Staff

 

Rev. Mike Snell

Park Hill Christian Church called Mike as the Senior Minister in the Spring of 2023. Most of his 37-year career was as an Associate Minister in education, mission, and youth ministry. Previously Mike has served churches in Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Texas, and Missouri. At the age of 18, Mike started his professional ministry career and served one church three different times in different roles.

Mike graduated from Culver-Stockton College and completed his Master of Divinity at Brite Divinity School (Texas Christian University). In addition to his weekly preaching duties, Mike teaches a “verse by verse” Bible study on Thursdays at 1:30 and 6:30 p.m.

Mike strives to keep the foundation of his ministry with the mindset of unity with the church being “Spiritually Diverse, United in Christ” and focused on Jeremiah 29.11 “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” (NRSV)

In addition to his commitment to ministry, Mike makes time for basketball, golfing, his beagle of 18 years, Tessy, St. Louis Cardinal Baseball, and almost anything related to the TCU Horned Frogs!

 

Minister Billie Ann Dreher

Billie joined Park Hill Christian Church with her husband, John, and children in 1988. She has served God and our church as a Sunday School teacher, Membership Ministry chair, diaconate, elder, and now as a commissioned minister. 

Billie is a graduate of Hendrix College and completed her master’s coursework in Interpersonal, Organizational, and Communication Skills from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. With a deep love of teamwork and people, she is trained in team building and is a certified instructor in Process Communication. 

In 2018, Billie was called to ministry on the parking lot of Baptist Health Medical Center in North Little Rock. God, through the Holy Spirit and a loving, supportive church, has provided her a path to ministry by way of commissioning through the Great River Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).  

As Minister of Creative Arts, Billie serves our congregation through pastoral care and assists the staff and functional ministries in many creative ways. Please let her know if she can be of help to you or your ministry team.

 

Leann Hatley

Leann Hatley has been the organist at Park Hill Christian Church since 2015.

She has been a collaborative pianist at the University of Arkansas Little Rock since 2007.  Leann studied piano and organ under Harriet O’Neal at Arkansas State University where she earned a BA in Music with an emphasis in piano accompanying as well as a BS in Printing Management. She also plays for professional and local theater productions. Shows she has played include Sister Act, Mamma Mia!, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Annie, Into the Woods, Seussical, The Wizard of Oz, Bare: A Pop Opera, A Chorus Line, and Ragtime. In 2018 she played for My Fair Lady with Arkansas Shakespeare Theater, and she  served as Assistant Music Director for Guys and Dolls in 2019. Most recently, Ms. Hatley played Keys 2 for the National Tour of Wicked at Robinson Auditorium in Little Rock. Ms. Hatley also enjoys performing as a soprano singer and soloist.

Leann is the mother of two daughters and two sons.

 

Robin Abbott

Robin has been church secretary for Park Hill Christian Church since April 2017, and greatly enjoys serving this wonderful church family. She was born in North Kansas City, Missouri, but moved to North Little Rock when her father was transferred to the North Little Rock Union Pacific shop.  She graduated from Sylvan Hills High School and then attended South Central Career College.

Robin holds a Bachelor’s in Education from UALR and was a teacher in North Little Rock for 15 years. She is a member of First United Methodist Church in North Little Rock. Robin lives in North Little Rock with her dog Charlie. She has two adult sons and is the grandmother of two smart and handsome grandsons.

 

Mary Beth Hamot

Mary Beth became Park Hill Christian Church secretary in August of 2002. She retired from that position in March of 2017. In April of 2017, she became our Administrative Associate on a part-time basis. Mary Beth was born in Jonesboro, Arkansas, but moved to North Little Rock at an early age and attended school there, graduating from North Little Rock High School.

She attends Central Baptist Church in North Little Rock and has been an active member for over 50 years. Mary Beth lives in Sherwood and has one daughter, Robin, and two grandchildren, Rachel and Ryan.

 

Jennie Gregory

Jennie Gregory is the infant/toddler teaching and care coordinator for Park Hill Christian for the regular Sunday morning worship and Sunday School events as well as small groups and other church-related events. She has a degree in physical therapy and retired as Director of Rehabilitation and Neurological Diagnostic Services for St. Vincent Health System. She has 40+ years of experience in child and youth teaching and leadership in the church. She will tell you that after years of being a youth sponsor that making the shift to infants and toddlers was not difficult. She is now caring for the children of many of the “youth” she helped raise.

She and her family have attended Park Hill Christian Church since 1981. She and her husband, David, are the proud parents of two grown children and have four grandchildren. She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, attended college at Ohio State University, but moved to Arkansas in 1974 and now claims Arkansas as home.

Kyra Jones-Schmidt

Kyra joined the Park Hill staff in the Fall of 2023. You may have seen her singing or performing in one of the area theaters. Most recently, she did a fantastic job in the Argenta Community Theater’s production of Godspell.

Kyra enjoys quality time with her husband, Jeremy, and two cats! A unique blessing we enjoy is having Kyra’s mom, Leann, as our organist/pianist.

As Director of Music Ministries, Kyra serves our congregation by directing our chancel and bell choirs while sharing her musical gifts in other ministries. Kyra and our choirs would love to have you join in the musical fun of worship!