Southwest Conference Staff

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Conference Minister: Rev. Dr. Toni Hawkins
Email - thawkins@uccswc.org

The Rev. Dr. Altonnette D. Hawkins fondly known as Dr. Toni serves as the Conference Minister of the Southwest Conference of the United Church of Christ (UCC), where she provides visionary leadership, pastoral care, and administrative oversight for congregations and clergy across Arizona, New Mexico, and El Paso, Texas. 

A dedicated servant leader, Dr. Toni is guiding the conference through a season of renewal, alignment, and growth. Her leadership framework, known as C.A.R.E.S.—Covenant Relationships, Accountability & Alignment, Resilience & Renewal, Empowerment through Education, Spiritual Formation & Service—shapes the mission and priorities of the Southwest Conference. Through this lens, she works to strengthen congregational vitality, nurture clergy well-being, and expand opportunities for education, empowerment, and service. 
 
Dr. Toni leads a gifted staff team—including Associate Conference Ministers, an Executive Assistant, a Communications Relations Coordinator and multiple volunteer committees—while fostering a spirit of collaboration across the Conference. She has spearheaded key initiatives such as the Congregational Revitalization and Resiliency (CRR) Grant Program, which provides critical funding and support for churches engaging in innovative ministries, and the Historical Legacy Preservation Project, ensuring the stories and records of SWC congregations are digitized and preserved for future generations. 
 
Ordained in the United Church of Christ, Dr. Toni brings extensive pastoral, entrepreneurial, and teaching experience to her role. She has taught at seminaries and pastored congregations in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ. She is also a published author, certified pastoral counselor and coach, and founder of ministries and programs that focus on self-care, leadership development, and faith-based empowerment. Her work reflects a deep commitment to building inclusive, resilient communities where the Spirit’s call to justice, renewal, and service can flourish. 
 
Rooted in her belief that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13), Dr. Toni believes that effective ministry and leadership require faithful discernment and openness to spiritual direction—because God is still speaking. She is passionate about equipping the church for sustainable ministry today and for generations to come. Her favorite saying, which continues to inspire her ministry and vision, is: “The best is yet to come.” 




Rev. Dr. Derrick Elliott – ACM for Authorization, Accountability, and Discernment

Email: DElliott@uccswc.org

The Rev. Dr. Derrick Elliott serves the Southwest Conference of the United Church of Christ as Associate Conference Minister for Authorization, Accountability, and Discernment. He supports the authorization process of clergy, ministry leaders, and mentors within accountability, guiding them through their discerning process in exploring one's call to the ministry.

With a profound passion for building future church leaders, Rev. Dr. Derrick Elliott has served on the Committee on Ministry within the Southwest Conference, mentoring numerous members in discernment, ordained clergy, and chaplains in the Air Force and various chaplaincy settings. As the pastor of two congregations—Desert Heritage Church in Mesa, AZ, and Sun Lakes United Church of Christ in Sun Lakes, AZ—he brings leadership and vision to these communities.

Initially raised Baptist, Rev. Dr. Derrick Elliott found inspiration in the United Church of Christ through its "God is Still Speaking" campaign, which led him to pursue ordination as a UCC minister in 2016. His ministry deals with justice, inclusivity, and community-building, focusing on spiritual leadership for these most diverse and changing times.

Before ordination, the Rev. Dr. Elliott was an enlisted administrative assistant and military intelligence officer for twelve years in the Louisiana National Guard, as well as, retiring afterward from active service as a chaplain with the Air Force Reserve with the rank of Captain, serving at Peterson Space Force Base. His diversified professional experiences include working as an elementary school teacher, Community Outreach Specialist for Homeless Veterans, Correctional Chaplain, Hospital Chaplain, and Youth Worship Leader.

Reverend Dr. Elliott received his Doctor of Ministry from the Wesley Theological Seminary, a Master of Divinity from the United Theological Seminary, a Master of Education, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. He also completed four Clinical Pastoral Education units, further enhancing his pastoral practice and ministry leadership.

Beyond his work as a pastor in local churches, Rev. Dr. Elliott has worked on the denominational level of the United Church of Christ as a member of several boards to shape and complete the wider mission and vision of the United Church of Christ. He continues his involvement and passion for global justice and partnership through Global Ministries-a common witness of the Disciples' Division of Overseas Ministries (DOM) and the UCC's Wider Church Ministries (WCM)-where he has maintained active participation in cross-cultural ministry and cooperation.

Rev. Dr. Elliott enjoys gardening, cycling, swimming, and running. So far, he has completed five sprint triathlons. He has been married for almost twenty years and values family and friends dearly as he nurtures relationships that continue to bless him in and out of the ministry.

