
Here at Awaken, we envision God’s Kingdom reality where our lived experience in the church reflects the biblical foundations of mutuality as women and men lead together, according to gifts and calling. We pursue this vision as we work together to empower, engage, and equip women in ministry and leadership.
Some of the ways we do this is through…
- Networking, Training, Affirming, and Inspiring through regional gatherings and virtual events
- One on One Mentoring
- Cohorts—Groups focused on specific goals
- Collaboration with Denominational Leaders about how to support women clergy
- Our Resource Hub for all things related to women in ministry
- Advocacy
Awaken is more than just an organization, it’s a network of women and men committed to mutuality as Paul outlines in his letter to the Galatians. Because of this conviction of faith, we work together to encourage women to discover and use their God-given gifts in mutual ministry within the body of Christ.
“There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”
Galatian 3:28, NRSV
Awaken’s Team
Awaken is led by the Leadership Team and Regional Partners. The Leadership Team is made up of members who give leadership to the network-wide vision and mission. Regional Partners extend hospitality to new women joining a regional conference.

Maureen Brown
DirectorI am Maureen and currently serve as the Worship and Communications Pastor at New Life Community, Carlisle, PA, where I have been working alongside my husband Ryan in pastoral leadership since 2002. Before this assignment, we both served on staff in Ryan’s home church, at Stayner, Brethren in Christ Church, in Ontario, Canada. I’ve had the distinct pleasure of leading worship, teaching, and mentoring for my entire adult life thus far.
The call to ministry came clearly when I was 15 years old, while on a short-term summer mission trip. That encounter led to ministry involvement in my home church, and ultimately the pursuit of a ministry degree. I graduated from Emmanuel Bible College with a Bachelor of Religious Education in Professional Studies, with a double minor in Christian Education and Music, in 1996, and then I married Ryan—the love of my life. Together we have two adult children and the recent addition of a son-in-law, all serving Jesus in their various gifting and calling.
It is a great honor to serve as the Director of Awaken, working with the church to encourage and equip women who are discerning the call to ministry leadership. I am excited as we pursue greater breakthroughs in diversity and unity in our churches, building a goodness culture that radiates the heart of God.
Email Maureen
Bishop Bryan Hoke
Team MemberBryan has been serving as bishop of the Atlantic Conference since 2015.
An active member of the Brethren in Christ U.S. since childhood, Bryan grew up in Pennsylvania. As a young adult wanting to impact the lives of others, he earned a bachelor’s degree in family studies from Messiah College and later a master of divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary.
Bryan has more than 15 years of pastoral experience spanning across three BIC conferences. His ministry includes stops in Lawrenceville, Ga., as a bi-vocational pastor; Carlisle, Pa., on the pastoral staff of a large congregation; and Hummelstown, Pa., as senior pastor of a nontraditional church. He has also served on numerous conference and denominational boards, including the Southeast Conference as treasurer and the Atlantic Conference as a representative on the Commission on Ministry and Doctrine.
Bryan lives just north of Hershey, Pa., with his wife, Kerry. They have three daughters, a son-in-law, and a grandchild spread across the country. He relaxes by playing and watching sports, working around the house, or grabbing the latest movie or series from Netflix. Much to the dismay of his friends, Bryan is a die-hard Dallas Cowboys fan.

KrisAnne Swartley
Team MemberKrisAnne is the lead pastor of Souderton Brethren in Christ Church. She received her MDiv from Biblical Seminary in Hatfield, PA, in 2009. Over the course of her years in ministry, she has been a youth pastor, worship pastor, outreach director, and administrative pastor. She and her husband, Jon, have been married since 1999 and have two young adult children, Heidi and Benjamin. KrisAnne loves music, her two cats, her backyard birds and sharing meals with family and friends. She podcasts periodically with some other women who love the church at SHEcclesiology: Girls Talking Church. One of her greatest joys in life is walking with people as they discover the faithful and abiding love God has for them.
Email KrisAnne
Vicki Podjasek
Team MemberRev. Vicki Podjasek is a pastor in the Brethren in Christ denomination, and currently serves as the Program Coordinator for Pastors of Excellence at Ashland Theological Seminary (ATS). She is also the Director of Adult Education and Small Groups at New Vision Brethren in Christ in Pewaukee, WI. Vicki and her husband Jeff are both cancer survivors. They spent approximately a decade ministering to children as licensed foster parents, which led to the adoption of their daughter, Alexis, who is now in college.
Email Vicki
Amber Supplee
Team MemberAmber is currently serving as the Children’s Director at Cedar Grove BIC and working toward full pastoral licensure. She also serves on the board of the Christian Retreat Center (CRC), a BIC camp located in East Waterford, PA. CRC is where she encountered God as a young teen and grew spiritually and in leadership skills. She felt a call to full-time ministry in college but was unsure what that would look like at that time. She attended Slippery Rock University, where she obtained a B.A. in Psychology and in Spanish. She is currently working through the Directed Study Program offered through the BIC denomination. Amber is looking forward to encouraging women as they answer the call that God has placed on their lives.
Amber and her husband Adam have three children.

