District Office Staff

The Rev. J. Douglas Forrester, District Superintendent


Rev. J. Douglas Forrester is a Richmond, Virginia native, and a graduate of Emory & Henry College and Duke University Divinity School.  He has served in a variety of pastoral appointments including Warwick Memorial UMC in Newport News, Prince George Charge near Petersburg, Crozet UMC on the Charlottesville District and most recently at Reveille UMC in Richmond.  He has served on the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry. He was appointed by Bishop Lewis to serve as Roanoke District Superintendent beginning in July 2020.

Doug is married to Tracy Forrester, an elementary school teacher in Roanoke County Schools.  Together they have two daughters, Ellen and Claire.

You may email Rev. Forrester at RoanokeDS@vaumc.org



Cynthia T. Martin, Office Manager/Bookkeeper


Cindy grew up in Virginia attending St. Andrews UMC, Alexandria and Warrenton UMC, Warrenton. She became our office manager in September 2011 and took on the additional responsibilities of bookkeeper in January 2014.  She is a graduate of James Madison University with a degree in Accounting and Finance and worked on her Masters in Business Administration at the University of Richmond.  She completed Professional Administrators of the United Methodist Connectional Structure certification in 2015 and serves on the PAUMCS Virginia Chapter Board.  In July 2019 she began serving on the Virginia Conference Council on Finance and Administration.

She and her husband, Tom, members of Cave Spring UMC, enjoy teaching children's Sunday school. Active in UMW she serves on its District Board. 

You may reach her at RoanokeDistrict@vaumc.org

Jan McCall Failes, Office/Communications Assistant


Jan McCall Failes is our part-time Office Assistant.  Jan is a graduate of Red River College in Winnipeg, Canada, and adds her extensive communication experience to the district team.  She has served on the Virginia Conference Board of Communications and the Board of Global Ministries, as a Jurisdictional Delegate, and as Coordinator of the Voices of Youth Awakening the UMC to Mission.  She is passionate about mission and has led numerous UMVIM teams for youth and adults, including Africa University in Zimbabwe and worked as a Case Manager at the Rescue Mission in Roanoke.   

She is married to Rev. B. Failes, lead pastor at Thrasher Memorial UMC in Vinton. She can be reached at RoanokeOA@vaumc.org