Nominee Biographies

Lay Nominees

Interests

I am married with two wonderful kids. When I am not practicing law, I am usually found camping or biking with our family, playing piano, or riding my motorcycle along Highway 1.

Professional associations

Member in Good Standing, California State Bar

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

I have served as the Senior Warden of Holy Innocents (Noe Valley) for the past two years, and on its Bishop’s Committee for several years before that.

Major activities beyond diocese

I am an attorney and partner at Sideman & Bancroft LLP. I am a civil trial lawyer specializing in commercial disputes and trust and estate matters. I also work on pro bono cases; past matters include obtaining injunctive relief barring the Trump administration and law enforcement from targeting journalists covering protests.

In my opinion the major issues facing the church today are

Articulating, living, and evangelizing the Gospel’s vision of progressive Christianity to a world that has come to equate Christianity with Christian nationalism. That includes welcoming and embracing the marginalized who have been historically ‘othered’ or rejected by Christianity, including LGBTQIA+ and communities of color.

Why are you running for this position?

In these troubling times, the message of the Gospel–which calls us to love our neighbor, welcome the stranger, and embrace the most vulnerable–is more important and needed than ever. I feel called to support The Episcopal Church’s mission to voice these unchanging truths to power without fear or apology, and to be a space of peace, hope, and respite for all of God’s children.

Interests

In addition to my Church activities, I am an active volunteer with the Boys & Girls and Lions Clubs of Martinez. I also enjoy hiking, gardening, reading, and baking. I’ve been told that I make a good lemon bar; I made about 250 of them for the bishop’s consecration and there were no complaints!

Professional associations

I am a retired engineer and certified industrial hygienist. During my career I had the opportunity to work first in the technical field, moving into upper management at a major oil company during the latter part of my career. As one of the first women in the world to run a chemical plant, I honed my critical thinking skills and ability to work within complex systems like the Diocese of California. I believe these experiences would assist me as a member of the Standing Committee.

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

I am currently the Treasurer, Godly Play Director, Parish Life Coordinator, and am a Eucharistic Minister, Eucharistic Visitor, and member of the Choir and Worship and Liturgy Committees at Grace Church in Martinez. I have served as Grace’s Senior Warden three times and on Grace’s Rector Search Committee. I also previously led the Youth Group and work as a member of the Outreach Committee.

I was a member of the Executive Council (EC) of the diocese from 2020 through 2022, serving as Secretary during my final year. Prior to my election to EC, I was one of the Deanery/Diocesan Representatives from my congregation for many years. Most recently, I served on the Bishop Search and Transition Committee. My diocesan work has given me a comprehensive knowledge of the polity of The Episcopal Church, which I believe would serve me well as a member of the Standing Commitee.

Major activities beyond diocese

I have not served in active ministry outside of the Diocese of California, other than interacting with the larger church as part of the Bishop Search and Transition Committee.

In my opinion the major issues facing the church today are

As our society changes, The Episcopal Church must be able to change and adjust as well. This is a particular challenge for Episcopalians, who value tradition. While it is important to recognize the many good things about the way in which we do things, we must also accept that the things which drew us to this denomination many years ago may not be a strong draw for people today. By opening our hearts to allow the Holy Spirit to work, we can find a path forward that embraces the best of our traditions as well as embracing innovative new ways of being Church together.

Why are you running for this position?

I was approached and asked to consider running for the lay position on the Standing Committee. After prayerful discernment, I became convinced that my set of skills and experiences would be a good fit and allow me to contribute to the work of the Standing Committee.

Clergy Nominees

Interests

My beloved, Eileen Bissen, and I love exploring the Bay Area and areas beyond it, including the Sonoma and Central Coasts. We enjoy hiking, walking, being near water, and finding good holes-in-the-wall eateries, and cooking. I enjoy jogging (if you’ll permit me to call it that). I garden and love growing things that we can eat or share with friends. We are godparents to an amazing goddaughter we’re heavily invested in.

Professional associations

I currently serve as a bivocational priest. I work during the week as an Assistant County Counsel (supervising attorney) in Contra Costa County Counsel’s Office. I am an active member of the County Counsels’ Association of California, and a member in good standing of the State Bar of California.

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

I am a member of and assist at Grace (Martinez); I assist at St. Aidan’s (San Francisco); and I assist about monthly at Grace Cathedral’s evening Eucharist. Most Sunday mornings I provide supply coverage in other congregations. I will be the long-term supply priest at St. John the Evangelist this fall. I love exploring the diversity of our Diocese’s congregations and learning more about each community that I visit. I also serve, or have served, on:
Committee on Canons – October 2024-Present
Board of Directors, St. Dorothy’s Rest – June 2024-Present
Regional Clergy Disciplinary Hearing Panel – January 2024-Present
Commission on Ministry – October 2023-Present
Committee on Nominations – 2023-Present (Chair in 2023 & 2024)
Clergy Housing Task Force – 2023
Bishop’s Task Force for Diocesan Leadership Development – 2021-2022
Contra Costa Deanery (President, 2021; VP, 2020)

Major activities beyond diocese

I am a practicing attorney with nearly 18 years of experience representing public agencies. For the past fourteen years, I have worked for Contra Costa County. I am currently a supervising attorney and oversee the work of several other attorneys in our office. My legal work for the County focuses on water and environmental law, flood control, transportation, land use, and real estate. I advise elected county supervisors, department heads, and departmental staff on legal requirements, and legal and business risk, connected with policies and transactions they pursue.

Between 2017 and 2019, I served on the City of Concord’s Community Services Commission. We made recommendations about how the City Council should allocate funding to support low-income families and seniors living in Concord.