Pam Arnold
Team MemberPam has been part of the BIC since 1995. Her family served with BIC World Missions in Zimbabwe and prior to that, they worked on educational projects in Indonesia and Uganda. Pam has worked in the BIC offices since 2003, serving in the general church and now with BICWM. Pam and her husband attend Mechanicsburg BIC and help lead a Bible Fellowship group for new believers, serve in the healing prayer ministry, and in At the Cross Recovery.
Email Pam
Margaret Engle
Team MemberMargaret co-pastors the Abilene BIC church part-time with her husband. Her husband, Dale is primarily responsible for preaching, weddings, and funerals whereas Margaret cares for visitation, administration, and Christian Education. Margaret is the daughter of a Presbyterian pastor; she attended Messiah College where she met Dale. Margaret has taught school for nearly 30 years mostly working with at-risk teenagers. Dale and Margaret have 6 children (3 by birth and 3 adopted through marriage) Heather and Bob Beaty (Rancho Cucamonga, CA), Jen and Matt Bierlein (Columbus, OH), and Matt and Amber Engle (Abilene, KS). Margaret and Dale have 6 grandchildren: Roc, Tyler, Sterling, Alana, Emmett, and Anna.
Email Margaret
Pam Arnold
Global MinistriesPam has been part of the BIC since 1995. Her family served with BIC World Missions in Zimbabwe and prior to that, they worked on educational projects in Indonesia and Uganda. Pam has worked in the BIC offices since 2003, serving in the general church and now with BICWM. Pam and her husband attend Mechanicsburg BIC and help lead a Bible Fellowship group for new believers, serve in the healing prayer ministry, and in At the Cross Recovery.
Email Pam
Vicki Podjasek
Great LakesRev. Vicki Podjasek is a pastor in the Brethren in Christ denomination, and currently serves as the Program Coordinator for Pastors of Excellence at Ashland Theological Seminary (ATS). She is also the Director of Adult Education and Small Groups at New Vision Brethren in Christ in Pewaukee, WI. Vicki and her husband Jeff are both cancer survivors. They spent approximately a decade ministering to children as licensed foster parents, which led to the adoption of their daughter, Alexis, who is now in college.
Email Vicki
Margaret Engle
MidwestMargaret co-pastors the Abilene BIC church part-time with her husband. Her husband, Dale is primarily responsible for preaching, weddings, and funerals whereas Margaret cares for visitation, administration, and Christian Education. Margaret is the daughter of a Presbyterian pastor; she attended Messiah College where she met Dale. Margaret has taught school for nearly 30 years mostly working with at-risk teenagers. Dale and Margaret have 6 children (3 by birth and 3 adopted through marriage) Heather and Bob Beaty (Rancho Cucamonga, CA), Jen and Matt Bierlein (Columbus, OH) and Matt and Amber Engle (Abilene, KS). Margaret and Dale have 6 grandchildren: Roc, Tyler, Sterling, Alana, Emmett, and Anna.
Email Margaret
Amber Supplee
SusquehannaAmber is currently serving as the Children’s Director at Cedar Grove BIC and working toward full pastoral licensure. She also serves on the board of the Christian Retreat Center (CRC), a BIC camp located in East Waterford, PA. CRC is where she encountered God as a young teen and grew spiritually and in leadership skills. She felt a call to full-time ministry in college but was unsure what that would look like at that time. She attended Slippery Rock University, where she obtained a B.A. in Psychology and in Spanish. She is currently working through the Directed Study Program offered through the BIC denomination. Amber is looking forward to encouraging women as they answer the call that God has placed on their lives.
Amber and her husband Adam have three children.
Email Amber
KrisAnne Swartley
Atlantic RepresentativeKrisAnne is the lead pastor of Souderton Brethren in Christ Church. She received her MDiv from Biblical Seminary in Hatfield, PA, in 2009. Over the course of her years in ministry, she has been a youth pastor, worship pastor, outreach director, and administrative pastor. She and her husband, Jon, have been married since 1999 and have two young adult children, Heidi and Benjamin. KrisAnne loves music, her two cats, her backyard birds and sharing meals with family and friends. She podcasts periodically with some other women who love the church at SHEcclesiology: Girls Talking Church. One of her greatest joys in life is walking with people as they discover the faithful and abiding love God has for them.
Email KrisAnne