Music Ministry Directors

Amy & Jesse Hughes

met by Divine appointment in 2008, married in 2013 and have been inseparable since. They share a bizarre sense of humor and a passion for the connective, healing power of music. Introduced to Unity in 2018, they continue to expand through its practical teachings and principles.

Favorite Quote:

"Music is the shorthand of emotion." –Leo Tolstoy

Fun Fact:

Amy & Jesse are live entertainers as the acoustic duo Chariot, and have appeared in numerous acting and singing roles for local community theater The Naples Players.

Choir Director

Jodie DeSalvo

is thrilled to be back as choir director at Unity! Having lived in Naples for the last 21 years she has been a featured soloist with the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra several times and has her own series at Artis-Naples entitled Piano Talks, which is now in its 20th season. A graduate of the Hartt and Manhattan Schools of Music, she is very active as a performer, teacher and conductor, and recently just joined the faculty at Seacrest Country Day School for the second time in her career. She has been married for 39 years to Bill and has two grown sons Frank and Bennie who have appeared with her in concert and at Unity several times.

Favorite Quote:

"Music washes from the soul the dust of every day life."
–Berthold Auerbach

Fun Fact:

Jodie loves to bike!

Higher Grounds Café Managers

Patsy Gorden & Sheri Martin

provide a safe, comfortable place to gather for fun, food, friendship and love. They've proudly and successfully kept Higher Grounds open through a pandemic, hurricanes and a recent renovation. Their beautiful café offers coffee, drinks and treats not only on Sundays, but also for other special events throughout each month.

Favorite Quotes:

Patsy: "When you give joy to other people, you get joy in return." –Eleanor Roosevelt

Sheri: "For nothing is impossible with God." –Luke 1:37

Fun Fact:

Patsy and Sheri play golf together weekly, and yet can somehow still remain friends.
(Also, Sheri does not even like coffee.)

Production & Co-Marketing Director

Jesse Hughes

took on this role in 2021 as an opportunity to be closer to and more active in his spiritual home while being a stay-at-home dad with his beautiful rascal Ellie. He has grown to love the new creative avenues it has opened up for him, not to mention the spiritual and personal growth.

Favorite Quote:

"All the water in the world can't sink a ship unless it gets inside." –Goi Nasu

Fun Fact:

Jesse was previously a supervisor for Geek Squad and finds joy in expanding his own and others' boundaries through technology.

Social Media & Co-Marketing Director

Alicia Castillo

has been a Unity of Naples member since 2006, where she worked for 12 years before being called to health care. She's an avid Disney lover and the mother of two smart, kind, and resilient human beings. She joyful shares her love for this congregation and her desire to support the evident continued growth of this, her spiritual community.

Favorite Quote:

"Around here, however, we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we're curious... and curiosity keeps leading us
down new paths." –Walt Disney

Fun Fact:

Alicia was a flight attendant for eight years. It's the experience, from this lifetime, that she would repeat again in any other reincarnation.

Events Coordinator

Kathy Ruch

is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, having been involved in the fashion industry and all of its aspects for her entire career. She's also been a co-owner of Bija Yoga Studio for 12 years and has taught over 3200 yoga classes. Kathy has been a Naples resident for 33 years, and most recently retired as Social Director of The Shores of Berkshire Lakes.

Favorite Quote:

"To know is nothing at all, to imagine is everything."
–Anatole Thibault

Fun Fact:

Kathy loves to shop at thrift stores.

Media Team Manager

Andrew Granda

is a proud stay-at-home of two amazing kids. He graduated from the Academy of Art in San Francisco with a Master's in Fine Art. He's so grateful for the skills he's gained and continues to expand in his role at Unity of Naples, providing high quality video, audio, lighting and more for the many services and activities in this growing spiritual community.

Favorite Quote:

"Try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations.." –Monty Python

Fun Fact:

Andrew has driven across the United States from coast to coast eight total times.

Youth & Family Ministries Director

Angela Black

truly enjoys witnessing our youngest members grow into confident and compassionate adults, and believes this superpower comes from the lessons of growing in Unity, and the many ways Divine Source speaks to us of our own creation. Youth & Family gathers every Sunday, meditates with intention, creates with love, and has FUN with real-time lessons that sail on a parallel path with the sacred talks held in our sanctuary. Sunday School and Celebration Service is the perfect pairing for every Unity family!

Favorite Quote:

"The best way to know God is to love many things."
–Vincent van Gogh

Fun Fact:

Since childhood Angela has found great joy in Mini Golfing and she and her husband will travel far and wide in search of new and exciting courses to play! 

Artist in Residence

Suzanne Stohl

is a potter and photo realistic artist whose work is shown and sold internationally. As a commissioned artist, potter and instructor, her work in all mediums has been accepted and displayed in Juried shows in the Blue Ridge Mountains of NC, St. Augustine and Naples, FL. She spent most of her adult life as a professional corporate trainer, motivational speaker and consultant. For the past 6 years, she has blended her artistic talents with her teaching skills as an Artist in Residence with Oceania Cruises and Unity of Naples.

Favorite Quote:

"Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’!"
–Audrey Hepbern

Fun Fact:

Suzanne loves to golf and hit her first Hole in One in June 2023. She has visited over 200 cities worldwide.

Business Manager

Renee Samson

has spent most of her life in leadership and accounting.  She started with Little Caesars at $3.05 an hour and worked her way up to the Senior Director of Research and Development. She then went on to become a Franchisee of five pizza places, employing 144 staff members. Renee was a freelance accountant/bookkeeper for several years before finding her home at Unity of Naples.

Favorite Quote:

"Work hard and be nice to people." –Anthony Burrill

Fun Fact:

Renee's first ever job was with Chuck E. Cheese – as Chuck E. Cheese!

Unity Sisters Team Lead

Sharon Southard

is so grateful to be back in Naples and blessed to be a part of her spiritual community at Unity. She discovered New Thought teachings over 30 years ago and came to Unity of Naples in 2002.

Favorite Quote:

"Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles."
–Ralph Waldo Emerson

Fun Fact:

Sharon studied to be a personal trainer.

Usher & Greeter Team Lead

Paula Mangan

has been blessed to have been involved with Unity Spiritual Communities for over 20 years. She's been a member of Unity of Naples for five years, and became a the Head Usher in 2022. Unity of Naples has given her a positive, personal connection to God that she simply can't imagine her life without!

Favorite Quote:

"I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples." –Mother Teresa

Fun Fact:

Paula LOVES pickleball!

Usher & Greeter Team Lead

Wink Telford

is a native Floridian from Sarasota, relocating to Naples in 1986. He discovered Unity of Naples a few years later, igniting his spiritual growth journey. Wink and his wife, Anna, love spending time in nature along with their dog Obi. He plans to retire from a career in public service within a few years and explore the world's wonders.

Favorite Quote:

"Do not wait until the conditions are perfect to begin. Beginning makes the conditions perfect." –Alan Cohen

Fun Fact:

Wink and a friend once drove from Florida to Alaska, living in a pop-up camper. During their adventure, they worked in a salmon fishery and explored the vast wilderness. Oh, and his real name is Winthrop.