Home->Who We Are->Our Staff
Michael J. Kaucher
Executive Director
After graduating from Central Catholic High School in Reading, Michael learned the trade of printing as a printing press operator. His time in printing lead to production management, as well as customer service. From printing he continued advancement in customer service and eventually into customer service management. Looking for further advancement and experience, Michael went into outside sales from management and worked in this arena for over 10 years. Additional skills of graphic design and print marketing experience were added along the way.
During this journey, Michael was afforded many ministry opportunities that allowed him to develop not only a heart for ministry itself, but a heart for church unity. In the mid and late 80's Michael served as guitarist for the St. Catherine of Sienna and Sacred Heart guitar choirs. Michael and his wife Pamela led adult bible studies at St. Gabriel's in Douglassville in the early 90's. From 1998-2001, along with a close friend, Michael engaged in a traveling music ministry at various churches in Berks and Lancaster counties. For the past five years, Michael and his wife Pamela have led the youth program at St. James Church in West Reading.
He served as a board member of RBCC from January of 2007 – October of 2008. In November of 2008 Michael was brought onto the staff of RBCC as Associate Director.
Michael, his wife Pamela and their two teenage children reside in Wyomissing.
Rev. Calvin Kurtz
Executive Director Emeritus
Calvin is a native of Berks County and is a member of the Mennonite community. He left a successful farming career to answer a pastoral call. After serving a city church for 10 years, he became the Executive Director of the Reading Berks Conference of Churches in 1995. Here he enjoys embarking on new ministry opportunities involving the Church and the religious community and in being the hands and feet of Christ in the serving.
He and his wife Esther Mae make their home near Morgantown and are the proud parents of 5 children and enjoy their 13 grandchildren.
Claire Young
Administrative Assistant
Claire has been involved in ministry since the age of 17, serving in both volunteer and paid capacities, and in various areas including music director, teacher and small group leader, administrator, and pastor, and was honored to have pastored a new church start for three years. Her education includes CPE (through Reading Hospital & Medical Center) RACC, Penn State University, Local Pastors Licensing School at Drew University, and Wesley Seminary, as well as many short term educational opportunities. She started her employment with RBCC as office assistant in the chapel at Berks County Prison, and became the Administrative Assistant at the office on Elm Street in January 2008.
Originally from Luzerne County, she is proud to be the daughter of a dairy farmer and United Methodist minister, and is even more proud to be the mother of three adult children, Laura, Bryan & Keith.
Sandi Kissinger
Marriage and Family Builders
Sandi’s experience and dedication working for and networking with not-for-profit organizations began in the late 1980’s with the Berks County Chapter March of Dimes as Director of Development and continued for another 10½ years at the American Red Cross, Berks County Chapter as Communications Director. Sandi has been with the Reading Berks Conference of Churches since 2003 and serves as the Director of Marriage & Family Builders.
Millie Molina
Marriage and Family Builders
Milagros Molina (better known as Millie) was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico. She and Adams have been married 19 years, and are the parents of three daughters. Millie has worked for Marriage and Family Builders for over five years, and is the Assistant Director of the PREP Program. She is the Facilitator/Childcare Supervisor and Scheduling/Logistic Coordinator for the Supporting Healthy Marriages Research program called “Strong Families/Familias Estables”. She is an active member of St. Peter’s RC Church, where she and her husband are leaders of the Marriage Encounters.
Millie’s favorite phrase is “Just have faith.” No matter what happens in your life, just have faith, and God will take care of the rest.
Eileen McKeown
Berks County Prison Acting Supervising Chaplain
Eileen McKeown discovered a love for Christ and His poor during her fourteen years of life in a monastery. After this, she entered the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, a religious community dedicated to the service of Christ in the poor. She was trained in pastoral care at Good Samaritan Hospital in Pottsville. She was then sent to Brooklyn, N.Y. as an outreach worker, while pursuing a degree in religious studies at St. John's University. She was sent to Albany, N.Y. to serve as Pastoral Care Minister for a local church, and continued studies at the College of St. Rose. After leaving the Daughters, Eileen graduated, and began work as a Legislative Assistant for the Chairman of the Assembly Health Committee. After eight years, she worked with the Alzheimer's Association as Director of Programs and Services, then as Reminiscence Coordinator for an assisted living facility. Her interest in serving the poor and disadvantaged has led her to the Berks County Jail where she has served as a chaplain for a year and a half.
Paul Long
Berks County Prison Assistant Chaplain
Chaplain Paul Long is a life long resident of Berks County, PA. Through his church, Glad Tidings Assembly of God, he has served as a Worship Leader, Community Outreach Coordinator, Royal Ranger Leader, Men’s Ministry Leader, Sunday School Teacher, Nursing Home Ministry Coordinator and Prison Ministry Director. He served his country in active duty from 1954-1959, and in inactive duty from 1959-1963, when he was honorably discharged from the U.S. Air Force. He completed the Berean Study Course of the Assembly of God in 2006 and was commissioned in that same year. Paul came to the Berks County Prison as a volunteer in 1997. He joined the Chaplain’s Staff in 2000. He is the Chaplain of Aftercare, which includes the one to one mentoring program and the HalfWay Church re-entry outreach.
Paul received the 2008 RBCC Presidential Award for ecumenical community service.
Larry W. Mast
Berks County Prison Assistant Chaplain
As a child I was raised in the Nazarene tradition and in 10th grade my family relocated to Reading and transferred to the Methodist Church. I was unsettled in my faith journey and later found acceptance and warmth in the Lutheran Church, which is where I met my wife and best friend, Marcia, 44 years ago; her support and friendship have been a real source of strength in my life.
