Rev. Alison Duren-Sutherland (she/her)
Minister

Rev. Alison is our full-time minister. Her roots in the Puget Sound area run deep: She learned midwifery at the Puget Sound Birth Center, gave birth to her first daughter in Renton, her father lived in Tukwila for most of her life before his passing, and she now lives in Des Moines with her partner and two children. Rev. Alison earned her Master of Divinity at Starr King School for the ministry and is a minister in preliminary fellowship with the Unitarian Universalist Association.

Read more from Rev. Alison: https://saltwaterchurch.org/ministers-messages/
Appointment Scheduling: https://calendly.com/minister-swuuc
Email: minister@saltwaterchurch.org
Voice Phone: 206.627.5119

Tom Burt (he/him)
Music Director

Tom is a longtime member of the Saltwater community and has been serving in our Music Ministry since 2008. You can reach Tom at music@saltwaterchurch.org.

Kendall Parrett (he/him)
Pianist

I am excited to be joining the team at Saltwater! My wife and I recently moved here after living on Whidbey Island. We both are teachers and we have two dogs and one cat. I have a passion for piano and music ministry. I have played for a variety of denominations over the years. My favorite gathering hymn is Gather Us In; I also really enjoy using a variety of sources to make the music unique every Sunday.  

Katherine “Bubba” Miller (they/them)
Office Administrator

Katherine, or Bubba as many of you know them, joined our staff in February of 2021. They have an eclectic background in administration and in construction. Bubba and their family have been part of the Saltwater community for over a decade and look forward to many more wonderful years. You can contact Bubba at administrator@saltwaterchurch.org.

Jessica Nash (she/her)
Director Faith Formation

Jessica and her family have been a part of our community for many years. In the summer of 2023, Jessica joined our staff in honor of her commitment to our youth and is looking forward to helping expand our multigenerational programming. You can contact Jessica at faithformation@saltwaterchurch.org.

Jullian Traylor (he/him)
Audio/Visual Technician

As a young man growing up right here in Des Moines, he did music mixing for the church he was raised in, and was a musician there himself until he left that faith. Julian spent thirteen years working in AV and Digital Media with Amazon, where he managed international video conferencing events, as well as the AV technology for in-person events with audiences of hundreds of people. Julian is excited to learn more about Unitarian Universalism and our commitment to pluralism, including multiple religious perspectives in our congregations. He’s also excited to return to working in a church community that pulls off something great each week with a small, committed crew who care deeply about what we do.

Community ministers do their work in the community rather than in a congregational setting. By affiliating with a congregation, a Community Minister keeps themselves grounded in Unitarian Universalist congregational life, and the congregation becomes connected to Unitarian Universalism beyond its walls.

Rev. Jennifer Alviar (she/her) is a UU minister who collaborates with healthcare organizations and public gardens as a nature-based approach toward disability justice. Her innovative partnerships include botanical gardens, parks, and public green spaces designed to cultivate greater equity, accessibility and inclusion for people of all abilities. Rev. Jennifer earned her Master of Divinity degree at Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkeley, California and currently lives with her family on the Duwamish land of Seattle Washington. She is delighted to be an Affiliated Community Minister with Saltwater Church.

To learn more about Rev. Jennifer, visit her website: https://www.jenniferalviar.org/ To read more about community ministry and Rev. Jennifer’s affiliation with Saltwater Church from our minister Rev. Alison, CLICK HERE.