Reverend Dr. Laura O’Neil is serving the sixth year as Senior Pastor of Desert Mission UMC.  Before coming to Desert Mission, she served at Sun Lakes and Crossroads UMC in the Desert Southwest Conference, as well as churches in Kansas East and Yellowstone Conferences.  Pastor Laura has been ordained for 34 years.                    

Her educational background includes two Masters Degrees in Divinity and Philosophy, and doctoral work at Iliff School of Theology and Drew University.

In addition to church ministry, Pastor Laura has spent 10 years in social service, and 20 years in college instruction where she taught Philosophy, Ethics, Logic, Psychology, Counseling, and World Religions.

Pastor Laura has two grown children and two grandchildren.  She enjoys her Maltese dogs in her spare time.