 

Rev. Dr. Gloria Smith - ACM for Search, Call, and Congregational Transitions

Email: GSmith@uccswc.org

The Reverend Doctor Gloria Smith comes to her new Southwest Conference leadership position with a wealth of experience, a varied education and a deep faith. Raised in Indiana, Gloria holds a Ph.D. in Organization and Management from Capella University, an M.B.A. from the University of Indianapolis, M.Div. from Christian Theological Seminary as well as a Master of Arts in Religion. Gloria describes herself as a perpetual student, constantly seeking new knowledge.

Dr. Gloria also brings a rich work history having served as Senior Minister at Encanto Community Church, adjunct faculty in business for Northern Arizona University and Scottsdale Community College, interim Minister at Desert Surprise UCC in Arizona and Evangelical United Church of Christ and Pleasant Valley UCC in Indiana as well as consulting with several UCC churches in SWC. She was founder and president of Revitalizing Human Potential, Inc that provided alcohol and drug education for numerous Indiana County Court Systems and provided consulting to business. She has also served as a Supervisor/Counselor for the Marion County Court System. She was grandfathered in as a Master Addiction Counselor through National Association of Alcohol and Drug Counselors. Dr. Gloria was awarded the Religious Award from the NAACP of Maricopa County.

Dr. Gloria states that her call to the ministry came in her late teens and that it was unexpected but without uncertainty. She views her bi-vocational skills in both business and theology to be an attribute in her ministry.

Dr. Gloria is a strong leader who has a passion for justice. She has been exposed to prejudice against women, gay people and people of Native American heritage. She has transformed these experiences into a commitment to creating spaces and policies that reflect the radical inclusion and hospitality of the United Church of Christ.

Dr. Gloria is a deeply committed animal lover, and animals are weekly congregants in her church. Gloria and her spouse, Debbye, live on a horse ranch and share their property with a community of cats while waiting to provide a loving home for a dog in the near future.

 

Executive Assistant: Shandrika McDowell
Email: ea@uccswc.org

Shandrika McDowell is a serial entrepreneur juggling multiple roles with finesse. From being a business owner, motivational speaker, author, contributing writer, executive assistant, and a survivor of domestic violence and sexual assault, Shandrika is a devoted mother and grandmother committed to breaking generational curses.

Shandrika's business, Earrings and Last Minute Thingz, offers a unique range of accessories for women, men, and children. She also owns Pushing Positivity LLC.

Featured on the cover of Next Generation Speakers 2023, Shandrika has been acknowledged in Empowered Magazine as one of the top 50 rising women as well. Despite enduring significant challenges, such as surviving preeclampsia 14 years ago, she has demonstrated immense strength and courage, proclaiming that she is more than a conqueror.

Currently, Shandrika is the featured columnist and a contributing writer for IWinGlobal Magazine. Her recent accomplishment includes becoming a #1 best-selling international author for her chapter, "The Cries and Misunderstandings of a Motherless Child," featured in the empowering book Leaders with Impact: Empowering Women to Succeed.

 

Relational Communications Coordinator: Wende Gonzales
Email: wgonzales@uccswc.org

Wende manages the SWC website, weekly Loop newsletter, Facebook page and Instagram account, the SWC Blog, registrations for Conference events, database maintenance, edits and produces the Joy on the Journey podcast, and she collects the annual church report data for the UCC Yearbook.

Telecommuting from Tucson, Wende has helped spiritual communities with their online presence and communication since 2013 with her agency Social Grace Media LLC, after 21 years as an accountant & office manager.

She’s active at Saguaro Christian Church (DOC) as a member of the worship team, band vocalist, and assists with tech and communication. She has an obsolete degree in systems analysis & design, and perpetually continues her education in the ever-changing world of online marketing. She has served the Arizona region of the DOC as a youth leader and song leader.

Wende and her husband Tony have two grown and married children, two indoor kitties, plus two backyard feral cats. Wende is also her 90-year old mom’s caregiver. She began contracting with the SWC in 2015, and joined the staff in 2017.

 

On-call Office Support: Rev. Dr. Myra Taylor  myramac901@gmail.com

 

Finance Office: Dean Van Gorp

Email Dean Van Gorp financeoffice@uccswc.org

Dean works for Your Part-Time Controller, the organization that handles the conference's finance office duties. Dean is the person who replies to emails and phone calls to the finance office.

 

Authorized Ministers for the Southwest Conference setting

 
 

Commissioned Minister for Reimagining and Connecting with the God of One's Own Understanding: Gordon Street

Email Gordon at gpstreet3@me.com

Gordon Street is a minister commissioned by the Southwest Conference who focuses on helping people find their own spiritual connections with God of their understanding. Gordon’s years of recovery since 1988 and working with others gives him special insight into the common struggle (in and out of recovery) of finding a genuine experience with God, which is the essence of spirituality. Gordon likes to say his ministry is a gift from the recovery community back to the wider church. Currently, Gordon is offering churches in the Southwest Conference his services for a guest sermon, group discussions, book studies, a workshop, and one-on-one referrals.