I served three years in the Army during the Vietnam Crisis, and spent over 30 years in Industry. I have served the Lutheran church in numerous capacities over the past 45 years. My goal from high school was to be a Minister. I began my education to achieve this goal while working in industry. Upon completion of my education five years ago, and after CPE, I felt a much stronger call to Chaplaincy.
My new goal is to serve the Lord as long as he allows me to do so. I am currently Supervising Chaplain at Berks Heim, a 420 bed long term care Nursing Home, and an associate Chaplain at Berks County Prison. Although my ministry is quite diverse I find both rewarding in their own way. I feel God has put me in this split position for a reason and in time His reason will be revealed.
Diana Oriol
Berks County Prison Chapel Office Assistant
Married to Hipolito Oriol, Jr. Diana is the mother and grandmother of three daughters and two grandsons. Along with her husband, they have been involved in prison ministry, Freedom Gate Ministries Halfway House since 1992. She is actively involved in the Translation Department at Spring Valley Church of God and also served as an elder. She is also involved with translating church service in the Homeland Security Family Shelter. She served one term on the Board of the Reading Conference of Churches. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s in Pastoral Counseling.
Bruce Baker
Supervising Chaplain, Berks Heim
Bruce Baker is a priest of the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Bethlehem, PA assigned as an associate priest at St. Alban Episcopal Church, Sinking Spring, PA. On the weekends, he is presently serving three small Episcopal churches in the anthracite coal regions northwest of Reading. He also has a local practice as a certified Imago Relationship Therapist and certified spiritual director. His wife, Susan, and he live with their cat “Talitha” in Wernersville. They have eight grown children and six grandchildren, with one more on the way in 2009. His hobbies are reading, biking, and photography. He is a graduate of the Washington Theological Union in Washington, D.C., and holds a Master’s degree in Communication from Loyola-Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA.
Kerry Hicks
Assistant Chaplain, Berks Heim
In the spring of 1997 I received the Lord as my Savior and His work through me began. I served the Lord in many capacities. I began as an usher/greeter. In time I was soon teaching Bible studies, reading scriptures to open services as well as helping to lead worship service. From the very beginning of my born again experience I believed the Lord had, and still has a plan for me to serve Him. I met my wife at a Christian singles conference in late 1997. Teresa and I were married in late 1998, and since then have served our Lord in many capacities.
I was licensed to preach the Gospel in 2005. My first call from that point was to start and Pastor the Rivers of Life Worship Center. My wife, Teresa, was called to be Director of Christian education. By late 2007 the Lord changed the direction of my ministries to include Chaplaincy. Beginning in January of 2008 I began my Chaplaincy at Berks Heim. I have been blessed to serve the Lord in so many different ways and it is my sincere desire to serve Him all the days of my life!
Lorraine Henninger
Assistant Chaplain, Berks Heim
Lorraine has been actively involved in both Lutheran and U.C.C. congregations for most of her life and is presently serving as a Eucharist Minister in the Lutheran Church. She has enjoyed serving on church councils, teaching vacation bible school, singing on the choir and helping with all aspects of worship. In 1995 she felt a strong calling to the support ministries and began working with the homecare team of Lehigh Valley Hospice. In 2003 her desire to learn more about spiritual care in these ministries led her to the Reading Hospital and their Clinical Pastoral Education Program. In 2006 she finished her third unit of CPE and continued to work as an Associate Chaplain on their Transitional Care Unit.
God has placed a particular desire in her heart to work with the older population. She finds their life stories and spiritual journeys enrich her own life. She continues to volunteer her time at a local nursing home helping with Bible Study and visitation.
Her husband, Jeff, and she live in Kutztown and are the proud parents of two grown children.
David Ludwig
Berks County Family Residential Center
Chaplain David Ludwig began his work at the Family Shelter in June 2008. Prior to coming to RBCC, Dave served as the Associate Pastor at The Bridge Fellowship in Shillington, PA. He has also served as Minister of Discipleship and Youth & Outreach at Baptist churches in Kentucky. Dave graduated from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary with a diploma in Christian Education and Leadership. He volunteers as Chaplain for the Suquehanna Valley Chapter of "Bikers For Christ" and has served as director of Leadership Development, SBCA, in Elizabethtown, PA.
Dave is married to Sheryl, and has three daughters, Nicole, Amy and Gretchen.
Rev. Doris Michale
Nursing Home Chaplain
Graduated from Lutheran Thoelogical Seminary, Philadelphia, with M.A.R. in 1988, and M. Div. in 1995. I did my internship at Presvbyterian Hospital as chaplain 0n 1993-94. I was a Pastoral Associate at Inglis House for 4 years in 1990's before graduating in '95. I was an on-call chaplain at the Reading Hospital for 8 (1998-2007) years and a chaplain with the Conference of Churches at Berks Heim, before going full time as chaplain in 2004-2007 with HCR Manor Care. I am now with Conference of Churches as mobile chaplain doing worship services with Market Square Nursing Home, Berkshire Commons Nursing Center, and Wyomissing Nursing Center.
Kay Meitrott
SHARE
I have been an employee of The Salvation Army, Reading Corps for 30 years and director of SHARE since it started about 25 years ago.
I am active with a number of organizations that provide services to low income families in crisis and with the homeless. I attended The Salvation Army School for Officers Training and Reading Area Community College.
I live in Exeter with my husband, Foster. We have two grown daughters and five grand children. I enjoy gospel music and gardening as well as cooking.
