Board of Trustees
You can contact our board by emailing boardoftrustees@unityofgaithersburg.org.
Monthly board meetings are open to congregants.
Contact the office at admin@unityofgaithersburg.org for more information.
Edith Washington-Woods
Senior Minister
minister@unityofgaithersburg.org
Reverend Edith Washington-Woods is an ordained Unity minister with a Master of Divinity degree. She is also a Licensed Unity Teacher specializing in Adult Education. She is an empowering, motivational and inspirational speaker who loves teaching Unity Truth Principles and drawing from a variety of Spiritual practices. She invites people to use them to transform and live their best lives. With over 30 years of recovery from opiates and alcohol, Rev Edith understands that in order to invite others to do their work, she continues to work on herself. Rev. Edith is passionate about being of service to others in heart-centered ways. The highlight of her work is with interfaith, marginalized people, those in recovery and LGBTQ+ communities. Her strength is in being down-to-earth, open-hearted, open-minded, and someone who loves to shake her butt! She is grateful to her amazing congregation for their compassion, empathy and understanding when the balance between caring for self/family and congregational needs tips to care of self and family, leading to times when the needs of someone in the congregation are not fully met.
Cynthia Epps
President
president@unityofgaithersburg.org
Cynthia Epps has been immersed in the spiritual community of Unity since 1997, where she discovered the beauty of new thought in a Science of Mind book study. Guided by books from Catherine Ponder and Iylana Vanzant, and nurtured by the comforting prayers of Silent Unity, Cynthia's journey led her to the sacred grounds of Unity Village.
In 2010, Cynthia's path took her to North Carolina, where she found a home within Unity Triangle, contributing her talents to the community as a member of the hospitality team, a compassionate prayer chaplain, and a candidate for the Board of Trustees. Her journey eventually brought her back to Maryland, where she continued to serve at Unity of Gaithersburg, embodying roles such as office manager, choir member, and coordinator for Spiritual Enrichment Education (SEE) conferences.
In 2018, Cynthia's spiritual journey reached new heights as she was ordained as a minister by One Spirit Interfaith Seminary in New York City. Today, she shares her wisdom and insight as a guest speaker at Unity and New Thought churches, advocating for the unity of all under the banner of one God with many manifestations.
As the current President of the Board of Trustees at Unity of Gaithersburg, Cynthia supports the minister and congregation while overseeing the day-to-day operations of the board. She envisions Unity of Gaithersburg as a radiant beacon of light for the east coast region, a sanctuary akin to Unity Village where people of all faiths can gather for retreats and events, fostering unity and harmony.
In her leisure time, Cynthia finds solitude in nature's embrace, the magic of cinema, good books, beautiful flowers, and the boundless depths of spirituality.
Pamela Mills
Vice President
Pamela Mills has participated in the Unity of Gaithersburg community for 11 years. In addition to her service as Vice President of The Board of Trustees, her current service is with Prayer teams and as a Platform hostess. Throughout her time with Unity of Gaithersburg, Pamela has volunteered with a large variety of teams and programs. With over 30 years as A Course in Miracles practitioner, she sees all service as Self-service, aligning with its guidance that “He who sent me will direct me.”
Pamela holds two master’s degrees: an MS in Counseling Education and an MA in the Management of Aging Services. Professionally, Pamela Mills is the Associate Director of Care Management for Corewood Care, an aging life care management and home care agency in Bethesda, MD. Her over 25 years of professional experience has included work as a corporate executive, Memory Care Director, adult day program entrepreneur, business owner, and clinical educator. She has written a curriculum for person-centered approaches to supporting people living with Alzheimer's disease or related neurocognitive decline.
Pamela is the author of the book Simply Being: One Year with Spirit and is a columnist for the internationally published A Course in Miracles magazine, The Atonist. In her spare time, she enjoys photography, baking her blue ribbon awarded chocolate cookies, kayaking, and caring for her household of animal companions including backyard chickens and ducks.
Susan Church
Secretary
secretary@unityofgaithersburg.org
Susan has been a member of Unity of Gaithersburg for 4 years. She volunteers on the prayer team, assists with maintenance of the Celebration Garden, serves in the Peace Room, and is an active member of the Caring Cottage Team. Susan participates in classes and book studies whenever possible. She previously served on the Board of a nonprofit homeowners' association, where she held positions as secretary and later as president. Susan holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and a masters in administration, with a focus on community and public health. She currently works as a government contractor in support of a health-related project.
Kevin Flatt
Treasurer
treasurer@unityofgaithersburg.org
Kevin has been a member of Unity of Gaithersburg for over 25 years. Over the years, He and his wife Edie Crane have been active members. His areas of service include youth education, small group leadership, usher greeter team, tool belt ministry and AV team. Kevin holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and is retired after 35 years working in construction and engineering for Verizon.
Gloria Haws
At-Large
Gloria discovered this spiritual community in 2019. Since then, she has volunteered where needed and is a frequent participant in classes and book studies. Currently, she’s serving on the prayer team, greeter/usher team and the counting team. Gloria holds a bachelor’s degree in history from The Catholic University of America, magna cum laude, and an MBA, with honors, from the Jack Welch Management Institute, Strayer University. She was previously on the board of a local non-profit focused on improving adult English literacy in Montgomery County, MD. Professionally, Gloria has worked in operations in government contracting and other professional services firms for 30+ years.
Autumn Williams
At-Large
