Church Staff

Alyssa Saleem, M.Div
Pastor

Office hours: Monday-Thursday 9am-3pm
Contact: by phone at (651) 699-1335 x102 or by email at pastoralyssa@faumc.net

Pastor Alyssa Saleem brings a leadership style rooted in humility, collaboration, and a spirit of learning, guided by her faith. Originally from Lahore, Pakistan, she holds a Master of Divinity from Luther Seminary and has extensive experience in impactful initiatives in Pakistan, including education for marginalized children, disaster relief, and women's empowerment. Her passion for ministry lies in creating inclusive spaces where all can embrace their God-given roles, fostering healing, growth, and justice through preaching, pastoral care, and outreach. She envisions the church as a missional faith community dedicated to compassion, discipleship, and justice, actively sharing the gospel and working for a more just world.  

Pastor Alyssa's appointment to FAUMC began in July 2025, following an internship at Centennial UMC in Roseville. She married her husband, also a Methodist minister, in 2012. More information about Alyssa can be found in her introductory brochure.

Cindy Radtke
Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries

Office hours:  Wednesdays 1pm-4pm, or Sunday-Thursday by appointment
Contact: by phone at (651) 699-1335 x104 or (763) 321-8077, or by email at cindy@faumc.net

Come often; Come as YOU! Cindy’s passion for this ministry is rooted in her critical, uninterrupted faith formation as a youth and young adult. She delights most in lifting up the strengths of all participants, helping them build connections to God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, themselves, each other, the wider faith community, and the world. 

Forever the camp counselor, Cindy is excited to bring together her lifelong church volunteerism, BS in Education (University of NE- Lincoln), MS in Education with a Curriculum emphasis (Western CT State University), Nonprofit and Fundraising Certification (University of St. Thomas), arts training, and continuous faith formation.  Multi-age faith work is woven through her story: from successfully teaching professionally and leading projects for ages 3 years to adulthood to co-founding an LGBTQIAP2S+ Community Youth Group in a past church. You can find Cindy laughing, learning, listening, drinking unsweetened tea, exploring culture and arts, attending baseball games, and spending time with her husband, adult-daughter, family, friends, and her dog!

Michael Ferguson
Director of Music Ministries
Director of Adult Choir

Office hours: Wednesdays 4pm-9pm
Contact: by phone at (651) 699-1335 or by email at music@faumc.net

Mike Ferguson is a church musician, organist, pianist, composer, and teacher.  A St. Paul native, Mike grew up in Robbinsdale.  After studying music at the University of Minnestoa, he moved back St. Paul, and now lives in the Mac-Groveland neighborhood.  He enjoys gardening and riding his bicycle along the river boulevard, as well as reading and cooking.  Mike is looking forward to meeting the congregation and working with the singers and ringers and all who make music at Fairmount joyful!

Elizabeth Neuhauser
Church Administrator
Director of Communications

Office hours:  Monday-Thursday 9am-3pm
Contact: by phone at (651) 699-1335 or by email at admin@faumc.net

Ashton Pappas
Director of Children's Ministries

Office hours: Wednesdays 3pm-8pm
Contact: by phone at (651) 699-1335 x104, or by email at ashton@faumc.net

Ashton began attending Fairmount Avenue UMC in 2015 as a student at Macalester College. Upon graduating in 2019 with a degree in Educational Studies with a concentration on Youth Development, she joined the church staff as the Director of Children’s Ministries. Ashton has experience tutoring and teaching English and literacy skills to both children and adults, but her true love is learning and growing in her faith alongside the youngest members of the church. She believes in play, creativity, and asking big questions—often all three at the same time!

Outside of church, you can find Ashton with a book, a knitting project, or out on a hike hugging a tree.

Mindy Way-Johnson
Director of Heritage Ringers

Office hours: Wednesdays 3pm-8pm
Contact: by email at mwayjay@hotmail.com

Mindy Way-Johnson first experienced handbells in Jr. High. “Our new pastor brought a set of handbells with him! Since then, I have been involved as a ringer or director almost continuously. I love the sound of handbells and the music they create. But I love even more the relationships that develop in bell choirs. I have been a church musician most of my life; directing singing and bell choirs and playing piano and organ. I received a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Northern State University in Aberdeen, SD and a Master of Sacred Music from Luther Seminary in St. Paul. I recently retired from a career teaching Elementary Music in the Roseville District. My husband, Terry, is also retired from a career as a guidance counselor at Roseville Area High School. We live in White Bear Lake and have 3 children. Drew and his wife, Danielle, live in St Paul. Sam and his wife, Naomi, live in Minneapolis. Emmalee and her husband, Bryan, live in Seoul, South Korea where she is an Orchestra teacher in an international high school. I feel very fortunate to be working with the bell choirs at FAUMC. I have never encountered a more friendly and supportive congregation.”

Muriel S. Olson, RN, BSN
Parish Nurse

Office hours: by appointment only
Contact: by email at murielsolson@hotmail.com

Muriel received her diploma in nursing from Ancker Hospital School of Nursing, St. Paul and BS in Public Health from the University of Minnesota. She completed the Parish Nurse Program provided by Concordia College, Moorhead. Muriel worked at Ancker Hospital, St. Luke’s Hospital, Health One Home Care and lastly for St. Paul Ramsey County Public Health. First, part time providing long hours of care to people in their homes. She then worked on the full time staff providing services for people with disabilities and/or mental illness in their homes. The last 10 years she provided aftercare for chemically dependent women who had been a part of the Mother’s First Project during their pregnancies. Following retirement in 2002 Muriel completed the Parish Nurse training and started the Parish Nurse program at Cleveland Ave. UMC and then at Fairmount Ave. UMC. Muriel’s husband is Roger, they have 4 children and 9 grandchildren. Through the past 50 years Muriel has also volunteered with Red Cross Disaster Health Services.

Ehren Stemme
Director of Technology

Office hours: by appointment only
Contact: by email at techadmin@faumc.net

A lifelong member of FAUMC, Ehren began serving as volunteer technology director in 2025. He is excited to see his passion for robust yet simple tech solutions complement the church's missions, outreach, and community. Ehren works in IT services at Hamline University and has over a decade of experience in nonprofit technology delivery. Ehren lives in the Summit-University neighborhood of St. Paul with his two children, and can also be found at Target Field, cheering on the Twins.