Pastor Alex is the Associate Pastor at FUPC. She grew up in Peoria, IL, and went to Coe College (Cedar Rapids, IA) for her undergraduate studies, earning her Bachelor of Arts. While in Cedar Rapids she was involved in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Her call to ministry led her to complete her Master of Divinity at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, MI and her Master of Social Work from Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. During graduate school, she was able to engage in ministry in a number of settings including college campus ministry, chaplaincy with the retired community, and as a social worker at a skilled nursing facility. Alex served as a hospital chaplain and a licensed social worker at a dialysis clinic prior to joining the team at FUPC. She remains a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) in the state of Illinois. Alex is passionate about meeting people where they are at and caring for all of God's people. Alex enjoys spending time in God's creation, baking, gardening, and trying new things.

Stephanie Foltz joined the staff in November 2000. As Director of Christian Education, she works with the Christian Education Committee to oversee educational programming from birth through fifth grade and adults. Stephanie and her family relocated to this area on a military move in 1993. Originally from Winchester, Virginia, she has an undergraduate degree in History from Westhampton College of the University of Richmond and a graduate degree in Museum Education from the College of William and Mary. She is a member of the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators, volunteers in the Resource Center of the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy, and helps coordinate a monthly Presbytery Gathering of Christian Educators and Children & Youth Workers. Stephanie enjoys taking walks, gardening, learning how to paint with watercolors, traveling to see her family especially her two grandsons and two grandcats, plus exploring and photographing God’s awesome creation. 

Kaitlin "Kaitie" Kautz joined the staff on November 7, 2011. Kaitie comes to us from Minnesota. In addition to leading our youth ministries, Kaitie leads our equipping ministry efforts to connect people in the church with life-giving participation in church life. Prior to working at FUPC, she worked full-time for a group called Youth Encounter where she had been working with youth in camp and through a traveling missionary ministry. She has a passion for mission and has worked abroad in Ghana and Nigeria. She has also interned as a Senior High Youth Ministry coordinator. She has experience leading worship, creating and planning youth activities, organizing a team to support youth, and we have been told that she plays the guitar and has a passion for dance. Kaitie graduated from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, with a BA in Child Psychology and a BS in Youth Studies.

Andy Jensen joined our First United staff on August 1, 2012. As Director of Music Ministries his work includes directing the Chancel Choir and United Bells, and providing general oversight of our church music program. A native of central Illinois, Andy came to Belleville with a new appointment as Director of Choral Activities at Southwestern Illinois College in 2011. He served in a similar capacity from 2008-2011 at Arkansas Northeastern College. Andy held full graduate assistantships in choral music while pursuing the Master of Music at Illinois State University and Doctor of Musical Arts at The University of Southern Mississippi where he studied both conducting and educational pedagogy under Gregory Fuller, John Flannery, Karyl Carlson, James Major, and Timothy Fredstrom. He is married to Cathy, and they have two children, James and Eli. 

Diana Umali has assisted with the music ministry at the church since Nov. 2017, providing music for Sunday services and accompanying the Chancel Choir. Currently, she is a music professor at Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, IL and enjoys performing chamber music with various groups in the St. Louis area.

Mat Conway works with Pastor Rob and Andy Jensen to design and implement new musical elements into our worship experiences so that God may be glorified, and that the people who worship at First United find themselves more fully engaged in meaningful and transformative worship. His goal is to use music in new ways that will naturally evolve from our traditional worship experience into something that will be a blessing for our current congregation and new visitors.

Sue Hall has provided such wonderful loving care for the children of the church for many years. She leads a team of others to provide a safe and soul-nourishing environment for the youngest among us.

LuAnn Orlet works weekday mornings at the church to assist visitors, callers, and staff in a number of ways. LuAnn manages much of the schedule and support activities of the office.

Cara Barrett works weekday afternoons at the church to assist visitors, callers, and staff in a number of ways. She is also our financial secretary handling the financial operations and data management for the church.