Chris & Carrie Baxter
Senior Pastors
Chris and Carrie Baxter have been the senior pastors of The River Foursquare Church since October 2019.
Chris is a graduate of Providence College with a Bachelor’s Degree in History, received his Master’s in Teaching from Sacred Heart University, and an Administrative Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Connecticut. Chris has had a career in education spanning elementary, middle, and high school for over 25 years. He served seven years as a public school administrator. After Covid, he made the decision to return to the classroom where he is a seventh grade social studies teacher at the local Naugatuck middle school. Chris is an avid sports fan, coaches Babe Ruth baseball, and likes to go for walks around town.
Carrie earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Providence College in music and Master’s in Music Education from The Hartt School at the University of Hartford. She is a homeschool mom who enjoys reading classic literature, playing in the local Naugatuck Community Band, and getting together for coffee with friends. Carrie is currently enrolled in a cohort at the PAX Center for Spiritual Formation to become a certified Spiritual Director.
Chris and Carrie have been married for 25 years and have 5 children. Together, they enjoy watching their boys play baseball, eating out, going to the movies, and rewatching their favorite tv series. They love to meet new people, hear their stories and love having the opportunity to encourage and help people become clear about their purpose in life and build healthy, lifelong relationships within their community.
Chris is a graduate of Providence College with a Bachelor’s Degree in History, received his Master’s in Teaching from Sacred Heart University, and an Administrative Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Connecticut. Chris has had a career in education spanning elementary, middle, and high school for over 25 years. He served seven years as a public school administrator. After Covid, he made the decision to return to the classroom where he is a seventh grade social studies teacher at the local Naugatuck middle school. Chris is an avid sports fan, coaches Babe Ruth baseball, and likes to go for walks around town.
Carrie earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Providence College in music and Master’s in Music Education from The Hartt School at the University of Hartford. She is a homeschool mom who enjoys reading classic literature, playing in the local Naugatuck Community Band, and getting together for coffee with friends. Carrie is currently enrolled in a cohort at the PAX Center for Spiritual Formation to become a certified Spiritual Director.
Chris and Carrie have been married for 25 years and have 5 children. Together, they enjoy watching their boys play baseball, eating out, going to the movies, and rewatching their favorite tv series. They love to meet new people, hear their stories and love having the opportunity to encourage and help people become clear about their purpose in life and build healthy, lifelong relationships within their community.
Carol Donofrio
Assistant Pastor
Carol is the associate pastor of The River Foursquare Church in Naugatuck. She is a widow and currently retired, however, she is a substitute teacher for the Seymour Public Schools where she resides. Carol has 4 children, 17 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. She was a foster parent for over 25 years to many different children.
Carol loves people and encourages them to be the best they can be. She loves to dance and currently dances in Seymour, with her granddaughters. She is a traveler, having visited 38 countries and is still working on seeing more. Carol enjoys going to the beach and watching sunsets. She is from a multicultural family, loves good food and enjoys cooking different cuisine. She enjoys her family and friends having fun and hanging out with them. Carol loves life and enjoys it. Her desire in life is to see people love Jesus, His Word and become more like Him.
Carol loves people and encourages them to be the best they can be. She loves to dance and currently dances in Seymour, with her granddaughters. She is a traveler, having visited 38 countries and is still working on seeing more. Carol enjoys going to the beach and watching sunsets. She is from a multicultural family, loves good food and enjoys cooking different cuisine. She enjoys her family and friends having fun and hanging out with them. Carol loves life and enjoys it. Her desire in life is to see people love Jesus, His Word and become more like Him.
Martina Perez
Worship Leader
Martina is the worship leader of The River Foursquare church in Naugatuck. She was born in Canajoharie, New York and moved to Connecticut in 2009 where she resides
with her husband of 13 years and two children.
Martina holds a degree in Music Therapy and for the past 15 years has worked in the special education field fostering musical experiences with all she engages with. Martina believes in the power of music to heal, restore, and enhance lives. Within our church community she desires that all who encounter The River will be able to grow and enter into worship as it will be in heaven giving praise and glory to our Lord Jesus Christ forever and ever.
with her husband of 13 years and two children.
Martina holds a degree in Music Therapy and for the past 15 years has worked in the special education field fostering musical experiences with all she engages with. Martina believes in the power of music to heal, restore, and enhance lives. Within our church community she desires that all who encounter The River will be able to grow and enter into worship as it will be in heaven giving praise and glory to our Lord Jesus Christ forever and ever.
