Consulting Minister: Rev. Dr. James Kubal-Komoto

The Rev. Dr. James Kubal-Komoto has served as the minister of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Stony Brook since August 1, 2026.

“For me, ministry is all about helping people learn to live more fully and helping make the world a better place,” Rev. James says.

He previously served Unitarian Universalist congregations in Raleigh, North Carolina, for seven years and in the Seattle suburbs in Washington State for 16 years. He also worked on the staff of the Unitarian Universalist Association for three years.

He is the author of A Liberal Religious Path: A Short, Personal Introduction to Unitarian Universalism.

He was very involved in community organizing during his past ministries and helped organize multi-racial, multicultural, multi-faith coalitions that successfully advocated for issues such as immigration reform, providing support to homeless individuals, and creating more affordable housing.

“I’m looking forward to exploring how the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Stony Brook might partner with others in the community to address the needs of our most vulnerable neighbors.”

Before discerning a call to ministry, he worked as a journalist and a teacher. He spent four of those years living in Tokyo, Japan.

He holds a doctor of ministry degree from Meadville/Lombard Theological School, one of the two Unitarian Universalist seminaries in the United States, and an undergraduate degree in philosophy from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

A native of the Chicago suburbs, he now lives in Port Jefferson Station with his wife Hiromi, their dog Yakumo, and their cat, Alice. His young adult son is a student at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina.

To contact Rev. James, email him at james@uufsb.org or call him at 631-751-8336.

To schedule an appointment with him, visit here.

Directors of Religious Education

Our co-Directors of Religious Education are Susan Buckley and Michele Maggio. 

Susan Buckley is a recently retired preschool teacher who enjoys long neighborhood walks, Zumba classes, reading, and spending time with her friends and family.  Susan has been a member of UUFSB for over 10 years, during which time she has served as Secretary and Vice President of the Board of Trustees, former co-chair of the Membership Committee, and current member of the Communications, Grounds and Sounds Café, and Religious Education committees. She has volunteered for over 8 years as a Religious Education teacher. Susan enjoys participating in UUFSB labyrinth walks and can also be found helping in the kitchen after Sunday services.  Outside of UUFSB, Susan is longtime volunteer at the Long Island Feline Adoption Center in Smithtown and enjoys spending time with her own two furry friends!

Michele Maggio has been a member of the UUFSB since 1986. She has volunteered in the Religious Education program for many years as a teacher, mentor for COA, and assisting with DRE duties. In addition to spending time with the children and youth of the fellowship, she has been involved with the COMC, DRE Search Committee, and the Women’s Dinners. Before retiring in 2023, Michele worked as speech-language pathologist, both in private practice and in the elementary schools. She enjoys cycling, yoga, and playing pickleball. Michele and her husband Greg are most grateful for the time they spend with their three sons and partners, grandson, and one cute little granddog!

Congregational Administrator: Sharena Sacher office@uufsb.org

Sharena loves bringing order to the beautiful chaos that keeps a busy congregation running.

A graduate of Stony Brook University with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Business Administration (Accounting), she has spent more than 25 years helping organizations streamline operations, manage finances, improve systems, and embrace technology. She firmly believes there’s almost always a better way to do something—and she’s probably already making a checklist for it.

Outside the office, Sharena is endlessly curious. She enjoys exploring AI and new technology, tackling creative projects, and learning just about anything that catches her attention. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she co-founded a nonprofit supporting senior citizens, an experience that reinforced her love of building strong, connected communities.

Whether she’s solving a problem, organizing the next big project, or lending a helping hand, Sharena is always happy to chat. Feel free to stop by and say hello!

Webmaster: webmaster@uufsb.org

Colleen Rudman is a happily retired technical writer and a dedicated yogini, reader, cyclist and movie lover. She has been a member of UUFSB since 1988. Besides many years of work for the Communications Committee (website, newsletters, etc.), she has co-chaired the UUFSB Goods & Services Auction since 2015 and served on the Board of Trustees and various committees over the decades. She lives with her husband of 41 years, Stan, and is blessed with two daughters, three stepchildren, and seven step-grandchildren.