Church Staff

Rev. Dr. Jeff Smith

Pastor

Jeff is a native of Blowing Rock, NC and is grateful to God to serve as pastor at FPC. He is a graduate of Montreat College (B.A. Bible and Religion), a graduate of Union Presbyterian Seminary (M. Div.) and a Doctor of Ministry at Union Presbyterian Seminary. He served three different congregations during 14 years of ministry in South Carolina (Bennettsville, Spartanburg, and Columbia) and has been the pastor at FPC since 2014. He is passionate about sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and empowering the church in Christ’s mission to the ends of the earth. His wife, Angela, works for Water Mission, a non-profit ministry that provides safe and clean water to impoverished areas around the world. They have two sons, Brennan and Lawson. In his spare time, Jeff enjoys trout fishing, UNC Basketball, and spending time camping with his family. 

Rev. Larke Blanton

Pastoral Associate

Larke Alexandria Blanton is the Pastoral Associate for FPC Boone. She is a graduate of Appalachian State University (B.A. Psychology, 2013 and Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy, 2023) and Wake Forest University (Master of Divinity, 2015). She bleeds black and gold and has a reference to App State football in every sermon preached during football season. With a heart for faith development, passion for Christian education, and a love for serving the community; Larke is thrilled for the opportunity to serve with Pastor Jeff at First Presbyterian Boone. In addition to serving in full time ministry at FPC, she also serves as a part-time couples therapist with Inside Passage Counseling. In her free time, Larke can be found training her sweet, husky mix puppy, Po, attending App State and Wake Forest football, basketball, and baseball games as well as grilling good food, and listening to live music with her husband, Jamie. 

Erin Fowler

Children's Director/Administrative Assistant

Erin has her BA and NC teaching license. She has been a preschool teacher most of her adult life, most recently at First Morning Out. Erin enjoys children and her role as Children’s Director and is embracing her new job as the church’s Office Administrative Assistant.  In her time away from church, Erin enjoys being a mom to a brood and a grandma. Most importantly, she enjoys sharing God’s love with His people. 

Shawn Huntley

Director of Youth Ministries

Shawn's bio coming soon...

Chris Reny

College and Young Adults Pastor

Chris is a native of Huntsville, Alabama and is eager to lead the college students and young adults of First Pres Boone.  He graduated Belhaven University with a BS in Business Administration before pursuing a Master’s of Arts in Religious Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Chris has served over 30 years in ministry in the areas of youth, young adults, and congregational care. In 2013, he accepted the call to serve as senior pastor of The Church By The Sea in Fort Lauderdale until 2025. Chris’s wife, Marie, has her MDIV from Indiana Wesleyan University and also served at Church By The Sea as the Family and Mission Pastor. Chris, Marie, Noah (16) and Grace (13) moved to Boone in August of 2025. In their first few visits they found FPC Boone felt like home and are excited about where God is leading them as they continue their ministry from beachside to mountain top. Marie works at Water Mission, a non-profit ministry that provides safe water and hope of the Gospel to last-mile communities, refugee camps and disaster relief areas around the world. Chris is also currently coaching the Watauga Middle School girls soccer team and enjoys snowboarding, pickleball, and being in the great outdoors…as well as all things University of Alabama…Roll Tide!

Beth Savage

Financial Director

Beth's bio coming soon...

Dr. John Stanley Ross

Director of Music

Dr. Ross is thrilled to be a part of the first Presbyterian Church family, and looks forward to many seasons of beautiful worship with Jeff and his wonderful team. Dr. Ross is the Director of Bands at the Hayes School of Music at Appalachian State University where he serves on the graduate faculty, is President of Appalachian Pi Kappa Lambda, conducts the Appalachian Wind Ensemble, Chamber Winds and Concert Band, teaches courses in graduate and undergraduate conducting, supervises student teachers, serves as the advisor for Kappa Kappa Psi and the Collegiate National Band Association, and guides all aspects of the Appalachian Bands program. He is also the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Charlotte Pride Band and serves nationally as a Conn-Selmer Educational Clinician. As a 2024 National Marquis Who’s Who Recipient and a 2022 Grammy Award in Music Education quarter finalist, Dr. Ross is a frequent guest conductor, adjudicator and clinician throughout the United States and abroad and has also conducted in England, China, Romania, Austria and South Korea.

Tyler  Dellaperute

Pianist

Tyler joined our staff as our new pianist in August, 2022. Tyler has a B.A. in Music from Cedarville University and is a recent graduate of ASU with a M.M. in Piano Performance with an added Certificate in Music Theory Pedagogy. He has been playing the piano since he was in middle school and has grown up the son of a Baptist pastor. He brings the comfortability of playing both contemporary and traditional music. Tyler has worked with Brandon Winbush at Watauga High School and through music camps at ASU.

Cindy Clawson

Worship Band Leader

Cindy has a wide background of musical experience. She has been a church musician for 30 years in various positions as Choir Director, Church pianist, attempted organist (but her legs were too short), Children’s Choir Director, Hand bell Director and just about whatever has come up in music. She has also worked as a public school music teacher. Wherever her family moved she found some available position in a school from grades K-12. Her favorite public school forum was directing high school chorus. As life brought new challenges and different circumstances Cindy took on a job at Boone Drug, Inc. This is where she gets to work with a great group of people every day. Cindy has 3 children.  
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