Center for Ministry Staff
Paige Swaim-Presley (Director) is an elder in the Mississippi Conference of the United Methodist Church and has served as a pastor, as executive director of the Seashore Mission, and on various planning teams and committees in the Mississippi Annual Conference. Paige is a 2015 graduate of the Journey Partners program in spiritual direction, and a 2010 graduate of Candler School of Theology.
Paige is passionate about ministries of spiritual formation, discernment, lifelong education, worship-as-formation, and community-building. She also loves to read, travel, soak in sunshine, and spend time with her husband, Lance, also a United Methodist elder.
"I am deeply humbled, grateful and excited to be serving the Center for Ministry as its newest director. I look forward to building on the beautiful legacy of those who have gone before me as we move into this new season of the Center's life. May we find grace and joy on this journey together!"
Karri Chaney is the Center’s Program Coordinator, managing a myriad details for the Course of Study School, Licensing School, Continuing Education events, and overall office administration.
Karri is a graduate of University of Southern Mississippi with a B.S. in Business Administration. She and her husband Joe live in Gluckstadt with their young son. Prior to joining the staff of CFM, Karri was employed with the Institutional Advancement division at Millsaps and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She also is a professional photographer who specializes in children, families, maternity, and personal branding.
Becky Youngblood retired as Executive Director of the Center in June 2016 after twelve years in that role. She continues on the staff of the Journey Partners program as co-director and worship coordinator. She is an elder in the Mississippi Conference of the United Methodist Church and served as a pastor, a district superintendent, and in many leadership roles at the general church level during 37 years of active ministry.
Immediately prior to joining the CFM staff in September 2004, Becky spent three years as director of The Iliff Institute for Continuing Education at Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado. She is a graduate of Millsaps College (B.A. in sociology, 1973) and Candler School of Theology, Emory University (M.Div., 1979). She has pursued further training in family systems theory at the Center for Family Process in Bethesda, Maryland, and in Appreciative Inquiry. She is a practicing spiritual director, having completed training in the Center's Journey Partners program. Her active memberships include the Fellowship of United Methodist Spiritual Directors and Retreat Leaders and Spiritual Directors International.
In retirement, Becky continues her lifelong love for reading and enjoys gardening, travel with her husband, the writer Robert Benson, antiquing, music, and cooking. Sunday mornings find her at Broadmeadow UMC in Jackson, where she sings in the choir.
Richard Robbins also retired from the CFM staff in June 2016 after serving as the Director of the Mississippi Course of Study since July of 2010. His wealth of experience includes 41 years of pastoral ministry in the Mississippi Conference, during which he taught on the Mississippi Course of Study faculty for 18 years. In the spring of 2012 he also assumed responsibility for directing Journey Partners, the Center's training program in spiritual direction. He was a member of the group that launched Journey Partners in 2004 and has served as a small group leader until taking the role of director. Richard works closely with the Mississippi Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, is a peer group leader for those in the first year of their Residency in Ministry (RIM) and facilitated the restructuring and administration of the Licensing School for those entering ministry in the United Methodist Church.
Richard is a graduate of Millsaps College and Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. A practicing spiritual director, he is certified in the area of Spiritual Formation through the UMC Board of Discipleship. He is an avid reader and is partial to cats bearing the names of archangels.
Paige is passionate about ministries of spiritual formation, discernment, lifelong education, worship-as-formation, and community-building. She also loves to read, travel, soak in sunshine, and spend time with her husband, Lance, also a United Methodist elder.
"I am deeply humbled, grateful and excited to be serving the Center for Ministry as its newest director. I look forward to building on the beautiful legacy of those who have gone before me as we move into this new season of the Center's life. May we find grace and joy on this journey together!"
Karri Chaney is the Center’s Program Coordinator, managing a myriad details for the Course of Study School, Licensing School, Continuing Education events, and overall office administration.
Karri is a graduate of University of Southern Mississippi with a B.S. in Business Administration. She and her husband Joe live in Gluckstadt with their young son. Prior to joining the staff of CFM, Karri was employed with the Institutional Advancement division at Millsaps and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She also is a professional photographer who specializes in children, families, maternity, and personal branding.
Becky Youngblood retired as Executive Director of the Center in June 2016 after twelve years in that role. She continues on the staff of the Journey Partners program as co-director and worship coordinator. She is an elder in the Mississippi Conference of the United Methodist Church and served as a pastor, a district superintendent, and in many leadership roles at the general church level during 37 years of active ministry.
Immediately prior to joining the CFM staff in September 2004, Becky spent three years as director of The Iliff Institute for Continuing Education at Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado. She is a graduate of Millsaps College (B.A. in sociology, 1973) and Candler School of Theology, Emory University (M.Div., 1979). She has pursued further training in family systems theory at the Center for Family Process in Bethesda, Maryland, and in Appreciative Inquiry. She is a practicing spiritual director, having completed training in the Center's Journey Partners program. Her active memberships include the Fellowship of United Methodist Spiritual Directors and Retreat Leaders and Spiritual Directors International.
In retirement, Becky continues her lifelong love for reading and enjoys gardening, travel with her husband, the writer Robert Benson, antiquing, music, and cooking. Sunday mornings find her at Broadmeadow UMC in Jackson, where she sings in the choir.
Richard Robbins also retired from the CFM staff in June 2016 after serving as the Director of the Mississippi Course of Study since July of 2010. His wealth of experience includes 41 years of pastoral ministry in the Mississippi Conference, during which he taught on the Mississippi Course of Study faculty for 18 years. In the spring of 2012 he also assumed responsibility for directing Journey Partners, the Center's training program in spiritual direction. He was a member of the group that launched Journey Partners in 2004 and has served as a small group leader until taking the role of director. Richard works closely with the Mississippi Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, is a peer group leader for those in the first year of their Residency in Ministry (RIM) and facilitated the restructuring and administration of the Licensing School for those entering ministry in the United Methodist Church.
Richard is a graduate of Millsaps College and Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. A practicing spiritual director, he is certified in the area of Spiritual Formation through the UMC Board of Discipleship. He is an avid reader and is partial to cats bearing the names of archangels.
