Donna Pierce started her new position as Administrative Director of the Melanchthon Institute this August as Pr. Allison Werner Hoenen prepared to leave for Germany.
One of Donna's first goals in her new position is to create a database of information about Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod congregations and pastors. This will be a tool to help her effectively market the Melanchthon Institute opportunities.
Donna categorizes part of her job as the role of a producer. She prepares space, facilitates prior and on-site registration, and travels to the first few classes of the course to introduce the speaker and observe class reaction. She also maintains registration and financial records. In addition she provides administrative support for the Theologian in Residence. For example, she coordinated Prof. Bouman's participation in St. Stephen's Lutheran Church's: "Mission in Ministry" workshop in October, even though this was not sponsored by the Melanchthon Institute. Events such as this become, in effect, additional vehicles for spreading the word about the Melanchthon Institute. Though she is not responsible for program development, she coordinates with Pr. Moore in identifying speakers, who, in turn, drive the schedule of classes that will be offered.
Donna grew up in the United Church of Christ and became a Lutheran when she married Pr. Bill Pierce in 1990. She moved to Houston from St. Louis when Bill accepted a call from Grace Lutheran Church in June 2001. Prior to that time she had worked as Executive Manager of Information Technology for United Van Lines for 18 years. In that capacity she was responsible for the technological infrastructure, data connectivity, corporate LAN, and intra-nation data network of the company.
Donna has 2 grown sons, one in St. Louis and one in Morgantown, West Virginia; and one grandson.