operate as a single body in service to the mission of our congregation. The Board welcomes your input and questions.
Our 2025-2026 Board Members
See below for more about these gifted leaders
CHRIS LONG, PRESIDENT | Chris Long started attending UUC in late 2021 and has been a volunteer for almost the entire time he has been attending. He has found himself stepping into multiple leadership roles in his relatively short time here, most notably leading the Auction committee for two years. He loves supporting his loving UUC community by serving on the AV team and leading the Quarterlifers social group. Chris works as a senior account services representative at the National Bank of Blacksburg. He has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Virginia Tech and loves cheering on the Hokies alongside playing pickleball and spending time with friends. Email Chris at president@uucnrv.org.
CASSY KOST, PRESIDENT-ELECT | Cassy Kost and her two children have attended the UUC since spring 2018. She enjoys participating in UUC grounds work, attending spiritual based workshops and gatherings, as well as family events, and assists with UUC music. She works at Virginia Tech and believes in the importance of emphasizing inclusivity and UUC values in all spaces, while strengthening community. Additionally, she serves as a leader for local Girl Scouts. In her free time, Cassy enjoys spending time with her children and dogs, creating music, exploring the outdoors, reading, and many other artful hobbies.
CAROLYN KOGAN, SECRETARY, joined the UUC in 2024 with her husband, Greg, and their two young children, Lucia and Matthias. Drawn to the congregation’s commitment to respect, tolerance, and understanding within a multigenerational community, Carolyn quickly became involved in children’s programming. She served as an RE instructor for the Pre-K and 2nd/3rd grade classes and has taken an active role in revitalizing the playground—working with the committee to replace outdated equipment and design interactive, inclusive spaces for children of all ages.
Professionally, Carolyn teaches in the Marketing Department at Virginia Tech, where she leads courses on social media, content marketing, and the intersection of personal well-being and professional success. With a background in media and production, she is attentive to detail—from ideation to execution. Needless to say, she’s a fan of spreadsheets, to-do lists, and spending time with her family.
WAYNE NEU, TREASURER, has been a part of UUC since the early 1990s. His service started with performing many small tasks, and as he became more engaged and more attached to UUC, he served in a number of other capacities. He’s sung in the choir and operated the sound/recording equipment. He served as auctioneer for many of our auctions. He’s served on the Finance, Long-Range Planning, and Stewardship committees and was a part of the task force that raised funds for our building expansion. Wayne served twice on the Board as a member-at-large and again as President-Elect and then as President.
JOSEPH COOLEY, MEMBER AT LARGE, is an accomplished architect currently working at Virginia Tech. With a profound expertise in accessible architecture, Joseph brings over 30 years of experience as a Unitarian Universalist, including three years of active involvement with our congregation. Joseph is a member of the UUC Safety Committee and is working towards ensuring the safety and well-being of our community. Originally from Western New York, Joseph has two grown children and is married to Robin, also a member of UUC. Beyond his professional achievements, he is passionate about various forms of art, such as drawing, painting, and glass art. His architectural background provides him with a unique blend of analytical skills and imaginative vision, which will be invaluable in his role on the board.
HELEN RENQUIST, MEMBER AT LARGE, grew up in Giles County (Newport), Virginia. She received her B.A. in Biology Education from Emory and Henry College. From 1972 to 1995, she lived in Finland and is fluent in Finnish. She moved back to Virginia with her family in 1995, after which she obtained her MS in Curriculum and Instruction in ESL (English as a Second Language) and taught ESL in Montgomery County for 14 years. Helen and her husband Åke-Eric (deceased 2023) joined the UUC in 2017. Since joining our congregation, Helen has volunteered for numerous activities and taken part in various groups. At present, she helps with religious education. She has two children and two grandchildren.
ANDY ROBERTS, MEMBER AT LARGE, and his wife, Mary Ann, started attending the UUC in the early 2000s. He has taught RE as well as middle-school and high school OWL, been a member of the Lay Pastoral Care Committee, and chaired the Stewardship Committee for several years. He most recently performed as The Fanged Steward in the 2024 and 2025 Pledge Drive video series. Andy is retired from Virginia Tech and likes to hike, bicycle, travel, read, putter in the yard, and cook for Mary Ann.
A Message from the Board
By Laura Robinson, UUC Board President 2024-2025
Thank you to all who serve, lead, and show up with open hearts. Our mission to Inspire, Create, and Transform is alive in your fellowship. It has been an immense joy to serve as your 2024-2025 Board President.
We hope our congregation feels the thanks and care behind every Board decision. And if you haven’t heard it yet, let me take a moment now to personally thank you and share some of our 2024-2025 accomplishments.
This year, the Board worked to strengthen our community from the inside out. We ensured all staff roles were filled and took steps to appreciate our volunteers, especially during our minister’s sabbatical.
Our congregation showed remarkable courage and participation in the UU the Vote and Defending Democracy initiatives. These values remain at the heart of our community.
We are a welcoming congregation. So, this year, the Board focused on improving accessibility and safety by conducting an assessment, improving facilities, and finding more ways to increase accessibility during UUC activities. Several things were identified. Future projects are being prioritized based on budget, safety, accessibility, and volunteers.
