Leadership

Pastors

Jason Conner

Lead Pastor

Jason grew up in California where he married his wife Christy and raised three kids. He received a BS in Professional Aeronautics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, serving two decades in the airline industry as a pilot and instructor. Jason is a graduate of Reformed Theological Seminary, with a MA in Biblical Studies.

Jason spent the last decade serving at Portico’s first church plant, Portico Arlington. As our  Lead Pastor, Jason serves Portico by preaching, teaching, developing leaders, and charting a course for our future. His passion is to see lives transformed by the gospel.

When Jason’s not in the office you may find him riding motorcycles with Christy or traveling. He loves being “Pappy” to his several grandkids.

Desmond Glenn

Community Care Pastor

Desmond Glenn hails from Marvell, Arkansas, where he spent his formative years. He attended the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, where he obtained an undergraduate degree in agricultural business and a master's degree in family and youth ministries from John Brown University. Additionally, he received a ministry certificate from Kanakuk Institute. During his time at UAPB, Desmond met his wife, Andrea. They have been married for 15 years and have five lovely children. After completing his postgraduate studies, Desmond worked for the USDA for eight years before joining Portico, where he has been serving since 2015.

Desmond is currently serving as our Pastor of Community and Care. He possesses a unique ability to connect with and care for our congregation and the greater community of Charlottesville. Desmond aims to see individuals grow in their faith in Christ and experience a deep personal relationship with others, which is his greatest desire.

Desmond enjoys spending time with his family and community, exercising, and writing when he's not caring for others.

Daniel Kwak

Generations Pastor
Daniel hails from Orlando, FL. He graduated from the University of Florida in 2011 and enrolled at Reformed Theological Seminary in 2014, while serving as the Youth Pastor at his home church. Daniel married his wife Clarissa (a UVA alum) in 2019, and they moved to Charlottesville for her job at UVA Hospital.

He is passionate about making disciples and wants to see young people know and worship Jesus in all of His splendor and majesty. His desire is that the church would be the family of God and a place of healing for the broken.

During his free time he loves trying new restaurants with Clarissa, drinking good coffee, reading, nature, watching movies + sports, and playing with Kiwi (his corgi pup).

Edward Robinson

Teaching Pastor

Edward Robinson became a follower of Jesus at the age of 17 after growing up in Buffalo NY. The journey of following the Lord led Edward to sense a call into ministry from the first day of his conversion. He would eventually end up at the Master’s University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in biblical studies. This is also where he met his wife, Natalie. And the two of them have been married for 9 years with the fruit of 4 handsome boys.

Edward began his pastoral ministry at Epiphany Camden in New Jersey. Edward also holds a MBA, with an eye for the financial sustainability of urban churches. He now serves as Portico’s teaching pastor, giving oversight to educating new members, leading community groups, and overseeing both men’s and women’s ministry.

Outside the office you can always find Edward in a new book and passionately raising his 4 sons to leave a legacy of godly men.

Staff

Courtney Dillard

Portico Kids Director

Courtney is a local girl!  She was born and raised in Charlottesville and attended Albemarle County Public Schools.  She earned a BA in history from JMU (Go, Dukes!)  and a Masters in Elementary Education from UVA.  She is licensed in the state of Virginia to teach preschool through sixth grade.  

From 1994 - 2022,  she taught at Murray Elementary School, a small Albemarle County school in Ivy.  At Murray she taught primarily fifth grade, but spent some time in fourth grade as well as first grade.  While she loved her time at Murray, she is excited about this next chapter of her life where she can combine her greatest loves, Jesus and children.  She hopes to create a thriving children’s ministry at Portico where parents are encouraged and equipped to build  their children up as disciples of Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Courtney lives in Crozet with her shih-poo, Huckleberry.  In her free time she likes to participate in Portico events, hang-out with her extended family, and spend time with her son, William Marshall, who lives and works in the Charlottesville area.

Amy Hovis

Connections Director

Amy was born and raised in Charlottesville, Virginia (Go Hoos!).  She received a BS in Public Health from JMU and a Masters in Special Education from Mary Baldwin.  She joined Portico in 2008, eventually met and married her CG sweetheart, Jeremiah, and together they have three beautiful children.  

Amy was a special education teacher for Albemarle County Public Schools before becoming a mother, and has since been home with her three children.  During her time at Portico, Amy has served in many different volunteer roles and staff positions with Portico Kids.  She loves serving her church family and is thrilled to start as the new Connections Director.  She desires to see all find a church family and home at Portico!  

Amy loves cooking & baking, shopping, singing 90s country with her crazy family, line dancing any chance she gets, family nights at Guad, workouts at BURN Bootcamp, Grit coffee, anywhere on the water, and opening her home to friends and family.  She can't wait to connect with YOU on a Sunday morning!

