Our Team

Yaupon Place Program Director

This position is currently vacant, and applicants are being reviewed by Union Presbyterian Seminary.

Yaupon Place Advisory Team

  • Lakisha Lockhart

    Rev. Dr. Lakisha R. Lockhart is a mother of two, wife, daughter, sister, former Zumba instructor, Womanist and coolest auntie around. She believes in the power of play, movement, aesthetics, and creative arts in life and in theology, using the body as a locus for theological reflection. She is a consultant, executive secretary for the Religious Education Association, and in her professorial role as Assistant Professor of Christian Education at Union Presbyterian Seminary she is not only a teacher, but a facilitator, rope jumper, game-player, advocate and catalyst for critical consciousness and engagement in educating in faith and actually living into that faith through various spiritual and artistic practices.

  • Sally Johnston

    Dr. Sally Johnston is a graduate of the Presbyterian School of Christian Education (MA 1979; EdD 1994). Her doctoral dissertation theorized the educational implications of eco-theologian Sallie McFague’s Models of God. Rooted in her PSCE background, she has enjoyed a vocation in educational ministry in a variety of settings: campus ministry, church education, university teaching and administration, and theological education. Sally has continued to work alongside Emily since 2019, as an advisor and lead volunteer, for Yaupon Place.

  • Samuel Adams

    Samuel Adams is Professor of Biblical Studies, editor of Interpretation, and Director of Community Engagement at Union Presbyterian Seminary. His scholarly interests include wealth and poverty in the biblical world, wisdom literature, and the Bible and American politics. He is an ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Our Partners

Yaupon Place Founder:

Emily Nyce

Emily Nyce (she/her) founded the vision of Yaupon Place as her capstone internship while pursuing her Master of Divinity at Union Presbyterian Seminary. Upon graduation in 2020, Emily stayed working alongside the seminary for the next three years guiding the landscaping plans, community programming and partnerships, and academic integration of Yaupon Place with a host of many other committed individuals, interns, and NGO partnerships. Yaupon Place was truly born through a grassroots effort of the Spirit, much like Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed - which inspired yaupon place’s name and founding values. Emily’s original eight “eco-meditations” written specifically for engagement with the land of Yaupon Place are available by contacting Emily directly, and the seminary will be happy to put you in touch with her.