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 cockapoos, Bailey Buttons and Kev.

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Hannah Godfrey <div bis_skin_checked="1"><span style="font-weight: normal;">FOOD PANTRY DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR</span></div>

Hannah Godfrey
FOOD PANTRY DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS 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, Artistic Director of Capital Harmonia women's community choir, and the Arts and Aging Research Director for Encore Creativity for Older Adults, where she designs creative arts programming for those with cognitive change and their care partners.

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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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Rev. Joanna Dietz, Deacon in Residence

Rev. Joanna Dietz, Deacon in Residence

Jo is a graduate of Crane School of Music way up near the Canadian border in New York. She majored in music education with an emphasis in voice. After college, she and her husband, Norm, moved to Virginia. Jo received her Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Wesley Theological in 2005 and was ordained a deacon in 2010. Her love of people who do not seem to conform to the ideals of church life have led her to work with people on the streets of Winchester and to her current position working for Our Waffle Creations. 

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Ministry Support

Tierra Whitlow <div bis_skin_checked="1"><span style="font-weight: normal;">RECEPTIONIST</span></div>

Tierra Whitlow
RECEPTIONIST

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.

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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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Kelly Nam <div bis_skin_checked="1"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ACCOMPANIST</span></div>

Kelly Nam
ACCOMPANIST

Dr Nam joined our music team a worship accompanist for the 10:30 service in September 2017. She is on the faculty at George Mason University and instructs in Northern Virginia. A world class pianist, we are blessed each Sunday with her music gifts.

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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

Raj Bartakke<div bis_skin_checked="1"><span style="font-weight: normal;">LAY LEADER (2025)</span></div>

Raj Bartakke
LAY LEADER (2025)

Raj has been a member of Community of Faith UMC since his son entered Tiger Cubs at the age of 7 – he is now 32! He is currently co-chairing the Men's Ministry (UMM) with Rory Maynard and Bill Minto and serving on the Leadership Board. In the past, he's served in a variety of roles including as an adult Sunday School leader, a member and chair of the SPRC, on the Admin Council.

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Beth Carter<div bis_skin_checked="1"><span style="font-weight: normal;">ASSOCIATE LAY LEADER (2026)</span></div>

Beth Carter
ASSOCIATE LAY LEADER (2026)

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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Gwen Zanin&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <span style="font-weight: normal;">LEADERSHIP BOARD CHAIR</span>

Gwen Zanin                                                                                        LEADERSHIP BOARD CHAIR

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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