Rev. Gail Geisel grew up in South St. Louis County.  After high school she attended University of Missouri at Columbia, where she received a B.S. in Education with a specialty in orchestral music grades 1-12.  She then left Missouri to teach in Russell, KS and then moved to Manhattan, KS.  The Geisels lived in Kansas for 13 years before moving to the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles in 1984.  While there, she studied music composition and voice which led her to the position of Music Director of her local church.  During her time as music director, she met Rev. Dr. Hector Lopez who was instrumental in guiding her sense of call into ministry.

     Rev. Geisel graduated from Claremont School of Theology in 2001.  She received the Award for Urban Ministry.  She did her internship at Mt. Hollywood Congregational which is an ONA/Just Peace/Whole Earth congregation.  After graduation from seminary, she took training as an Intention Interim Minister and served three churches in that capacity.  While in Southern California, she was an officer on the Central Association Board, and Chair of the Board for Church Development, and a member of the Southern California Ecumenical Council.  She was also named Southern California Nevada Conference representative to the UCC Disaster Ministries Network in 2003 and served until moving to Illinois in 2007 to serve as minister to Friedens UCC.  From 2008-2010 she served as Chair of the Justice and Witness Ministries Team of ISC and a member of the ISC Conference Council.  Rev. Geisel is also currently a member of the UCC Mental Illness Network, and is active in the Marissa Chamber of Commerce and Ministerial Alliance.

     Rev. Geisel has been married to Ronald Geisel for 40 years.  They have a grown daughter, Hope, and two grandsons.