Assistant to the Bishop of the Florida Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church

Rev. Alex Shanks has served as the Assistant to the Bishop for the Florida Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church since 2016. In this role, Alex supports the overall work of the Episcopal Office and is a member of numerous Florida conference leadership teams including: the Appointive Cabinet, the Strategic Leadership Team, the Conference Table, the Annual Conference Planning Team, the Council on Finance and Administration, the Conference Board of Trustees, the Investment Committee, the Ministry Protection Committee, the New Church Development Committee, and the Board of Camps and Retreat Ministries.  Prior to this current appointment, Alex served United Methodist churches in south Florida as a senior and an executive pastor. Alex is an ordained Elder and earned his M. Div. at Duke Divinity School.  His undergraduate degree is in religion and sociology from Florida Southern College.

 

Alex has been a delegate to four General Conferences (2012, 2016, 2019, and 2024) and five Jurisdictional Conferences (2000, 2012, 2016, 2022, and 2024).  Alex led Florida’s delegation to General Conference in 2019 and 2024 and served as the chair of the Judicial Administration Legislative Committee in 2024.  Alex is the secretary of the Southeastern Jurisdiction Committee on Episcopacy and has chaired the Southeastern Jurisdictional Task Force on Episcopal Leadership and Episcopal Area Alignment since 2019.  Alex previously served as the project manager for the Commission on a Way Forward and as a member of the Apportionment Sustainability Task Force of the General Council on Finance and Administration. 

Executive Director of the Youth Ministry Institute

Kirsten has 21+ years of youth ministry experience and continues to lead in a local congregation. Kirsten has worked with the Youth Ministry Institute for over twelve years. In addition, Kirsten previously served students and families as a social worker. Kirsten holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Asbury University in Christian Ministries and is a graduate of YMI.

Retired Pastor and District Superintendant

Rev. Dr. Wayne Wiatt grew up in rural North Florida where he learned to swim and water ski with alligators and water moccasins. He holds a Master of Divinity degree and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Candler School of Theology, Emory University. He has served Florida Conference congregations including First Jacksonville, Palm Coast, Southside Jacksonville, Trinity Tallahassee and completed 14 years of serving on the Bishop's Appointive and Extended Cabinets. He is the past director for the Office of Clergy Excellence, where he had responsibility for the care and oversight for all licensed and ordained clergy in the Florida Conference. Wayne is married to Ramona Folds formerly of Titusville, who was previously an employee of the Disney Corporation. They have two grown children: Matthew Wiatt (Katie), film makers in Lakeland, Florida, and Taylor Stokes (Phillip), both employed with the University of Florida. They also enjoy spending their time with two granddaughters, Coraline Mae Stokes and Mariam Lily Stokes. Wayne and Ramona reside in Tallahassee in their "forever" home on Lake Talquin.

Sr. Pastor St. Paul's UMC - Tallahassee, FL

Pastor Scriven absolutely loves being called to ministry!  Latricia is passionate about empowering women, strengthening marriages, and supporting marginalized and vulnerable populations.   She has lived into her passion by engaging in social justice advocacy; by serving on the Board of Directors of Wisdom’s Wellspring, a residential community whose mission is “to equip women with wisdom to responsibly transform their lives and community”; and by partnering with her husband to lead Safe Conversations© workshops for couples and small groups. As an educator and leader, Dr. Scriven strives to create spaces that are energetic, interactive, thoughtful and engaging.  She is the author of the children’s books, When Jesus Laughs, When Jesus Rests, and Laughter Is My Superpower, and contributing author of Bloom (Vol. 1): Stories For Women to Nurture Your Growth and Water Your Soul. 

Senior Director at the Warren Willis United Methodist Camp and Conference Center

Rev. Corey Jones has a background in children’s, outreach, camping, and pastoral ministries, serving in different capacities since 2000. After starting at Asbury Theological Seminary in Orlando in 2009, he was appointed as the pastor of St. Mark UMC, Lakeland. Upon earning his Master of Divinity from Asbury in 2012, he was appointed to St. Luke’s UMC, Orlando. There, he served for seven years, three years as the Executive Pastor. Corey was appointment to Pasadena Community Church in July of 2019, serving as the Senior Pastor. Starting July 1, 2023, he was appointed to serve as the Senior Director of Florida Camps and Retreats at the Warren Willis UM Camp and Conference Center. He currently serves on the Bishop’s Anti-Racism Task Force, Board of Ordained Ministry, Committee on Episcopacy, Florida Delegation, Simpkins Wesley Retreat Board of Trustees, and Florida Southern College’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council.

Corey is married to his best friend, Carol, a middle-school mathematics coach. They have two sons, Gavin Michael and Isiah Jackson. The four of them love swimming, watching sports and movies, playing boardgames, going to the beach and on cruises, and dancing in the kitchen.