We hope you will join us and enjoy getting to know the amazing people of the River! To get started, you are invited to learn a bit about our pastor, staff, and church board.
ALISON NOLL | lead Pastor
Alison grew up in Southern California and graduated from Pomona College with a BA in Politics and Dance. Her love of reading led her to relocate to New York City and to begin working in book publishing. Realizing that she wanted to work directly with people, Alison enrolled in a dual-degree program at Union Theological Seminary and the Columbia School of Social Work. Alison graduated with her MDiv and MSW and is a Licensed Master Social Worker in the state of New York. Alison is grateful to have been part of the River community for over 12 years and a member of the staff team for 9 years. Alison lives with her husband in Queens.
Contact: [email protected]
Contact: [email protected]
AmeLia Cunard | RiverKids Director
Amelia couldn’t have imagined that her Architecture and Design degrees from the University of Nottingham (UK) and Parson School of Design (NYC) would eventually lead her to designing the children’s program at The River. However along the way she discovered that her training and experience inspire her to combine critical thinking and creativity in her lessons. She finds walking with children as they seek to walk with God to be an honor and joy. Amelia grew up in Indonesia, moved to Singapore and the UK, before eventually settling in Queens. She now lives with her two children and their dog.
Contact: [email protected]
Contact: [email protected]
Kevin Chin | Operations Specialist
Kevin oversees a myriad of important details that make the River run! He is a native New Yorker whose curious nature spurred him to a Ph.D. in Basic Medical Science. Before joining the River staff, he started a small business enterprise that imports coffee from farmers in Guatemala for the HOPE Bible Mission. He and his wife live in Manhattan with their two children. In his spare time you may find him getting his caffeine buzz at various espresso bars around the city.
Contact: [email protected]
Contact: [email protected]
Maddie Abbott | Ministry Assistant
Maddie grew up watching her mom transition from the corporate world to ordained ministry. She never thought she'd do the same! After graduating from Dartmouth, Maddie embarked on a winding career path through Hollywood, middle school math classrooms, political campaigns, and multiple tech companies. Her journey sparked a number of spiritual questions that eventually led her to the River. She's now pursuing an MDiv at Princeton Theological Seminary and writes about the intersection of faith, politics, and corporate culture.
Contact: [email protected]
Contact: [email protected]
NARA LEE | Worship Team Leader
Nara grew up in Los Angeles, moved to the East Coast in 2011, and has been part of the River since 2015. Nara graduated from Syracuse University with a BA in Information Technology and Management and went on to pursue an MS at the Columbia University School of Professional Studies. During her spare time, Nara enjoys exploring new music, running, and giving extra love and attention to her Shiba Inu. Nara lives in Jersey City with her husband Erik.
Contact: [email protected]
Contact: [email protected]
Caroline Park | Pastor emeritus
Caroline Park was born in New York City and raised in South Korea. She is a founding member of the River and served as one of the pastors until 2020. As one of her main responsibilities, Caroline created and led the River's children and youth programs with a vision to raise young people who are connected to God, themselves, and others. She is currently pursuing her PhD degree in the Hebrew Bible at Union Theological Seminary. Caroline and her husband Charles have three children and live in Battery Park City.
Charles Park | Pastor Emeritus
Charles emigrated to the U.S. from Korea at age 14. He later went on to receive degrees in Computer Science and Economics at Stanford, and a Ph.D. in Economics at M.I.T. After striving hard to achieve the American Dream, he found getting tangled up with the story of God much more interesting and unpredictable! He's been involved in ministry for over 20 years, including helping plant the Reservoir Church in Greater Boston. He and his wife Caroline moved to Manhattan in June 2004 to start the River. They live in Battery Park City and have three children.
The River Board
The current River board members are Peter Eavis, Anthony Mariani, Molly McGregor, Alison Noll, Emily Noto, Munib Raad, and Neysa Yoon-Cho. Click here for more information about the board.
Contact: [email protected]
Contact: [email protected]