Our Team

The Reverend Kathy La Point-Collup joined the Asbury staff in July 2018. Pastor Kathy has also served United Methodist Churches in Elk Grove, Sutter Creek, Linden, and Modesto–all in California.

She experienced a call to ordained ministry in high school and completed her B.A. at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, and Masters of Divinity at Drew University School of Theology in Madison, New Jersey. Throughout her ministry, Kathy has had a passion for small group ministry, mission trips, preaching, walking with people through difficult times, justice ministries, and helping the church be in service to the local community.

Kathy is married to Steve Collup who is a retired helicopter and airplane mechanic. In her free time, Kathy enjoys traveling, snorkeling, walking, reading, going to movies/live theater and baking/gourmet cooking.

Brad Biggerstaff was raised in the Nashville, TN area and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Religion from Trevecca Nazarene University in 2016. He went on to complete his Master’s in Divinity at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, GA in 2019. Before coming to Asbury UMC in September of 2021, Brad served congregations in Ellijay, GA (2017-2019) and Alpharetta, GA (2019-2021).

In addition to his service in the local congregation, Brad serves locally on the board of the Livermore Homeless Refuge. Brad has a passion for social justice, community engagement, inclusion, and working with youth and young adults.

Brad lives in Livermore with his Corgi, Millie. Brad enjoys watching his favorite sports teams, the Atlanta Braves and Tennessee Vols, meditating through the practice of yoga, meeting new people in the community, and traveling.

Rev. Heather Leslie Hammer was an active congregational member at Asbury for many years before going to seminary and becoming a second-career pastor. She served several churches in the California-Nevada Conference, and now is back at Asbury in retirement.

Heather enjoys preaching, planning worship, teaching, and talking with people one-on-one. Her husband Jim works at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory as a physicist, and they have two children, Leslie and Sepp.

Terri is a native Oregonian who made the move to California in 1997 and landed in Livermore. Shortly after arriving, she found a home at Asbury UMC.

Using her experience in corporate administration, Terri has been supporting the Asbury leadership, staff and members of the Asbury community as Church Office Manager, a position she began in 2012. She says, “It’s amazing how much goes on behind the scenes at Asbury, and I’m happy to be helping all the volunteers who make worship at Asbury a great experience.”

Karen is a native of Colorado, who moved to Livermore in 1973, by way of Milwaukee, Wisconsin when her husband, Paul was transferred to the Bay Area. They have been Asbury Members for 40 years.

Karen brings broad experience as executive assistant, office and facilities management. Since joining the Asbury Staff in 2015, she enjoys helping everyone with their needs, lending a listening ear and providing a welcoming place for all.  It is a joy to be a part of the office team that supports all the volunteers, staff, visitors and many organizations that utilize the beautiful Asbury facilities.

Karen is married, has two children and four grandchildren.

Ruth Hawley is our Facilities Manager for the Asbury campus. She coordinates requests for use of any of the facilities, including the Sanctuary, Fellowship Hall, Conference Room and classrooms.  If you have questions about using our facilities please contact her at the number below.

Ruth has lived in Livermore since 1984. She spent 33 years working at LLNL before retiring. She has attended Asbury since 1986, and has been active in many committees and volunteer roles at Asbury UMC since then. She joined the staff in 2020. Ruth has three grown children and several pets, and enjoys gardening, walking, reading, movies and yoga in her spare time.

Alaina Harrison joined the Asbury staff in April 2022 and comes to us (remotely) from Georgia. She handles all things internal and external communication and design -- weekly newsletters (Asbury Articles), worship slide backgrounds, scheduling worship streaming and posting, social media, web and app design, etc.

She has a Bachelor of Arts in Advertising/Marketing Communications and Communications from Wesleyan College in Macon, GA and a Masters of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. She is currently working on a Masters of Counseling in School Counseling from the University of Louisiana-Monroe with the goal of becoming a high school counselor. In addition, she is an ordained Deacon in the UMC and has a heart for all things social justice.

Alaina has been married to her husband, Greg, for eleven years and they have three human kids and one furry kid (their dog Lucy)!

Lori Day is new to the Asbury Staff, but has been a church member for over 20 years. She taught elementary school for 32 years and during those  years has directed Asbury’s Rainbow and High School Choirs. Before joining the Asbury Ringers, she gladly sang with the adult choir!

Music, children and handbells have brought her great joy, along with her dog, Max. Lori enjoys flyfishing, water aerobics, yoga and playing with her two grandsons.

Jean Braun moved to Livermore from Madison, Wisconsin with her new husband in 1984. She and Dave joined Asbury in February 1985 after discovering this active, musical community. Asbury was instrumental in providing a home-away-from–home for these two Midwesterners and their two daughters, now adults, living and working in San Jose.

Jean directs Rainbow Choir (Grades 3-5), Faith Choir (adults) and recruits volunteers to provide vocal and instrumental music throughout the year. Her passions are teaching music, baking, and eating and distributing chocolate at every opportunity.

Fernanda Van Atta joined the Asbury staff in June 2020 as Worship Accompanist and Director of Asbury Ringers. She is the primary pianist and organist for the worship services and directs the handbell choir.

Fernanda is a graduate of Concordia University Irvine and holds a B.A. in music education and viola performance. She is on the faculty at the Pleasanton Academy of Music, where she teaches piano, violin, viola, and music theory, and is a violist with the Livermore Amador Symphony and Valley Dance Theatre Orchestra. She has worked for the Lutheran Summer Music Academy and Festival since 2016 as a violist and administrator.

Fernanda is a Livermore native. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking and walking the trails in and around Livermore with her dog Addie.

G. Allen Schell has the distinction of being not only the oldest staff member, he also has been at Asbury since 1963, the longest of any staff. He received his Music degree (piano) in 1956 and studied organ privately, and still does. He began accompanying choirs when a student and has directed since 1960.

In 1973, he and his wife participated in a seven-week concert tour of southern Germany, which expanded his life-long love of the organ. He began playing electric keyboard with Asbury’s Band in 1994, which, while a challenge, has also been a growth experience. In each new musical adventure, he has found an opportunity to expand his service to the Church.