Mary is the Lead Pastor at Good Shepherd. As head of staff, she oversees a fantastic and passionate staff, budget, and overall mission of the Good Shepherd, in collaboration with the governing council of the congregation. She loves digging into the Bible and preaching the Good News about Jesus. She came to Good Shepherd in 2012 as an associate pastor and transitioned to Lead Pastor in 2018. She graduated from Minnesota State University-Moorhead in 2001 (Go Dragons!) and from seminary in Chicago in 2007. She served as a pastor in southern Minnesota for five years before moving to Moorhead.

 She serves the local community as a member of the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity, Moorhead’s Economic Development Authority, and Oak Grove Lutheran School’s Board of Regents.

 She has been married to Aaron since 2002. They have a daughter Helena (who died in 2008 after complications from a heart surgery), and a son Paul who was born in 2011. They also host international students as a way of opening their home to wider world perspectives.

 Mary enjoys clearing her mind through long walks, and occasional 5k and 10k races.  She, her husband, and son love to travel and explore the great outdoors. She completed a pilgrimage in Portugal and Spain on the Camino de Santiago during a summer sabbatical in June of 2024.