In my opinion, the major issues facing the church today are

• Cultivating a culture of “we” within our Diocese. A culture of “we” invites us to see our communities of faith and our Diocese as interdependent, both vertically and horizontally. It requires building trust, investing in relationships, and making structural, canonical, policy, and financial changes to support and reflect this culture.
• Creating an environment where all of our siblings find belonging.
• Successfully implementing an achievable and measurable strategic vision that begins from a place of acknowledging the abundance we steward.
• Re-imagining congregational vitality and establishing partnerships in kin-dom building.
• Evangelizing, including through the ways we use and reuse underutilized properties to build community and meet the needs of our neighborhoods.
• Building trust and being transparent in all that we do.
• Remaining joyful and loving in the midst of anxiety.

Why are you running for this position?

I was nominated to stand for election to the Standing Committee and have discerned that I feel called to serve in this way, if elected. I believe that my work as an attorney, including some of my specific areas of practice, and my prior and current service in the church, prepare me well to serve in this way. As a supply priest, I have been able to visit many congregations across our Diocese. I have experienced the beauty and diversity of many of our communities of faith. I also have heard people in those communities name many of the same challenges and laments. If elected, I look forward to serving on the council of advice to our Bishop, participating in the ordination process in a specific way, reviewing property matters and transactions, and working collaboratively with my colleagues to enact a new strategic vision in ways that reflect our shared values, among other work.

Interests:

I am interested in church history, creative museum exhibits, well-crafted documentary films, telenovelas, new ways to form and promote future leaders in the church, memorable movie lines, musical theatre, choral music, time in nature, church memes, travel on pilgrimage and mission trips, empty-nesting with my husband David, and gathering with our large, noisy, hilarious extended families.

Professional associations:

I am a member of the American Academy of Religion; the National Council on Public History; the Historical Society of The Episcopal Church; the Anglican Association of Bible Scholars; the Peninsula Interfaith Coalition; and the Peninsula Solidarity Cohort.

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese:

I am Rector of St. Peter’s Redwood City and also Vicar of La Mision El Buen Pastor. In the deanery, I have served as a lay deanery delegate as well as a clergy delegate, and I am completing my term as President of the Peninsula Deanery. In the diocese, I have served on the search committee for the Canon for Social and Environmental Justice, and the Bishop Search & Transition Committee; I currently serve on the Committee on Dispatch of Business.

Major activities beyond diocese:

My work beyond the diocese involves networking among clergy around the church who minister in Spanish-speaking congregations, to share liturgical resources which I am compiling. I have led Latiné pilgrimages and organized a choir camp with youth choral singers from the Bay Area to serve with a mission on the remote west side of the island of Kaua’i. This year I also led a pilgrimage trip for El Buen Pastor to engage with Anglican ministries for immigrant and refugee communities in England and Spain.

In my opinion, the major issues facing the church today are:

Broadly, some major issues are reduced numbers and a thinning bench of active participants, along with an over-reliance on the outdated financial model of a volunteer society. Immigration, Christian nationalism, and the need to reclaim a progressive Christian identity are also important broad issues.

More narrowly, the church is challenged by slow progress in making multiculturality normative; moving beyond a pledge/plate/donor church income model by engaging in social entrepreneurship; the lack of competent stewardship of real estate assets; and neglect at reclaiming Anglican liturgy as a means of engaging with hurting people.

Why are you running for this position?

I’m running for Standing Committee because I care deeply about advising and supporting our bishop, and because I feel called to serve the diocese at this particular moment. I pray that by serving on this committee, I will bring perspectives and conversations to the Standing Committee that will open doors within our common life as a diocese.

I am a fully bilingual-bicultural person working with Latiné Episcopalians as the vicar of a Spanish-speaking mission. I am also the Rector of a 160-year-old widely diverse English-speaking parish, one that derives more than half of its revenue from its real estate. As clergy in charge of these congregations, following decades of passionate ministry experience with youth and young adults and a strong familiarity with canons and church history, I feel that I will be able to serve our diocesan community with needs that meet the current moment.

Lay Nominees

Interests

Formation, Outreach and Family

Professional associations

State Bar of California

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

A member of Saint Timothy’s Danville, since 2008. Active in formation programs and presentations, social justice programs, the Endowment Committee, and Education for Ministries. On two vestries during two rector searches. Contra Costa Deanery Delegate and the Social Justice Assembly. A member of the Resolutions Committee and the Christian Nationalism Task Force. Co-founder of Episcopalians for Action and have two resolutions before Convention – #2 Social Justice and #3 Affordable Housing.

Major activities beyond diocese

In my opinion the major issues facing the church today are

Interests

Church leadership
Community outreach to assist the marginalized
Building sustainable church growth via outreach and financial planning

Professional associations

None at present

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

• Member of St Columba’s Inverness for the past 18 months following relocation back to Marin after many years overseas.
• Member of Finance and Endowment committee, which recently started an endowment

Major activities beyond diocese

• Investment Committee, St Luke’s Battersea, London
• Vestry, Trinity Church, Jersey, Channel Islands
• Was an active member of parishes in Chicago, New Jersey, London, and Jersey (Channel Islands). Also actively involved with Kanuga Conferences for many years.
• Community development work on the south side of Chicago: volunteered at a homeless shelter for women and children; helped develop a plan to create financial assistance program for residents of ‘red-lined’ neighborhoods shut out from financial institutions.
• I am now retired from a career in financial services, the last half in risk management. Was head of the European risk management division of a large investment bank. I also have governance experience as an executive member of the board of an investment management company, where among other duties I took the lead on managing conflicts of interest facing the firm.

In my opinion the major issues facing the church today are

The Church needs to tackle dwindling membership by becoming a welcoming part of the community to which it belongs. How it accomplishes this will differ by parish, but creating ministries directed to young families will be central. The church also needs to extend its ministry to the marginalized in its communities, leading by demonstrating its core values. We must start with creating a healthy church, spiritually and financially, which will generate its own momentum of growth.

