REVEREND STEPHEN GOVETT

LEAD PASTOR

I am a life long United Methodist and have been active in pastoral ministry for over 20 years. I am married to pastor Kimber Govett who will be serving Boulder City UMC and together we have two adult daughters, Dakota and Kassidy. Dakota lives in the Washington D.C. area, works in public health and policy, and is engaged. Kassidy is married, living in Flagstaff, Arizona, and trains service dogs. We also have a small dog Sadie, whom we rescued.

Kimber and I are looking forward to our time in the valley and look forward to all that it offers. We both enjoy hiking and being outdoors and look forward to exploring the trails and the mountains around us. But more than that we look forward to being in ministry with you!

Laura Marsalla

Church Administrator

Conduct yourselves with all humility, gentleness, and patience. Accept each other with love, and make an effort to preserve the unity of the Spirit with the peace that ties you together.                                                               Ephesians 4:2-3


Laura is a Las Vegas native. She married her husband Randy in 1997 and they  officially became empty nesters in 2018.


She joined University UMC’s team in 2005 and currently serves as the Church Administrator. Her primary responsibilities are church finances, computer systems, audio visual and property management which she finds equally challenging and rewarding. 


Laura has found outreach and social justice to be her passions;  wanting people to begin to see the unconditional love of God by showing them genuine kindness.


In her free time Laura enjoys reading, traveling, kayaking and her  little dogs Cooper and Zoey. 

Faustino Solis

Traditional Choir Director

Faustino Solis (goes by NJ at church) has served as the Choir Director for Traditional Worship at University United Methodist Church since 2013. He holds distinctions from the American Directors Association and the National Opera Association as a conductor, and has participated in the American Institute for Musical Studies in Graz, Austria (AIMS) and the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival in Fairbanks, AK as both a conductor and operatic tenor. Local affiliations include the Henderson Symphony, UNLV Symphony Orchestra, UNLV Dance, UNLV Opera, Vegas City Opera (Sin City Opera), UNLV Choral Ensembles, Las Vegas Master Singers, Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society, and the Battle Born Chorale Opera Las Vegas. 


He holds music degrees from UNLV and is currently a candidate for Dalcroze Eurythmics Certification from Carnegie Mellon University. Further studies include the University of Alabama and the Eastman School of Music.


Faustino Solis also serves as the Choir Director for James Cashman Middle School. He also is Musical Director for Vegas Theatre Hub and ComedySportz Las Vegas. Faustino is native to Buffalo, NY.


Ken Wilson

Organist & Pianist

Ken Wilson has served as organist at University Church since 2012. He holds degrees in Music Education  and Organ Performance, as well as computer science and Masters in Management. While pursuing a full-time career in information technology, he also maintained organist positions in various churches.  Ken began his work as an organist at the age of 11 and has performed on many of the world’s most famous instruments.

Lizzie Person

Office Assistant

Lizzie Person is the office assistant at University United Methodist Church. She has lived in Las Vegas for the past five years with her husband Dylan and their dog, Wiggles. Her family has been a part of University UMC since 2019.


Lizzie is a native of Silver Spring, Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C. A lifelong artist, she eventually moved to New Mexico and became an alumna of the New Mexico State University Arts program. After graduation, Lizzie’s work was featured in galleries in both Las Cruces, NM and El Paso, TX.  While in college, Lizzie was employed in the NMSU library as a student assistant where she worked in library research and reference as well as in collections organization and management projects. Between this and her experience as a working artist, she developed the skills that make her a valuable addition to the University UMC office staff.


When not in the office, Lizzie enjoys continuing as a visual artist, which she also contributes as service to our congregation. She enjoys the outdoors, baking and baked goods, knitting and textile arts, science learning, and just about any fuzzy little creature. She enjoys helping out and loves to put a smile on people’s faces!

Pamela Greutman

Handbell DIRECTOR

“Music is my testimony; my way to share what is in my heart with everyone.” 


Pamela has been the director of UUMC Handbells since 2007. She has been a life-long student of music, beginning at age five taking piano lessons. Along the way she has expanded her musical attributes to include singing, playing the flute, and becoming an accomplished handbell performer. Pamela has studied Music Education with a Major in Piano Performance and Minor in Voice at Indiana-Purdue University at Fort Wayne, in Indiana. She is also a charter member and section leader of Harmony Handbells, a local community handbell ensemble established in 2000.


Pamela joined UUMC in 1999 and has enjoyed many years as a member of UUMC Chancel Choir and UUMC Handbells as well.

Chelsie Shurtleff

Director of Child Development Center

Originally from Boston, MA, Chelsie moved to Las Vegas in 2007. She joined the UUMCDC family in 2010 and discovered her passion for educating young children. She attended both CSN and UNLV to study early childhood education. Chelsie became the director of the child development center in December of 2016, and completed her Bachelor's degree in December of 2017. Chelsie is a mom to a eight year old daughter and enjoys reading, traveling and dancing in her free time. She believes the earliest years of a child's life and education are the most important and strives to provide a program of caring, nurturing and respect to all the children and families that the center serves.