Meet Our Staff

Wearing a rainbow-colored stole, bright against her black top, Lead Minister Dr. Amy Rio smiles from the front doors of Piedmont Unitarian Universalist

Rev. Dr. Amy Rio (she/her) // Lead Minister

  • During her 30-year career, Rev. Dr. Amy Rio has served as a full-time minister, an interim minister, and a college chaplain. She received her BA from Greensboro College, MDiv from Duke Divinity School, and her DMin from Wesley Theological Seminary with a focus on spirituality and story. She is a certified spiritual director with the Haden Institute and served as a mentor in that program for four years. In addition to serving as our minister, she provides occasional spirituality classes at 18 Springs Center in Winston Salem, NC.

  • Rev. Dr. Amy strongly believes the foundation of the spiritual journey is seeing the Divine in each and every person, supporting them on their journey, and working towards making the world a more just and compassionate place. Her ministry focuses on love, fully inclusive hospitality, and social justice.

  • Hailing from Asheville, Rev. Dr. Amy has lived in North Carolina her whole life, but enjoys visiting her children and their families in Colorado (Caleb and Sara) and Raleigh (Ava and Will.) She thinks life is too short not to find some joy every day, and among other things enjoys music, writing, and exploring nature.

  • Wearing a dark purple button-down, Congregational Administrator Deb is smiling gently into the camera

    Deb Davelka (she/her)


    Congregational Administrator

    A member of the Association of Unitarian Universalist Administrators, Deb manages the church office. She deeply appreciates communication design, which is an important part of her skillset. Deb loves travel and the new experiences it brings.

  • Wearing a kind smile and bright red flower crown, Administrative Assistant Ali stands in the foreground of a wooded scene

    Ali Allen (she/they)


    Administrative Assistant

    Ali provides vital communications and administrative support for the Piedmont UU Church office. A self-proclaimed nerd, she loves sci-fi, fantasy, cosplay, Ren Faires, and traveling to various summer festivals.

  • Choral Supervisor Anne wears a green and blue patterned dress and smiles broadly next to a piano, her hand resting lightly on its polished surface

    Anne Auger (she/her)


    Pianist and Choral Supervisor

    Anne accompanies services at the University Gathering and works with the choir. Her many accolades include a Master of Musical Performance with a concentration in Collaborative Piano from UNC–Greensboro, where she studied with Dr. James Douglass. When not at Piedmont UU Church, Anne works with professionals and students in the area.

  • Lifespan Religious Education Coordinator Jennifer smiles and stands in the foreground of a wooded scene

    Jennifer Bower (she/her)

    Lifespan Religious Education Coordinator

    As the Lifespan Religious Education (LRE) Coordinator Jennifer fosters a welcoming and inclusive environment that supports spiritual growth across all ages. She develops and coordinates learning opportunities that reflect the congregation’s values of justice, compassion, and lifelong discovery. With a background in psychology, nonprofit leadership, and community work, Jennifer is passionate about creating spaces where children, youth, and families feel grounded, connected, and inspired on their spiritual journeys.

Why we use pronouns in our communications

One of our Unitarian Universalist Shared Values is equity. Every person is inherently worthy and has the right to flourish with dignity, love, and compassion. This includes honoring an individual’s name and pronouns. We include pronouns on name tags and in our communications to make that honoring easier for each other.