Staff & Board of Directors

Erica has served Pres House since 2004. She is a second-generation Taiwanese-American who grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. She lives in Madison with her partner, Mark, and together they have two daughters. Erica has a B.A. in Mass Communications from UC Berkeley, a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, and is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. Some of her favorite spiritual disciplines include practicing the martial art taekwondo and Sabbath.

Until I entered college, I thought Christianity was mythology and that Christians were weak-minded people. But I ended up sharing my dorm room with a Christian and to my surprise, we became friends. During that year, I was challenged to examine what I believed about life and community. What I discovered was that the love and power of God bring radical transformation within people and the world. God’s call for our lives goes way beyond what we can imagine–it’s much riskier, bolder, and more fulfilling than the plans we make.

There are many ‘dividing walls of hostility’ we put up between each other–race, class, sexual orientation, gender, politics, and religion, just to name a few. I believe strongly in Jesus’ vision where all people are reconciled to God and one another. I invite you to enter into this community, not to find people who are just like you, but to live out the commandment to love God and ALL your neighbors, which means practicing what I call ‘holy friction.’ I hope you will engage in that journey with the community at Pres House.

Sherri Kelly is a mission-driven leader with extensive experience in operations, finance, communications, and education. As the Director of Finance and Operations at Pres House, Sherri is dedicated to fostering a supportive and inclusive community for students and staff alike.

I am a proud alum of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and am excited to return to my roots and contribute to the vibrant campus life. I am passionate about supporting students in their academic and personal journeys, ensuring they have the resources and guidance needed to thrive.

During my free time, I enjoy spending quality time with family and friends, reveling in live music both from the audience and on stage, and exploring the outdoors. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I am committed to promoting equity and inclusion in all aspects of my work, and look forward to building connections and creating meaningful experiences at Pres House!

Nii Addo is a second-generation Ghanaian immigrant who — despite all arguments to the contrary — calls the Midwest his home. He has an M.A. in Religious Studies from Missouri State University and a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, and was ordained as a PC(USA) minister at Pres House in October 2024. His family in Madison includes his partner, Haley, their child, Bennin, and their cats, Tilly and Dean. Nii Addo has a deep passion for the Star Wars universe (pre- and post-Disney), is an avid, albeit sad, supporter of Manchester United Football Club, and has only recently realized that he is, in fact, an adult.

I grew up in a deeply faithful household and was nurtured in my faith by my parents, my brother, youth pastors, and mentors. But I’ve always been the inquisitive sort. As I got older, I started to probe the boundaries of my faith tradition. Throughout my years in college and seminary, I began to see that God was not who I thought God was. I began to see how God is not bound by our expectations, how God in Christ ‘overturns every notion of propriety to be with us,’ and how God’s Spirit disrupts the status quo and beckons us out toward new horizons. 

I believe that relationships are at the center of what it means to be God’s people. In my role at Pres House, I hope to find new ways to welcome folks into deeper relationships with God and with their neighbors. This community is a place where we can learn how all of our stories—as unique and diverse as they are—intersect with God’s story, and I consider it a privilege to be a part of that journey!

Originally from Tokyo, Japan, Manato now calls Wisconsin home after his studies in West Michigan and Boston. He served as an interfaith chaplain at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, MIT, and Emerson College. He has a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School, and was ordained as an American Baptist (ABCUSA) minister in 2022. Manato also served in ministry at Old Cambridge Baptist Church, and in residential life leadership at Harvard University as a dorm proctor for first-year students. In his spare time, Manato enjoys diving into all things cartography, training for his half-marathon, kayaking, and many daily dog walks. Outside of his work at Pres House, Manato serves in ministry at Holy Wisdom Monastery in Middleton, WI.

Manato’s office is on the 2nd floor of Pres House Apartments. You can reach him at manato@preshouse.org or schedule a time to meet at cal.com/manato.

Blaire is deeply committed to building communities of belonging, where people show up for themselves and each other.

