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Michigan Area Communications Team Announced
3/20/2013
Mark Doyal
Kay DeMoss
Valerie Mossman-Celestin
Jim Searls
Michigan Area Bishop Deborah Lieder Kiesey today (March 20) announced a comprehensive plan, developed in cooperation with the Detroit and West Michigan Annual Conferences, to enhance and streamline communications in the Michigan Area. The bishop has named Mark A. Doyal as Director of Communication for the Michigan Area, effective April 1, 2013. The new director will oversee communications for the Episcopal Office, Detroit Conference and West Michigan Conference and manage an Area Communications Team. The announcement follows Bishop Kiesey’s recent appointment of the Detroit Conference Director of Communications, Paul Thomas, as pastor of Breckenridge United Methodist Church in the West Michigan Conference, effective July 1, 2013.
"I believe this step will strengthen communications across the Michigan Area.” Commented Bishop Kiesey, “Having a full-time Director of Communications will allow us to continue to expand the ways in which we share the message of Jesus Christ to both the Detroit and West Michigan Annual Conferences."
The new area director, Mark Doyal, has served the West Michigan Conference as Director of Communications since 2009. He has also led GLOW Communications, a Michigan based consulting firm he founded to help non profit and faith-based companies transform how they share their missions. Previously, he was Senior Partner of three award-winning Mid-West full-service advertising agencies following a career as a television and radio news reporter. Mark is an active member of University United Methodist Church in East Lansing, Mich., a Stephen Minister and a Stephen Leader.
The new Area Communications Team will include Kay DeMoss serving as Senior Editor of the Michigan Area Reporter and Senior Writer for Area Online Publications. As former editor of the Michigan Christian Advocate from 1986 to 1994, Kay is known as a proven journalist in both the Detroit and West Michigan Conferences. She currently oversees the West Michigan Conference Web site and provides content for he e-paper Weekly News.
Current Michigan Area Reporter Editor Erik Alsgaard has been named the Managing Editor and Director of Web Content for the Baltimore-Washington Conference, with offices based in Fulton, Md.
Deaconess Valerie Mossman Celestin, West Michigan Weekly News Editor and known to both conferences for her work on the Haiti Area Task Force and Executive Director of HAPI will also join the Area Communications Team, as will West Michigan Conference Web Administrator Jim Searls. The new positions begin effective July 1, 2013.
"I deeply appreciate the gifts of time and expertise both Paul and Erik have given to improve the quality and scope of Communications in the Detroit Annual Conference. Our thoughts and prayers go with them both as they transition into their new paths of ministry.” Added Bishop Kiesey, “I hope you will also pray for Mark, Kay, Valerie, and Jim as they begin this new path in communication ministry in the Michigan Area.”
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For more information, please contact:
Mark Doyal, Director of Communications, West Michigan Conference
517-336-0850, mdoyal@wmcumc.org
Paul Thomas, Director of Communications, Detroit Conference
906-396-4746, pthomas@detroitconference.org
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