The United Methodist Higher Education Foundation Board of Trustees has unanimously selected the Rev. Cara Stultz Costello as its next president and CEO, effective January 1, 2026. She will be the first female president in the 60-year history of the Foundation.
“It is a profound joy to assume the presidency of UMHEF, a ministry whose sixty years shine with God’s faithfulness and the Spirit’s sustaining presence,” Stultz Costello said in a release issued by the Foundation. “Inspired by Philippians 1:6, I am confident that God, who began this good work in us, will carry it forward. With our United Methodist institutions of higher learning, Annual Conference foundations, connectional collaborators, and generous partners, we will continue to equip and empower students to follow God’s call and participate in building a world marked by love, hope, and transformation.”
Stultz Costello has served as the interim leader of the UMHEF since September following the death of Bob Fletcher and is being named to the position full-time after a nationwide search for the next president & CEO.
Bishop Hee-Soo Jung has announced his intention to appoint the Rev. Dan Bryant to serve as interim superintendent of the Central Valley District from January 1 to June 30, 2026. He has served in the East Ohio Conference since 1990 as the pastor of several churches, superintendent of the Mahoning Valley District, and dean of the Cabinet.
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