District Leadership
Gina Miller, District Superintendent
Gina and her husband, Bruce, serve at St. John UMC in Avon and Hatteras Island, where they have been since 2016. They have two children, Carly and Matthew, their daughter-in-law Chloe, and their granddaughters Fern and Jane.
Gina graduated from Duke Divinity with her Master of Divinity degree in 2016. Before attending Divinity school, she served at Mount Hermon UMC in Elizabeth City for one year as an Interim Supply. While at Duke Divinity, she served as a student pastor for four years at Banks UMC in Wilton and one year at Bullocks UMC in Creedmoor. As a Rural Ministry Fellow with the Duke Endowment, she lives out her passion for the rural church in Northeast North Carolina. She is excited to be in ministry with the good folks of the Beacon District!
Besides spending time with family and friends, she enjoys being on the water and at the beach, reading, and watching comedies.
The joy of the Lord is her strength! (Nehemiah 8:10b)
Ashley Kennedy, Beacon/Sound Administrative Assistant to the DS
Ashley has served as Administrative Assistant to the District Superintendent (AADS) since February 2020. With a background in education, she enjoys supporting district leadership, clergy, and churches through organization, clear communication, and steady encouragement.
A Pitt County native and lifelong United Methodist, Ashley is a member of St. James United Methodist Church in Greenville. She is grateful to serve alongside clergy and laity across the Beacon and Sound Districts. Outside of work, she is a proud mom to her daughters, Ava and Elizabeth, and enjoys time with family, trips to the beach, and caring for her pets.
Jeanne Murray, District Lay Leader
Jeanne Murray is a native of Currituck County, NC, and a member of Sharon UMC in Poplar Branch. As a retired high school English teacher, the mother of three sons, and a grandmother of four, Jeanne has had a lifelong focus on education and enjoys volunteering in her church’s literacy tutoring program. She enjoys traveling, reading, and music. Keeping active and involved in the community is important to me. Jeanne is a potter, teaches water exercise at her local YMCA, and is a Certified Lay Minister in The United Methodist Church.