At 39, the Rev. Dr. Dawson B. Taylor is the youngest United Church of Christ senior minister in the nation. He is the head of one of the largest congregations, too. He has transformed the Naples congregation into a mission-driven church to make larger impacts in the local community. Taylor raised $250,000 to fund the dental expansion for the Neighborhood Health Clinic, passing the original goal of $140,000.

“I remember the charge that was given to me at my ordination: ‘When it is all said and done, what people will remember most is that you showed up and loved them,” Taylor says.

Taylor enjoys international travel, reading and spending time with his family, including doting on his three nieces and two nephews. In April, he welcomed the newest addition to his family, a chocolate Labrador retriever puppy named Max.