Amy Wheatley, Ph.D.
Director of Family, Youth, and Children
Amy says that she “fell into” ministry when she began coordinating the Sunday School program at First United Methodist Church in downtown Cleveland, where her family belonged. She soon realized that this work was a natural fit for her experience in education, her enthusiasm for creating engaging learning opportunities, and her commitment to social justice and community building.
Amy served as Director of Education at First Church Cleveland, and then University Circle United Methodist Church, for over a decade. She also worked at Old Stone Church in Cleveland to help that congregation build a children’s program. Amy was drawn to Forest Hill Church by the opportunity to nurture children, youth, and families in a diverse, inclusive, progressive family of faith.
A native of Cleveland, Amy received her A.B. from Kenyon College and her Ph.D. in Education from the University of Michigan. Her early career included research, teaching, and staff development in the field of early childhood/special education, and she traveled extensively as a consultant to schools, hospitals and other non-profit agencies serving young people and their families.
Amy and her husband Karl are the parents of two terrific young adults. She enjoys playing board games and exploring nature with her family, and she often stays up way too late reading a good book. After church on Sundays Amy can always be found at home in a comfy chair, drinking coffee, and working diligently on the NYTimes crossword.
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