Why are you running for this position?

I want to enable the Church to be a force for good in our communities. For this to happen, it must be healthy — spiritually, socially and financially. The Executive Council can support the Diocese and individual parishes by partnering with the clergy and lay leaders to support the growth of the Church and its outreach. My experiences with parishes across this country and in the UK, and professionally in financial risk management and corporate governance, give me the tools to help the Diocese support and enable healthy parishes.

Clergy Nominees

Interests

Swimming, Yoga, theologies of disability and trauma, SF Giants, Golden State Valkyries & Warriors

Professional associations

• Young Adult Clergy Women International
• Small Church Big Impact Collective

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

SF Deanery (President), Young Adult Working Group (chair), Trans + Non-Binary Working Group, DioCal Indigenous Convocation

Major activities beyond diocese

Small Church Big Impact Collective, TransEpiscopal

In my opinion the major issues facing the church today are

Finances – membership decline, increased cost of living + budget reallocations/cuts. Clear articulation and commitment to young adults, youth, and the next generation. Engagement with trans folks, immigrants, and refugees. Engagement with local, national and international issues. Social and material relevance, especially locally.

Why are you running for this position?

The success of the Strategic Visioning Plan will depend on broad participation, shared ownership, and flexibility to adapt when plans must be adjusted. Strong deaneries and investment in congregational leadership are essential for this work to have a lasting impact.

For the past six years, I have served in mission churches and care deeply about their health, sustainability, and the recognition of their ministries. I also know the importance of resources—both practical and spiritual—for leaders accompanying communities at the end of their life cycle. Communication, care, and faithful property stewardship all shape how a church can die with dignity. As the charter for congregational development is implemented, I believe it is vital that this work truly supports and lifts up the gifts of mission congregations, rather than placing additional burdens and barriers.

Clergy Nominee

Interests

Spirituality, Religious Life, Piano & Chamber Music, Pastoral Leadership & Care, Governance & Political Life, Web Programming

Professional associations

• The Brotherhood of Saint Gregory (Life Professed) – an Anglican/Episcopal vowed religious community
• Member of the Union of Black Episcopalians

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

• Rector, Church of Our Saviour, Mill Valley, 2006 – present
• Vicar, Christ Church – Sei Ko Kai, 2002-2006
• Secretary of the Convention, 2020 – present
• Assistant Secretary of the Convention, 2018-2019
• Standing Committee President, 2012-2013
• Standing Committee Secretary, 2010-2012
• President of the Marin Deanery, 2009
• Vicar, Christ Church – Sei Ko Kai, San Francisco, 2002-2006
• Secretary to the Marin Deanery and Asian Ministries
• Commission in DioCal, 2003-2008

Major activities beyond diocese

• Deputy to General Convention, 2015 & 2024
• Alternate Deputy to General Convention, 2009, 2012, 2018, 2022
• Secretary (2015-2022) & Vice Chair (2023-2024) of the House of Deputies Resolutions Review Committee
• Appointed to the Standing Commission on Governance and Structure, Constitution and Canons, 2018-2021
• Minister Provincial (Province 8/West) of the Brotherhood of Saint Gregory, 2015-2018
• Secretary to the Episcopal Asiamerica Ministries Council, 2003-2006

In my opinion the major issues facing the church today are

1. Remaining prayerfully and relationally centered in our faith in Jesus and the working of the Spirit.
2. Witnessing through the church and in the world around us through acts of compassion, mercy, and justice, especially  for the most marginalized and vulnerable in our midst and in the communities we are called to serve.
3. Offering prophetic witness to the transformative power of the Gospel in a world struggling with rapid change, political strife, socioeconomic division, and environmental calamity.
4. Sustaining our shared resources for ministry, while building vision to share our gifts for a more gracious future together.
5. Valuing and strengthening our democratic discernment involving all orders of ministry, especially in the face of rising autocracy.

Why are you running for this position?

It has been an honor to serve as Secretary of the Convention — now in its 176th year — through the challenges of the pandemic, the transition of the episcopate, and most recently in a season of discerning strategic vision together as a diocese. I deeply value the witness and ministries of our diverse congregations and countless ministries. I find inspiration in the diligent, loving care our shared leadership brings to so many, especially as our communities and world face ever greater challenges. If called to serve again, I look forward to working with our bishop and the incredibly talented staff and volunteer leadership of this body in shaping future Conventions as the Spirit calls us together into new paths of ministry and service.

Lay Nominee

Interests

My interests outside of work, family and church have included volunteer activities (primarily oriented around food insecurity). In addition, I am particularly interested in American and European history literature, am an avid road cyclist and skier, and am teaching myself to play piano.

Professional associations

I have had professional involvement with the National Association of Corporate Directors and NYSE Governance Services, where I have had speaking opportunities. More recently, my research has been published in the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance. In the past, my research has also been published in Risk & Compliance Magazine in addition to other professional publications.

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

For the Diocese, I completed a 3-year term on Executive Council in 2019 as Chair and served on the search committee for our chief financial officer search. I have been a member of Finance Committee since 2019 and Treasurer of the Diocese beginning in 2021. For St. Stephens, I have been a Vestry member since 2024 and Finance Committee chair beginning this year. Also, I was a member of the rector search committee and currently participate on our usher and lay reader/chalice bearer teams. I’ve also participated on our discernment committee that has worked with several divinity school students during their path to ordination.

Major activities beyond diocese

n/a

In my opinion, the major issues facing the church today are

I continue to see three issues facing all churches at this time. We are experiencing greater levels of discord and divergence (political, economic and theological) than before. The challenge for TEC is to ensure for those seeking a relationship with God that we make certain our Church welcomes all. Related, we see discriminatory practices evident in ordination and membership in other churches that impacts broader views of religion. To remain as vital parts of our communities, our churches need to identify areas to implement God’s community through support of local needs.