Jon Huang

Worship Director

Jon was born and raised in Herndon, VA.  He received a BA in Communication Studies and Music Industry from James Madison University (GO DUKES!).  While at JMU he became involved in multiple music ministries. He formed a band called Skyward with some close friends and carried that love for music and fellowship after graduation, leading worship and playing music along the east coast.  Eventually in 2015 he and his wife Moriah got married, settled down in Charlottesville, and started attending Portico.

In 2020, Jon joined the staff team as Worship Director. He oversees the Music, Tech, and Story teams at Portico.  He has passion for tackling creative projects and growing the culture of gospel-driven worship at Portico.

Outside the office, Jon enjoys food & fellowship with his CG, going on hiking adventures with his family, playing pickleball, and discovering/ playing new songs.

Caitlin Jones

Executive Director

Caitlin is a born & raised New Englander (Go Red Sox!), spending her childhood in a small coastal Connecticut town. James Madison University brought her to Virginia, and...she never left. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Policy and Administration and greatly enjoyed her time at JMU.  After graduating, Caitlin moved to Charlottesville and began attending Portico Church in 2013.

In 2015, Caitlin joined the staff team, and since then her job responsibilities have shifted numerous times over the years. She currently serves as Portico Church's Executive Director. You can find Caitlin assisting her teammates with their ministry goals & plans, overseeing Portico’s membership process, and responding to general ministry needs.

Caitlin loves calling Charlottesville home; she enjoys supporting UVA lacrosse, visiting National Parks,  reading, taking candid photographs, live music, and chatting with Portico kiddos. Caitlin  co-leads the 9th & 10th grade girls Life Group and enjoys participating in Pastor Daniel’s CONNECT ministry as a volunteer.  

Janet Lohr

Finance Director

Janet was born and raised in Hampton, VA. After graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from ODU, she spent 10 years at Union Camp Paper Mill in Franklin, VA. When her husband’s job brought them to Charlottesville, she became a full time mom and started doing the bookkeeping for his company.

In 2012, she joined the staff team as Operations Bookkeeper and has enjoyed her new “career” doing bookkeeping for both Portico Church and Lohr & Company.

Janet and her husband, Greg, are so glad to be in Charlottesville (where Greg was born!) and to be doing life and church with some of their children and grandchildren. Greg and Janet are enjoying “empty nesting” and spending time with family and playing with their grandkids. During the fall, you might find them sharing a tree stand and hunting together! They will also be teaching the 4th & 5th Grade Portico Kids Class together!

Amy Thornton

Women's Ministry Director

Amy was born and raised in North Carolina. She did her undergraduate work in English and Political Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, before obtaining a law degree from Campbell University. She met her husband, Daniel, the first weekend at Carolina, and they have been together ever since. Although she practiced law in two states, she would tell you that her first love was not law, but mothering her three children, Jackson, Eli, and McKenna.

A natural encourager, Amy came to women’s ministry out of a desire to see women supported in and excited about growing in relationship with the Lord and with one another in Biblical community. She is passionate about God’s Word - living a life informed and directed by it, coming to know God more fully through it, and helping women come to love it as much as she does. She hopes to foster an environment in which each woman will not only know she is seen, known, and loved, but that she belongs.

When Amy is not at Portico, you will most likely find her face-first in a book; trying out a new recipe (she loves to feed people!); listening to, playing, and/or singing some good music; or hanging out with her family in and around her home in Crozet.

Savannah Trivette

Ministry Assistant

Savannah has grown up in Charlottesville, and lives here with her family. She is the oldest of seven children, and has been homeschooled her entire life. She is graduating from high school in 2025, and currently plays for the varsity volleyball team at Regents School of Charlottesville.

Savannah started attending Portico in 2008, when she was 2, and has been attending with her family ever since. Savannah’s father, Stephen Trivette, has been an elder at Portico since 2014. She is involved in the Worship Team, and the Student Leadership Team for Portico’s Youth Ministry. Savannah has a heart to see her generation be changed by the hope of the Gospel and to inspire others around her to seek to disciple and be discipled by others.

Savannah spends much of her free time with her family in fellowship over food, jamming to music with the car windows down, or playing a competitive game of basketball or home run derby.

Lay Elders

Jeremiah Hovis
Jedd Smith
Jamie Stokes
Stephen Trivette

Deacons

Chelsea Bhimji
Greg Bures
Cameron Koon
Lead Deacon
Kris Muncaster
Matt Pincombe
Ryan Slater

Service Team Leads

Becca Anderson 

Hospitality Team Lead
Blaine Anderson
Worship Team Co-Lead

Nathan Hetrick

Production Team Lead

Chris Hoffman

Treasurer

Jim & Melissa Schmidt

Prayer Team Leads

Leenie Wilcox

Worship Team Co-Lead

Drew Williams

Security Team Lead