Meet our pastor
Rev. Dr. Tiffania Icaza Willetts has been the pastor at St James UMC since July 2025.
Pastor Tiffania grew up as a pastor’s kid to two United Methodist pastors in Florida, and she has been involved in The United Methodist Church on a local, district, and conference level for over twenty years. She answered God’s call to ordained ministry after a spiritual experience on the Walk to Emmaus retreat. She spent three years as a missionary, first in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and then in campus ministry at Central Methodist University in Fayette, Missouri. Before serving at St James, Pastor Tiffania served at Seminole Heights UMC in Tampa from 2018-2025.
Pastor Tiffania is passionate about making disciples who can transform their communities and the world. She has a love and commitment to serving Jesus Christ, and the spiritual gifts of discernment, preaching, and teaching. She is a dynamic and biblical preacher and teacher.
Pastor Tiffania holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics with a minor in Latin American Studies from Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, and in May 2018 she received a Master of Divinity degree from Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia. In May 2025 Pastor Tiffania received a Doctor of Ministry degree from Candler School of Theology. In September 2020, Pastor Tiffania was ordained an Elder in The United Methodist Church.
Pastor Tiffania lives in Tampa Palms with her husband Laurence, daughter Emilia, and puppy Mia. She loves cooking, baking, yoga, and watching movies in her free time.
Pastor Tiffania grew up as a pastor’s kid to two United Methodist pastors in Florida, and she has been involved in The United Methodist Church on a local, district, and conference level for over twenty years. She answered God’s call to ordained ministry after a spiritual experience on the Walk to Emmaus retreat. She spent three years as a missionary, first in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and then in campus ministry at Central Methodist University in Fayette, Missouri. Before serving at St James, Pastor Tiffania served at Seminole Heights UMC in Tampa from 2018-2025.
Pastor Tiffania is passionate about making disciples who can transform their communities and the world. She has a love and commitment to serving Jesus Christ, and the spiritual gifts of discernment, preaching, and teaching. She is a dynamic and biblical preacher and teacher.
Pastor Tiffania holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics with a minor in Latin American Studies from Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, and in May 2018 she received a Master of Divinity degree from Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia. In May 2025 Pastor Tiffania received a Doctor of Ministry degree from Candler School of Theology. In September 2020, Pastor Tiffania was ordained an Elder in The United Methodist Church.
Pastor Tiffania lives in Tampa Palms with her husband Laurence, daughter Emilia, and puppy Mia. She loves cooking, baking, yoga, and watching movies in her free time.
