Our Staff
Adam Podd, Director of Music, adam@firstubrooklyn.org
Adam is a Vermont-bred, Brooklyn-based music director, pianist, organist,
bassist, composer and arranger. His first connection to church music
started at age eleven, when he played for a Christmas Eve service in the sleepy town of Holland, VT. Read More
Renee Strickland, Director of Facilities, renee@firstubrooklyn.org
In the three years that Renee Strickland has been with First Unitarian, her title has changed five or six times – while the work has remained the same. Basically, if it has to do with our buildings, or events happening in our buildings, ask Renee. She schedules all non-congregational use of our space. Renee also coordinates ceremonies, both for the congregation and the broader community. She oversees maintenance. And she is integral to our historic restoration efforts, as well as the annual capital and operating projects throughout our space.
Renee has a history of wearing many hats. She practiced complex civil litigation, served as a Landmark Commissioner, turned a farm-to-table dinner into an award-winning food and wine festival, and consulted to a gender equity non-profit. She also came *this* close to getting into the Guinness Book of World Records for the Most Pancakes Made By A Team – if you catch her in the offices, Tuesday through Saturday, she’ll regale you with the tale.
Wendy Russell, Congregational Administrator and RE Assistant wendy@firstubrooklyn.org
Wendy Russell keeps our office humming. If you buzz our main line, you will likely be warmly greeted by Wendy, who can either answer your questions or direct you to the right person. Wendy arranges, rearranges, and otherwise manages the church office, writes the weekly e-news, organizes service programs, oversees bookkeeping, and assists with the Religious Education program. Wendy is a native New Yorker and a working singer, songwriter, arranger, and voice teacher. Once a month, Wendy opens our doors for an Open Mic Night, where she welcomes first-time and seasoned singers, poets, and performers to take the stage. You can also catch Wendy in her vocal dream project, ‘Those Girls’ – they’ve travelled around the country and will be appearing in London in 2026! Wendy has two wonderful daughters and four delicious grandchildren.
Two of Wendy’s favorite quotes are: “We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about.” ~ Charles Kingsley -and- “It is the artists of the world, the feelers and the thinkers, who will ultimately save us; who can articulate, educate, defy, insist, sing and shout the big dreams.” ~ Leonard Bernstein.
John McKeown, Building Engineer, John@firstubrooklyn.org
When asked for his bio, our new Building Engineer modestly replied, “I’m an ordinary man. Nothing special, nothing grand.”
If these poetic lines remind you of the Irish lilt of W.B. Yeats or Seamus Heaney, then you’re starting to get the right impression of John McKeown. Born in the US, but raised in Ireland, John journeyed back to his homeland as an adult. John has built an impressive set of professional skills. From plastering and carpentry, to plumbing and electrical, to landscaping and roofing, John knows buildings inside and out, top to bottom. John has worked as a building engineer or general contractor on historic buildings and houses of worship in New York and Pennsylvania. We are blessed that John has adopted First Unitarian Brooklyn as his latest home.
John is supposed to be working Monday through Friday. But you may have already seen him about on many Saturdays, overseeing the new mini split install in the space shared with Imagine ELC daycare. Or rebuilding the escape hatches to the boiler room. Or tinkering with the boilers. (You get the idea.) When he’s not devoting his immeasurable talents to maintaining and improving our facilities, John enjoys playing a rousing match of Gaelic football or spending time with his children.
Bobby Blackman, Sexton
bobby@firstubrooklyn.org
What’s the best part of working as a Sexton? “It’s a very humanitarian job. I’m a bit of an introvert, and it’s forced me to be an extrovert in a positive way — talking to people and listening to their days. It’s honorable, good, clean work.”
Bobby likens himself to Hagrid (but with a tad less hair). He looks after the building, the congregation, and the community who happen upon our space. He’s here Sunday through Thursday, and when he’s not working, he enjoys spending time with his son.
Sean Sellers, Youth Ministry Coordinator, sean@firstubrooklyn.org.
Sean Sellers professionally guides children – at First Unitarian Brooklyn, around the city, and across the globe. Sean is a licensed NYC tour guide, with a focus on student educational tourism. He also works with middle school and high school students across the US and England, and he has worked with our Youth Group since 2021, including accompanying the youth on their annual justice learning trip.
Sean hails from a small town in Alabama, known as the “Home of Opportunity” as well as the “Home of the Rattlesnake Rodeo.” When the only McDonald’s in town closed, Sean knew it was time to leave. Sean has made his home in New York City ever since, and he has been a member of First Unitarian since 2018.
Yvonne C. Garrett Intern Minister (she/her/hers) yvonne@firstubrooklyn.org is a second generation UU, feminist, activist, Religious Humanist/Ethical Vegan, and Aspirant for UU Ministry. She holds an MLIS (LIU), an MFA (The New School), two Masters from NYU, and a Ph.D. from Drew University. Currently pursuing a Master in Divinity at Starr King, she also serves as a Spiritual Life Advisor at NYU. She works full time at The New School, is a Shop Steward for the Teamsters, and works part-time as an editor at Black Lawrence Press. She was recently appointed Editor of the UU Studies Network Journal.
