Our Staff @ Beacon UU
Dr. Tuli Patel: Lead Ministry Team (Executive Director and Lifespan Ministry Lead)
Dr. Tuli Patel is a member of the Lead Ministry Team alongside our ministers, emilie and Rev Robin. Tuli is our Executive Director as well as the lead for the Lifespan Ministry Team for children and youth. Tuli began her work with the Congregation in 2004 as Director of Religious Education. During her tenure as DRE, she built a robust program for children in grades PreK-8, including a junior youth group. During that time, Beacon was honored as a Breakthrough Congregation by the UUA. In early 2014, the Board of Trustees asked Tuli to take on executive functions of the church in a new role as Executive Director. She currently leads our faith formation programs for children and youth and also manages Beacon’s finances. In 2023-24, Dr. Tuli will be celebrating twenty years at Beacon.
Please note: Dr. Tuli’s days off are Fridays and Saturdays.
Contact Info: tuli@summitbeacon.org. Zoom phone: (908) 219-9785.
Rev. Dr. Robin Tanner: Lead Ministry Team (Minister)
Rev. Dr. Robin Tanner is a member of the Lead Ministry Team, alongside Dr. Tuli Patel. Robin was called to Beacon after a year-long search on May 22, 2016. She previously served as Lead Minister of the Piedmont UU Church located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Robin has a Master’s of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School, a PhD from the Pacific School of Religion and is an ordained Unitarian Universalist Minister. She believes in leading social change through spiritual transformation.
Please note: Rev. Robin’s day off is Fridays.
Contact Info: robin@summitbeacon.org. Zoom phone: (908) 219-9959.
Misa Iwama: Director of Music Ministries
Misa Iwama joined the team at Beacon in 2019 as our Director of Music Ministries. She is a singer, teacher, conductor, arranger and pianist who performs a repertoire ranging from classical, musical theater and folk to liturgical and world music. Misa has performed on opera and concert stages throughout the United States and appeared on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning revival of The King & I. Her orchestral engagements include the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center, the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood, and the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. She is the Assistant Music Director of Central Synagogue in New York City and serves as the Artistic Director of the concert series Afternoon Music.
Contact Info: misa@summitbeacon.org. Zoom phone: (908) 219-9540.
Jamaine Cripe: Lifespan Ministry Team for children and junior youth (6th-8th grades)
Jamaine Cripe works closely with Dr. Tuli Patel in Lifespan Ministry Team. She’s been a member of Beacon’s religious education community since 2007 and is a UUA Credentialed Religious Educator. A former assistant director for film and television she was raised as a military brat “from everywhere & nowhere." Jamaine considers Maplewood home, a place she shares with her husband, Rick, and their horribly spoiled “fur babies” Fiona, Shivers, Peanut, Axel & Bolt. Jamaine holds a Bachelor of Arts in Film Production from the University of Central Florida (GO KNIGHTS!) and a MBA in Media Management from the Metropolitan College of New York (unfortunately, they don’t have a football team).
Please note: Jamaine’s days off are Mondays and Saturdays.
Contact Info: jamaine@summitbeacon.org. Zoom phone: (908) 219-9472
Dana Moore: Youth Coordinator
When not nurturing her two beautiful children, Dana is fully committed to being a social justice warrior through her ministry work with youth and young adults. She has been a Unitarian Universalist since 2014 and worked as Sr. Youth Coordinator at the UU Congregation at Montclair where she continues to be a member. Dana has operated her virtual business in operational services and technology, as well as therapeutic and spiritual studies for over 10 years. Through a unique combination of teaching Personal Energy Management Practices (PEMP) and providing traditional strategic planning services and operational oversight, Dana helps leaders achieve greater clarity in pursuit of their goals, and the confidence to "GO FOR IT!"
In addition to her work at Beacon, Dana will be serving as the ministerial intern for the Shelter Rock UU Congregation in Manhasset, NY for 2023-24 as a part of her study to become a UU minister.
Contact Info: beaconyouth@summitbeacon.org. Zoom phone: (908) 219-9471.
Pablo Vazquez: Intern Minister
Pablo was born in the Republic of Panama and is now living in Austin, Texas. He is finishing up his Masters of Divinity at Starr King School for the Ministry in his path to the UU ministry.
Contact Info: pablo@summitbeacon.org. Zoom phone: (908) 219-9607.
Chris Budin: Membership Coordinator
In collaboration with national and local LGBTQIA+ organizations in the fight for LGBTQIA+ justice and equality, Chris has lead community workshops on anti-bullying, suicide prevention, workplace safety, mental health, disability justice, racial, religious & cultural competency awareness, utilizing moments of social and cultural change as educational opportunities. Chris is on the 501c3 Board at Garden State Equality and UU FaithAction NJ. Currently pursuing a Masters of Divinity at Meadville Lombard Theological School and is grateful to live a life of service, community building, and social justice advocacy.
Contact Info: chris@summitbeacon.org. Zoom phone: (908) 219-9464
Irina Polonsky: Finance Manager
Irina (she/her) works with Dr. Tuli Patel to keep our accounts reconciled and balanced. She comes with strong experience in congregational life accounting.
Contact Info: accounting@summitbeacon.org.
Dennis Stellita: Facilities Manager
Dennis Stellita (he/him) joined the staff team at Beacon in fall 2022 as facilities manager. Dennis comes to us with decades of experience in construction. He attended the University of Maine and went to State County for certification in electrical wiring, as well as air conditioning and refrigeration certifications. Dennis is married and lives in Mendham with his wife, four dogs, and a cat. He has two daughters and a son and two grandchildren.
Please note: Dennis works Mondays through Fridays.
To request a room or to rent our facility, please use our Facility Request form. Requests via email cannot be accommodated as we have multiple team members working on our facilities requests.
To report a maintenance issue, please use our Maintenance Request form. Requests via email cannot be accommodated as we have multiple team members working on the maintenance of our buildings.
Contact Info: facilities@summitbeacon.org. Zoom phone: (908) 219-9528.
Lesli Almendares: House Keeper
Lesli Almendares has been working at Beacon for over 10 years. She is a native of Honduras, her husband is a minister at a Church of God congregation, and they have four children.