Why are you running for this position?

I want to continue deepening my involvement in the Diocese and helping support our congregations. We are faced with the continued challenges and trends that have emerged from the Pandemic, and the strains on our congregations. These may not ease, and I hope I can support our Diocese by continuing our path to increased efficiency of resources provided to clergy and congregations by the Diocese, and continue to look for areas to ease the financial burden on our congregations. I believe my professional background and work with organizations on governance and financial issues will assist me in accomplishing this.

Lay Nominees

Interests

I am married with two wonderful kids. When I am not practicing law, I am usually found camping or biking with our family, playing piano, or riding my motorcycle along Highway 1.

Professional associations

Member in Good Standing, California State Bar

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

I have served as the Senior Warden of Holy Innocents (Noe Valley) for the past two years, and on its Bishop’s Committee for several years before that.

Major activities beyond diocese

I am an attorney and partner at Sideman & Bancroft LLP. I am a civil trial lawyer specializing in commercial disputes and trust and estate matters. I also work on pro bono cases; past matters include obtaining injunctive relief barring the Trump administration and law enforcement from targeting journalists covering protests.

In my opinion the major issues facing the church today are

Articulating, living, and evangelizing the Gospel’s vision of progressive Christianity to a world that has come to equate Christianity with Christian nationalism. That includes welcoming and embracing the marginalized who have been historically ‘othered’ or rejected by Christianity, including LGBTQIA+ and communities of color.

Why are you running for this position?

In these troubling times, the message of the Gospel–which calls us to love our neighbor, welcome the stranger, and embrace the most vulnerable–is more important and needed than ever. I feel called to support The Episcopal Church’s mission to voice these unchanging truths to power without fear or apology, and to be a space of peace, hope, and respite for all of God’s children.

Interests

I love reading – everything from science fiction to political thrillers! I always have a book or two in progress. While I do enjoy reading for theological growth and continuing education, I mostly enjoy reading for “downtime.” Being near water makes me feel most grounded, whether I’m boating, on a ferry, or simply sitting by the shore watching the waves. I’m a certified SCUBA diver, though I haven’t been in a while. I miss the peaceful beauty of being underwater. I enjoy cooking, usually Italian dishes or something on the barbecue in the backyard. I used to golf a little and keep thinking I should start again. As a high school teacher, most of my time revolves around my students! After our last trip, I’ve developed a new interest in building homes for families in Mexico with Corazon!

Professional associations

I am a novice with the Brotherhood of Saint Gregory, a Christian Community of The Episcopal Church. I am a volunteer with the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, helping maintain boating safety for the public through education. I am a member of the California Teachers’ Association, as well as the California Mathematics Council.

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

I currently serve as the Lay Associate to the Rector at All Saints in San Leandro. This position involves me in almost all aspects of our church community, including assisting all of our lay ministries, meeting with the Vestry regularly, and helping with liturgy and planning. I am also the Vice President of the Southern Alameda Deanery.

Major activities beyond diocese

As a high school teacher, that takes up the majority of my time. When I’m not working on lesson planning or grading, I teach boating safety courses and assist with performing personal watercraft safety inspections through the Coast Guard Auxiliary. I also help to take care of my 100-year-old (101 by the time we meet this year) grandmother, who lives with my mother.

In my opinion, the major issues facing the church today are

In my opinion, one of the biggest challenges facing our Church today is how we stay rooted in tradition while also responding faithfully to the needs of the world and community around us. We’re called to be a Church that welcomes everyone, but we still struggle with full inclusion. I also believe we’re being challenged to rethink how we form disciples in a time when fewer people are showing up in traditional ways. The question is how do we build real community, deepen spiritual lives, and live out the Gospel in a way that feels meaningful and relevant today. We could also benefit from reimagining what leadership looks like – not just who leads, but how we lead together.

Why are you running for this position?

After rejoining church life in 2002, I got involved early on by serving twice on the Chapter of St. Paul’s Cathedral in San Diego. In a way, it was a time of discernment, both for me and for the community, as I explored a deeper call to serve. That experience helped me understand the importance of the behind-the-scenes work that keeps the lights on, the doors open, and the ministries running. I’ve carried that sense of responsibility with me ever since. I’m running for this position because I want to keep learning about the wider church – how we make decisions, how we show up for one another, and how we stay connected across difference. I believe in the work we are doing as a church, and I want to be part of shaping where we lovingly go from here.

Interests

I am interested in good government reform, especially the issue of getting money out of politics and increasing transparency in elections. I work as the Director of Product for a nonprofit that makes disclosure software for cities and states. When I’m not working, I enjoy singing with the International Orange Chorale and playing board games with friends. I dabble in gardening, crafts, and cozy video games. You might see my dog, Penny, in my Zoom background or joining us at St. Cyprian’s!

Professional associations

I am a member of the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws, a professional organization for people working in the areas of ethics, elections, lobbying, and campaign finance.

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

At St. Cyprian’s, I am the senior warden and help with some of everything needed for our church – from coordinating music and leading morning prayer, to hosting coffee hour and maintaining our building. I have served on the Bishop’s Committee and as diocesan convention delegate since 2014.
In the San Francisco deanery, I was president 2018-2019 and lay VP 2016-2017. I have also facilitated the deanery coordinating committee to support sharing ideas and resources between deanery leaders.
In the diocese, I’ve served on task forces on young adult ministry and truth telling, reckoning, and healing.

Major activities beyond diocese

I served as a deputy to General Convention for DioCal in 2024 and an alternate in 2022. As a deputy, my work included resolutions on artificial intelligence, traffic safety, crisis pregnancy centers, data analysis resources for the church, and church property development.

