/spaHonour Academy

Jennifer Batka is a trained spiritual director who leads Spiritual Formation Cohorts at Peachtree Church, along with women’s retreats, guided silent retreats, and spiritual formation services. Her desire is to gently guide and walk alongside others as they grow deeper in their relationship with the Lord and experience his love and compassion.

Evan Carter is a Certified Financial Planner™ with 25 years of experience helping individuals and families navigate financial and life decisions. He earned his degree with high honors from Georgia Tech and later received a Master of Divinity from Columbia Seminary. His background includes service as a hospital chaplain, eight years in youth ministry with Young Life, and ongoing work in financial advising. Evan is on part-time staff with Generous Giving and serves on advisory boards for The Shepherd Center and School Ministries ATL. He also co-leads the Atlanta Associates Program, a summer leadership initiative for college students. Evan and his wife live in Atlanta and are active members of Trinity Anglican Church.

John Day is a retired CPA with over 30 years of experience in public accounting, including roles as an audit partner at Arthur Andersen and later with Deloitte. He currently serves as Chair of the Board at Invesco Mortgage Capital and has held leadership roles on several other corporate and nonprofit boards, including Lenbrook. Drawing from his financial background and personal experiences, John has guided many individuals through estate and financial planning, particularly during critical life transitions.

At Peachtree Presbyterian, John has been a member for 45 years, serving as an Elder on the Session and the Finance Committee. He has also been a longtime member and treasurer of the Credence Belong Community and a participant in Ironmen. John and his wife Ann enjoy spending time with their extended family and the Peachtree Church community.

Katie Gohde is a licensed professional counselor with a Master’s in Counseling Psychology from Northwestern University in Chicago. Before she and Steve relocated to Georgia in 2007, she worked exclusively with children and their families. She continued this work until their first son was born in 2011. Since then, she has been passionate about equipping couples to thrive in their marriages and lead loving families. In addition to her private practice, she enjoys a wide range of speaking and teaching engagements. She leads workshops for professional organizations, churches, schools, and special interest groups covering topics like healthy relationships, strong marriages, parenthood, communication and conflict, team building and boundaries. Her very favorite workshops are the ones she gets to lead with her husband, Steve.

Steve likes to say their house is the beta test for the theories or ideas Katie uses in her practice. He spent 15 years in corporate America with companies ranging in size from Fortune 100 to small startups. A decade ago, he decided to started his own firm. As a side hustle, he has loved leading workshops with Katie. In his experience, if concepts in a book can’t survive the rhythm of real-life demands, they shouldn’t be put into practice. As a result, only the tools that have worked in their own house have made it into their workshops. Having led many teams throughout his career, he loves seeing people reach their full potential—the same desire he has for marriages when he teaches alongside Katie.

Katie and Steve have been married for 21 years, live in Atlanta and have 2 children, Robbie and Maddie. They also have 2 dogs, 2 rabbits, 2 guinea pigs, 2 fish and 2 of any other animal Katie and Maddie can talk Steve into acquiring.

Kelly is a consultant and coach who brings a wealth of experience and passion to the nonprofit sector. As the Managing Director at Carter Global and co-founder of Wonderfully Made, she is deeply committed to empowering individuals and organizations to realize their full potential.

Through her work as an executive and life coach at OptUp, Kelly specializes in helping leaders to convert hidden talents into vibrant passions that drive impact.

An alumnus of both The University of Virginia and Princeton Theological Seminary, Kelly blends academic rigor with real-world insight. When she’s not busy inspiring others, you can often find her baking with the Wonder Makers, on the golf course, or writing. Kelly’s life and work is all about connection, creativity, and cultivating community.

Rebecca Madden has served on Peachtree’s staff since 2012 and currently serves as the Senior Women’s Ministry & Connections Director. She oversees the spiritual formation of women through weekly Bible studies and annual retreats, and leads efforts to connect visitors into the life of the church, guiding them toward deeper engagement and membership.

Ginny is the Senior Generosity Director at Peachtree Church, where she helps cultivate a culture of giving across all ministries. A third-generation member of Peachtree, she grew up in the church and was baptized and confirmed here. Ginny holds both undergraduate and master’s degrees from Vanderbilt University. Her career began in development and legal services before transitioning to nonprofit leadership, including serving as Executive Director of the Atlanta Day Shelter for Women and Children. She joined Peachtree’s Mission Ministry in 2014 and later moved into her current role. Ginny remains active in the Atlanta community through leadership roles with organizations like the Junior League of Atlanta. She enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her nieces, Coble and Reagan.

Elizabeth Payne serves Peachtree as an elder and as a Spiritual Formation Cohort Leader, encouraging individuals to deepen their spiritual practices and respond faithfully to God’s call. A Gallup CliftonStrengths certified coach, she is passionate about helping others discover

purpose, grow in faith, and lead with integrity. In 2021, she joined Peachtree’s staff and founded the Atlanta Zacchaeus Fellows (AZF) program, which is now in its fifth year. She currently serves on the AZF advisory board.

Deanne Townsend serves as Pastor for Congregational Life at Peachtree Church, providing pastoral leadership and care across Family Ministry, Pastoral Care, Grand Adults, and Hospitality. She has a heart for creating spaces where people feel seen and known, and loves walking alongside individuals and families as they grow in faith and discover how deeply they are loved by God.

Originally from Greenville, South Carolina, Deanne holds a Bachelor of Science in Children’s Learning and Development, a Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry from Duke Divinity School. She brings years of ministry experience and thoughtful teaching to help people connect the hope of the gospel with everyday life.

Deanne and her husband, Trey, have four grown children and two precious grandchildren who remind her daily of the gift of faith passed from generation to generation.

Rev. Scott Tucker is an Atlanta native, who began attending Peachtree on Easter Sunday of 2000. After earning a degree in English Literature from Wake Forest University, he attended Columbia Theological Seminary, where he earned a Master of Divinity. Following his seminary studies, Rev. Tucker worked in various roles with non-profit organizations throughout Atlanta and taught middle school religion courses at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, while also serving as the House Chaplain for an assisted living facility in Sandy Springs. With formal theological education and a background in teaching, he began teaching Adult Sunday School Classes at Peachtree and soon gravitated to the Grand Adult classes, where he has brought to life a passion for biblically grounded theological exploration. Scott and his wife, Lauren, have two children and an energetic dog.