OUr Staff

Rev. Katie Gooch

Director

Rev. Katie B. Gooch (she/her) is the Director and Campus Minister of The Pace Center. She is an ordained pastor in the United Methodist Church and has a passion for setting the stage for relationships and community to thrive. Prior to Pace, Katie B. served as the Executive Pastor of Reveille United Methodist Church. During seminary, she served as a hospital chaplain at Duke University and as a pastor in both Durham and Mamers, North Carolina. In an earlier life, Katie B. was a communications consultant in Washington D.C. and a Division I field hockey player. She is originally from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma but has grown to love Richmond!

Jean Linnell

Associate Director

Jean Linnell (she/her) is the Associate Director at Pace, working in the background to ensure everything runs smoothly. Jean has a degree in Environmental Studies from VCU and is interested in farming, food, and community. She is constantly amazed by people’s ability to unite and create. Jean currently serves on the board fo the Friends of the James River Park - a nonprofit dedicated to protecting, conserving, and enhancing the James River Park system in Richmond.

Rev. Russ Kerr

Student Engagement Coordinator

Russ Kerr (last name, “car”) (he/him) serves as the Student Development and Engagement Coordinator. He is an ordained P.C.(USA) teaching elder (minister). He has served congregations in North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee. He is a graduate of Emory & Henry College and Union Presbyterian Seminary. His first degree (and love) was theatre. He is passionate about community building, storytelling, and unlocking creativity. On the weekends you can find him somewhere outdoors and/or with a good book in his hand.

Shannon O'Neill

Administrative Assistant

Shannon O’Neill (she/her) is the part-time administrative assistant at Pace, helping the staff keep things organized, managing general operations and helping with events. Shannon earned her MFA in Fiction at VCU, an MA in Film Studies from the University College Dublin, Ireland and a BA in English from the University of Michigan. Along the way, she uncovered a talent for organizing people who are passionate about their creative endeavors. Always appreciative of the impact community organizations have on those who find themselves in need of connection, there are few things she enjoys more than learning about others, and helping them feel less alone. She is also a grief educator and the director of Richmond Story House, a nonprofit rooted in the belief that we all have stories to tell, and our individual and collective
stories matter.