Our Team
Pastor Alanna (Gatherer)
Once a seeker, always a seeker…though never having played Quidditch, Pastor Alanna has been after that golden snitch for a while now! Having grown up in the Roman Catholic tradition, she found herself deeply questioning a call to the priesthood for over a decade before setting out a path in the Episcopal Church. Ordained a priest for over a decade now, Pastor Alanna is passionate about meeting people where they are on their journey of faith, listening, and encouraging them to explore God’s presence in their lives.
Translating faith into action through service is a touchstone of her spiritual path. Most recently she collaborated with a local gardening non-profit creating “Lil’ Free Farm Stands” promoting food security in the wider community. She earned her Master of Divinity at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, along with a Certificate in Anglican Studies from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific. She now lives in New Hampshire, loves the outdoors, yoga, good food, time in the garden, and enjoying family.
Susan Sherrill Axelrod (Communicator)
Susan Sherrill Axelrod oversees digital and print communications for the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire and the Episcopal Diocese of Maine. She works with both bishops and diocesan staff on communications strategy, external and internal messaging, branding, and managing the websites and social media campaigns. She also assists congregations with their communications projects and needs.
Susan’s background includes 25 years as an editor and writer for national, regional, and local newspapers and magazines in Maine and New Jersey. She led an award-winning newsroom’s on-the-ground coverage of 9/11, and her portfolio of published work ranges from historic preservation, art, architecture, and design, to addiction recovery, sustainability, food and drink culture, and recipe development. After many years as a summer visitor, she moved to Maine in 2013, joining much of her family. She serves on the board of trustees for Maine Preservation, where she is the gala chair. She tolerates winter but loves summer, when she spends as much time as she can on the water. She and her partner, live in Maine with their dog Lucy and cat Ethel.
Olin Johannesen (Connector)
Olin Johannessen hails from Dover, NH, and currently serves as Director of Technology Integration and Associate for Music and Youth at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Portsmouth, NH, after serving ten years as Choral Director for grades 6-12 in the Portsmouth Public Schools. Prior to his relocation to the Seacoast, Johannessen received his Master's degree in Composition from the University of Massachusetts Amherst , where he also received a Bachelor's degree in Percussion Performance. He was a founding member of the MASS Marimba Band, a percussion ensemble developed to bring contemporary Pop, Latin, and Jazz styles to the keyboard ensemble program at UMass.
Johannessen is also the former Assistant Director of Education at the Vic Firth Company, a position he held for two and a half years. Johannessen has a collective eight years of drum corps experience, all with the Boston Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps. Olin was a six-year member of the front ensemble and was subsequently appointed to the front ensemble instructional staff, which he was a part of for two seasons.
Johannessen cites his multitudinous musical experiences and influential mentors for his pursuing a life in music. Most of all, he is grateful for the support of his wife and children, and his large and blended family.
The Rev. Veronika Travis (Consultant)
Veronika is a lifelong Episcopalian, raised by an Episcopal priest and a public speaking professor. This is likely where her love for preaching and showing people Jesus comes from. Her interests include reading history, writing, hiking and playing creative and collaborative games.
Most recently Pastor Veronika served in a collaborative ministry for two parishes in Pennsylvania; Christ Church, Ithan and St. Martin's Church, Radnor. She previously served as the Associate Rector of St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Alexandria, VA, as a lay leader at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Burlington, VT and as a web and marketing specialist.
Veronika earned her BA in Comparative Literature (English & French) from Smith College and her Master in Divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary. She is married and the couple shares their home in northern New Hampshire with Shadow and Lily, two exuberant mutts!