Staff

Neil is a child of God, lifelong Presbyterian, and Michigan State Spartan. He earned his Master of Arts in Christian Education from Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, VA.  Since seminary, Neil has served churches in Florida, North Carolina, and currently Ohio. Neil  believes deeply in the connectional aspect of our denomination and has served the wider church in a number of capacities including Montreat, Presbyterian Youth Triennium, and Massanetta.  He lived in Lansing for ten years as a child, where his father Norm was pastor of First Presbyterian Church. Neil returned to MSU where he majored in journalism (ask him about his first career in sportscasting) until The Holy Spirit interceded with other ideas. Neil loves sports, french fries (with ketchup) and chocolate chip cookies, and is still on a quest for his first career hole-in-one.

Fred Graham was pastor of a Presbyterian Church in Waterloo, Iowa for six years. After his graduate study he came to East Lansing with a doctorate, joining MSU in 1963 and becoming a part of the Eastminster congregation at that time. He sang in the choir and for one year in the 1980s was the interim pastor. Now a parish advisor, he does anything Kristin asks, such as visit families or lead Bible studies. His daughter, Terry, is an elder here.

Bridgette is a lifelong writer who currently covers performing arts in the Greater Lansing area and theater around the state. She’s worked for a textbook publisher and the Lansing State Journal in the past producing articles, books, seminars, workbooks, web content and just about anything in any format that required words. Raised a Nazarene, she started her college career at Olivet Nazarene University as a religion major and has pursued a lifelong interest in theology. She was most recently an administrative assistant and nursery attendant for Calvary Lutheran Church, a member of the ELCA. Wife and mother to actors, she and her family enjoy live theater.

Jadrian’s journey brought him from Atlanta, GA to beautiful Lansing, Michigan as a doctoral student in vocal performance at the Michigan State University. He thanks God for the years of service he was able to render as interim music director at Atlanta First United Methodist Church, and for all the lessons of faith and endurance that led him to this new time and place.

Jadrian is a native of Haines City, Florida, and was the music instructor at Brandon Hall School(Atlanta, GA) where he taught choir and band. Prior to his position with Brandon Hall, he has taught middle and high school choral and band ensembles in Metro Atlanta and Florida. He has performed with Atlanta Opera, Peach State Opera, and Capitol City Opera Company. He is the 2017 winner of the John Kuzma Young Composers International Award Competition.

Jadrian holds the Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Bethune Cookman University where he was the student of Curtis Rayam and the Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Georgia State University.

A native of Tbilisi, Georgia, Tamar Mikeladze appeared with the orchestra at age 11. Ms. Mikeladze holds graduate and post-graduate degrees from Tbilisi State Conservatory. While in Georgia, Tamar actively performed with national orchestras and appeared on national television and radio numerous times. She performed piano on a recently released CD called “George Oakley: Wanderer.” Upon completion of her degree Ms. Mikeladze was appointed to the piano faculty of the Special Music School, where she taught for five years. In 2003 Tamar joined Toradze piano studio at Indiana University South Bend. During her studies at I.U. she has appeared with the studio at the numerous music venues in Europe. In the fall of 2006 Tamar became a member of piano faculty at Notre Dame University. Currently she is pursuing her DMA in piano performance at Michigan State University under the guidance of Prof. Moriarty. Tamar’s recent performances include appearances at Carnegie Weill Recital Hall, Wharton Center and Steinway Hall. Currently she is a Professor at Michigan State University. She has served as the organist/accompanist at churches in Indiana and Michigan since 2003.

Heather hails from southern Alabama where her father, Keith, is a Presbyterian minister and her mother, Lisa, is a Speech Therapist and the church choir director along with her younger brother, Pate, who served two tours in Iraq with the U.S. Army and is currently a Firefighter/EMT.  Heather started playing handbells at the age of ten when her mother needed a fill in for the Adult Handbell Choir. Twenty plus years later she’s still playing! Heather attended Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC where she played for the PC Ringers for four years while attaining a B.A. in History and a music minor in Handbell Performance. After graduation she joined the handbell choir at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, NC and then later the choir at Pioneer Memorial Presbyterian Church in Solon, OH where she became the director. Heather also has over ten years of solo ringing experience.

Laurin is a senior at Michigan State University studying Child Development and Health Promotion.   She grew up in Michigan with her family of 6, and enjoys doing yoga and hanging out with her cat in her free time. 

Emma is a third year Nursing student at Michigan State University. She was born and raised in Romeo, MI where she frequently babysat for many families. In her free time she loves to exercise and spend time with family and friends. Emma loves children and is excited to be apart of the Eastminster nursery!