Meet Our Staff
JCPC Staff
Rev. Casey Wait
Pastor & Head of Staff
Bio
Rev. Casey Wait has joyfully served as Pastor of John Calvin Presbyterian Church (JCPC) since 2019. Before coming to JCPC, she served congregations in Alexandria, Arlington, and Philadelphia.
Casey holds a B.A. from Colgate University and an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary. She also completed a residency in hospital chaplaincy, earned a two-year master-level certification in biblical storytelling, and has trained in improvisation, personal narrative storytelling, public speaking, and other creative disciplines that enrich her ministry.
In addition to being a pastor, Casey is a professional visual artist who works out of Idylwood Studios in Falls Church. She has seen firsthand how creativity can become a means of healing, hospitality, and spiritual growth, and loves helping the JCPC congregation embrace that vision through The Community Studio, where neighbors gather to create, learn, and build community together. Casey considers it a privilege to walk alongside the people of JCPC as together they seek to follow Christ, care for one another, and serve their neighbors. Her hope is that everyone who walks through JCPC’s doors discovers a place of belonging and finds opportunities to use their unique gifts in service to God and the world.
Casey loves both depth and playfulness and is grateful to serve a church that celebrates both. Her favorite absurd brag about JCPC? Over the years, the congregation has gifted her more than a few pairs of delightfully ridiculous shoes—think rhinestones, neon, platforms, and heels—to be worn at “liturgically appropriate” moments in worship.
Casey is married to the Rev. Casey Thompson. Besides sharing a first name, they share a blended family of five children (plus a son-in-law), a love of painting, and their only-slightly-obedient dog, Hildegard von Oodle (“Hildy”).
Jennifer Skidmore-Breece
The Community Studio Director
Bio
Jennifer Skidmore-Breece, The Community Studio Director, is excited to lead innovative ministry programming in partnership with the JCPC community who has been instrumental in supporting her ministry journey.
She is currently a candidate for ordination in the National Capital Presbytery and final level student in the Master of Divinity degree program at Union Presbyterian Seminary. She holds a B.A. in Communications from Queens University and a master’s degree in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma, along with certifications in faith + justice and transitional ministry. Jennifer brings a wealth of experience in non-profit communications and ministry from her travels around the world with her family as a former active-duty military spouse.
Jennifer is enthusiastic about helping people find personal connections to their faith and inspiring creative expressions of the divine within each of us. The courageous, invitational, and visionary spirit of the JCPC community inspires her to continue growing, learning and building intentional community as a life-long practice. Jennifer is hopeful that the connections participants find in The Community Studio expand their ideas of what it means to live a life of faith in unexpected ways.
She shares life’s adventures with her husband, two sons, two cats, and a dog. Jennifer enjoys recharging by creating in the kitchen and engaging in meaningful conversation around the table, she has even taken cooking classes in seven countries.
Rev. Jim Thomas
Parish Associate for Pastoral Care
Bio
Rev. Jim Thomas is a retired PCUSA minister who finds it a privilege to serve as Parish Associate for Pastoral Care. He finds joy in doing a lot of what a lot of our church members at JCPC do every day: listening, praying, visiting, giving rides, telling stories, keeping confidences, weeping with those who weep, and simply exhibiting love to one another.
Prior to moving to Northern Virginia in 2019, Jim served in several New Jersey churches, and had a brief career as an academic. He has been deeply involved in pastoring people and families living with HIV/AIDS in places as different, and as similar, as Northern Thailand and Elizabeth, New Jersey. Jim has read and written extensively about Buddhism, and credits his work together with Buddhist monks in Thailand with making him a better Christian and a better pastor.
Jim is grateful for the community connections he and his family have found at JCPC. He appreciates that each and every Sunday one might find the pews at JCPC filled with interesting, talented, knowledgeable people with a variety of experiences, who have done and are doing amazing things all over the world.
He married his wife Nagina in 2016, and between them they have six outstanding children, dispersed from St. Louis, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey to Karachi and Islamabad, and one cat named Shinogai which means “green-eyed lady” in Pashto.
Virginia Frentz
Office Manager
Bio
Virginia Frentz is a native of Springfield, Virginia, with more than twenty years of experience in office management. She oversees the day-to-day operations of the church office, ensuring efficiency and organization across all administrative functions. Her responsibilities include managing office systems, producing weekly communications, and serving as the primary point of contact for staff, members, and visitors. Known for her reliability and breadth of knowledge, Virginia is the go-to resource for questions and problem-solving.
In addition to her administrative role, Virginia has played an active role in fostering creativity within the church community. She studied art in college and served as the church’s first Creativity Coordinator, helping to launch and lead art classes for the first experiments that lead to The Community Studio. She remains passionate about integrating the arts into church life and creating opportunities for expression and connection.
