Dr. Jan Love
Chief Executive Officer of the Women's Division

Dr. Jan Love began her tenure as chief executive of the Women’s Division on August 1, 2004.  Known in the organization, the Church, ecumenically and academically, Ms. Love brings to the organization a variety of experiences that have formed her as a leader.  A prolific speaker and writer, she has written and spoken on issues such as Christian unity, inter-religious concerns, issues affecting women, the global church, economics, and racial justice.  She has published two books: Southern Africa in World Politics: Local Aspirations and Global Entanglements and The U.S. Anti-Apartheid Movement: Local Activism in Global Politics.  Along with many academic journals, she’s also written numerous articles on religion and politics for publications like Christian Century, The Ecumenical Review, Sojourners, United Methodist Reporter, Zion’s Herald, New World Outlook, and Response.  She’s served as a keynote speaker and panelist around the United Methodist Church, at a variety of universities, for other denominations, and at the United Nations.

See also: An Open Letter to the RENEW Network

Kyung Za Yim
President of Women's Division

Kyung Za Yim is the first Korean-American president of the Women’s Division.  A native of Seoul, Korea, her family was displaced to southern parts of the country for during the Korean War. Though hunger and poverty were constant companions, her parents strongly believed in fostering their children’s education and spiritual discipline as much as possible.  Full of hope and dreams of mission work, she separated from her family to attend “Ewha Girl’s High School,” a school started by a Methodist Women’s missionary.  Kyung Za has worked as a registered nurse for over 35 years as a labor and delivery nurse for newborns and post-partum mothers, for geriatric patients, and for patients with mental and physical illnesses and disabilities. She is presently a Deaconess Registered Nurse working with All-Metro Health Care, providing in-home health care and support services to patients. She also works as a home-care advocate in the public-policy arena, conducting health screening and patient-education workshops and as a clinical resource.

Lois M. Dauway
Assistant General Secretary for Christian Social Responsibility of the Women's Division

Lois M. Dauway is assistant general secretary for the section of Christian Social Responsibility for the Women’s Division of the General Board of Global Ministries.  The portfolio of that section includes the following programs and foci:  children, youth and family advocacy program; constituency education; conflict resolution; development education and action; public policy; racial justice; the United Nations and international affairs; women’s concerns; and, ecumenical work.  Prior to assuming her duties with the Women’s Division, Ms. Dauway was the Associate for Inclusiveness and Justice of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. [NCC].  She has traveled throughout North America, Africa, Europe, Asia and Latin America examining cultural differences, the varying nature of conflicts and developing training resources for churches and non-profit institutions. 

Joyce D. Sohl
Former Chief Executive Officer of the Women's Division

Joyce D. Sohl served as the chief executive of the United Methodist Women’s Division from 1991-2004.  From 1976-1990, she worked as the associate treasurer of the General Board of Global Ministries and as treasurer of the Division.  Originally from Lincoln, Nebraska,  Ms. Sohl has been involved at all levels of the denomination – as a delegate to General Conference, as a lay delegate for New York annual conference, and as a youth director and church school teacher.  She is a prolific writer.  Among numerous magazine articles and key note speeches given around the world, she authored Managing Our Money: Workbook on Women and Finance,Songs for the Lenten Journey, and a monthly column called “Responsively Yours” for Response magazine.  She has served on the board of trustees for Bennett College in North Carolina, as a board teacher for Scarritt-Bennett Center, and as a treasurer for the National Council of Churches.

Genie Bank
Former President of the Women's Division

Genie Bank of Lexington, Mich., served as the Women’s Division president from 2000-2004.  She has volunteered at all levels of the one-million member United Methodist Women’s organization and has been the dean of the Upper Atlantic Regional School of Mission, the largest program of United Methodist Women.  She was also a delegate to the 1996 and 2000 General Conferences, the legislative-making conferences of the denomination.  Her work locally in the church includes urban ministries, health and welfare service, finance and stewardship campaigns, and religion and race issues.  Ms. Bank has been involved in the Boy Scouts of America and the Beechwood/Blocher Foundation Auxilary Board.

Dr. Carolyn E. Johnson
Former President of the Women's Division

Dr. Carolyn E. Johnson was the Women’s Division president from 1992-1996.  She is the senior research associate for African American Studies and Research Center at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.  She has taught professionally at all levels of public education and serves as a consultant to numerous school districts, corporations, civic organizations and textbook companies.  She has a Ph.D. in educational administration with a specialty in educational law.  Dr. Johnson has served at all levels of United Methodist Women, as the chairperson for Black Methodists for Church Renewal, and as a delegate to five General Conferences, the legislative-making conference of the denomination.  She has written extensively, and is contributor to the award-winning book Expressively Black: the Basis of Cultural Identity.  Dr. Johnson has served on board of directors for the YWCA, United Way, American Red Cross, Pilot International, Urban League, the NAACP, and Girl Scouts of America.