Our Leadership

Jason Harris is the Senior Pastor of Central Presbyterian Church and leads the staff, officers, and congregation in the pursuit of its shared vision. Jason’s primary responsibility is to lead Central Church and Resound Project, an initiative focused on strengthening the church for a changing world; to facilitate worship and prayer; and to preach and teach, especially through the development of sermons and other creative content with a particular focus on addressing the questions of interested skeptics and encouraging new believers in their faith.

Please contact Jason if you have questions about the claims of Christianity or if you would like to learn more about how to become a Christian or grow in your faith. Please also reach out to Jason if you would like to inquire about baptism at Central, either for yourself or for your child.

Jason joined Central as Director of Church Renewal in 2011 and was called to serve as Senior Pastor in 2013. Jason was raised in New Canaan, Connecticut and was educated at the Brunswick School. He graduated from Princeton University with a degree in Art and Archaeology and from Princeton Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity. Previously, Jason served as the founding Campus Minister for Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) at Northwestern University and worked as an analyst for Morgan Stanley in New York City. 

Jason met his wife, Ashley, at Princeton University where she studied Economics and Japanese. Ashley subsequently received a J.D. degree from Columbia University Law School. Jason and Ashley have four children, Luke, Olivia, Eliza, and Charlotte, and they have worked in ministry together since 2005. Ashley plays an active role in the children’s ministry and leads the Thursday morning Women’s Bible Study in addition to meeting with women to help them explore their faith, navigate life’s struggles, and grow in their relationship with Jesus. 

Please reach out to Ashley if you would like to discuss matters of faith or the Thursday morning Women’s Bible Study.

Chuck Merritt is the Executive Director for Central Presbyterian Church and Resound Project. His primary responsibility is ensuring that the mission and vision of Central Church and Resound Project are translated into effectively functioning ministries and operations.

Please contact Chuck if you have any questions related to Central or Resound operations, including administration, finance, development, communications, facilities management, human resources, or information technology.

Chuck was raised in Boston, graduated from Georgetown University, and served as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy before embarking on a distinguished career in marketing, advertising, and communications. After serving as an elder at Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, he became the Executive Director of West End Community Church at a critical inflection point in the life of the church. For seven years, Chuck led a staff of more than 60 people within a growing congregation of nearly 1,400 members in the heart of Nashville. He and his wife, Lorianne, relocated to New York from Nashville for this opportunity, but Lorianne was able to continue in her role as the Executive Director of Christianity Explored USA. Chuck and Lorianne have two adult sons, Charlie and William, currently living in the UK.

Twaambo Moyo is the Pastor of Connection and Mission at Central and is responsible for equipping members of the Central community to participate in God’s mission to the world around us. Twaambo mobilizes and trains volunteers and coordinates with Central’s ministry partners, including the Bowery Mission, Safe Families for Children, and Reading Buddies, to serve friends and neighbors in the city. Twaambo also leads Central's College Ministry, which seeks to cultivate a strong community of students who are committed to encouraging one another to grow in their faith as they strive to explore and follow Jesus during their college years. Twaambo also supports the Sunday Service Teams by promoting a welcoming atmosphere and reaching out to new visitors. Twaambo enjoys connecting with newcomers to help them get involved in the life of the church. 

Please contact Twaambo if you are new to Central and would like to become more involved in the life of the church, if you have questions about the College Ministry, or if you would like to serve on one of our Sunday Service Teams or with one of our Ministry Partners, such as the Bowery Mission, Safe Families for Children, or Reading Buddies.

Twaambo was born in Zambia and moved to the United States as a teenager in 2008. He subsequently graduated from the City University of New York at Queens College with a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design. Twaambo currently participates in City to City’s training program in urban ministry while pursuing a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies through Reformed Theological Seminary. Twaambo and his wife, Candice, live in Queens.

