The Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists’ Executive Committee members appointed Tamara Michalenko Terry to Director for Events & Editorial Services effective Nov. 1, 2024, during its Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, meetings.
“Tamara brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in events and editorial services having worked in various communication areas for more than 30 years,” Texas Conference President Elton DeMoraes shared.
An associate director for Texas Conference Communication & Public Relations (originally communication) since 2017, Tamara was instrumental while working alongside the Texas Conference Vice President for Communication & Public Relations, Kenn Dixon, to create a weekly online church service that provided additional service options when churches closed because of COVID-19. She also assisted with logistics for the Determined cycling tour fundraisers and has continued to coordinate the articles featured on the Texas Conference pages in the Southwestern Union Record and Texas Conference website among other duties and responsibilities.
In this new role, Tamara will coordinate special conference-wide events and work with departments and ministries to promote its events while continuing her editorial work.
Tamara began her career with the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1991 as a communication intern at the Pacific Union Conference in Westlake Village, Calif., where she began writing articles for the Pacific Union Record and organized a union-wide communication conference. Two years later, she transitioned to the Columbia Union Conference as an associate director for the communication department. There she created a youth event weekend known as YouthNet. The first year’s featured speakers were our own Arlington Seventh-day Adventist Church pastor, A. Allan Martin and his wife, Deirdre.
Following the birth of her first son in 1998, Tamara left her role as Director of Communication for the Columbia Union Conference. Since then, she has worked freelance or as an employee for the Carolina, Atlantic Union, Southern New England and Upper Columbia Conferences, Upper Columbia Academy and Review and Herald Publishing Association among other organizations.
She has a bachelor’s degree in public relations (1991) from Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tenn., and a master’s degree in journalism and communication with an emphasis in public relations (2018) from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. On May 1, 2024, she received her Accreditation in Public Relations.
“Tamara is passionate about the Seventh-day Adventist Church, communication and furthering God’s work,” DeMoraes added. “Having a person dedicated to events and editorial services will be helpful as we actively work alongside our churches and schools to share the love of Jesus here in Texas and around the world.”
The president reported that this change is budget-neutral and part of a conference realignment to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
