By Eric Anderson
Associate Conference Minister for Proclamation, Identity, and Communications, Connecticut Conference UCC
The Conference Ministers in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island today announced the appointment of Tiffany Vail as the new Associate Conference Minister for Communications, serving all three of the UCC conferences of Southern New England. "We are excited about this new position sharing opportunity," said the three Conference Ministers in their message today, "and we welcome Tiffany to this new role among our three Conferences!"
Tiffany Vail has worked part-time for the Massachusetts Conference since 1996, when she joined the staff as editor of a monthly print newsletter. She has helped guide communications in Massachusetts over those 20 years to move from paper to electronic communications and expand into new media. She moves from her current role to the new one of March 1st.
Writing to church leaders, the three conference ministers said that the ACM for Communications will use all available communication vehicles to:
- Facilitate interdependence and covenant by helping all settings of the UCC in the three Conferences to share mission and ministry opportunities, resources and stories;
- Enhance church vitality by linking local church leaders with resources and training opportunities available through the wider church, and by identifying and encouraging best practices related to local church communications.
A native of Marlborough, Massachusetts, Tiffany earned her Bachelor degree in print journalism from Boston University, and worked as a reporter for The Patriot Ledger before coming to the Massachusetts Conference. She lives in Franklin, MA, with her husband, Bob Miller, and their 12-year-old son. A member of the Franklin Federated Church UCC, she recently co-chaired communication for a successful $500,000 capital campaign.
She will assume oversight, planning, and publication for three conferences with extensive but different communications ministries. In Connecticut, she will benefit from the ongoing support of Drew Page, who takes the title of News and Media Editor for the Connecticut Conference. In Massachusetts, she is supported by Publications Editor Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane.
The new position comes in the wake of the announcement that the Rev. Eric Anderson, Connecticut's Associate Conference Minister for Proclamation, Identity, and Communications, would be returning to parish ministry. The two have cooperated regularly over the years, and shared bylines on some stories of mutual interest. They will have some overlapping time in which to consult and pass along vital information.
Here is the text of today's letter in full:
Dear Colleagues:
We are pleased to announce a new collaboration between the Conferences of the Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Starting March 1, 2016, Tiffany Vail will begin her work as the Associate Conference Minister for Communications. Tiffany has served as the part-time Associate for Communications in the Massachusetts Conference for the past 20 years. This newly created position among the three Conferences will help enable the ACM for Communications to use all available communication vehicles, including print, web, email, video and social media, to:
- Facilitate interdependence and covenant by helping all settings of the UCC in the three Conferences to share mission and ministry opportunities, resources and stories;
- Enhance church vitality by linking local church leaders with resources and training opportunities available through the wider church, and by identifying and encouraging best practices related to local church communications.
Here's a little bit about Tiffany:
Tiffany is the Associate for Communication for the Massachusetts Conference, where she oversees the Conference website, email newsletters, printed publications, social media presence and video offerings.
Tiffany has worked for the Massachusetts Conference since 1996, when she came on board as the editor of what was then a printed monthly newspaper. Her role has been evolving ever since in response to the rapid ongoing changes in communication methods and technology. Before coming to the Conference, Tiffany was a reporter at the Patriot Ledger, a regional daily newspaper on the South Shore of Massachusetts. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Print Journalism from Boston University.
Tiffany grew up attending the First Church in Marlborough, Mass., and is currently a member of the Franklin Federated Church in Franklin, Mass., where she recently co-chaired communication for a successful $500,000 capital campaign.
She lives in Franklin, Mass., with her husband, Bob Miller, and their 12-year-old son.
We are excited about this new position sharing opportunity and we welcome Tiffany to this new role among our three Conferences! Sincerely,
Rev. Jim Antal
Conference Minister and President
Massachusetts Conference
Rev. Barbara Libby
Interim Conference Minister
Rhode Island Conference
Rev. Kent Siladi
Conference Minister
Connecticut Conference
PS: In Connecticut our Associate Editor Drew Page will take on new responsibilities and a new title: "News and Media Editor".