Rev. Dr. Samantha Wilson
Interim Minister
Rev. Dr. Sam, a lifelong Unitarian Universalist, will serve as Interim Minister of MVUU until July 2022. She comes from California and brings with her a passion for restorative justice and antiracist community organizing wherever she goes. Her ministry includes restorative justice and conflict engagement work inside prisons, community organizations, and churches, and she currently serves on the Pacific Western Region’s Healthy Congregations Team. She lives in Tucson with her partner, Andrew, and their daughter, Joy. She experiences MVUU as a generous and caring community of people who are willing to keep learning together.
Erin Chadwell
Congregational Administrator
Raised in Tucson, Arizona, Erin attended the University of Arizona and has a dual Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Marketing and Management. She started with Mountain Vista in early 2018, transitioning from the corporate world after twelve years. Erin lives in Tucson with her family and many furbabies, enjoying every part of nature, including the outdoors, beautiful skies and mountains. She also pursues music and the arts in her pastime. She is passionate about community, raising awareness and providing strong support for the congregation and the amazing outreach we extend to those around us.
administrator@mvuu.org | (520)-579-7094
Rev. Christiane Heyde
Affiliated Community Minister
Rev. Christiane was born and raised in Germany. She moved from Berlin at age 19, first to Southern California to complete her degrees in Ministry and Counseling, and then to Tucson. She and her wife Melva have raised 3 children and are now semi-retired. After serving 2 UU congregations and working as a hospice chaplain, Christiane now focuses her energy on CPE supervision, Clinical Pastoral Education, as well as being an artist.
Shekela Wanyama
Music Director
Shekela is a passionate choral music educator and conductor. She began serving MVUU as Music Director while studying choral conducting at the University of Arizona, and is currently continuing her studies at the University of Minnesota. Shekela taught middle and high school choir for over ten years; has published and presented on the role of choirs in strengthening communities; and has sung in collegiate, civic, and professional choirs for nearly twenty years. Shekela enjoys ice cream, baking, and reading. She is consistently inspired by the creative, joyful, inspiring, curious, and dedicated MVUU congregants, who prove that we can do hard and great things when we work together!
Stacie Sosa-Cisneros
Religious Education Assistant
Stacie has worked with MVUU since 2015 in the Children’s Religious Education/Exploration (RE) program. She has helped shape the curriculum, focusing on bringing fun and education into the classroom. Stacie has a wonderful husband and two children of her own who attend the congregation’’s educational programs with her. She is deeply passionate about teaching tolerance, diversity, and love.
Ricky Tutaan
Audio and Visual Director, Tech and Media Support Staff
Ricky graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor’s of Art degree in music and has lived in Tucson for the majority of his life. For six years, he has served Mountain Vista as our Audio & Visual Director, and more recently assumed responsibilities for Technology & Media Support as well. Ricky enjoys spending time with his family, as well as performing in various musical projects as a singer, songwriter, and musician. Ricky values uplifting the voices of BIPOC, women, and LGBTQ+ folks and being able to connect those voices to the larger community.
Religious Education
Vacant
