Program Advisory Group Focuses on Influence

by Audrey Stanton-Smith

During its Spring meeting, the United Women in Faith Program Advisory Group focused on achieving United Women in Faith’s vision and strategic goals by influencing through storytelling, emphasizing how one voice can have a ripple effect that makes a big difference.

Every U.S. conference is represented in United Women in Faith’s 60-person program advisory group. The group studies issues and makes recommendations to United Women in Faith’s 25-member board of directors, which will meet in April.

The PAG meeting took place March 6-7, via Zoom, and included segments on the upcoming Assembly 2026, leadership in The United Methodist Church, international ministries, National Mission Institutions, general agencies including the General Board of Global Ministries and the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women, Eliminating Institutional Racism, transformation, giving, editorial board, Office of Deaconess and Home Missioner, advisory teams, the 2027 Reading Program book list (which will go to the board of directors for a vote in April), writing workshops, and reports from the president and general secretary.

United Women in Faith General Secretary and CEO Sally Vonner called the meeting’s reports “more than updates.”

“They are signs of cultivating connections, influence, and positioning United Women in Faith for continued growth and legacy building as we have visioned for this quadrennium,” Vonner said. “They build on the inspiration from last year’s PAG meeting of ‘Telling the Story’ for you to live into your influencer role this year. Being influencers is to cultivate connections that help United Women in Faith bear much fruit.”

Vonner compared those connections to being the branches of Jesus’ vine.

“Remember we have a foundation of strong roots and branches—women who endured limitations put on them by the church and society and yet used their influence and connections to start a movement nourished by abiding in the vine, Jesus,” Vonner said, referring to the ripple effect Mary Magdalene started when she told the disciples Jesus was no longer in the tomb.

“Never underestimate Jesus when we, the branches, connect and share our stories to inspire and influence others,” she said.

During the two-day meeting, PAG members discussed documentaries on the issue of racism and participated in hands-on workshops focused on sharing their stories and using public narrative to influence, advocate, and motivate various audiences.

“We all have a story to tell and a light of influence to share with others,” President Jana Jones told the group. “Every voice matters.”

Using Scripture from Hebrews 25:24-25 and Matthew 5:13-16, the PAG began its meeting with a worship message about being salt and light, or “bringing out the God-flavors,” as Deaconess Caitlyn Hansen put it.

Hansen used the analogy of a spark to encourage PAG members to share their stories and influence others.

“We have no idea which little moment will be the critical one, which small action will be the tipping point, which 10 seconds might make all the difference,” she said. “So, we have to keep trying, keep speaking out, keep making connections.”

Hansen said that spreading the vision of peace and justice “can set the whole world ablaze.”

Updates from United Women in Faith staff members indicated the organization’s influence is already beginning to extend its branches outward.

“There is so much good news to tell,” Jones said. “We not only met but exceeded our pledge in 2025. Membership is growing. We are making a difference in the lives of women, children, and youth both here and abroad through scholarships, grants, National Mission Institutions, our missionaries, and so much more.”

Khia Shaw-Wilson, United Women in Faith’s transformation officer, celebrated an increase in the number of stories United Women in Faith members shared in person, through social media and other digital spaces, and even through news media pickups. She also noted that the stories led to two grants recently awarded to support climate justice work.

So, the influence must continue, she said.

“We have the summer Mission u coming up, and we are in need of influencers,” she said, calling on the PAG to attend and encourage their congregations to attend Mission u events and participate in Soul Care retreats. “Use the networking spaces to talk it up!”

Dominique Francisco, director of PR and Marketing, said it’s working.

Influencing Media

Francisco, who guided the PAG through a writing workshop designed to help members leverage the news media, reported that key search terms have been refined, and the organization’s Google display impression has increased 5 percent in the last year. Likewise, display clicks have increased 10 percent, and 3,460 new members have signed up solely through digital paid advertisement.

Even without paid efforts, total media mentions have significantly increased, media pickups have doubled, and relationships with members of the national news media have grown within the last year. Francisco noted 60.5 million impressions from one United Women in Faith op-ed piece alone.

“When members speak, the organization becomes human, it becomes relatable, and it truly does become trustworthy with reporters,” she said.

Within the organization, user-friendly improvements to the United Women in Faith website are underway, as are revamps to social media and digital marketing strategy, she said. She also mentioned that “Faith Talks” will be transitioning to a visual podcast format to allow for stronger and more engaged marketing across platforms. And, after Assembly 2026, the United Women in Faith website will contain a new Assembly content hub.

