Synod Staff

Bishop
The Rev. Dr.  Steven L. Ullestad
Pastor Steven Ullestad has served as Bishop of the Northeastern Iowa Synod since 1992.  His ministry priorities include strengthening and supporting rostered persons in their ministries, focusing congregations on mission, deepening spiritual renewal, strengthening youth ministry, increasing awareness of biblical principles of stewardship, and building ministry partnerships.  He has served on the Steering Committee for the ELCA Commission for Women, advisory bishop to the ELCA Church Council, on the Committee for Theological and Ethical Concerns of the Conference of Bishops, as chair of the Region V Steering Committee, chair of the Committee to Create Lutheran/Episcopal Educational Opportunities, chair of the ELCA's Seventh Initiative: Developing Leaders for the Next Century, advisory bishop to the Board of the Division for Church in Society,  a member of the Representative Panel for Restructuring, president of Ecumenical Ministries of Iowa, on the Renewing Worship Liturgical Music Development Panel, and as co-chair of the ELCA/The Disciples of Christ dialogue.  He currently serves on the board of Lutheran Services in Iowa, Wartburg College, Allen Hospital, Allen College, as chairperson of Barnabas Uplift, Face It Together substance abuse prevention coalition, as advisory bishop to Augsburg Fortress Board. and as a member of the ELCA Task Force on Genetics.

Prior to his election as bishop, Pastor Ullestad served as Assistant to the Bishop of the Northeastern Iowa Synod from 1988-1992, and as pastor of St. Timothy Lutheran Church, Hudson, Iowa from 1979-1987.

Bishop Ullestad holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa; a Master of Divinity Degree from Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa; a Master of Sacred Theology Degree from Wartburg Theological Seminary; and Doctor of Divinity honors from Wartburg College and Wartburg Theological Seminary.  His internship was in Guttenberg, Garnavillo and Clayton Center, Iowa, with a Clinical Pastoral Education at Overlook Hospital in Summit, New Jersey. 

Steven is married to Ruth Ullestad who is a music educator.  They are the parents of Erik, Krista, and Kara.  Erik is married to Allison and they have a daughter, Anna and a son, Isaac.  Family activities and music are among his favorite leisure activities.

Assistant to the Bishop
The Rev. Darrel W. Gerrietts
Pastor Gerrietts' responsibilities include:  representing the bishop in the call process and related duties; working with the Board of Leadership in Ministry and related committees and work groups including Candidacy, Colleague Ministry Team, Compensation, First Call Theological Education, S.A.F.E. Ministry Team; outreach; and partnership with institutions of the synod and the ELCA.

Pastor Gerrietts has been a parish pastor at Redeemer, Washburn, St. Paul's, Rockwell City, and Grace, Tripoli.  He has been a chaplain of a women's reformatory, Prairie Grace Conference Dean, and in 1995 was named Friend of Rural Ministry by the Center for Theology and Land.  He is a graduate of Wartburg College (1965), Waverly, Iowa, and Wartburg Theological Seminary (1969), Dubuque, Iowa.

Assistant to the Bishop
The Rev. Nancy J. Larson
Pastor Larson's responsibilities include:  representing the bishop in the call process and related duties; working with the Board of Ministry in Mission and related work groups including World Hunger, Rural Life, Global Mission, Care of Creation, and Home Life; and stewardship, education, and mission interpretation.

Pastor Larson has served as a parish pastor at First, Alexandria and Faith, Coon Rapids both in Minnesota.  She served as an intentional interim pastor at First, Little Falls; Lac Qui Parle, Dawson; First, Morris, Vining, Nidaros, Folden and Leaf Mountain, Vining; Grace, Brandon; Central and Tonseth, Pelican Rapids, Faith, Eagle Bend; Trinity, Detroit Lakes; Christ the King, Moorhead; all in Minnesota.  Pastor Larson has also served as an interim chaplain for Bethany Homes, Alexandria, Minnesota.  Prior to her call to join the Northeastern Iowa Synod staff Pastor Larson served as assistant to the bishop of the Northwestern Minnesota Synod.  She has served as secretary/treasurer of the Association of Lutheran Interim Pastors of Region Three and as secretary of the National Association of Lutheran Interim Pastors.  She is a graduate of Texas Lutheran University, Seguin, Texas and Luther Theological Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Assistant to the Bishop
Linda J. Hudgins
Ms. Hudgins' primary responsibilities include:  oversight of the synod budget, call process, office management, support staff supervisor, assembly manager, communications, congregational constitutional reviews, and endowment.

She is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa with a Bachelor of Arts degree, College of Business Administration, Management:  Personnel/Human Resources.  She is a member of the Eastern Iowa Church Chapter of the National Association of Church Business Administration (NACBA), the newly formed Lutheran Church Business Administration Association (LCBAA), and NACBA.  Prior to coming to the synod office she served as Director of Volunteer Services at Allen Hospital, Waterloo, Iowa, and Coordinator of Volunteer Services, Covenant Medical Center, Waterloo, Iowa.

Assistant to the Bishop
The Rev. Mark A. Anderson
Pastor Anderson's specific areas of responsibility include:  Barnabas Uplift,  evangelism, youth ministry (including working with the synod's Lutheran Youth Organization), men’s ministry, and the Conferences for Cooperative Ministry.  He welcomes the opportunity to visit congregations to provide support and share ideas.  He serves on the churchwide Board of Lutheran Men in Mission as well as a trustee for the Waverly Public Library.  Before joining the Synod staff, Pastor Anderson has served as a parish pastor at St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Charles City, IA and Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in La Crescent, MN.

Anderson has been trained in mediation at the Iowa Mediation Service (2006) and is a graduate of The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago ('89)and Luther College, Decorah, IA (Sociology/Religion '85).  His internship was served at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, ELCA in Baraboo, WI and his CPE alternative was a Public Ministry Experience served at Chicago Uptown Ministries, a street mission on the north side of Chicago.

Mark is married to Beverly, an elementary teacher, and their daughter is a high school student.  His hobbies include both golf and geocaching.

Synod Support Staff
Receptionist-Secretary
Charleen M. Bolte
Charleen welcomes and greets people who come into or telephone the synod office, provides secretarial support for synod ministries related to Youth, Men, Outreach, and Synod Assembly.

Secretary
Deb S. Burns
Deb provides secretarial support for synod ministries related to the Executive Committee, Synod Council, Post-Assembly Report & Handbook, and Mission Support Communications.

Secretary
Linda Sue Hamilton
Linda Sue provides secretarial support for synod ministries related to the Roster, Call Process, Board of Leadership in Ministry, and Board of Ministry in Mission.

Bookkeeper
Karol A. Simmer
Karol's responsibilities include maintaining the synod's financial books, recording benevolence, payroll, registration for synod assembly, and documentation of congregation annual statistical reports.

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