As the Director of Community Formation and Spiritual Care, Lauren oversees Central’s Community Groups and supports the Community Group leaders by providing leadership training, prayer, and encouragement. She also helps people identify the Community Group that is best-suited for them. Lauren leads the Tuesday morning Women’s Bible Study, and she makes herself available to meet with the women of Central for prayer and spiritual support. Lauren enjoys connecting with women who are new to Central and delights to share with them all the many ways they can become involved in the life of the church. 

Please contact Lauren if you are new to Central and would like to learn more about how to get involved, if you are in need of spiritual care or interested in discussing matters of faith, or if you have questions about Community Groups or the Women’s Ministry. 

Lauren and her husband, Kevin, have lived in New York City since 2015. They have three adult daughters, Emma, Blake and Lillian, who all live in New York.

Kathryn Thompson is the Executive Assistant to the Senior Pastor at Central Presbyterian Church where she provides administrative assistance to the pastor and works on a variety of projects for Central and Resound Project.

Please contact Kathryn if you have any questions about the process of baptism or membership at Central.

Before working at Central, Kathryn spent three years working as an elementary school educator at Ambleside School of Fredericksburg where she received training and experience in Charlotte Mason's teaching philosophy. Kathryn graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance from Belhaven University in Jackson, MS, and participated in a nine-month graduate-level fellowship program focused on theology, spiritual disciplines, life together, and vocational discernment called Brazos Fellows in Waco, TX.

Jamie Tulenko is the Communications Manager for Central Presbyterian Church and Resound Project where she manages communications across departments and ministries. Her responsibilities include organizing and deploying assets, creating content and posting across multiple platforms, planning and ensuring the successful execution of the church-wide communications calendar, creating branding for events and strategic initiatives, helping maintain Central’s presence on social media, leading digital and print communications campaigns, and project managing ministry events from scheduling through completion.

Please contact Jamie if you have any questions related to Central or Resound communications, events, or initiatives.

Prior to working at Central, Jamie spent seven years working in other ministry capacities in the city, including supporting the diaconate ministry at Redeemer Presbyterian and serving as the Northeast regional administrative specialist for a national church planting network. Jamie graduated from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Master of Arts degree in Missiology in addition to receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Religious Studies from Western Kentucky University. 

As the Finance Manager at Central Presbyterian, Jennifer Anderson is responsible for the management of the church's financial operations. She is dedicated to handling the finances with integrity, transparency, and accountability.

Please feel free to contact Jennifer if you have any questions or issues regarding your contributions to the church.

With over 15 years of experience in non-profit accounting, Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from The King's College and a Master of Science in Accounting from Baruch College.

Lydia Mackey is the Operations Manager for Central Presbyterian Church, overseeing building operations and managing systems that support the church's day-to-day functions across all departments. 

Prior to joining Central, Lydia practiced law as a commercial real estate attorney in New York City. She earned her Bachelor of Arts (International Honours) in History from the William & Mary and University of St. Andrews Joint Degree Programme and her law degree from Cornell Law School.

As a pastoral resident through the Resound Project, Robert assists Central with Community Groups, the Bowery Mission, and Sunday services.

Please email Robert if you have questions about any of the above or if you're seeking pastoral care.

Robert was born and raised in Texas. He did his undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Dallas and received his Master of Divinity from Westminster Theological Seminary. Prior to attending seminary, Robert worked in policy research for the Texas State Senate and served as Registration Director for the Austin Film Festival. Robert and his wife, Caroline, live in Yorkville with their daughter, Eleanor.

Nick is serving as a pastoral resident through Resound Project here at Central. His specific areas of focus are Sunday operations, care and connection, and assisting the various outreach efforts and ministries here at Central. Nick has a strong heart for God’s people and loves to pray for them.

Please feel free to contact Nick if you ever feel the need for prayer or encouragement.

A life-long New Yorker, Nick joins us from Queens. He has a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management from St. John’s University and received his Master of Divinity from Liberty University in 2020. Nick will be taking classes at RTS this year as part of a certificate program as he looks to continue growing in the knowledge of God’s Word.