Influencing Membership

Ebony Diaz, director of Membership and Engagement, said this storytelling strategy has helped United Women in Faith Digital surpass 10,000 members as of January 2026, including more than 1,700 members since the Unstoppable growth campaign soft-launched in August.

“That tells us visibility and clarity we’ve been building are working together to supplement and strengthen growth in the field,” Diaz said, encouraging completion of unit surveys for continued growth.

“Nearly 17 percent of our units have 51 or more members. The majority, around 61 percent, have between 11 to 50 members, and 22 percent of our units have 10 members or less,” Diaz said. “This wasn’t just information; it was a call to action. It tells us that small but mighty is real, and that’s why each conference is a vital partner in this movement for growth, and tools like the unit survey are so important, as it helps us to see where we are today and how to grow forward with intention.”

She encouraged every conference to complete unit surveys and set their 2026 overall district and local goals to help United Women in Faith reach 30,000 new women. Large units are asked to invite at least five women. Mid-size units are asked to invite three to four new women. And smaller units are encouraged to invite at least two.

“We believe that this isn’t just about checking boxes or meeting a quota,” Diaz said. “It’s about reigniting purpose, restoring connection. And it begins in your conference with you as an influencing PAG leader.”

She encouraged the PAG to engage on UWFaith Digital and invite friends to join them.

Influencing Advocacy

Elizabeth Chun Hye (Liz) Lee, director for Mobilization and Advocacy, discussed the social justice priorities of climate justice and ending mass incarceration.

“We act by taking meaningful action both locally and nationally, in small and big ways. We lead. We equip current and emerging member leaders with the skills and knowledge needed to drive transformative change. So, we need your action today.”

She invited members to tell Congress to stop the criminalization of communities of color and the torrent of ICE-inflicted violence across the country. (To watch a documentary used by the PAG in its session on Eliminating Institutional Racism, visit videoproject.org/on-the-fenceline.html.)

Lee also encouraged the members to sign petitions related to climate justice, join local and state coalitions, and lead to address climate injustice and expand renewable energy access and climate resiliency in their context.

Influencing Within the UMC

Tara Barnes, director of Denominational Relations, spoke to the PAG about recently passed legislation and encouraged them to run for election within their annual conferences to participate as delegates at General Conference, May 8-18, 2028, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

“Let’s make sure that we get in these decision-making spaces and make our voices heard,” she said.

Influencing Internationally

Connectional Officer Sung-ok Lee briefed the PAG on international ministries.

“We have transitioned to a new way of continuing our international work with two missionaries and two mission liaisons covering three continents—Africa, Asia, and Latin America. They will no longer be called regional missionaries as we are in a new phase of international mission,” she explained.

Influencing Communities

Perhaps most in need of continued storytelling about the work they do are United Women in Faith’s National Mission Institutions. Jessica Tulloch and David Price, executives for National Ministries, talked about further cuts to programs such as SNAP and Medicare.

“All through this period, National Mission Institutions have shown resolve, ingenuity, courage, and finding ways to continue their vital programs,” Price said.

“And the United Women in Faith National Office, with its members, has rallied to their support,” Tulloch added.

In 2025, Tulloch and Price found that more than 60 percent of NMIs received some form of federal funding to support afterschool programs for youth, early childhood education, women’s shelters, food pantries, hot meal programs, and more. In addition to funding cuts, new rules require agreement with all executive orders and the executive agenda.

“These changes and new rules and procedures have generated a moral dilemma for NMIs that currently rely on federal funding and must now choose whether to comply with these changes, which go against their organizational mission, or risk losing critical funding necessary to serve the marginalized and oppressed communities,” Tulloch said.

The team reported that United Women in Faith must anticipate increasing need as women and children face more economic uncertainty and fear for their physical safety.

“While NMIs have responded to this crisis admirably, increasing moral and financial support for NMIs and their communities is necessary as myriad vital programs are at risk of collapse,” Price said, explaining that one of the first things United Women in Faith has done is remove restrictions on grant funding it provides to NMIs.

They asked members to do continue sharing NMI stories to gain more support.

“The story of United Women in Faith is a compelling one,” President Jana Jones added, calling on all members of United Women in Faith to join the PAG in raising their voices. “It inspires interest. ‘Who are these women?’ ‘What is this all about?’ And maybe the reader or listener will investigate further and check out our website. Then, they spread the word. It’s like when you read a really good book and you tell all your friends, ‘Hey, I just read this awesome book, and I think you would be interested in it.’ It’s that good. Never underestimate the power a good book has to create change in the world. United Women in Faith holds that kind of power. We hold that kind of power when we raise our voices together.”

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Audrey Stanton-Smith is editor of response.