Leadership

Staff

A middle-aged man with light brown hair and blue eyes, smiling and wearing a blue suit jacket and light blue shirt, standing outdoors with green foliage in the background.

  • Dan comes to us from Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, where he has served since 2001, first as Director of Community Ministries and more recently as Pastor of Missional Engagement. This position has given him experience in leading mission trips and community ministries, supervising staff and volunteers, preaching and worship planning, pastoral care, crisis counseling, and partnering with other organizations to help the local community. Dan has also served as Interim CEO and Executive Director of the Tarrant County (TX) Homeless Coalition; Minister of Christian Social Ministries at Walnut Street Baptist Church (Louisville, KY); Housing Manager of Christian Church Homes of Kentucky; and Director of Programs at Cain Center for the Disabled (Louisville, KY).

    Currently a Doctor of Ministry candidate at Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University, Dan received his Master of Divinity and Master of Social Work degrees at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He also has a Bachelor of Arts from Baylor University.

    In his spare time, Dan is an avid runner (and proud Boston Marathon finisher!). He also enjoys watching baseball, reading, and spending time with his family. Dan and wife Diane have two children, Zane, a graduate student at Texas Christian University, and Lizzy, a junior at Tarleton State University. Rounding out the family are two beloved dogs, Maggie and Sly.

A smiling woman with short brown hair, wearing large blue earrings and a white blouse with black polka dots, standing outdoors with a blurred green background.

  • A native of Morganton, NC, Allison holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies with a concentration in Media Studies from UNC-Chapel Hill, and a Master of Divinity with a concentration in Christian Education from the School of Divinity at Gardner-Webb University.

    In addition to extensive prior work with children and their families, Allison is passionately involved with spiritual growth in the global church. She is a member of the Commission on Transformational Leadership for the Baptist World Alliance, and served on the leadership board for Baptist Women in Ministry of North Carolina. Allison has also taught master’s level coursework in Christian Education and Spiritual Formation with Children as an adjunct professor at Gardner-Webb University.

    In her free time, Allison enjoys dramatic arts, traveling, time in the mountains, a good cup of tea, the Muppets, and dancing.

A smiling man with glasses, a goatee, and a bald head, wearing a blue shirt, standing outdoors with blurred green foliage in the background.

  • David was raised in Huger, SC and has been teaching for nearly two decades in Dorchester School District Two Schools. He currently serves as Director of Choral Activities at Summerville High School, where his choirs have earned numerous awards and performed under his direction at Carnegie Hall. David has taught as Adjunct Professor of Music Education at the College of Charleston, served as Artistic Director and conductor for community choral groups including The Singers of Summerville, The Charleston Gospel Choir and The Charleston Spiritual Ensemble.

    David has served as choral clinician/guest conductor for many elementary, middle, and high school and church choirs throughout the Southeast. Before arriving at Providence in January of 2019, he served several churches and denominations in the Charleston area as Organist/Director of Music, Interim Director of Music, and Director of Children and Youth Choirs.

    David earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education with a major in Voice from Charleston Southern University, the Master of Music degree in Choral and Early Childhood Music Education from Kent State University, and the Doctor of Education degree with a Music Education concentration from University of St. Thomas.

A woman with shoulder-length light brown hair, smiling, outdoors with green foliage in the background.

  • Terri grew up in Montgomery, Alabama and received a Bachelor of Science in Family and Child Development and a Master’s in Elementary Education, both from Auburn University.

    She has taught learning disabled students, fifth grade, third grade, and more. Recently, she has enjoyed leading preschool music, children’s choir, and Sunday School right here at Providence Church! She also enjoyed many special years volunteering at her children’s elementary school working backstage and on sets for its 5th grade productions.

    While teaching elementary school in Atlanta, she and husband Matt crossed paths at church. Now married almost 20 years, they have called Charleston home almost as long. They have two teenage daughters, Maggie and Kate, and two rescue pups, Ollie and Archer.

    Outside of work, Terri enjoys reading, photography, time on the beach, and exploring the world with her family.

Office Administrator RenΓ© Sisson

  • While relatively new in the role as Office Manager at Providence, RenΓ© is not new to Providence. She has been an active member since 2000, teaching children's Sunday school classes as well as serving on various committees within the church.

    RenΓ© is originally from Moncks Corner, SC, and she graduated from Columbia College with a degree in Speech Pathology after which she received a Master Of Social Work degree as well as a certificate in theology from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky. RenΓ© is passionate about missions, and she has had the opportunity to serve in various mission-related roles: summer missionary in Myrtle Beach, US-2 (short term mission assignment) with the Illinois Baptist State Association, Associate Director of Church and Community Ministries for the St. Louis Metro Baptist Association, Church and Community Worker in Tilbury, England. RenΓ© was ordained by Kirkwood Baptist Church, St. Louis, Missouri.

    In addition to serving as the Office Manager, RenΓ© wears multiple other hatsβ€”social worker (part time) with Hospice of Charleston, wife to Tom, mother to Jason (who is now all grown upβ€”but once a mom, always a mom), and human mom to their Southern family cat Abbie Sue. She enjoys family vacations, hiking, and mystery jigsaw puzzles.

Lay Leadership

Providence is a covenant community of committed Christians seeking to live out their faith in meaningful ways in the Charleston area and beyond. Our approach to church leadership is intentionally member-oriented.

Believing that "each member is a minister" we maintain laity-led teams. In addition, we have a Ministry Coordination Council which along with staff sets and implements church priorities and policies.

Ministry Coordination Council

All areas of ministry are represented on the Ministry Coordination Council, which is comprised of Ministry Group Coordinators and presided over by an elected moderator. Each team/group is responsible for budgeting and planning their ministry. Accountable to the Coordination Council and church body at large, each team reports to both parties during scheduled business meetings where input and support are generated for special church-wide issues or ministry opportunities.

2026 Council
Moderator: Tony Southers-Smith
Moderator Elect: Michelle Hiott
Clerk: Marcy Meachum
Treasurer: Scott Roper
Christian Action: Debbie Malone
Congregational Care: Adrienne Thorpe
Operations: Richard Gee
Spiritual Development: Nancy McWhorter
Worship & Music: Scott McBroom

Council Committees
Nominating: Deb Malone
Personnel: Paula Egelson
Preschool: Pat Gerber-Grimm

Christian Action
Missions: Tom Sisson

Congregational Care
Hospitality/Membership: Joey Southers-Smith
Care Groups: René Sisson

Operations
Finance: Denise Martin
Facilities: Glenn Keyes
Communications: Richard Gee

Spiritual Development
Spiritual Development: Nancy McWhorter
Fellowship: Michele Lenhart

Worship & Music
Worship & Music: Lynne Flood