Meet Our Campus Minister & Interns

Rev. Ryan G. Spurrier

Campus Minister & Executive Director

Welcome to Wesley, a community seeking to help each other hear God's voice and grow into the people God is calling us to be.  Since arriving at Carolina in the summer of 2015, I have loved being part of this dynamic group striving to grow in faith and live faithfully in Chapel Hill--and all the places we go on retreats and mission trips.  I am an elder in the United Methodist Church, and before UNC, I served as an associate pastor in North Augusta and Greenwood, SC.  Before that, I earned a B.S. in Math from Clemson and a Master's of Divinity from Duke Divinity School (but don't worry, I am a Tar Heel!).  When not at Wesley, I love working out, playing baseball, and being a dad (my wife, Kyrsten, and I are parents to the two coolest little boys we've ever met).

Macie Heise-Nantze

Ministry Intern

Bio coming soon!

Meet Our Student Ministry Teams

Use these links to meet our Freshley Leaders and Upperclass Small Group Leaders

Up Focus Group Leaders 

Ellis Williams

Senior studying Religious Studies & Physics

Fun Fact:  I don’t really have a sense of smell, and I have freakishly good hearing!
Favorite Wesley Moment:  Salsa Sync-Up (Monday night small group silliness)

Worship Planning Team Leader

Hunter Teague

Junior studying Psychology & Human Development and Family Science

Fun Fact:  Pineapples and pastries enjoyer.
Favorite Wesley Moment:  Kayaking in the Bioluminescent Bay in Puerto Rico.

Praise Band Leader

Sean Lane

Sophomore studying Business Administration & Public Health

Fun Fact:  I helped create a campus piano for students to share music with each other in The Pit!
Favorite Wesley Moment:  Hopping on the back of a pickup truck to make it to the ferry on time so we wouldn’t get left during our mission trip to Puerto Rico last year, tied with painting churches on the same trip!

Retreat Team Leader

Julia Pate

TBD

Fun Fact:  TBD
Favorite Wesley Moment:  TBD

Small Group Team Leader

TBD

TBD

Fun Fact:  TBD
Favorite Wesley Moment:  TBD

In Focus Group Leader 

Raven Poindexter

Senior studying Biology, Medical Anthropology, & Chemistry

Fun Fact:  I know all the lyrics to Billy Joel's We Didn't Start the Fire. I also have many hyper fixations, ask me about Off Campus.
Favorite Wesley Moment:  Everything about Puerto Rico. I yearn for it every day. I have never laughed so hard in my entire life. The inside jokes from that trip were so much fun, sometimes I go back and look at the social media posts to reminisce.

Social Team Leader

Hazel Scott

Junior

Fun Fact:  
Favorite Wesley Moment:  

Hospitality Team

Lenore Pratt

Junior studying Political Science and Psychology

Fun Fact:  I am a member of the Marching Tar Heels!
Favorite Wesley Moment:  Ordering a pizza to the Wesley Building at night during finals and watching Twilight when I should've been studying for my Italian exam.
 

Evangelism & Outreach

Caroline Kitchings

Junior studying Business, Advertising, and Public Relations

Fun Fact:  I'm a twin.
Favorite Wesley Moment:  Sleeping over in the Wesley building with friends during final exams.

On-Campus Outreach

Aiden Lang

Sophomore 

Fun Fact: 
Favorite Wesley Moment:  

Mission Team Leader

Hailey Salter

Senior studying Biology and Hispanic Studies

Fun Fact:  I am a dance teacher at a local studio.
Favorite Wesley Moment:  Making our own bouquets from the Wesley flower cross on Easter.  The flowers brought joy and beauty into my room for the week.

Local Service Team Leaders

Sid Irven-Moore

Sophomore studying Journalism and American Studies

 Fun Fact:  
Favorite Wesley Moment:  

Meet Our Staff

Mary Frances Lutz

Administrative Associate

I am so excited to join UNC Wesley as the new administrative associate! I am a recently UNC graduate and participated in Wesley during my undergraduate years. In my free time, I enjoy UNC football, crafting, and spending time with family, friends, and my sweet cat, Millie. I am grateful to be a part of Wesley in this new capacity, and to invest in the future of this amazing ministry.

Brenda Cook

Director of Development

As the new Director of Development for UNC Wesley Campus Ministry, I welcome the opportunity to work with students and the donor community as they pursue their faith journey and realize their goals.  Having worked with student groups and fundraising at Stanford Medicine, Berkeley, and Dominican University of CA, I am thrilled to be able to continue this work in support of leadership development, self-knowledge, and expanding faith horizons.  My roots are on the East Coast, and I have an undergraduate degree in Philosophy and MS in Community Development from the University of Maine.  I have served as a Trustee of a church in Maine and sung in many choral groups, both church-related and community.  I highly value the music emphasis at Wesley.  I am married to Stephen and have two grown sons, one a Duke PhD candidate (I will support the Tar Heels!) and the other at ATSU, studying to be a medical doctor.

Meet Our Board of Directors

The Wesley Board is a team of students, alumni, clergy and laity of local United Methodist Churches, and UNC faculty and staff who work together to resource UNC Wesley and provide general oversight of the ministry.  Students serve 1-year terms and Community Members serve 3-year terms.

Student Members

Chandler Beals, Co-Chair

Senior studying Economics, Global Studies, & Arabic

Fun Fact:  I used to be left-handed (pre-broken arm).
Favorite Wesley Moment:  Drives to retreat. Having concentrated time to intentionally get to know and chat with other Wesley students have become some of my most cherished memories.

Emily McCullough

Junior studying Biology and Chemistry

Fun Fact:  I'm an army brat who's lived in 10 different places!
Favorite Wesley Moment:  Meeting so many amazing friends and finding a true sense of community! From fierce running charades battles to baking chocolate chip cookies during rom-coms, Wesley truly became my family at UNC.

Ava Bledsoe

Senior studying Sociology, Food Studies, and Health & Society

Fun Fact:  I ran a half marathon!
Favorite Wesley Moment:  Fall retreat my sophomore year was so special!  We went kayaking on the lake, and one kayak even turned over when we were racing them.  It was so fun and definitely a bonding experience with everyone!

Bray Guest

Senior studying Political Science and Peace, War, & Defense

Fun Fact:  I met the mayor of Pristina, Kosovo, this Fourth of July and helped him count down fireworks!
Favorite Wesley Moment:  Complete gagaball domination during fall 2024 retreat!

Caroline Kitchings

Sophomore studying Pre-Business, Pre-Advertising, and Public Relations

Fun Fact:  I'm a twin.
Favorite Wesley Moment:  Sleeping over in the Wesley building with friends during final exams.

Hunter Teague

Sophomore studying Psychology

Fun Fact:  Pineapple lover
Favorite Wesley Moment:  Off-trail hiking on the 2024 Fall retreat because we lost the trail and were in a rush to worship.  Everyone was trying not to slip down the side of the mountain, but we still made it to worship on time.

Community Members

Class of 2024
Kevin Cline, Wesley Alum, Class of 2008
Richard Haygood, Personnel Chair,
Class of 2025
Ann Bingham, Secretary, Wesley Alum, Class of 2018
David Bordsen
Jennifer Christenberry
Danny Cook
Laura Tapscott
Class of 2026
Rev. Karen Crutchfield, Community Member Co-Chair
Regan Johnson, Treasurer, Wesley Alum, Class of 2019
Ex-Officio
Rev. Claire Clyburn
Rev. Justin Coleman
Rev. Ryan Spurrier