Outside of JCPC, Virginia enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, and menagerie of pets, including four cats, a dog, and a fish named Kujo. She is a licensed realtor and runs a small online jewelry shop, where she designs and creates her own pieces. In her free time she can often be found treasure hunting in local thrift stores, always on the lookout for unique finds and good books.
In-House Partners
The Community Studio
Omaid Sharifi
Co-Founder & President, ArtLords
Bio
Omaid Sharifi is an Afghan-American artivist and the Co-Founder and President of ArtLords, a global nonprofit that uses art to advance peace, social justice, healing, and civic engagement. Since establishing ArtLords in Kabul in 2014, he has led public art and community-building initiatives across Afghanistan, the United States, and internationally, working with artists, young people, women, refugees, and communities affected by conflict and displacement.
Omaid is a former Harvard University fellow and a recipient of the Global Pluralism Award. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Art Business at Sotheby’s Institute of Art. He lives in Northern Virginia with his wife, Dr. Lima Halima-Khalil, and their daughter, Hasti.
Through ArtLords’ partnership with John Calvin Presbyterian Church, Omaid helps lead participatory art, cultural, and healing programs that bring refugees, immigrants, artists, and longtime community members together. He is deeply grateful that JCPC has welcomed ArtLords and provided a creative home where people can gather, tell their stories, and build meaningful relationships. He hopes this partnership will make art more accessible while strengthening dignity, belonging, and connection across the community.
An interesting fact about Omaid is that he was painting a mural in Kabul on August 15, 2021, as the Taliban entered the city—an experience that continues to shape his belief in art as an expression of courage and hope.
James Albright
Artist in Residence
Bio
James Albright is a visual artist and community activist in the DC Metropolitan Area. He works at his studio in Annandale, Virginia, and serves as a director and co-President of Artomatic, Inc., on the Board of the ACCA Child Development Center, on the American University School of Education Board of Advisors, the chair of the Mason District Arts Council and in various other locally focused roles.
James was born in Santiago, Chile and spent his childhood in Asia and Latin America. He has an undergraduate degree from Georgetown University, a masters in environmental planning and a separate Ed.S. from the University of Virginia, and a masters in executive leadership from Georgetown University as well.
Professionally, James has created and managed cable televisions stations, served as a Federal contractor, worked as an urban planner in Fairfax, and closed out his career as an educator, retiring as a middle school principal from the second largest school in Washington, DC. He is retired from his professional work and focuses his efforts on his art, organizing within the community and for local organizations, and traveling internationally.
James is deeply committed to a vision of strong, vibrant communities that build on shared interests and skills to foster a more peaceful, caring environment within which to live. Art and culture are essential elements to these communities and should be fostered and encouraged.
As an organizer, James believes in the inherent ability of all to participate to their own level of ability and interest to create a community of intent – a place in which all have a stake and a role. Building small- and large-scale art projects in spaces like The Community Studio is an example in which individuals can connect with others of like interests and see and experience their shared interests in a way that supports all parties.
Sleepy Hollow Preschool
Ashley Gormley
Director
Bio
Ashley Gormley is a passionate educator with over 20 years of experience working with children. She truly believes in nurturing young minds and is thrilled to be part of Sleepy Hollow Preschool, a cherished institution that has been serving the community for nearly 80 years.
Residing in Alexandria with her husband and two daughters, Ashley finds joy in her roles at Fairlington Presbyterian Church, where she serves as both an elder and a trained Godly Play teacher.
She loves learning about different cultures, family bike rides and Dave Matthews Band. Ashley also treasures children’s artwork and embraces the fun challenge of bringing her daughters’ unique Halloween costume ideas to life each year. Working at JCPC has given her creative inspiration to be artistic in her free time, too!
Rachel Griebert
Administrator, Science Teacher
Bio
Rachel Griebert serves as administrator and Science teacher for Sleepy Hollow Preschool. She is a mother to two autistic girls with a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology. She has worked as an aquarist at various locations, including Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, PETCO, and Charles River Laboratories. Some of her most favorite jobs always involved working with children, whether volunteering at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum and zoo, working at Gymboree teaching children’s play classes before COVID, or teaching children to swim and acquire this life-saving skill at Goldfish Swim School.
Rachel works in the office helping with filing, organizing documents, and registration. She also teaches science lessons once a month for all the SHPS classes.
Sleepy Hollow is a wonderful preschool with an amazing staff. You become a family here, and I’m so grateful for how much they’ve helped our family. I’m ready to give back to the community and share what I’ve learned along the way.
Rachel was born and raised in New Orleans and moved to Northern Virginia after Hurricane Katrina. Some of her creative pursuits include cross-stitching and “painting by numbers,” as well as reading and rock climbing.
