Rev. Stacy Cavanaugh was ordained in the Giddings-Lovejoy Presbytery in October, 2005.   She earned her MDiv from Colombia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia, a Masters of British and American Literatures from Washington University in St. Louis, and a BA in English Literature from Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois with an honor’s thesis on themes of West African folklore in Toni Morrison’s novels, and a research fellowship on teaching multicultural literature in both high school and college classrooms.   Throughout her ministry, Rev. Cavanaugh has enjoyed working with all ages.   She has served a year as a hospital chaplain and has served 17 years in parish ministry, first in Galena, Illinois and now at Union Presbyterian Church of Monroe.

A cradle Presbyterian, Rev. Cavanaugh has served the larger church as a mentor in the PC(USA)’s Company of New Pastor’s program, as the area chair of Blackhawk Presbytery’s Committee on Ministry, as Vice Moderator, Moderator, Business Affairs Moderator, and member of the nominating committees of Blackhawk Presbytery, and is serving her sixth year (fifth year as co-moderator) on the John Knox Presbytery’s Committee on Ministry.   She also serves as a member of the Generosity Task force in John Knox Presbytery   She teaches regularly at Synod School in the Synod of Lakes and Prairies, including classes on fiction, poetry, and cooking.   She is the John Knox Presbytery’s Teaching Elder Delegate to the General Assembly in 2024.  She is a member of the Omaha Seminary Foundation’s programming committee and serves as part of the planning team for the Wisconsin chapter of the Pastoral Leadership Renewal program through Omaha Seminary.  She previously served on the Lifelong Learning Committee with the Omaha Seminary Foundation.

      Within the community, Rev. Cavanaugh is the President of the Monroe Kiwanis Club, on the Board of Trustees of the Monroe Public Library, a member of  the Monroe Middle School Climate Committee, Kiwanis advisor to the Parkside Elementary School K-Kids Club,  and past President of the Monroe Youth Center Board of Directors.   She served on the Green County Health Department Committee on Resilient Children, Families’ and Communities.  She is a 2020 alumnus of Green County Leaders, working with the team that developed a multicultural curriculum for 4 H.   She has worked as a tutor with the Literacy Council of Green County, been actively involved in the Multicultural Outreach Program, past member of the Monroe Women’s Club, and active with both Loaves and Fishes and Family Promise.  She is a member of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense.

In her free time, she is a season ticket holder at both the Monroe Arts Center and the Broadway series at the Overture Center in Madison, takes adult tap dancing classes through the Monroe Arts Center, is part of the Union Presbyterian African Drum Ensemble, participates in the library book clubs, and is an avid reader, gardener, and loves to cook recipes from all over the world.   She is the “momager” for her pre-teen daughter (her husband is usually their daughter’s chauffeur) and can be seen at just about any high school or middle school play, musical, band concert, choir concert, and football game.