Blaire has a background teaching mindfulness across campuses and boardrooms, coaching young adults and executive leaders, and developing programming and communications for diverse organizations. He holds a BA in Organizational Leadership. Blaire studied at the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Studies, trained as a yoga teacher, and integrates Somatic healing interventions into his practice. He’s worked as a bouncer at a historic club in San Francisco, taught filmmaking to high school students, worked across startups and non-profits, and taught himself to build websites so he could travel the world out of his backpack indefinitely.  Blaire is excited to cultivate relationships and support students as they get to know and tend to themselves, discern what is meaningful to them, and figure out how to make a practice of living their best life.

In his spare time, Blaire enjoys all things outdoors, gardening, paddling out on the water, and catching as much sunshine as possible. When not in awe out in the wild, you can find him writing poetry, printmaking, throwing a dinner party-turned-impromptu dance party, or trying something new. He commits to the bit and is a fan of whimsy; a big part of his practice is not taking life too seriously.

A recent graduate of UW-Madison, Allyson understands that college can be one of the most exciting and difficult times in one’s life, and how important it is to have a community to lean on while navigating young adulthood. Originally from Milwaukee, Allyson earned her B.A. in English and Voice Performance at UW in 2023 and is currently finishing up a M.S. in Environment & Resources. She was engaged in the Pres House community as a student for over 4 years. Now, she is excited to support residents’ growth and wellbeing through meaningful programming and mentorship!

With interests in mental health, personal development, and community flourishing, Allyson comes to Pres House Apartments having held various student support and outreach roles on campus. She has worked at UW as a first-year seminar facilitator and peer mentor in Chadbourne Residential College, as an International Student Services Engagement Intern, and as an instructor for three UW courses. She has also served as a 2023 Interfaith Fellow and a GSCC peer mentor. She finds joy serving in spaces where students can be their full, authentic selves and thrive in community with peers. In her spare time, Allyson enjoys making art, exploring the outdoors, going to performances at the Overture Center, playing tabletop roleplaying games, scuba diving, and singing.

I can’t say enough how excited I am for this opportunity with Pres House. Something I truly value is making a difference, and I believe that my role here at Pres House will provide several opportunities of being able to do that. This is a bit of a change for me, and I am delighted to have come across this organization. I look forward to doing whatever I can to make a positive, sustaining impact with Pres House, and serve our students and members. Pres House has members that are from a variety of backgrounds. Meeting a diverse group of people is something that ignites me. Everybody has their own unique story, and Pres House is a place where people of all different backgrounds can call home.

I am a graduate of UW-Oshkosh, with a BS degree in Journalism with an emphasis on Advertising and Public Relations. I was born and raised in the Milwaukee area and moved back there after college for work. However, for the past several years now I’ve been living in the Madison area. I am completely thrilled to now be able to work in Madison as well. I am a big sports fan, and I enjoy both watching as well as playing sports whenever I can. Also, I love to be outside as much as possible. I really enjoy hiking, kayaking, golfing, etc. It really doesn’t matter what the activity is. As long as I’m out in nature, you won’t hear me complain! I also enjoy northern WI and try to get there as much as time permits. Otherwise, if you have any questions, just let me know!

Josiah Crawford-Olesen is a Madison-area musician, educator, and presenter. He earned a Bachelor of Music Education from South Dakota State University, where he served as the head student minister and music leader at the SDSU Lutheran Center. Since graduating in 2022, he has been active as a teacher, performer, and clinician throughout Wisconsin. Josiah lives in Sun Prairie with his partner, Hunter, and their dog, Maple.

Faith and music have always gone hand in hand in my life. Growing up in a family deeply rooted in faith, I learned early on how to make a joyful noise – sometimes louder than I meant to. My time in campus ministry helped me discover a passion for church music and serving others. Today, as an educator and musician, I strive to create and share peace and joy through music, and I’m grateful to continue that work at Pres House.

“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing.”

Psalm 100:1-2