Suzan Hawkinson, Senior Pastor

Suzan received her Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and her Doctor of Ministry in spirituality from Columbia Theological Seminary. She has served pastorates in Kansas, Texas and Pennsylvania, and finds great joy in the work of ministry. She is married to Joseph Hawkinson, and together they are parents to Jessica and Benjamin who are students at Princeton Seminary and the University of Pittsburgh respectively.

Pastor Hawkinson believes that the Church is a vital communion that is called by God's grace to gather for sincere worship, to equip persons for deeper faith and understanding, and to send believers into the world as bearers in word and action of the good news of God's love for all persons.

Anne Fisher, Interim Associate Pastor

Anne Fisher has been an Interim for the past 22 years serving a dozen congregations in times of transition. She received her Masters of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and her Doctor of Ministry from Louisville Presbyterian Seminary. Anne lives in Gurnee with her husband, Gregg Dana, a Presbyterian Minister and Pastoral Counselor for the Samaritan Center of the North Shore, their two daughters, Elizabeth, a student at New York University and Christina, a student at Rice University. Anne loves walking the family Weimaraner dog, Gretta; reading, and traveling, especially to the family spot in Maine. She is excited to be a part of such a skilled and experienced staff at Deerfield.

Thom Cunningham, Dir. of Christian Education

Thom Cunningham is the Director of Christian Education. He has served as educator at FPCD since 1991. He has been involved in youth ministries and Christian education since 1987.

As a student at Elmhurst College in Illinois, he received undergraduate degrees in Sociology and Christian Education, with a minor in Psychology. In 1998, he graduated with a Master of Theology from McCormick Seminary. Thom has served Presbytery of Chicago and the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) because of his knowledge and experience in both education and mission. He served on the Presbytery of Chicago's Education Council and the General Assembly's Mission Education Task Force Team.

Bill Crowle, D.Mus., Organist

William Crowle began piano study at the age of four, and violin at the age of six. While attending Deerfield High School, he accompanied the choirs, was musical director for stage plays, composed and arranged music for school productions and accompanied professional and community theatre. After graduation, he attended the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY where he studied compostion with Joseph Schwantner, Samuel Adler and Warren Benson, and piano with Maria Luisa Faini. In addition, he sang in the Eastman Chorus directed by Robert DeCormier. After receiving his Bachelor of Music degree in composition, he pursued graduate studies at Indiana University, Bloomington. There he studied composition with Frederick Fox and Bernhard Heiden among others, and piano with Enrica Cavallo-Gulli. In addition, he taught theory and aural skills as an Associate Instructor and performed in the Mew Music Ensemble. He was elected into the National Music Honorary Society, Pi Kappa Lambda and received both Master and Doctorate degrees in composition with high distinction.

Outside of college, he studied organ with Richard Enright and Leon Nelson and played at various churches until obtaining his first permanent position in 1985 at Christ United Methodist Church, Deerfield, IL, a post held until 1994 when he came to First Presbyterian where he has remained since.

William has performed with in a variety of venues over the years. They include accompanying the Waukegan Symphony Chorus, The New Oratorio Singers, Ars Viva, Chicago Choral Artists, the Beverly-Morgan Park Community Choir. He has also performed numerous solo recitals and has several Concerto performances to his credit. He has accompanied for choral festivals with several notable conductors including Brad Holmes, Alan Heatherington, Z. Randall Stroope among others. Other venues include WFMT-radio and WGN-TV.

Original compositions include Motets d'Enfants, a work for treble voices, piano, recorders and Orff instruments, commissioned by the Jubilate! Children's Choir, Gloria, for adult mixed choir, youth and children's choirs, organ, piano, two guitars, bass guitar, and drums, commissioned by First Presbyterian Church of Deerfield, A Lesson from Hillel, for Cantorial soloist, adult mixed choir and piano, commissioned by Lakeside Congregation for Reform Judaism, Festival Overture, for Symphonic Band, commissioned by the Village of Buffalo Grove for their 50th Anniversary, premiered by the Buffalo Grove Symphonic Band in August 2008.

In addition to his work here, he is Accompanist at Lakeside Congregation for Reform Judaism (since 1999), staff accompanist at Vernon Hills High School (since 2000) and freelances and teaches private piano.

Mike Nelson, Music Director

Growing up in nearby Glenview, Mike attended Glenbrook South High School. He began taking violin and piano lessons at the age of six and later majored in violin performance at North Park University. He studied with Alan Heatherington at North Park, was concertmaster of the orchestra, and was a member of the University Choir.

Mike's first choral conducting position was at his home church in Glenview. He was the Director of Music at Glenview Covenant Church for three years before moving to Winnetka Covenant Church where he has served as Assistant Music Director for the past four and a half years. He is also a freelance violinist in the Chicago area, and teaches violin at the Creative Arts Center in Winnetka.

Mike lives in Palatine with his wife Amy and their two children. When he is not directing or singing in choirs, Mike enjoys playing basketball, baseball, and tennis, and collects classical CDs.

Tammy Santi, Office Coordinator

When Tammy became a member of the FPCD staff early in 2001, she brought with her knowledge and experience gained from working in both the corporate world and the field of education where she taught high school German for a short time.

Tammy grew up in Munster, IN and graduated from Indiana University with a B.S. in German and later attended the University of Kentucky Graduate School of Business. She is the proud mother of two children; a daughter, Erin, and a son, Jason. In addition she has three adorable grandchildren and delights in the time she can be with Delaney, Sophia and Sebastian.Her love for gardening, cooking and decorating serves to satisfy Tammy's creative side. She and her husband, Jeff, live in Riverwoods with their Llewellyn Setter B.J.

Terri Berardini, Christian Education Assistant

Terri Berardini joined the FPCD staff in October of 2006. She facilitates open flow of communication among staff, congregation and community as she supports the pastoral staff. Terri, and her husband, Don, live in Lake Forest.