UUFF Leadership

Minister & Staff

Associate Minister & Music Director: Rev. Renée Janski

Rev. Renée has an exemplary career in ministry and music. From 1991-2000, she worked with youth and children’s ministry at Second Presbyterian Church in Little Rock. She then relocated to Fayetteville, Arkansas, where she worked as the Director of Youth and Children’s Ministry with the First United Presbyterian Church for two years and then went on to work as the Director of Music with ministerial duties at Mount Comfort Presbyterian in Fayetteville for three years.

Rev. Renée has a bachelor’s degree in music performance from UCA and is also the co-creator of Big Bad Gina, a band with an eclectic style of music focused on social justice.

Her UUFF career began in 2006. She ran our music program for seven years before going on a three-year national tour with Big Bad Gina. After the tour, she returned to the UUFF as Music Director and has worked as a leader on the Chalice Team, provided service leadership, and assisted with pastoral care as needed. Rev. Renée was also one of the key staff members who worked together with volunteers to lead the fellowship in remote ministry services through the pandemic and into hybrid services upon our return to in-person activities.

Operations Manager: Christina Maples

Christina joined the UUFF staff in April of 2024, in the newly created Operations Manager position. She brings with her decades of experience in multiple fields, including banking, customer service, and rehabilitation. She also has over a decade of non-profit experience, including serving on the board of a local community meals program as Treasurer and President and dedicating 13 years to individuals with disabilities in Northwest Arkansas, helping them gain and maintain meaningful employment in the community.

Christina was born in Idaho, grew up in Oregon, Oklahoma, and Nebraska, and since 2011 she has been a true Arkansan. Christina and her husband are avid DIY’ers, having almost completely remodeled their home by themselves and are proud parents of two four-legged rescues, Jon Snow and Sadie Mae.

Administrator: Fawn Smith

Fawn has been UUFF’s Administrator since May of 2011! She came to the fellowship with decades of office experience gained from working in various fields of industry – including Construction, Hospitality (Dude Ranches in CO!), Corporate (yes, she has done the “squiggly” many times – only some of you will get that), and of course Church – at both regional and individual organization levels.

Fawn earned a BBA in Healthcare Management from Harding University (a private Church of Christ University in Searcy, AR) in 2001 and is beyond grateful to have found a life path that plopped her down in the midst of this beautiful liberal Religious Community that is so very different from that in which she was raised. Fawn is a child of nature, having grown up on the family’s 40 acre homestead deep in the wilds of Arkansas. She is passionate about protecting and respecting nature, life-long learning, and advocating for those who need it most.

Childcare Coordinator: Liz Rathburn

Liz was recently promoted to Childcare Coordinator at UUFF. She brings with her over a decade of experience in homeschooling, and has served in roles such as Teacher’s Assistant, Substitute Teacher, and volunteer with the Scout Troops. Liz, a wife and mother, is also studying Early Childhood Education at NWACC. Before Settling down in the Arkansas River Valley, she was a full time RVer, her family lived and/or travelled 24 states. A hobby farmer and animal lover, they have two dogs, four cats, a plethora of ducks and chickens and have plans to add geese, quail, and goats to their homestead.

Accompanist: Jori Costello

Jori Costello is a singer-songwriter, performer, teaching artist, and radio host. In the 4th decade of her music career, she has been in several bands and choirs, a solo artist, a dance DJ, festival emcee, stage manager, music director, co-producer, and is now delving into her lifelong love of acting.

She is well known for her part in the nationally touring band Big Bad Gina with Renée Janski and Melodie Griffis and for her musical collaborations with singer-songwriter, Ginger Doss and actor/director, Jules Taylor. Jori’s one woman musical tribute, Songs of My Soul, has been featured at 6 women’s festivals and produced by Willow Productions in K.C. MO.

She became involved with UUFF through the Fayetteville Goddess Festival in 2008, where she first met music director, Renée Janski. Since then, Jori has been a special guest many times over before becoming a member and Song Leader during 2020. She is able to choose songs that are meaningful and inspirational whether from the hymnals, women’s community, pagan chants, or originals and now considers UUFF her spiritual home.

Jori’s women’s radio show, Go Sistah Go, airs Fridays at 3pm on Fayetteville community radio, KPSQ-LP 97.3FM and www.kpsq.org

Accompanist: Brenda Parker

Brenda Parker has been teaching piano since she was a teenager. She studied piano with Reginald Gerig at Wheaton College and with Frances Renzi at the University of Toledo. She has been certified to teach in all seven levels of Suzuki piano. Brenda has been an accompanist at many churches throughout her life, but filling that role at UUFF has been her favorite gig ever.

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Board of Directors