Elder bOard
Browncroft’s Elder Board provides spiritual leadership for the church. Elders uphold the integrity of the church and promote its mission, vision, and values.
Sam Ambalavanar
Sam has attended Browncroft since 1993. He is a past Elder Board Chair and has long been involved with missions, youth, and Flower City Work Camp ministries. Sam is also the co-founder of Imaging Solutions Group, which he sold in 2018 and continues to support.
Janet Balajthy
Janet brings leadership experience from more than four decades of serving with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. She also serves on the Board of Roberts Wesleyan College/Northeastern Seminary. Janet enjoys the outdoors hiking, biking and kayaking, and loves engaging in meaningful conversations over good coffee.
Sherwin Damdar (Vice-Chair)
Sherwin is passionate about investing in people and developing new products. He holds several patents and degrees in mechanical engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology, where he met his wife, Julie. He also has an MA from Roberts Wesleyan College and an MBA from SUNY Oswego. Sherwin and his family are actively involved in numerous ministries at Browncroft.
Harry Gibbs
Previously a sports broadcaster for iHeart Media, Harry is now an Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager for Canandaigua National Bank & Trust in Pittsford. Harry and his wife, Melanie, live in Ontario, NY with their son. They are active in small groups and believe strongly in Christian spiritual growth through discipleship.
Jonathan Huang
Jonathan works as a Transplant Hepatologist and Gastroenterologist at the University of Rochester. He is active as a small group leader and a member of the worship team. He and his family love to ski, study martial arts, spend time outdoors, watch football, and play Mario Kart.
Sam Huey (Chair)
Sam had a 25-year business career primarily in publishing and internet media in New York City and San Francisco/Silicon Valley, CA. He also worked on large church staffs since 1999 in California and at Browncroft — serving as Executive Pastor — prior to retiring in 2019. He and his wife, Leslie, live in Webster, NY.
Laura Iamaio
Laura is passionate about developing the next generation of leaders and creating healthy teams. She and her husband, John, have been in full time ministry for nearly two decades. They’ve been married 22 years, have two teenage kids, and enjoy traveling to warm climates during the long winter months.
Michele Lennox
Michele began her career working as a technologist in hematology labs at local Rochester hospitals. As much as she loved hospital work and the medical community, the opportunity to teach labs about human anatomy moved her to RIT. She has been involved with women’s small groups and family ministry at Browncroft. She is also the faculty sponsor for Cru at RIT.
Mark Mathias
Mark is trained as a Chemical Engineer and worked for 20 years on electric vehicle development for General Motors. He is now an engineering consultant and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Rochester. He and his wife, Laura, have have been invested in Browncroft since 1998.
DavID McClurg
David is experienced in sales and marketing management, particularly in the food and packaging industries. He also works in real estate. David and his family have been involved at Browncroft since 2006.
Mike Miller
Mike grew up in Tasmania, Australia. He and his wife, Carla, met at Ambassador College and spent a year together in Amman, Jordan. The Millers are truly an international family, having also adopted 2 children from Russia. After not attending church for almost 15 years – they were led to Browncroft over 13 years ago and are thrilled to call Browncroft home.
Bob Morse (Clerk)
Bob is a Certified Financial Planner with the Angelo Planning Group. He is active on the membership team for Browncroft, and serves in other ministries including Flower City Work Camp. He enjoys running, reading, and spending time with family and friends.
Christina Neitz
Christina and her husband, Chris, have been part of the Browncroft family for more than 10 years. She serves in Browncroft’s ASL Interpreting Ministry, the Prayer Ministry, and more. When she is not homeschooling or picking up ASL interpreting work, she enjoys spending time getting to know others and thinking creatively.
Dave Parks
David is the New York State Director for Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). He enjoys meeting people when they first discover that God has a bigger plan for their lives, and being used by the Lord to encourage those people to explore what He might have in mind for them. David and his family reside in Penfield, NY.
Matthew Taylor
Matthew Taylor came to know and treasure Christ as his Savior and Lord during college. He has a heart for men’s ministry and enjoys partnering with his wife, Chyril, in leading a couple’s small group. With a background in healthcare, God called Matthew from Colorado to Rochester via a work opportunity in December 2015. Though he misses the mountains, Matthew and his family now happily consider this area their home.
James Vitale
James was a middle and high school teacher for 10 years and then a high school principal for 27 years. Now retired, he continues to serve as an interim school administrator and a coach of school principals. He and his family came to Browncroft in 2015.