I was a member of the Task Force on the State of Membership and the legislative committee on Evangelism and Future Church. The task force analyzed the church’s canon on membership and how it intersects with the way our congregations work today.

I am also the founding Chair of Membership for the GC Under 40 Caucus, with the mission of educating younger deputies about church governance and ensuring all deputies are informed on issues pertinent to young adults.

In my opinion, the major issues facing the church today are

The wider world is rapidly changing in ways that affect how people connect with each other and build community (changing political environment, pandemic recovery, technological advances). Our churches are adapting to that change, but it remains an ongoing challenge.

How can our structure and governance better support collaboration? At all levels (congregations, dioceses, provinces, The Episcopal Church), how can we allocate resources and attention to best further the work of the Gospel? We have the talents and resources to do what God’s calling us to do, but we haven’t always heard that call together.

Meaningful ministry for youth, college students, and young adults. This is a long-term challenge throughout the church. What makes the church relevant to their lives? Choices we make now will bear fruit over decades, even if the impact is less obvious in the short term.

Why are you running for this position?

I’m running for Deputy to General Convention because governance is an important part of how we live out our faith. I was both honored and humbled to serve as a deputy in 2024 and I hope to keep contributing to the deputation.

I aim to apply skills from my professional life to benefit the church – particularly balancing vision, constraints, and the needs of different groups. In both contexts, I can apply creative problem solving to identify steps that will move us towards our shared goal.

I am truly excited by opportunities to come together with folks from across the church, wrestle with important challenges, and then to continue that work locally. I hope to share the successes, challenges, and dreams of DioCal with the larger church while learning from and building connections with other dioceses.

Interests

My interests include traveling, cooking, wine tasting, enjoying life, family and friends, enjoying the arts, plays and music performances, and I am a big NBA fan.

Professional associations

Trained as a City planner, I have been active for many years in my professional organization, the American Planning Association, and two of its divisions, i.e. Planning and the Black Community and the International Planning; and I have served on the Board of Directors and a number of committees. In 2010, I was inducted as a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners. I have also served as a Site Visitor (practitioner) for the Planning Accreditation Board, am an emeritus member of the California Planning Roundtable, and serve as a mentor.

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

As a cradle Episcopalian I have always been active in my parish/congregation community. At St. Timothy’s, Danville, I served in various ministries and leadership including vestry member, lector, Rector Search, Lay Eucharistic Minister; and member of the Adopt-a-Family, Outreach, and Winter Coat Drive Committees. Now at St. Paul’s, Oakland, I serve as the Prayers of the People writers coordinator, Lector, member of the Social Justice and Back to School Supplies committees, Altar Guild and Deanery Representative. For the Diocese, I have served on Executive Council, the Bishop’s Task Force for Leadership Development, the Afro-Anglican Commission and worked on establishing our Canon for Racial, Social and Environmental Justice. Additionally, my two resolutions were adopted: Addressing Gun Violence to Safeguard our Children and Youth and Recognizing and Celebrating Juneteenth as a Feast Day.

Major activities beyond diocese

I serve as the co-chair for the Union of Black Episcopalians Northern California/Vivian Traylor Chapter and am a member of the Province VIII Black African Ministries group. Along with members of the Dioceses of San Joaquin and California, I helped plan the 2025 Women History Month webinar “Prophets of Hope in a Time of Hopelessness: Women Leaders of Color in The Episcopal Church”. I served on the Church’s Becoming Beloved Community Grant Review committee and have participated in several church seminars/webinars. When traveling, I try to experience different places of worship and have visited St. Paul’s Episcopal Church within the Walls in Rome twice, Bishop Rios’ former church. For my profession, I have been a guest lecturer on our Code of Ethics and Social Justice for a class at Cal State Pomona and helped organized and moderated several conference sessions on equity and inclusion.

In my opinion, the major issues facing the church today are

The Episcopal Church along with other main stream religious organizations are being challenged by the many false religious narratives and harmful examples of White Christian Nationalism and “Christianity” being portrayed today. We are also an aging church and must be more welcoming of young adults, families, people of color and diverse backgrounds, and make room for them to engage fully in the church. We must continue to be Christ’s beacon of truth, hope, honor, support, love and action for our siblings who are poor, marginalized, immigrants and excluded. We must remain vigilant in sharing God’s gospel of love, truth and respecting the dignity of every human being.

Why are you running for this position?

I am running for Deputy to the 82nd General Convention as I strongly believe that, in this hostile political climate and national narrative, we as God’s church of the Beloved Community need to stand firm in sharing God’s Gospel of love, truth and respecting the dignity of every human being, especially our siblings who are poor, marginalized, immigrants and excluded. We have to continue to stand firm for what we believe is right -“Right is right even if no one is doing it; wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it.” St. Augustine I believe that my work in the church and diocese has prepared me to lend my voice, time, talents and actions to work with our deputation for the change we want to see in our church – a church who welcomes and values all with God’s love.

Interests

I’m passionate about the intersection of law, governance, and faith. My professional interests include nonprofit law, employment and insurance litigation, corporate governance counseling and litigation, and appellate advocacy. I also enjoy classical music, political history, and exploring how institutions—religious and secular—can rebuild trust in a polarized world. I find joy in mentoring emerging leaders and in collaborative work that strengthens the Church’s witness and governance.

Professional associations

I am admitted to the bar in California, New York, the District of Columbia, and multiple federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. I’m a member of the American Bar Association, California Lawyers Association, Marin County Bar Association, and the Episcopal Chancellors Network (Board Secretary). I also belong to the American Constitution Society, American Institute of Parliamentarians, and Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom. These affiliations support my work advising the Diocese and its congregations and help me stay grounded in both legal and ethical best practices.

