Meet Our Staff

  • REv. Jeffrey Rickett

    lead Pastor

    Pastor Jeff brings over twenty years of pastoral leadership and ministry experience coupled with an extensive counseling background. He co-founded and directs Heart Song Counseling, a national biblical counseling ministry working with singles and couples dealing with a variety of issues. He is also a Pastoral Counselor and Church Planting Assessor with the Sent Network.


    Jeff has served as a pastor at Grace Christian Church at Herndon, VA; a church planter and co-pastor at City of Hope, a multi-racial church in Columbia MD; the Small Groups/Shepherding Pastor at Broadneck E.P. Church in Annapolis, MD, and the Small Groups/Pastoral Care Pastor at Chapelgate Presbyterian Church in Howard County, MD.  He has taught, trained, and led seminars on small group leadership and lay counseling and trained others in evangelism, shepherding, and community building.


    Pastor Jeff holds a Bachelor of Arts, Business Administration, Economics and Accounting from McDaniel College and a Master of Divinity from Covenant Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Val, have two young adult children, Samuel and Amanda, and one with the Lord, Scott.

  • Rev. Seongsu hong

    pastor of next generation ministries

    Pastor SeongSu's principal responsibility as the Pastor of Next Generation Ministries is to effectively equip our families for discipleship of children, ages birth-12th grade.  He has many years of youth and children's experience and his long term call has been in education, working with families to lay a foundation on Jesus Christ.  


    SeongSu has been married to his wife Kathy for eight years. He loves to play basketball, flag football, and wants to learn pickle ball. He loves the Boston Red Sox, NY Knicks, and Las Vegas Raiders (because of Bo Jackson as the LA Raiders). He loves to cook for people and hopes to have people over to enjoy Korean BBQ. 

  • ulung tanoto

    director of worship & music

    Ulung joined us in 2026 after a diverse musical journey--—from playing electric guitar in a high school band, to performing flute in orchestras and jazz bands in college, to composing music for films and commercials. Regardless of his ever-changing focus in the music field, Ulung has always been involved in music ministry, which has played a major role in his musical growth and calling. He enjoys all styles of worship music: traditional, gospel, contemporary, and more. He especially loves reimagining familiar hymns in fresh styles, which he shares on his YouTube channel, Hymns Made Fresh. Ulung demonstrates a pastoral heart to care for and equip all who serve in worship. His creativity, passion for working with the next generation, and appreciation of our multi-cultural congregation are a blessing to NPC. 

  • MICHELLE NELSON

    DIRECTOR OF MINISTRY SUPPORT

    Michelle oversees and coordinates our support teams (administration, communications, events and facilities) for the office and Neelsville ministries. Michelle joined the staff in 2019 as our Office Administrator after 15 years in design and project management as an Architectural Engineer.  She and her husband James have been attending Neelsville since 2010 and the two connected with Neelsville through Rebuilding Together projects.  Since then, she has served with the Children's & Family Ministry Team, Women's Bible Studies, the Giving Tree ministry and has been ordained as a Deacon. Michelle, James and their children, Emma and Jack, feel blessed to be a part of the Neelsville family. 

  • Melissa EVANS

    Children'S Ministry Coordinator

    Melissa has been teaching or working in an educational capacity for more than half her life! She holds two teaching degrees and is happily applied those skills daily for 15 years at a children's gym. Melissa has been married to her husband, Jason, since 2004 and they are blessed with three sons. They have been faithful members of Neelsville Presbyterian Church since 2007 where they have each served in a variety of capacities. Melissa was drawn to the church because of the diversity and the way that the message reached a multi-generational audience. She has been teaching preschool Sunday School for many years, has helped with VBS programs, volunteers as an ESL teacher on weekends, and previously served four years as a Deacon. Melissa is delighted to work alongside the other fervent leaders at Neelsville in discipling local children in their faith journey.

  • gaelle wakam

    Treasurer

    Gaelle Wakam is a devoted Christian and has been a covenant partner at NPC since 2022. She and her husband, Val, have three children, Nahila, Karim and Paul. She is passionate about serving others and sharing her gifts through singing and cooking. Gaelle also worked as a Project Manager with background in Business, where her dedication to excellence and care for people reflect her faith in action. She strives to inspire and uplift those around her both in her community and at home. 

  • Alison Williamson

    administrative assistant

    Alison helps to carry out the many weekly tasks that occur in the office and behind the scenes to support Neelsville as we Worship, Grow and Go! She is a covenant partner at our church and serves in the Praise Band, Choir, and as a teacher in Children’s Ministry. Her degree in Music Education from West Virginia University started years of work in both music performance and education with a focus on clarinet. Her administrative experience is from 15 years at Heinz Hall with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. She and her husband are blessed to have a daughter, and they enjoy many outings together throughout Maryland.  Alison is grateful to God for His steadfast love and guidance in her life and for the opportunity to serve at Neelsville Presbyterian Church.