2020 Leadership Fellows Named

Ella Johnson is from Fort Collins, Colorado, and is a member of Heart of the Rockies Christian Church. She loves to be in the outdoors, whether that be hiking, hammocking, or camping. In high school, she was on the high school tennis team for four years, was a part of her school’s musical theater and choir programs, and was involved with many volunteer organizations such as Key Club and National Honors Society. She also enjoys playing the piano or guitar and spending time with family and friends. Ella has served on both the Executive Council of Youth (her regional youth council) as well as the General Youth Council, where she served first as vice-moderator and then moderator. She will be attending Texas Christian University and will be double majoring in Political Science and Religion. Her goal after college is to attend seminary and become a youth minister.

Sarah Sandoval was born and raised in Irvine, California, and is a lifelong Disciple. She has always been involved in church leadership, including serving during worship, leading crafts during vacation bible school, and being part of the Youth Leadership Team in the Pacific Southwest Region. Outside of the church, she served her community as a member of the Youth Leadership Council at Pretend City (an organization that helps promote Pretend City Children’s Museum’s mission to build better brains, helping children in their development through educational play) and was the Public Relations Officer for two years. During her senior year, she was the CEO and President of Bridge Clothing Company, a graphic t-shirt company based in her high school. During her time in high school, she ran on the cross-country team, serving as co-captain during her senior year. Sarah will be attending Chapman University as an English major with a minor in Religious Studies. After college, she hopes to be a teacher.

Kathleen (Katie) Varon is from Jacksonville, Florida. She is a vegetarian, a middle child, and a big believer in human rights. Some of her favorite things include Broadway musicals, dogs, pasta, and the show Schitt’s Creek. After graduating from high school in 2019, she deferred one year to volunteer with AmeriCorps NCCC, a ten-month program for young adults that serve in team-based community service. Her service term was cut short due to COVID-19, but in six months she was able to spend time serving in Colorado, Missouri, and Arizona. She is a lifelong member of Riverside Avenue Christian Church. She has also been active in church camps and mission trips and served during her junior and senior years on the General Youth Council. She plans to attend Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, majoring in Political Science.

Marci Mazza-Fredley is from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and describes herself as three things: an activist, a baker, and an author. She helps organize local protests and strikes centered around women’s rights, immigrant rights, the support of black and brown individuals, and the rights of the LGBTQIA community. The inequality she sees around her drives her to fight for an equitable society for all people. This passion is seen in her writing, having published poetry with Girls Write Pittsburgh and online with Heated Magazine. She also loves baking and works part-time at a local bakery. One day she hopes to open her own bakery. Prior to COVID-19, she regularly practiced her faith by accompanying her minister on Sunday mornings to gather the congregation in preparation for worship. She is a member of the diaconate at The First Christian Church of Monongahela, Pennsylvania. Marci will attend Bethany College and major in Political Science.

Deshaun Snowden is from Lexington, Kentucky, and has two siblings as well as a cousin who he considers a little brother. Growing up, he valued his faith, his talent, and his self-worth. Deshaun always wanted to stand out from the crowd, be his own person, and make something of himself. Art was his gateway for this and, from the age of five, he remembers ignoring things like sports, which most young boys his age gravitated towards. At first, it was music and drawing but when he was in fifth grade, he found his true calling to be a writer. With writing, he could escape to a world where there was no judgment, no evil, and a place he could be himself. He continued writing and, through that process, found his calling to be an English teacher. After noticing how many of the students around him disliked English, he thought it was his duty to show them the fun within the subject. He shared that spreading the love of writing and English to future generations is why he is going to college. In the fall, Deshaun will be attending Transylvania University.

Sara Wilson is a life-long Disciple and a member of Rush Creek Christian Church in Arlington, Texas. She served on the regional Youth Ministry Council during her junior and senior years of high school and also participated in mission trips every summer, visiting places such as Southwest Good Samaritan Ministries in Los Fresnos, Texas and the Tennyson Center for Children in Denver, Colorado. In high school, she was Valedictorian and was part of the Student Council and National Honor Society, the golf team, and participated in Scientific Research Design where she built transonic rockets and launched them at the end of the school year. Some of her favorite things to do include learning, sewing, art, baking, being outdoors, golf, and volunteering. This fall she will be attending Butler University as part of the Pharmacy Program.