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

I serve as Chancellor of the Diocese of California and Canon to the Bishop, advising on legal, governance, and disciplinary matters. At Grace Cathedral, I’ve served as a eucharistic minister, lector, catechist, and stewardship commission member. I served on the Bishop Search Committee (2005–2006) and the Dean Search Committee (2009–2010). I regularly lead diocesan trainings on fiduciary duties and canon law and helped secure nearly $4 million in PPP loans for congregations during the COVID-19 crisis.

Major activities beyond diocese

I chair the Working Group on Revised Article X, which is drafting proposed canons to govern the revision of the Book of Common Prayer and other liturgical texts. I recently completed service as Chair of the Standing Commission on Structure, Governance, Constitution & Canons. I served as Chair of the Legislative Committee on Title IV at the 81st General Convention and in similar roles at the 79th and 80th General Conventions. I also served as Legal Advisor to the Court of Review in a recent Title IV appeal. My prior service includes the Task Force on the Study of Marriage, the Task Force on Women, Truth & Reconciliation, and the Disciplinary Board for Bishops. I serve on the Board of the Episcopal Chancellors Network.

In my opinion, the major issues facing the church today are

The Church is called to proclaim the Gospel in a world shaped by rapid change, social fragmentation, and institutional distrust. We must adapt to a post-pandemic reality and engage a public that has lost confidence in many traditional institutions, including the Church. We are called to foster belonging, justice, and reconciliation—especially across lines of race, gender, sexuality, and economic inequality. We must continue the work of racial healing, gender equity, and full inclusion of LGBTQ+ Christians. At the same time, we are challenged to maintain a clear Christian identity while welcoming all who seek spiritual community—a generous orthodoxy. Our governance structures must be transparent, inclusive, and responsive to the Spirit’s movement. We must sustain our relationships within the Anglican Communion while faithfully pursuing the mission to which we believe God is calling us.

Why are you running for this position?

I’m running because I care deeply about The Episcopal Church’s governance, witness, and future. General Convention can be a place of Spirit-led discernment and faithful innovation. I want to bring my experience—as a deputy, legislative chair, and legal advisor—to help the Church navigate complex questions with clarity and compassion. I’m especially committed to completing the work of the Article X Working Group, which is drafting new canons to guide the revision of the Book of Common Prayer. This work will shape how we pray, teach, and live as Episcopalians for generations to come. It would be a privilege to continue serving.

Interests

My interests include

• striving to live sustainably and care for God’s creation
• standing up for democracy
• serving my community as a volunteer
• fostering kittens and cat adoption counseling at the county animal shelter
• yoga, bicycling, singing, reading
• travel (with carbon offsets)
• creating fiber artworks and glass artworks

Professional associations

• Episcopal Public Policy Network
• League of Women Voters
• Episcopal Election Activator
• Citizen’s Climate Lobby
• National Security Leaders for America
• US Navy Public Affairs Association
• Blessed Tomorrow Climate Ambassador, EcoAmerica Program

See more at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily1hopkins

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

• Lay Reader
• Contra Costa Deanery Social Justice Group
• Green Movie Nights with Contra Costa Interfaith Climate Action Network and Sustainable Contra Costa
• Alternate to 80th and 81st General Conventions, tracking committees with DioCal resolutions
• Author and/or co-author Memorial 2024-M006 Eliminate Single-use Plastics and support the UN Global Plastic Treaty; 2024-D029 Commit to the 30×30 Initiative for Biodiversity; Resolution 2022-D-043: Abolish or Modernize the Electoral Count Act of 1887; Resolution 2018-C015 – Carbon Sequestration; Resolution 2018-C020: Carbon Tax
• DioCal Committee on Dispatch of Business, Assisting Secretary of Convention 2022
• Formed and led 2019 task force on Sabbatical Leave Policy for Clergy
• College for Congregational Development 2019-2020
• St. Paul’s Walnut Creek Vestry 2016-2019
• Delegate or Alternate to DioCal Convention 2009-2022

Major activities beyond diocese

I have worked collaboratively in teams within and outside the Church, with clergy and lay leaders, across all six deaneries, to design, develop and deliver various projects, including web sites, senior services programs, resolutions, and ordinances.

• Alternate to 80th and 81st General Convention (2022, 2024)
• The Episcopal Church Province VIII, Network Leader for Creation Care (since 2022)
• Green Caucus of The Episcopal Church, Founder and Convener (since 2023)
• Leader of CCL Episcopal Action Team, shepherding Resolution C020 Carbon Tax through 79th General Convention (2018)
• EPPN, Episcopal Public Policy Network
• Episcopal Election Activator, an Episcopal Church program of the Office of Government Relations
• Lobby meetings with county, state, and national elected officials
• Doubled locally adopted wood smoke ordinances in the Bay Area 2004-2006

In my opinion, the major issues facing the church today are

I attended my first General Convention in 2018 as author of Resolution C-020, and subsequently I was elected and I have served twice as an Alternate Deputy. It is personally and spiritually rewarding to be part of the high-performance team that our Diocese of California sends to General Convention. Besides getting to work collaboratively with other lay and clergy leaders who share a commitment to church governance and polity, I have experience crafting and shepherding resolutions at diocesan convention; developing and delivering memorials to province synod and General Convention; and testifying before committees and governing bodies. I find hope in this work. My ministry of public policy advocacy is how I live into my baptismal vows and my U.S. Navy oath of office.

Why are you running for this position?

I attended my first General Convention in 2018 as author of Resolution C-020, and subsequently I was elected and I have served twice as an Alternate Deputy. It is personally and spiritually rewarding to be part of the high-performance team that our Diocese of California sends to General Convention. Besides getting to work collaboratively with other lay and clergy leaders who share a commitment to church governance and polity, I have experience crafting and shepherding resolutions at diocesan convention; developing and delivering memorials to province synod and General Convention; and testifying before committees and governing bodies. I find hope in this work. My ministry of public policy advocacy is how I live into my baptismal vows and my U.S. Navy oath of office.

