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.

  • 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 happy to apply those skills daily at a children's gym where she has worked for fifteen years. 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.

  • Janna Leigh Ryon

    Director of Worship Music

    Janna Leigh is the choir director and piano teacher at Watkins Mill High School. She is a graduate of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, has a Masters in Music from Yale, and a DMA from University of Maryland. She has over 20 years of experience teaching in public schools, has produced and directed many high school musicals, and has 15 years of experience directing choirs and various music teams at churches. She has played at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall and Strathmore. She is a professional musician trained in the oboe.

  • Craig Wilson

    PASTORAL ASSISTANT

    As Pastoral Assistant, Craig will assist in developing a flourishing adult discipleship ministry (including adult classes, small groups, men's and women’s fellowships) in cooperation with and under the supervision of the Lead Pastor. Craig has a heart for adult discipleship and we have already seen this passion and commitment in helping us develop a strong class offering for adults.  Craig and his wife, Joanne, were past members at NPC, both as elders and deacons from 1980 t o 2004 as they raised their family of four here.  He has been blessed to have worked with many of Christ's servants assisting in Adult Education programs and classes in various churches. He's enjoyed serving in a variety of church music, men's and youth ministry.  Craig desires to see all in the church reflect the image of Jesus by the power of the Spirit, so that all may come to give Him the obedience of faith. That faith is strengthened by the good news of Christ, so we may one day dwell with the Trinity, where there is no pain, tears, mourning, crying or death (Rom 16:25-27; Rev 21:1-4).

  • 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, Monday Night Women's Bible Study, the Giving Tree Mission and was recently ordained as a Deacon. Michelle, James and their children, Emma and Jack, feel blessed to be a part of the Neelsville family. 

  • Wendy Couillard

    Treasurer

    Wendy is a long-time member of Neelsville Presbyterian Church, and has attended since she was a little girl. Over the years, Wendy has served in many capacities in the life of our church, through Children’s and Youth ministries, Mission trips, Deacons, Fellowship, Music and Worship, and is currently serving as an Elder on the Session Board. She and her husband, Gregg, have been married 34 years. They have three sons, two daughters-in-law, and three grandchildren. Together, they thoroughly enjoy their roles as grandparents and spending as much time with family and friends as possible. They volunteer with the USO at BWI and Walter Reed, and love traveling and boating. Wendy’s favorite things involve family & friends, baking, crafts, music & reading.