Staff Team

The Reverend Tera Klein

Minister

Rev. Tera Klein has served as Throop’s part-time minister since 2012. In March 2017, she accepted the call to serve as their settled, permanent minister. Rev. Tera earned her Master of Divinity from Meadville Lombard Theological School, where she won the prize for religious education. Currently, Rev. Tera also serves as adjunct faculty at Starr King School for the Ministry. Prior to her ministry at Throop, Rev. Tera worked for 16 years as UUA Congregational Life Staff.

Rev. Tera is active outside of Throop. She serves as co-chair for CLUE-Pasadena (Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice and is on the boards of UU Animal Ministry, UUs for Jewish Awareness, and Faith Action for Animals. She’s a member of Pasadena Environmental Advocates and on the steering committee of Transition Pasadena.

On April 2, 2017 she married Rabbi Jonathan Klein. They share their life with four children and two cats.

​Megan Dowdell
​Community Minister in Affiliation

Megan Dowdell is a Unitarian Universalist minister, educator and social scientist. In Fall 2018, Megan entered into a formal relationship with Throop as a community minister in affiliation. Megan received her ministerial training at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, First UU Church of San Diego, and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center here in Los Angeles. She will be ordained in 2019.
 
Megan serves full-time as the Assistant Professor of Ethics and Society at Starr King School for the Ministry, which prepares people for Unitarian Universalist ministry and progressive religious leadership. Meanwhile, she participates in the spiritual care research and chaplain community here in Los Angeles. Her doctoral dissertation focuses on the religious/spiritual experiences of women of color coping with congestive heart failure. The relationship between religion/spirituality and health is central to Megan’s ministry; she looks forward to deepening her relationship to the Throop community as her teaching, scholarship and ministerial practice continue to grow and develop. 

Megan shares her life with her partner, Stefanie, a cat named Emerson and a dog named Violet. 

Chris Maldonado
​Music Director

Chris Maldonado, 26, is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree at USC under the tutelage of Dr. Alan Smith.  Chris is the recipient of a full tuition scholarship at the Thornton School, in exchange for his work as a collaborator in the TA program.

Mr. Maldonado started his studies at the age of 14, and studied with Craig J. Richey at the CSULB Bob Cole Conservatory. Winner of the MTAC Concerto Competition State Finals, Chris has performed in international piano competitions, and was also the winner of the Bob Cole Conservatory Concerto Competition during his time there. He has performed in masterclasses for Joseph Kalichstein, Jerome Lowenthal, Antoinette Perry, Mary Jo Pagano, Stewart Gordon, Edward Wolanin and others.

Mr. Maldonado has held various positions at churches in the greater Southern California area. He enjoys numerous professional engagements as a collaborator, and focuses on vocal (art song/opera), clarinet, saxophone, cello, and violin repertoire.  He is honored to have served two years performing and studying with InterACT, a semi-improvisational theatre group that works for social change concerning sexual violence, heterosexism, racism, and stalking. He is a passionate student of Korean cooking, and likes to make his own kimchi and traditional dishes. ​

Athaliah Renee Talbot
​Nursery Coordinator

Athaliah Renee Talbot comes with joy and enthusiasm to the Throop Unitarian Universalist Community. Her career in working with children and families spans a mixture of roles and experiences that have prepared her well for the position of nursery coordinator. From building children’s ministries from the ground up in churches to teaching music as a Music Together™️ instructor; from working one-on-one with families and their children as an in-home parent partner to facilitating parent infant-groups through RIE®️— Athaliah has a sensitivity to and a presence with children and families that is welcoming and affirming.

With a deep value and talent for creating spaces that are child-centered, Athaliah has been sometimes sought out by children’s ministry coordinators and parents, but mostly she can be found living a slow, and largely unscheduled life with her kids: doodling, baking, reading, and listening to and making music. Lots and lots of music. 

Athaliah embodies and carries a unique capacity for inclusion and dynamic experiences in diversity. She firstly lives out this model in her home with her husband Geoff, who’s a Kiwi, and their two children, Gabriel and Amélie Rose. 

Athaliah Renee is currently completing her RIE®️ certification here in Los Angeles as well as working on her teacher certification at Pacific Oaks College. ​

Nancy Watkins
Church Administrator

Nancy, a Pasadena native,  has served as the Administrator of Throop since March of 2011.  She came to Throop with a  background in nonprofit administration and real estate and serves as both the administrator and tenant manager.  Nancy graduated from Pasadena High School and received her BS from the University of Southern California.  She is currently working  on certification from the Association of UU Administrators. Nancy resides in Monrovia with her partner, David, their 4 young adult (17-24) children, granddaughter, and a plethora of animals.

Board of Trustees, 2018 - 2019

Top row (left to right)::
Tara Sindeband - Member at large
George Yenoki - Vice President
Melanie Hooks - President

Bottom Row:
Garrison Hack - Secretary
Roy Inong - Treasurer