Interests

Social justice movements: refugee & immigrant rights, labor unions, racial justice, public education, housing accessibility, LGBTQ and gender equality, international peace and development. Also travel (by train and ferry when possible), hiking in our local forests and hills, reading, choir singing, going to baseball/basketball games (Giants, Red Sox, Valkyries!) and going for daily walks around the Mission District with my husband, Dominic Chan and our beloved dog, Little Bear. Recovering doomscroller and happy warrior.

Professional associations

Current Associations: Steering committee member, TransEpiscopal, Episcopal Network for Economic Justice; member, Episcopal Peace Fellowship, and The Consultation (progressive coalition in The Episcopal Church). At work: RPSP-UAW (labor union).

Employment:

2005-present: development, UC Berkeley Labor Center; 1987-2005: fundraising, human rights advocacy in Central America, most recently with SHARE Foundation, an interfaith organization.

Volunteer:

• immigrant initiatives, 1991-present: No on 187 Campaign (1994), Faith in Action, others
• UNITE-HERE voter canvassing, Nevada, many election cycles
• Board member, Aptos Middle School (SFUSD) PTA; communications chair, 2010-2013.
• Co-founded Eugene-Springfield Solidarity Network, an Oregon community-labor organization, 1990.
• Co-founded Berkshire Food Project in college, 1986.

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco (1994-present):
Currently Senior Warden; also stewardship, social media, choir member, lay reader, supporting St. John’s neighborhood and international work including Gubbio Project, Mission Graduates, Faith in Action, Cristosal, El Porvenir

San Francisco Deanery:
President, 2015-2017, current representative from St. John’s

Diocese of California:

Current service:

• Co-chair, DioCal General Convention deputation, 2015-present; member since 2000
• Executive Council – representative from SF Deanery
• Member of (new) Trans & Non-Binary Working Group
• Member of (new) Task Force on Christian Nationalism
• Longtime member of Immigration Task Force

Past Service:

• Committee on Governance, 2013-2015
• Millennium Development Goals Task Force, 2006-2007
• Executive Council (aka Diocesan Council), 2000-2001
• Standing Committee 1995-1999; President 1998-199

Major activities beyond diocese

Appointments between Conventions:

• Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility, 2022-present (Chair)
• Theology of Social Justice Advocacy Task Force (Chair), 2018-22;
• House of Deputies Special Committee, Sexual Harassment and Exploitation, 2018
• State of the Church Committee, 2015-18 (Secretary);
• Standing Commission, Social Justice & Public Policy (Chair, 2012-15, Vice-Chair, 2009-12);
• Standing Commission, Domestic Mission & Evangelism, 2003-06 (Chair); 2000-03 (Vice-Chair);
• 20/20 Steering Committee, 2001-03 (Chair)

Committees of General Convention:

• Stewardship & Investment 2024
• Racial Justice & Reconciliation, 2022
• Social Justice & International Policy, 2018 (Chair)
• Social Justice & US Policy, 2015 (Secretary)
• National/International Concerns, 2009, 2012 (Secretary)
• Evangelism, 2006
• Official media briefer, 2009, 2012, 2018
• Awarded House of Deputies medal, 2013

In my opinion, the major issues facing the church today are

We face change: Climate change intensification, global inequality, migration, war, religio-ethno-nationalisms, authoritarian threats to democracy. Where is the church? Many see Christianity as irrelevant or negative, yet hunger for community, joy, and love in an unstable and sometimes terrifying world. We must:

• Pray first, centering our joy of God in Christ, who calls us to love God in all people;
• Shift who “we” are, with our region’s diversity at the center, and care for poor and outcast at the beating heart; build up robust networks of youth and young adults (20s/30s) with power to lead;
• Speak and act for justice, peace, human dignity, care of creation, and democracy, working with people of all faiths (and none) who share these values, starting in our own communities and reaching outward, collaborating together in shared ministries.

Why are you running for this position?

I want us to be known for following the way of Jesus, for our loving concern for our neighbors, for living and breathing the good news of God’s love for the whole world, while resisting powers and principalities that seek to destroy. I bring prayer, faith, passion, and vision to General Convention policy-making and church leadership. I’ve led General Convention work on racial justice (truth-telling on slavery, Indigenous boarding schools); immigration (Dreamers, supporting binational LGBTQ couples); transgender rights; criminal justice (mental health, opposing solitary confinement), economic justice (worker issues, health access) and women & girls (reproductive care, sexual harassment and exploitation), international peace and justice (Central America, Middle East), and investments (advocacy, transition from investments in fossil fuels, private prisons, global human rights abuses).

Interests

Since my youth, I’ve enjoyed singing and playing both piano and percussion. My mother was a church music director and high school choir director, and she shared her eclectic love of music with her family. Whether attending church at Grace, the SF Symphony, or any other concerts, music is a big part of our life, and my daughter now sings with the Cathedral Choir of Girls. Also since my youth, my hearing loss progressed over time and I have been passionate about accessibility, inclusion, disability as an identity and community, and disability justice in all spaces. My family also enjoys skiing together at Northstar each winter or spring, and we cheer for women’s sports from the Valkyries to Bay FC. We also cheer for Iowa State University, where my grandfather played basketball (and Brock Purdy of the Niners was the starting quarterback).

Professional associations

I am currently active in the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) as a special education advocate member, and created the Disability Members Committee two years ago with disabled attorney friends of mine who practiced special education law. I’ve been a frequent presenter at the annual conferences for the last three years, and hope to present once again on educating deaf and blind students in public schools.

I am also the Treasurer of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Bar Association (DHHBA). Our board is planning our second in-person conference and seventh U.S. Supreme Court swearing in of DHHBA members.

