The Rev. Joanna Dunn earned her Master's of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in Richmond and her Master of Arts in Christian Education from The Presbyterian School of Christian Education in 1997. She has engaged in ministry throughout her life beginning in high school.

She was called to First Presbyterian Church in Boise in 2004 after serving a large church in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan. She is the Minister of Christian Formation, guiding and leading the congregation and community in ministry opportunities that nurture the young and the young at heart.

She is active in the Presbytery, Synod and National Church serving as a commissioner, member of special task forces, youth ministry advocate and other capacities. She volunteers in the Boise community including through her children's schools, St Luke's Women's Celebration and St. Al's Children's Classic.

JoAnn Thiry joined the staff at First Presbyterian in 1998 as Director of Lay Ministries. She holds an undergraduate degree in religious studies. She received her Certification for Ministry from Seminary Without Walls and Boise Presbytery in 2001 and was commissioned to serve First Presbyterian Church where she serves as the Minister of Pastoral Care and Congregational Life. She is currently engaged in and has completed two years of a Distance Masters Program at Dubuque University Theological Seminary and will receive her Masters in Divinity in the spring of 2013.

In addition to her responsibilities at First Press JoAnn has served as Moderator of Boise Presbytery; on the planning team for the Western National Leadership Training Conference for six years and participated in a Pastor Theologian group from the PCUSA. She is active in the community serving on the Board of Directors and Program Committee for City Club of Boise.

JoAnn lives in the North End Historic District of Boise. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, meeting friends for dinner in Hyde Park, skiing, biking, golfing, and walking her dog in the foothills.

Michael joined the staff at First Presbyterian Church in January 2007 having moved from New London, New Hampshire. He began his church music career in 1958 as substitute organist at The Shrine of St. Therese in Fresno, California. Since then he has served as Organist/Choir Director in all denominations. He is a member of the American Guild of Organists.

Michael´s degrees include a Bachelor of Arts in Piano Performance from California State University-Fresno studying with Miriam Fox-Withrow (other studies with Adolph Baller and Fred Dempster) a Master of Arts in Harpsichord Performance from Teachers College, Columbia University studying with Edward Brewer (other studies with Alan Curtis and Malcolm Hamilton). Private organ studies have been with Jane Keene and Dr. Robert Baker.

Michael music interests have included solo piano recitals, solo harpsichord recitals, dance band keyboardist and strolling accordionist. Other than music Michael enjoys golfing, fly-fishing and reading.

Michael and his wife Charleen retired in 1999 from the Kerman Unified School District in California both having taught for thirty-four years. They have four children, eleven grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.

Mike studied at Pepperdine University, University of Heidelberg, Pacific Lutheran University and the Claremont Graduate School. He served a number of years in ministry. A self-taught "handy-man", he finds it a privilege to serve this great faith community.

Duncan Filson, Ministry Staff Support Lead, began working at First Presbyterian Church in April of 2008. He has a Bachelors degree in elementary education which he used to help found Boise's first charter school, "Anser", in 1999. He continued on as a multi-age classroom teacher for another two years before starting his own business. He believes his varied job history (including time spent as a mime, a garbage collector and 10 years in various facets of film production) has, almost, adequately prepared him for his current position in the church office.

Duncan lives within walking distance of the church, with his wife and two boys. He is also fortunate to have his mother living in Boise. The rest of his kin live scattered throughout the mid-west. His time away from work is spent running around with his family, enjoying the outdoors, making music and building instruments. He has played guitar for 35 years and is currently learning to play the mandolin and ukulele. In addition to teaching guitar, he recently completed the construction his first mandolin and now has his sites set on a guitar. He is currently part of a band (Limehouse) that focuses primarily on gypsy-swing, style music. He can be found performing with his band in the Boise area and during "Jazz in the Park", a First Presbyterian Church event held to support Project C.A.T.C.H., at the Julia Davis Park band shell in August.

Kate is originally from Wisconsin and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Arts from the University of Wisconsin ­ Madison.

After moving to Idaho and while working at Idaho State University in Pocatello, she continued her Communication studies at the graduate level. Following her move to Boise with her husband, she returned to the college campus and completed the core courses for the Human Resource Management degree at Boise State University.

Kate and her husband have a real love of Ireland and its people and produce a podcast and blog called Engaging Ireland. They are also photographers and creative writers who enjoy traveling whenever they have the time (and money).

Kathy began as part time bookkeeper in August 2007. While she enjoys attending to the detailed financial aspects of the church, she finds it a privilege to build relationships and be part of the team here at the church. She attempts to share the skills she has acquired over the years from administrative office work, financial analysis with non-profits and volunteering heavily in the church.

Outside of this job, she services a few local small businesses with bookkeeping skills, sharing parenting with her wonderfully patient husband while raising two teenage sons with bright red hair and fiery personalities. She also serves on the pastoral care team at a Mennonite church. She holds a masters degree in Church Ministry and is an ordained minister in the Mennonite church.