Partners in the Gospel
Partners in the gospel connects our Catholic community from St. Olaf (Poulsbo), St. Cecilia (Bainbridge Island), and St. Peter (Suquamish)
Meet the PFAC Members below!
Sheryl Beck
PFAC President
I accepted the invitation to serve on the PFAC and step into the role of chairperson because of a deeply held goal: to help unite our two parishes into one true, cohesive family. Having attended both parishes since moving to the area a few years ago, I know firsthand how wonderful both communities are.
Change can often be challenging, but throughout my career in the U.S. Navy, civil service, and at The Boeing Company, adapting to change was a regular part of daily life. I look forward to using the leadership skills and organizational experience I gained in those roles to guide us smoothly and successfully through this transition.
Now retired, I remain dedicated to staying active in our faith community. You can often find me helping where needed, including:
• St. Cecilia Parish Office: Volunteering once a week
• Madison House: Serving as a VEM
• PREPARES – Little Roses Shop volunteer
• 10AM Mass: Serving our community as an usher, lector, and greeter
As your PFAC chairperson, I am here to be your voice and representative, ensuring that our Pastor hears your ideas, suggestions, and concerns. I warmly invite everyone to become an active part of this transition. By completing our surveys, attending listening sessions, and reaching out directly to PFAC members, you play a vital role in our shared journey toward becoming “One Parish Family.”
Linda (Lin) Krell
PFAC Vice President
Serving on our PFAC truly feels like a blessing. When I said “yes,” it wasn’t after long deliberation — it was after a quiet, unmistakable God-nudge. One of those moments when something stirs inside you and you just know you’re being guided. For me, it was a curiosity about how I might help and be actively involved in the One Parish Family journey.
I am a “cradle Catholic” and have been a member of St. Olaf Parish at two different points since 2001. My career in healthcare administration has shaped the leadership perspective I bring to this Council, having served in roles where leading teams, setting direction, and navigating complex systems were daily realities. I learned how to build trust, create clarity, and help organizations move forward even when the path was uncertain.
In the later part of my career, I responded to another God-nudge and found myself drawn to understanding the human side of change: how people adapt, what they need to feel supported, and how leaders can effectively guide organizations through transitions with steadiness and compassion. That curiosity became a passion, and I see our PFAC as a place where thoughtful strategy, clear communication, and pastoral sensitivity must work hand in hand.
Since retiring, my heart has been pulled toward servant leadership and volunteering with nonprofits that accompany our marginalized neighbors and advocate for social justice. This work has deepened my conviction that leadership is most powerful when it is rooted in mission and oriented toward the common good. Being part of this Council feels like a natural extension of that calling. It’s another chance to serve, to listen, and to help shape the faith community God is inviting us to become.
Larry Brixius
PFAC Member
With 12 years of seminary training and 43 years serving as an ordained priest in Minnesota — including two occasions when I was pastor of three churches at once — I believe I can offer helpful experience as we form our new Parish Family.
I am currently involved in Bible Study and St. Vincent de Paul. I believe that actively involved lay people are the lifeblood of a healthy parish family. Smaller community gatherings and actions beyond Sunday liturgies are a powerful sign of a living “People of God.”
Natalie Gaggini
PFAC Member
Growing up in a rural community, my parish was paired with a neighboring parish as part of a sister parish relationship. Although we attended different schools and had little interaction outside of occasional sporting events, that connection introduced me to an extended faith family that profoundly shaped my life. The relationships I formed through both parishes became an important part of my faith journey — one member even became my confirmation sponsor.
Because of this experience, I felt called to serve on the PFAC and share my perspective on the blessings that can come from multiple parishes walking together as one family.
If I were to describe myself in two words, they would be connector and puzzler. I enjoy bringing people and ideas together to solve challenges, and I value creating space for diverse voices and perspectives to be heard. As we continue building our One Parish Family, I look forward to listening, learning, and working alongside others to strengthen our parish community.
Frank J. Koshenash
PFAC Member
I felt called to serve as a PFAC committee member as a way to give back to the parish that has been my spiritual home for the past 23 years. My wife and I are parents of three children, including two teenagers, and I believe that perspective will be valuable as the PFAC considers how to support families and young people in our parish community.
I see the Partners in the Gospel process as an opportunity to help make the Church — and our parish in particular — a more vital and welcoming place for teenagers and young adults, one that draws them more fully into the life of the Church. I hope that my experience in the business world and in the U.S. Navy submarine force, along with my perspective as a son, brother, husband, and father, will help me serve the parish well as a PFAC member.
Jody Chamberlin
PFAC Member
Originally from Eagle River, Alaska, I proudly served in the U.S. Navy for 16 years, where I met my husband of 24 years. Together we have been blessed with two sons who have chosen to serve our country. Our older son is currently serving in the U.S. Navy, and our younger son is a cadet at the U.S. Air Force Academy.
In 2019, we made Poulsbo our home and became parishioners shortly thereafter. We are grateful to be part of this faith community and look forward to continuing to grow in fellowship and service alongside our parish family.
Nik Tsolomitis
PFAC Recording Secretary
I volunteered for the PFAC because I have experienced St. Cecilia Parish from several different perspectives over the years. I began attending Mass at St. Cecilia in 1998 and was actively involved in youth ministries throughout my childhood and high school years. After college, I returned to the parish, and today my wife and I have children attending St. Cecilia Catholic School.
As a former youth participant, a current educator, and a parent raising young children in the parish, I believe I can offer a unique perspective as we plan for the future of our parish family and work to ensure it remains a welcoming and vibrant community for generations to come.
Emily Sitting Dog
PFAC Member
My name is Emily Sitting Dog, and I have been a parishioner at St. Olaf my whole life. This community has nurtured and cared for my faith from a young age and continues to do so today. I’m so grateful to be part of this community, especially as I begin a family of my own. I am married to my wonderful husband, Garrett, and we recently welcomed our first baby boy, Jeremiah.
I have joined the Parish Family Advisory Council from a place of gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility to the parish. As a young adult, I hope to share my perspective and be guided by the Holy Spirit as we enter this new chapter together. I desire all voices to be heard and for our community to remain a welcoming home for everyone. This parish is my family more than ever, and I want to ensure we continue to welcome and care for all who come through our doors.
As we navigate this season of transition, I pray that we continue to lean on the Lord and trust that this is exactly what our Church needs at this time.
Melissa Owen
PFAC Member
I have been a parishioner at St. Cecilia’s since 2022, when my family relocated
here from Atlanta, GA. Originally from New Jersey and a lifelong Catholic, I have been a member of several parishes throughout my life. I have two daughters currently at St. Cecilia Catholic School and a son who is an alumnus. We are active in the parish, with my girls serving as altar servers, and engaged in other volunteer opportunities with both the school and church.
Professionally, I serve as the Vice Dean for Nursing at the Seattle University College of Nursing and Health Sciences, a Jesuit affiliated University. I answered the call to serve on the PFAC as the parish was a welcoming place for our family when we moved to the Island, and I’m excited to be part of the process as it moves forward into the next phase as a parish family.
Benjamin Donnelly
PFAC Member
I am very hopeful that the Church can continue to successfully strive to
meet the challenges of our modern age. As a young father of three I am very familiar with how incredibly different my generation is than the generations before. It is my desire that by serving on the PFAC I can stand as a voice for those younger families - as well as for those still working along that path - in this increasingly difficult world.