The River Conference of the Free Methodist Church

Conference Leaders

Elected Leaders

Bishop

Bishops are the general overseers of the Church. The Board of Bishops provides primary pastoral leadership of the denomination, leads and direct the Church, and develops and articulates the purpose, vision, values and expected outcomes of the Church.

Bishop Kenny Martin

Bishop Kenny Martin

Free Methodist Church USA

About Bishop Kenny

Bishop Kenny Martin presides over the Free Methodist Church USA along the West Coast (including Alaska and Hawaii) and in the South Central U.S. and Upper Midwest. He also oversees ministries in Africa. He was elected to the Board of Bishops at General Conference 2023 after starting the Kingdom Cathedral church plant in San Bernardino, California, and serving since 1991 as a Free Methodist pastor in California, Indiana, Maryland, and Missouri.  

His educational experiences include studies at Greenville, Spring Arbor, and Mid-America Christian universities. He is married to Rev. Estelle Martin, and they have two daughters and several grandchildren.  

Superintendent

As an Annual Conference of the Free Methodist Church, The River Conference elects a Free Methodist Elder as Superintendent. The Superintendents oversee vision alignment and implementation, leadership development, church health, church planting, and church expansion in their Annual Conferences.

Superintendent Michael Traylor, MD

Superintendent Michael Traylor, MD

The River Conference

About Supt. Michael

Dr. Michael Traylor is an ordained Elder and Superintendent of the River Conference of the Free Methodist Church. He is also a board-certified pediatrician, currently serving with the US Army at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio TX.

Michael is originally from Massillon, OH, and he answered his call to ministry while working as an MD. He has served in multiple pastoral roles in Ohio and western New York. He and his wife Amelia were the founding pastors of Christ Community Fellowship in Twinsburg, OH. His medical experiences include directorships of health centers, Free Clinics, and child advocacy programs.  Additionally, he was involved in short term missions’ programs in Kenya, Malawi, and Rwanda, where he and Amelia rendered patient care, offered consultations, and preached the gospel. He has served as the coordinator of local ministerial groups and has directed numerous community-based ministries over the past decades. He has also served in denominational roles as district leader, conference boards and general church delegate. His passions include leadership development, community development, cultural competence, and relational wholeness. Michael has developed significant interests in organizational change, culture, and transformational leadership and writes frequently in his blog “Learning, Loving, and Leading.”

Michael’s academic training includes degrees from Oberlin College, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Northeastern Seminary, and Cleveland State University.  He also completed Physician Executive leadership training at the Weatherhead School of Business in Cleveland, OH and Coach training with Spiritual Leadership Inc., located in Lexington, KY.

Michael and Amelia have been married for 32 years and have two adult children, Matthew and Michaela.   He enjoys reading, fitness and is an avid movie-goer.  He and Amelia are huge Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Cavaliers fans.

Appointed Leaders

Assistant Superintendent

The Assistant Superintendent serves as an executive superintendent who focuses on conference operations, property related issues, legal issues, financial advancement for local churches, and serves on the conference administrative team.

Asst. Supt. Amelia Cleveland-Traylor

Asst. Supt. Amelia Cleveland-Traylor

The River Conference

About Amelia

Rev. Amelia Cleveland-Traylor, MD’s ministry responsibilities have included pastoral care, praise and worship leader, women’s ministry director, youth ministry, small group leadership, and faith and fitness. Amelia has had many years in pastoral, conference, and denominational leadership. She was Co-Superintendent of the River Conference between 2018 and 2022. In 2019 Amelia was elected to serve on the FMCUSA Board of Administration and currently chairs the Committee on Diversity and Justice. She has chaired TRC’s Ministerial, Education, and Guidance Board since 2018. Amelia was recently appointed to serve on the Board of Directors at Greenville University and Aldersgate School of Ministry. She has a heart for biblical justice and advocacy and is pursuing a Masters in Justice and Advocacy from Fuller Theological Seminary.

Amelia is a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist who is taking a break from medicine to fully devote herself to serving the church. She is a fitness and sports enthusiast who works out at OrangeTheory several times per week. Her favorite football teams are the Cleveland Browns and The Ohio State Buckeyes. She and her husband, Michael, are the proud parents of two adult children. Matthew is a practicing attorney in New York City. Michaela is a law student at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois.

Asst. Supt. Heather Baker Utley

Asst. Supt. Heather Baker Utley

The River Conference

About Heather
Rev. Heather Baker Utley has served in church and non-profit ministry for over 20 years. Born in the Buckeye state (O-H), she’s a graduate of Taylor University and Seattle Pacific Seminary (MDiv), which included a semester at Daystar University (Kenya).  Previous ministry positions include Communications Director at Youth Dynamics, Family Ministries Pastor at Arlington Free Methodist Church and Seattle’s First Free Methodist Church in Washington, and Church Planter/Pastor at Tapestry Church in San Antonio. She’s also worked in communications at the Free Methodist Church USA and Wesleyan Holiness Women Clergy. She began as Assistant Superintendent of The River Conference in February 2025 and also serves on the Teaching and Communications Team at The Park Community Church in San Antonio. Heather is married to Clay, our conference youth ministry advocate, and they have two middle school boys. 

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