Our Staff
Serving Your Spiritual Journey
Whether you’re seeking guidance, looking to get involved, or have any questions, our staff is here to help! Please take a moment to explore our staff profiles to learn more about each individual and their role in serving our congregation. We are excited to walk alongside you on your spiritual journey and invite you to join us in worship, fellowship, and service.
Our Pastors
Our Staff
de Raye Sisco
Director of Operations & Administration
(she/her)
Kirstin Beck
Communications Manager
(she/her)
Jason Johnson
Facility Manager
(he/him)
Paul Vasile
Interim Director of Music & Organist
(he/him)
Tammi McCoy
Administrative Coordinator
(she/her)
Doug House
Church treasurer
(he/him)
Helen Anthony
Assistant Treasurer
(she/her)
Theo Brown
Director of McClendon Scholar Program
(he/him)
Joe Thierry
AV Production Manager
(he/him)
Andrew Reich
Worship Tech Team
(he/him)
D'Mitre Powell
Worship Tech Team
(he/him)
Haimanot Weldetsadik
Building Staff
(she/her)
David Smoot
Building Staff
(he/him)
Demarco Williams
Building Staff
(he/him)
Raymond Newman
Building Staff
(he/him)
Rev. Dr. Beth Braxton
Parish Associate
(she/her)
Rev. Dr. Dave Milam
Parish Associate
(he/him)
Rev. Ann Davie
Parish Associate
(she/her)
Dr. Stan Engebretson
Director of Music Emeritus
(he/him)
Rev. Dr. Sarah Johnson
Senior Pastor
Sabbath: Friday
Pronouns: She/Her
Sarah has been privileged to serve at New York Avenue since November of 2021. As Senior Pastor and Head of Staff, Sarah leads the staff and works with the church Session to guide the congregation. Her ministry is focused on vision, institutional development, teaching, preaching, administration, and helping people to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ.
A North Carolina native, Sarah came to New York Avenue Presbyterian Church from Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church in Dallas, Texas, where she served as an Associate Pastor and Senior Associate Pastor from 2013 to 2021. Before Preston Hollow, Sarah served as an Associate Pastor at Pinnacle Presbyterian Church in Scottsdale, Arizona, and as a Lilly Pastoral Resident and Minister for Congregational Care at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago.
Sarah received her Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in religion from Fruman University, and her Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. She was awarded Princeton’s John T. Galloway Award in Expository Preaching. In 2019, she completed her Doctor of Ministry Degree from Duke Divinity School.
Reflecting on her call to ministry, Sarah writes, “I know that life is a gift, that relationships are exceedingly important, and that all people are created in the image of God. I believe that the church is called to the long, hard work of justice as a part of God’s reconciling activity, to be a blessing to the neighborhood and city where it resides, and to cherish at its heart the marginalized with whom Jesus spent most of his time. I believe that life is stronger than death, that love rights a multitude of wrongs, and that grace wins in the end.”
In her free time, Sarah enjoys exploring all that life in the DMV has to offer, including sports, fitness, and the outdoors. Sarah lives in the District with her yellow lab, Lilly.
Rev. Rachel Pacheco
Associate Pastor
Sabbath: Friday
Pronouns: She/Her
The Rev. Rachel Pacheco comes to us from Church of the Pilgrims in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, DC. Rachel served there for the past six years as Program Manager, and then Director of The Pilgrimage, an urban poverty seminar center and hostel. The Pilgrimage helped youth, college students, and people of all ages to practice their faith through volunteering, learning, hearing stories, and reflecting on God’s love for every person.
Rachel first considered pastoral ministry as a Presbyterian Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) in Tucson, AZ. She served for two years, first at the Community Food Bank through programs building food security, and then with the Presbyterian Campus Ministry at the University of Arizona. In Tucson, Rachel saw people of faith give up time, comfort, and resources to prevent people from dying in the Sonoran Desert, which showed her a different way to live faithfully.
Rachel grew up in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia and attended Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA as an undergraduate. She moved to DC to attend Wesley Theological Seminary where she explored ecumenism and public theology. She plays flute, piano, and djembe, and enjoys experimenting with color and different art forms.