Preston Mears grew up in the Episcopal Church, attended a Quaker school, Haverford College and then seminary at the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, MA.  He and Laurie, a life long Unitarian, have 3 children and 7 grandchildren.  They have been members of the UUCSS now for 4 years along with their daughter Rachel and her family.  Preston was ordained in 1966 in the Episcopal Church and served in parish work for 8 years before transitioning to social welfare work. He worked on the federal Food Stamp Program (now called SNAP) from 1974 to 1984 as a welfare office supervisor with the New Hampshire Department of Welfare.  He transferred to the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service and served as a field supervisor and then as a senior program analyst until retirement in 2010.  He continues to be active in the field through his involvement in the Prince George’s Food Equity Council.