The Board also had a goal to encourage engagement within our congregation. By doing this, we hoped to nurture a strong sense of belonging and ownership, which may also lead to growth in membership and financial support. We were so happy to see many of you at our activities fair and joining committees.
We would like to recognize our congregation’s work in our communities. Our partnership with the To Our House makes a real difference, offering winter shelter to the homeless. Also, it was a joy to be able to help families impacted by Hurricane Helene and celebrate the opening of the Calfee Community & Cultural Center.
Finally, we are especially thankful to our Finance Committee. Their guidance has been so valuable to the Board, and their hard work is often unseen. It is our mutual goal to move away from a deficit budget and ensure a sustainable financial future.
And if no one’s told you today: you matter. We’re so grateful you’re here, and our congregation is better because you’re part of it. – Laura Robinson, UUC Board President
Outgoing Board Members for 2024-2025
President: Laura Robinson joined UUC in 2016. She has served as a greeter since 2017 and enjoys participating in UUC’s grounds workdays, social action activities, and enrichment programs. She is a strong advocate of UUC’s commitment to building community, especially through its connection activities and mental health advocacy. Laura moved to the New River Valley in 1985. Her years of experience with higher education and nonprofit organizations have provided her with an appreciation for teamwork. Laura works in administration at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. She holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Mary Washington and an M.B.A. with a concentration in human resources from Averett University. Laura’s interests include mushroom hunting, drawing, and taking her dog on adventures.
President-Elect: Chris Long started attending UUC in late 2021 and has been a volunteer for almost the entire time he has been attending. Whether working with the DLFD as an RE teacher or assistant, serving on the Finance and Stewardship committees, or attending UUYA or Quarterlifer events, he is involved is as many activities as he can. His most notable volunteering success so far has been as chair of the Auction committee, fostering connection while also raising funds for the UUC. His favorite part about his time at the UUC is having found a loving community which helps to give him purpose. Chris works as a senior account services representative at National Bank of Blacksburg. He has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Virginia Tech and hopes to eventually return for more. Chris’s interests include kayaking, content creation, and spending time with friends.
Treasurer: Wayne Neu has been a part of UUC since the early 1990s. His service started with performing many small tasks, and as he became more engaged and more attached to UUC, he served in a number of other capacities. He’s sung in the choir and operated the sound/recording equipment. He served as auctioneer for many of our auctions. He’s served on the Finance, Long-Range Planning, and Stewardship committees and was a part of the task force that raised funds for our building expansion. Wayne served twice on the Board as a member-at-large and again as President-Elect and then as President.
Secretary: Beth McClellan
Member-at-Large: Margo Walter is a past president of the UUC Board, has served on the Committee on Ministries, and was instrumental in founding UUC’s Mental Health Justice Ministry, which led to establishing the current New River Valley affiliate of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) for which she served as Program Coordinator. In addition to serving on the board, she currently enjoys teaching Religious Education classes.
Margo is a retired Licensed Professional Counselor and spent over two decades gratefully listening to hundreds of clients share their stories. She has published editorials in trade journals, newspaper articles, letters to the editor, stories in recovery magazines, and a book, Are You My Father? She has been breeding Labrador Retrievers for twenty-four years, training many to become Therapy Dogs, and her Labradoodle, Chloe, and Bernedoodle, Carly, are continuing in the tradition. She is an avid golfer, loves gardening, kayaking, and canoeing. Being a grandmother completes her life. She and her husband Chris live on a small farm in Giles County. They have two goats and a Maine Coon cat.
Member-at-Large: Joseph Cooley is an accomplished architect currently working at Virginia Tech. With a profound expertise in accessible architecture, Joseph brings over 30 years of experience as a Unitarian Universalist, including three years of active involvement with our congregation. Joseph is a member of the UUC Safety Committee and is working towards ensuring the safety and well-being of our community.
Originally from Western New York, Joseph has two grown children and is married to Robin, also a member of UUC. Beyond his professional achievements, he is passionate about various forms of art, such as drawing, painting, and glass art. His architectural background provides him with a unique blend of analytical skills and imaginative vision, which will be invaluable in his role on the board.
Member-at-Large: Cassy Kost and her two children have attended the UUC since spring 2018. She enjoys participating in UUC grounds work, attending spiritual based workshops and gatherings, as well as family events. She works at Virginia Tech and believes in the importance of emphasizing inclusivity and UUC values in all spaces, while strengthening community. Additionally, she serves as a member on the Gifted Advisory Committee (GAC) for Montgomery County Public Schools, and as a leader for local Girl Scouts. In her free time, Cassy enjoys spending time with her children, and dogs, and exploring the outdoors.
Our Governance
UUC operates under a “Covenant-Based Governance Model” within the guidelines of our Bylaws. We have an elected, 7-member Board that is charged with setting clear policies that reflect the congregation’s vision and mission.
An annual meeting is held each year in early June, and members vote to adopt a new budget, elect new members to the Board, vote on proposed Bylaws changes, and any other matter that requires a congregational vote. An extraordinary meeting can be called at other times, as needed.