People. Passion. Purpose.
Sanibel Congregational United Church of Christ is blessed to have a ministry staff, support staff,
and numerous volunteers who all help us fulfill our mission.
Meet our team of passionate, purposeful staff members, as well as our missionaries serving abroad.
Rev. Dr. Mark Boyea, Senior Minister at SCUCC, has served over the past 18 years as the Senior Minister of First Congregational Church UCC in Westfield, NJ, and Lead Minister of First Parish Church, Congregational UCC in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA. Before that, he was Assistant Minister for Congregational Care at Union Congregational Church UCC in Montclair, NJ.
Over a 20-year career prior to entering the ministry, Dr. Boyea has served over a as a coach, athletics administrator, faculty member, counselor, and sport psychologist at the university, college, and private school levels at institutions such as The University of Maryland, George Mason University (VA), Daniel Webster College (NH), and Thomas College (ME).
At both First Congregational and First Parish, Dr. Boyea lead the development of a comprehensive Spiritual Exploration and Growth program, involving weekly Bible Study, 6-8 short-term courses each year in topics pertaining to Biblical Studies, Spirituality, Church History and Current Events; regular Prayer and Meditation sessions; Documentary Film discussions; Museum, Theater and Monastery trips; and forums and guest speakers on topics such as Islam, Judaism, and the Environment.
During his time with First Congregational, membership returned to its previous count following a congregational crisis preceding his arrival; new spiritual opportunities were created, such as a “First Saturday” alternative Worship experience and monthly Meditation sessions; and several new avenues for service outside the church were instituted. At First Parish, Dr. Boyea led the congregation through Covid restrictions, helping to keep the community connected and spiritually vibrant by working with lay leaders to get virtual and “hybrid” Worship, Bible Study, Spiritual Exploration and Prayer and Meditation opportunities available immediately.
Dr. Boyea, who hopes that you will simply call him “Mark”, has been married for 38 years to his best friend and full partner, Cindy, a partner in a commercial property management assessment and consulting firm. They are the parents of Ryan, a building engineer in New York City who lives in suburban New Jersey with wife Danielle, a lab supervisor at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NYC, and daughter Kelsey, who lives in Warwick, RI and serves as a Claims Advocate Paralegal specializing in Veterans’ Advocacy at the Providence law firm of Chisholm, Chisholm and Kilpatrick.
Cindy and Mark make their home in Cape Coral.
Terri Czeczotka
Finance Manager
Tammy Flatley
Church Administrator
Mackenzie Albert
Music Director
Mackenzie Albert is a professional opera and orchestra conductor who recently moved to Florida from the New York City tri-state area. Her goal in moving south is to adopt children from the foster care system. She is very happy to be a new part of the staff at Sanibel Congregational UCC, and is working to rebuild the choir and the church music program. For information on the music program, opportunities for youth, and choir participation, please call 239-472-0497 or email.
Frank Palaia, Moderator
Norm Boyd,
Vice Moderator
Dr. Ran Niehoff
Pastor Emeritus
Retired in 2008 after 41 years of Pastoral Ministry Ran had served for 17 years as Senior Minister of SCUCC. Philosophical/Theological training and numerous sabbatical studies overseas encouraged ongoing and warm dialogue in ecumenical settings, Jewish-Christian origins, and the convergence of science and spirituality. He writes a regular column for the magazines published by “Times of the Islands, Inc.” (toti.com) and has taught classes in the local BIG ARTS Winter Academy on subjects such as the history and psychology of religion, the physics and metaphysics of consciousness, the dangers of fundamentalist attitudes on both the left and the right, the skillful handling of death and dying, the Perennial Philosophy, and the science and philosophy of psychic phenomena.
Dr. John H. Danner
Pastor Emeritus
John H Danner was raised in New England and is a second-generation pastor. He has served churches in Maine, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and retired in 2022 after serving as Senior Pastor at SCUCC for twelve years. He is a graduate of Bradford College, the University of Maine, Bangor Theological Seminary, and has a PhD in Religious Studies from Boston University. He completed a two-year residency in pastoral psychotherapy at the Onondaga Pastoral Counseling Center in Syracuse, New York, and a two-year residency at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation. In retirement John has a small spiritual direction practice. He also posts his A Poem and a Prayer meditations on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
John has long been involved in various community and social action projects including work in the domestic violence field, serving as founding president of a hospice in upstate New York and serving on boards of organizations working with unhoused person and families, and disaster relief efforts. Throughout his career he has been involved in interfaith work. He has written and produced numerous dramatic monologues and one-act plays, as well as children’s musicals. And directed and appeared in a variety of community theater productions.
John has published several articles and devotional/liturgical pieces and is the author of a collection of short stories, Angels Dancing on the Roof: Stories for the Season.
John now lives in Greensboro, NC, with his wife Linda Bradbury-Danner where they are actively involved in New Garden Friends Meeting. They raised three children and have a number of grandchildren. He enjoys reading, cycling, yoga, singing, theater and movies and is an active member of the Rotary Club of Clemmons.
Linda Convertine RN, BSN
Parish Nurse
Originally from a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. I met my husband, who is from Massapequa, New York, when we both moved to Cincinnati during our high school years. We have been married for 44 years. I always start my day with the reading the Bible and prayer. I try to exercise daily, which I both love and hate. I like to bike and hike, sew, watch movies, meet with friends, and travel to see my kids. I have worked as a nurse for Lee Memorial Health System at Health Park Medical Center for the last 16 years on a medical/surgical/telemetry unit. The last 6 years I was the Nurse Manager of the unit. I am experienced with a wide variety of medical and surgical diagnoses as well as cardiac disease. I believe the future of healthcare is in focusing on wellness and trying to keep people out of the hospitals. To that end, I have been studying the many aspects of wellness and how to help inspire people to pinpoint and achieve their wellness goals.
Renée Rawe
IT/AV Director
Renée, a native of Florida, is a resident of Cape Coral. She moved to SW Florida after living in Ft. Lauderdale for 45 years. She is a retired computer science college instructor who now loves to work in the technology field and share her experience, strength and hope with her team.
Kirsten Smith
IT/AV Tech Assistant
Honorably Discharged Veteran of the U.S. Army. Graduated with honors from the Electronic Technology International (ETI) Program at Cape Coral Technical College in 2025, earning industry-recognized certification. Currently enrolled in Network Systems Administration, holding CompTIA Tech+, A+, Network+, and Security+ certifications, with Server+ and Cloud+ in progress prior to graduation in May 2026.
Her planned academic progression includes enrollment at Florida SouthWestern College (FSW) in Fall 2026 to pursue the Audio Technology College Credit Certificate (CCC), followed by the Stage Technology CCC in Spring 2027, with the long-term goal of completing an Associate’s Degree. Kirsten brings a unique blend of military discipline, technical expertise, and creative technical production skills,
well-suited for roles in IT, AV, live production, and technical operations
Maggie Voll
AV Tech Assistant
MISSIONARIES ASSOCIATED WITH SCUCC:
Alex Maldonado-Lizardi & Xiomara Cintron-Garcia in Colombia