Our Team

Rev. Dr. Andrew Kukla
Lead Pastor

Andrew is the Head of Staff at FPC Boise. He has the privilege of working with a great team and walking alongside our special community in downtown Boise. He affectionately thinks of us as "a quirky family who has a lot of fun taking their faith seriously." Andrew is active in supporting Mission and Adult Education at FPC Boise. He is the primary preacher here and gets to deal with all the institutional stuff that no-one particularly loves. His greatest joy in church life is watching connections within the community grow and flourish. It's exciting for him to see people recognize what a vital and important part of our lives a community of faith can become.

Christine Caven
Director of Family Ministries

Christine began as our Director of Family Ministry to continue to build a strong program for our children, youth, and families. She moved here from Connecticut in August of 2024, but she is a native of the Treasure Valley. Her interest in ministry started young, as she completed a Bachelor of Music in Music Ministry and a Master of Arts in Christian Ministry prior to her Master of Divinity at Yale. Christine is dedicated to fostering an environment of open conversation, creative faith practice, and celebration.

JoAnn Thiry
Visitation Minister

JoAnn rejoined the pastoral staff at First Presbyterian Church in March, 2022, as very part time visitation pastor, assisting with pastoral care. She visits members and friends of the congregation for a variety of reasons, including hospital visits and, reconnecting with those unable to come to church. In addition, she co-leads worship with Andrew on communion Sundays and preaches quarterly or as needed. She also serves full time as a hospice chaplain for Idaho Hospice of Treasure Valley. JoAnn enjoys the balance of being engaged with the congregation and her hospice work.

Ryan Dye
Minister of Music

As one who is passionate about church music, Ryan is excited to be a part of a thriving faith community in downtown Boise.  Prior to joining the FPC Boise team in 2018, Ryan enjoyed three years as organist and later Canon for Music just down the street at St. Michael's Episcopal Cathedral.  From 2000-2013, Ryan served as Minister of Music for the historic All Pilgrims Christian Church in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle.  During this time in Seattle, Ryan also served a term as Dean of the Seattle Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.  He holds degrees in Religion and Business Administration from Walla Walla University in addition to a Bachelor of Music and Master of Music in Organ Performance from the University of Washington.  Ryan enjoys teaching, skiing, and exploring the beauty of Idaho with his wife Heather, a professional singer and music teacher, and their children Palmer, Magnolia, Phoebe and Nicholas.

Kathy Bilderback
Business Administrator

Kathy has served the church since 2007 when she began as bookkeeper. Her position expanded in 2023 to include business management in collaboration with staff and operation’s committee. She finds it a privilege to nurture relationships at FPC. Outside of her work here, Kathy recently retired as an ordained Mennonite minister/ She finds great joy in sharing married life with her husband Scott while walking alongside their two young adult sons. Kathy loves to cook and bake. In the moments she has to herself, she often takes a bike ride on the beautiful roads of Idaho.

Brent Petersen
Facilities Manager

Brent began as our Facilities Manager in the fall of 2025. He spent his early years in Spokane, Washington where he lived on a 400 acre farm. He worked on crabbing boats in Alaska for two seasons and then moved to Portland, Oregon where he worked in construction in his father's business. Brent moved to the Treasure Valley 10 years ago where he started his own construction company focused on remodeling homes and exterior improvements. He is married to Katherine and is a dad to Ty, Tristian, Nellie, Jake and Courtney and a grandson, Colt.

Mathew Eardley
Interim Office Assistant

We welcome Mathew to our staff on a temporary basis as we reconfigure this position (December 2025-January 2026). Mathew has been a long time member at the church and involved over the years in all aspects of the organization and ministries. We are glad he has agreed to fill in and help us imagine what we would like this position to become for the future.

Stacy Shephard
Janitor / Event Host

We welcome Stacy to the position of Facilities Associate / Janitor and Event Host. Stacy brings years of experience working as head janitor and we are glad to have him on staff.