Galina Stele
Director
General Conference Women's Ministries
12501 Old Columbia Pike
Silver Spring, Maryland USA 20904-6600
1 (301) 680-6608
Galina Stele, D.Min., was voted as GC Women's Ministries director during the business session of Spring Meeting, April 10, 2024, following the untimely death of Director Heather-Dawn Small in January 2024. Stele had been elected associate director during the business session of Annual Council, October 8, 2023. She previously served the GC Office of Archives, Statistics, and Research since 2012, first as a research and evaluation assistant, and since 2016 as a research and evaluation manager. Born in the Russia Federation (and growing up mostly in Kazakhstan), Stele served the Seventh-day Adventist Church in various positions including professor of theology at Zaoksky Theological Seminary in Russia, at Euro-Asia Division (headquarters in Moscow) as shepherdess coordinator and general editor of Shepherdess and Living Church, and director of the Euro-Asia Division’s Institute of Missiology.
Galina was the first woman to graduate with a doctorate of ministry from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, USA, in 1996 and is a widely published author. Her special interests are human-subject research, small groups, church member and youth retention, and family matters. She loves being involved with evangelistic events. She is in demand as speaker for evangelistic series, Weeks of Revival, women's and youth congresses, and Total Member Involvement (TMI) events.
Galina's seven years of experience at the division level as shepherdess [ministerial spouses] coordinator included many combined events with Women's Ministries. Her practical theology, in-depth Bible study, and love for small groups will fit in well with Women's Ministries goals, objectives, and resources. Her organizational and leadership skills are already a blessing for the world church.
In her free time, Galina enjoys reading and writing, gardening, cooking, assembling puzzles, and spending time with family. Dr. Galina Stele is married to Dr. Artur Stele, General Conference Vice President, and they have a married son and a grandson.
Premila Pedapudi
Administrative Assistant
General Conference Women's Ministries
12501 Old Columbia Pike
Silver Spring, Maryland USA 20904-6600
1 (301) 680-6636
[email protected]
Being associate pastor and ordained church elder has provided manifold blessings through her work in multiple ministries at various Seventh-day Adventist churches in Maryland, including mentoring and nurturing youth; ministries for adults, women, children, and deaconesses; outreach and evangelism, Pathfinders, and also Sabbath School. Her love of singing, reading, teaching, and preaching are a great resource in serving God.
Her husband, Joseph Kelly, son Praveen, twin daughters Serena and Selena, sons-in-law Samuel and Ebenesar are a great support in her ministry. The excitement about the arrival of her first grandson, born in July 2019, is still fresh!
Premila holds a master’s in business administration, a bachelor’s in business administration, and a bachelor’s in education. Passionate about women’s ministries, her desire is to encourage and empower women to live a God-inspired life. She firmly believes God’s Word in Jeremiah 29:11, “I know the plans that I have for you…”
Rebecca Turner
Editorial Assistant
General Conference Women's Ministries
12501 Old Columbia Pike
Silver Spring, Maryland, USA 20904-6600
Tel: 1 (301) 680-6608
[email protected]
Rebecca Turner became WM editorial assistant in August 2016. She had already served as WM administrative assistant for four and a half years. Prior to this, she worked for vice presidents at the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists for more than twenty-one years.
Educated in English, journalism, and elementary education, Rebecca created the first women’s ministries newsletter in 1991, simply because her desk in the presidential office suite was situated close to Rose Otis, then director of the newly organized office of women's ministries—and because Rebecca was willing to help. She finds it incredible that one of her responsibilities today is the WM Mosaic newsletter.
Rebecca loves learning and then sharing what she’s learned, particularly when the subject is the Bible. Her favorite Bible text is Lamentations 3:22-23, "The Lord's mercies ... [and] compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness" (KJV).