As Assistant Youth Director, Liz — alongside Rafa — guides the spiritual growth and pastoral care of middle and high school students, desiring that each would come to more deeply understand and experience the transforming love of God. She helps lead Youth Ministry programming, supports and manages youth volunteers, fosters community within the ministry, and builds meaningful relationships with students and their families.

Please contact Liz with any questions related to the Youth Ministry at Central.

Liz’s passion for Christian discipleship of high school and middle schoolers began in high school in a Christian discipleship ministry that had an emphasis on student leadership. Since her junior year of high school, she has served in various youth ministry roles, most recently as the Assistant Director of Youth Ministry at Rock Creek Fellowship on Lookout Mountain, GA. During that time she also completed the Chattanooga Fellows Program — a nine-month, graduate-level fellows program focused on theology, life together, civic engagement, and vocational discernment. This program is part of the National Fellows Initiative. Before her time at Rock Creek and in the Chattanooga Fellows Program, Liz worked as an Admission Representative at her alma mater, Covenant College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.

Rafa is a missionary kid from Brazil who grew up in Southern Africa. He holds a Bachelors degree in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics from The King’s College in New York City. He is currently pursuing his Master of Divinity degree at Reformed Theological Seminary, and he lives in Manhattan. Before coming to Resound, he worked as a reporter at the New York Sun and Religion Unplugged. He speaks Portuguese, English, and Spanish. In his role at Central, Rafa works with the Youth Ministry, teaching and equipping students to live a seamless Christian life in the city and beyond. Rafa is also an ardent Manchester United supporter.

Lachlan Alexander is currently pursuing his Master of Divinity at Reformed Theological Seminary in New York City. As a Youth Ministry Intern with Resound Project, Lachlan serves students at Central alongside Liz and Rafa. His desire is to help middle and high school students see how the gospel connects to every aspect of their lives.

Please contact Lachlan if you have any questions about Youth Ministry programming or events.

Lachlan was born in San Diego, California, and raised in several cities across Southern California. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Biola University. Prior to joining Central, he taught and preached at local churches throughout Southern California while taking seminary courses at Westminster Seminary California.

Andrew Smith is the Program Director of Resound Project and directly oversees the Emerging Leaders Programs. He is responsible for establishing relationships with key seminaries as we seek to recruit new candidates, in addition to providing direction to candidates through the application process. Andrew develops and implements the curriculum for the Emerging Leaders Programs and offers ongoing training, encouragement, and support to all residents and interns on a regular basis. 

Please contact Andrew if you would like to learn more about Resound Project and its various initiatives including the Emerging Leaders Programs for college students, prospective and current seminary students, and seminary graduates.

Originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, Andrew graduated from Middlebury College, Vermont and trained for ministry at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. Since then he has pastored churches in Massachusetts, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland. Prior to joining Resound Project, Andrew served as the pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Kennett Square in Pennsylvania for 14 years. He is an avid fan of Manchester United and the Ireland rugby team, and loves kayaking. Andrew is married to Tara and they have two grown children, Fiona (married to Randall; mother of their grandchildren, Nathan and Marcus; and living in Boston) and Duncan (living in Scotland). 

Emily Hawkins is the Director of Events for the Resound Project where she manages events and development opportunities to support the vision of the Resound Project. The purpose of Resound Project is to strengthen new and existing churches in light of the changing cultural context so that the gospel of Jesus Christ might resound to the next generation.

Prior to working for Resound, Emily spent 10 years organizing corporate events for Welltower, the world's largest healthcare real estate trust. Prior to Welltower, Emily served as Heart Walk Director for the American Heart Association coordinating large scale community events and fundraising campaigns. Emily received her Bachelor's Degree in English from the University of Cincinnati.

Elena is a student at Reformed Theological Seminary New York City working toward a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies. Elena was born and raised in Dallas, TX and received her undergraduate degree in Finance and International Business from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. After graduating, she moved back to Dallas and worked in Commercial Lending and in Real Estate Finance before she felt God leading her to seminary in New York City. In her role as a Ministry Intern Elena serves as the program administrator for Resound Project, assisting with operations and special projects.