Pastor: Rev. Tracy Evans
Pastor Evans has been ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacrament since 1997 and our Pastor since February, 2012. She is a native Oklahoman, raised in Oklahoma City and Edmond. She is a graduate of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary (M.Div) and University of Central Oklahoma (B.S. in Elem. Ed.).
After seminary, Tracy was a resident chaplain at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Following the Oklahoma City Murrah Building bombing, she worked as Disaster Response Coordinator for the Presbytery of Indian Nations. She served as Associate Pastor at the Presbyterian Church of Bella Vista, Arkansas and has worked on the staff at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Oklahoma City. Most recently, she was the interim pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Duncan, Oklahoma from 2009 through January 2012. She has lived in Arkansas, California, Texas and Oklahoma.
A life-long Presbyterian, she has served the church in many capacities, including serving on the Advisory Committee to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance for the PC(USA), the Committee on Ministry in Indian Nations Presbytery and Congregational Care and Development in Arkansas. In July 2012, she served as a commissioner to the General Assembly of the PC(USA).
By her own admission, she watches too much TV. She loves to knit, quilt, craft and bake, and is at home with her chocolate lab Lily and cats Maizie and Lucy Jane. She loves to travel, and loves spending time with her family (who all live in Edmond), especially the four who call her Aunt Tracy.
Director of Music Ministry: Vince Leseney
Vince Leseney has been in church music his entire life, a music minister for 18 years, and choir director at Memorial Presbyterian since 2008. He spends his days teaching voice in the Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre at the University of Oklahoma. He is also active in the Oklahoma City Arts community, directing the Philharmonic POPS Chorale and performing frequently with Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma. Vince lives in Norman with his wife, Mandy, and their three boys, Alex, Jack and Nate.
Administrative Assistant: Lisa Coker
Lisa joined Memorial Presbyterian Church as the administrative assistant in December of 2015.
Lisa is a mom of two sweet boys and lives in Midwest City, OK.
Organist and Children’s Choir Director: Emily Rudquist
Emily joined Memorial Presbyterian Church as organist in August 2019.
Our organist and music associate for Children’s Choir is Ms. Emily Rudquist. Emily is from Saint Paul, Minnesota. She has her BA from Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, MN, and is currently studying piano pedagogy and performance at the University of Oklahoma. When asked her favorite musical genre, Emily replied, “Bluegrass/folk music and of course classical music.” What’s on her bucket list? “To travel to Sweden.”