Our Staff

Pastor & Directors

Abi Foerster <div bis_skin_checked="1"><span style="font-weight: normal;">PASTOR</span></div>

Abi Foerster
PASTOR

A graduate of the University of Virginia, Wesley Seminary, and most recently George Mason, Abi has served churches in California and Virginia, as well as serving on staff with the Alexandria District. She brings a wealth of experience across a range of fields and roles, including church planter, crisis counselor, foster parent, coach, program developer, social entrepreneur, innovator, and non-profit leader. Abi is married to fellow wahoo, Lacy, and they have a young adult son, Levi, who loves all animals, but especially the family cockapoo, Kevin.

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Hannah Godfrey <div bis_skin_checked="1"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Grains of Hope Program Director</span></div>

Hannah Godfrey
Grains of Hope Program Director

Hannah Godfrey has been a United Methodist her whole life, which fostered a heart of service from an early age. Born and raised in Arlington, Virginia, she holds a bachelor's in psychology from Marymount University. Hannah has been in youth ministry since 2013 and is a graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary with a Masters of Divinity. She is interested in meeting people wherever they are on their faith journey through media, conversations, and service and walking with them through good times and bad. She believes the church should reach and care for the community in new and fresh ways. In her free time, she likes to go on hikes, bake, drink coffee, and run around after her five nieces and nephews.

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Mary Ann East <div bis_skin_checked="1"><span style="font-weight: normal;">MUSIC MINISTRIES DIRECTOR</span></div>

Mary Ann East
MUSIC MINISTRIES DIRECTOR

Mary Ann East (DMA, Boston University; MM, George Mason University; BME, Indiana University) has taught music to ages 3-93. She is a former Fairfax County Public School music teacher where she taught elementary general music through high school choir and former adjunct professor at George Mason University. Mary Ann is currently the Music Ministries Director at Community of Faith UMC in Herndon and the full-time Artistic Director for Lifelong Learning and Research for Encore Creativity for Older Adults, where she designs creative arts programming for those with cognitive change and their care partners.  She is married to Joe, and they have two teenagers.

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Lee Larsen<div><span style="font-weight: normal;">WORSHIP LEADER</span></div>

Lee Larsen
WORSHIP LEADER

Lee Larsen has been a music educator for 27 years in Fairfax County Public Schools and has served churches, mostly United Methodist Church congregations, as either accompanist or choir director for adults and/or children, for 33 years.  In addition to helping lead our worship and music teams at CoF, wherein Lee enjoys playing piano, bass, guitar, or percussion, he also sings bass in Northern Virginia’s premier chamber choir, Voce, composes and arranges music for various ensembles, and is enjoying learning his newest instrument, the mandolin. He has a BA in Music Theory and Composition from Virginia Tech and completed graduate coursework in Choral Conducting and Music Education, including Orff-Schulwerk certification, Conversational Solfeg, and some additional Kodály coursework. You might also know Lee as Carol’s husband and Jackie’s father. Lee has a deep love for Community of Faith. He and his wife, Carol, were married here, and his daughter baptized and confirmed here, and he previously served on staff more than twenty years ago. 

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Damian Okenwa, Seminarian

Damian Okenwa, Seminarian

Damian is an ordained priest in the Methodist Church Nigeria, where he has served in pastoral ministry since 2016. He holds dual undergraduate degrees in Theological Studies and Religious Studies from Methodist Theological Seminary and the University of Port Harcourt.  He is married to Faith Okenwa, and they are grateful parents to their two sons, Davidson and Emmanuel.  Damian is currently pursuing his Master of Divinity at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. as a full‑time international student and anticipates graduating in May 2027. He joins Community of Faith this summer as an intern, bringing a deep love for ministry, learning and the global Methodist connection.

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Ministry Support

Tierra Whitlow <div bis_skin_checked="1"><span style="font-weight: normal;">RECEPTIONIST / CHILDREN'S MINISTRY COORDINATOR</span></div>

Tierra Whitlow
RECEPTIONIST / CHILDREN'S MINISTRY COORDINATOR

Tierra is a Herndon local who is ecstatic to become a part of the Community of Faith support team. She attended George Mason University and earned her B.A. in English with a focus on cultural studies. She loves learning about different cultures and languages.  She has many years of experience developing curriculum and teaching diverse young learners.  She is married to Curtis and mom to Serena.

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Dianne Hannum <div bis_skin_checked="1"><span style="font-weight: normal;">BOOKKEEPER</span></div>

Dianne Hannum
BOOKKEEPER

Managing the organized chaos of a church office, Di has been a part of COF's staff since 2000. Before coming to Virginia in 1983, Di spent time in New York and southern California and before joining our staff, Di worked in the administrative side of construction management.

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Jose Zamaro<div bis_skin_checked="1"><span style="font-weight: normal;">CUSTODIAN</span></div>

Jose Zamaro
CUSTODIAN

Jose has been keeping the sanctuary, halls and classrooms of Community of Faith clean for more than a decade! See something that needs his attention -- please email Jose.

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Lay Leaders

Carol Larsen<div bis_skin_checked="1"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Leadership Board Chair</span></div>

Carol Larsen
Leadership Board Chair

Carol Larsen has worshiped at Community of Faith since the early 2000s and officially joined as a member in 2025.  Carol and Lee Larsen (Worship Leader) were married in 2004 at COF.  They have one daughter, Jackie, who is also a member of the church and studying music education at VCU.  Carol is happy to make music with her husband, Lee, playing the flute with the Praise Band and singing in the choir.  Carol retired from Fairfax County Public Schools in June 2023 after serving as a school administrator and educator for over 30 years.  Carol has served on the COF Leadership Board since 2024 and is began serving as the chair starting in January 2026.

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Beth Carter<div bis_skin_checked="1"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Lay Leader&nbsp;</span></div>

Beth Carter
Lay Leader 

Beth Carter, AD Nursing Purdue University 1982, BS Nursing UNLV 1985. Beth has been a member at COF from 1990-2003, and 2011-present. The 8 year gap was when the Carters moved to Naperville, Illinois with Greg’s job. Beth has been married to her husband Greg since 1986. Beth and Greg have 3 children Alex (Rachel), Kendall, and Zack. The Carters also have 3 grandchildren, with a fourth due at the end of the year. Beth sings in the choir as well as serving as an assistant lay leader at COF.

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Jocelyn Gabriel&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Jocelyn Gabriel                                               

Associate Lay Leader (2027)

Jocelyn has been a member of the church for twenty-five plus years and hails from the Philippines.  She has previously served as a Lay Leader and is excited to serve in this capacity again.  She brings a passion for prayer and adult discipleship.

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Gwen Zanin

Gwen Zanin

Associate Lay Leader (2028)

Gwen joined the church during the pandemic looking for a place to connect more deeply and serve.  She stepped into the role of the leadership board soon after and became the chair in January 2024.  She brings many strategic gifts to the position, a love of travel and adventure, and a heart for serving.  

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