Our Staff

Julie Elliott O’Neal is a native North Carolinian educated at Cary High School, North Carolina State University, and Duke Divinity School Course of Study for Ministry.  She has been appointed to nine United Methodist churches in the Western North Carolina Conference over the past twenty years after having served as a teacher on the high school and university levels and as a Christian educator.  As the twenty-first century church seems to diverge from the patterns of the past, she finds that the early church described in the book of Acts offers the best example to emulate today, when “With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people” Acts 2:46-47.  Julie enjoys travel, reading, picnics, and earnest conversation.

Born in Wisconsin, Guy began a diverse musical career studying trombone, piano, composition, and theory. He played in the Milwaukee Youth Symphony, All-State Bands, and Project Create Percussion Ensemble. Early experiences took him to Europe, Carnegie Hall, Interlochen Arts Camp, and the Rose Parade. Kelpin received his bachelor’s degree in Music Performance and Composition from Illinois Wesleyan University. During college, his summers were spent performing throughout the U.S. and Japan and at the Aspen Music Festival. Guy then earned two master’s degrees from UNC-School of the Arts: Film Music (2001) and Trombone Performance (2005). In the summer of 2004, he played in the Dublin Festival Orchestra (Ireland) and Symphony Orchestra Academy of the Pacific (British Columbia). Kelpin began playing bass in Winston Salem, broadening his musical spectrum to include bluegrass, jazz, and hard rock. He plays regularly with jazz ensembles and theater companies, as well as classical ensembles throughout the Triad. Guy has been a member of the Piedmont Wind Symphony since 1999 serving as Principal Trombone, Bass Trombone, Euphonium, Electric and String Bass, and is currently the ensemble’s Operations Manager. As an instructor, Mr. Kelpin has taught private lessons since 1995 and coaches wind, string, choral, and jazz groups. The summer of 2009, Guy stepped further into music education than he ever thought he would, working with 3-5 year olds! Kelpin has given demonstrations and performances at each Forsyth County school, working with the Little Symphony and Giannini Brass “Under the Big Top.” Many students know him as “Mr. Guy.”  For the 2011 season, Guy served as a Teaching Artist with the UNC-School of the Arts Open Dream Ensemble and has been a music instructor at Forsyth Country Day School since 2008. He is a music director at Burkhead United Methodist and plays keyboards with the beach band, Twin City Band. Outside of music, Guy’s interests include astronomy, the outdoors, home-improvement, history, and spending time with his wife Abby, daughter Alice and son Paul.

Darlene joined the Burkhead staff in December 2017.  A lifelong United Methodist, she is a member at Brookstown UMC.  Born in Asheville, NC, Darlene grew up in the Winston-Salem area.  She now lives in Lewisville with her husband, Mark.  They are very proud of their daughters, Kendra Davis and Kaila Parrish and son-in- law, Chad Parrish.  Their family wouldn’t be complete without their various adopted and foster fur babies.  She spends her free time gardening, spending time with family and enjoying the great outdoors.  Darlene graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in education.  To further her knowledge of the church and its administration, she attended the course taught by the General Council on Finance and Administration and received her national certification by the Professional Association of United Methodist Church Secretaries July 2013.  She enjoys working with the members, friends and staff at Burkhead UMC.