First Presbyterian Church,1793

Steve Smith became the Designated Pastor of FPC in 2009 and was elected as the congregation’s Pastor in 2011.  Steve believes that God loves everyone unconditionally without exception.  He is a native Western Pennsylvanian with deep Christian family roots in Washington County .  Steve’s Bachelor’s degree is from Thiel College and his Master of Divinity degree from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. He earned his Doctor of the Science of Theology degree at San Francisco Theological Seminary.

Steve has served suburban churches near Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Washington, D.C. and was the pastor of urban congregations in McKeesport, PA and Toledo, Ohio .  Steve and his wife, Kim, appreciate Washington, PA and believe that this region is one of America ’s best kept secrets.  Steve is impressed with the talented people of FPC and is glad for the congregation’s long-standing relationship with Washington and Jefferson College .  He is passionate about local, national, and international mission.

Nationally, Steve helped to launch the Church-wide Transformation Training Network in the PCUSA.  He was the network’s first Coordinator for five years and served on teams that designed and implemented national conferences across the country.  Steve has led leadership training workshops and seminars and has taught doctoral studies at San Francisco Theological Seminary.  He enjoys assisting individuals and organizations in discovering their creative potential and celebrating their talents to make the world a better, brighter place.

Jenna Bigley connected with First Presbyterian Church as a Washington & Jefferson College student through the Matthew Brown Fellowship. After graduating in 2012 with a Bachelor’s degree in French, Philosophy, and a minor in Religious Studies, Jenna went on to complete a Master's degree in Library and Information Science. Craving deeper personal connections and more time getting to know young people, she realized that church work was a great fit. The authentic, openhearted nature of the FPC congregation reflects her interpretation of God’s unchanging love for each of us. Jenna is blessed to be welcomed into this church family and strives to strengthen the intergenerational bonds between young children, their immediate families, and their FPC family.

Jenna is the coordinator of the Matthew Brown Fellowship and enjoys connecting with local nonprofit agencies and W&J students as they continue their faith journey into adulthood.

Jenna values community engagement and is involved in local and regional nonprofit organizations, such as the Washington County Library System Board, Camp Agapé in Hickory, PA, and the board of the east region of the Association of Partners in Christian Education (EAPCE).

Jenna was born and raised in McMurray, PA but has familial ties to Washington going back to her childhood at First Christian Church.

Cherie L. Kisla is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. She graduated from Washington and Jefferson College in 1986, received her MBA from Waynesburg University in 2002 and received her MST (Masters of Taxation) from Robert Morris University in 2012.

She started her accounting career with Urish Popeck in Washington, PA, where she served on the audit teams of many companies including Slovenian Savings & Loan, Detroit Switch, and Halbauch & Braun. After leaving in 1988, Cherie has held senior financial management positions with companies in the manufacturing, engineering, and sales & service industries.

In 2008, Cherie started her own public accounting practice serving individual tax clients and small and medium-sized business clients. She also does accounting software training, particularly in QuickBooks, as she is a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor.

As a community leader, Cherie has worked with many associations including football, basketball, and soccer organizations. Most recently, she served as President of the Chartiers-Houston Football Boosters. She is very active in her church, serving as Treasurer, plays in the bell choir and sings in the chancel choir. She has also served as an Elder, Deacon, and Sunday school teacher. Cherie currently resides in Houston, PA with her husband, Marty.

9/26/2021