I have a law degree from New College of California School of Law. Though not a licensed attorney, I work to support parents and students understanding their rights in special education for Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, a national law and policy organization.

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

Grace’s Deanery Delegation is my longest calling at Grace Cathedral, as I was first elected to the delegation in 2010. I served in a convener capacity for five years before passing the baton to another delegate. In addition, I’ve served as a greeter, usher, and baptismal sponsor; I’ve served on Congregation Council, on Stewardship, and now Godly Play activities and hosting an occasional playdate. I also support the activities of the Cathedral Choir of Girls, in which my daughter sings.

From 2012 to 2015, I served on DioCal’s Executive Council. After the Task Force for Disability and Deaf Awareness was created by the Convention in 2019, I worked with others across the Bay Area to develop a voluntary Handbook for Disability and Deaf Access for Churches and Institutions and a training on disability cultural competency, which can be found on the diocesan website at https://www.diocal.org/resource/justice/.

Major activities beyond diocese

My first taste of Church work beyond DioCal was in three days of GC78 in Salt Lake City, collaborating with two deputies on successful legislation. Two years later, I served on The Episcopal Church’s UNCSW61 delegation at the United Nations. There, I collaborated with Lynnaia Main and 19 other Episcopalians to call attention to the billions of women and girls facing inequitable conditions in labor and employment, and met with the Permanent Mission of India to the UN to draft language for the Agreed Conclusions.

Since then, I have been a part of the State of the Church Committee (2022-2024), working on the contents of the parochial report and drafting its Blue Book Report. I was a member of the Resolutions Review Committee for the 81st General Convention, and am now working with members of The Episcopal Church’s Executive Council to form a subcommittee on disability and Deaf access.

In my opinion, the major issues facing the church today are

How can we live fully and authentically into our calling and ministries here and abroad with rising authoritarianism, and adapt our programs and people to respond in times when our Church’s voice is needed to speak to power?

Church membership and overall funding continue to decline. How can we remain a significant presence and witness in a changing societal and global landscape in five or ten years, or be ready for sudden shifts like the pandemic in 2020? How can the Church adequately respond to its local communities and their needs when it is needed beyond worship? On a level closer to my heart, how can we support families, people with disabilities, and non-English-speaking siblings who are called to our ministries?

Third, in light of the above, we’ve an ongoing need to address our internal procedures, operations (current and future), and coming revisions to the Book of Common Prayer.

Why are you running for this position?

I run for the GC deputation because I believe we build connections for the better of The Episcopal Church through the deputation’s work. Ministry beyond DioCal has led me to form friendships, partnerships, and collaborations with Episcopalians across the world to address inequality, examine our current state, and to ensure inclusion. As someone who bridges Gen X and Millennial generations, and whose children are Gen Alpha, I want to ensure we are good stewards and leaders of our Church now for its future.

I also run to bring awareness to those who have often been left out of the decision-making process. I’m proud to be a part of a faith community that does the work to recognize its history of injustice and bias. I am called to continue this deeply important work in partnership and allyship with fellow deputies in prayer and in practice before and during GC.

Interests

Baseball, classical music, clergy/congregational wellness, film festivals, grant writing, Hawai’i artists, hiking, and travel. Tracing my maternal family’s genealogy from Cuiheng, China.

Resolution Resources
Authored:

• M002 DioCal Legislative Themes for the 81st General Convention
• A021 Care of Creation Loan Program for Episcopal Dioceses
• D055 50th Anniversary Triennium of the Ordination of Women
• MBMW002 Biodiversity Policy
• Resolution#5 Standing with Our Haitian Neighbors: Call to Action

Co-Sponsored:

• D030 Imagining a Church Grounded in Creation Healing as Christian Ministry
• D042 Ending Child and Forced Marriage
• D050 Net Carbon Neutrality by 2030
• A227 Commend the life of Willie Howard Mays, Jr.

Professional associations

Current Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility: Climate Justice workgroup (2016-); National College of Probate Judges (2015-); The Consultation (2002-);

Former California Probate Referees Association (58 counties 1998-2018): past president, Twice Constable Fund Grant recipient: Deputies of Color Leadership Development. These grants have allowed me to form personal relationships with lay & clergy leaders and some future bishops nurturing churchwide leadership (2015, 2018), Claiming the Blessing steering committee (2004-06);

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

Congregation (St. James, SF): Current convention delegate, vestry, eucharistic minister/visitor; Former endowment, Faith in Action, finance, healing, Kiva microlending, rector search, stewardship, vocations;

San Francisco Deanery (16 congregations): Current delegate; Former president;

Diocese (75 congregations): Current GC Lay Deputy, co-chair Real Estate Committee (2025-), Women’s Ordination: Local Commemorations (2024-27); Former president Standing Committee (2022-23), trustee Grace Cathedral (2022-24), co-chair GC Deputation (3X), chair Gift Planning (2001-12), co-chair Bishop Transition (2004-06);

Province VIII (18 dioceses 2013-22): president Synod (2018-22) & Executive Board with oversight for 20 inter-diocesan ministry networks; partnership representative Anglican Church of Hong Kong (HKSKH);

Major activities beyond diocese

Episcopal Church (108 dioceses): Current AAPI Missioner governance circle (2025), Asian & Pacific Global Partnership Officer’s advisory group (2017-25); Former convener Florence Li Tim-Oi 80th Anniversary Commemorations SF|LA|NY|UK (2022-24), Creation Care TF (2022-24);

Executive Council (DFMS 2015-22): JSCs Executive Committee, Governance & Administration, Mission Beyond, chair Economic Justice Loan, Corporate Social Responsibility, Beloved Community Grant team;

General Convention’s House of Deputies 800+ deputies): Current Lay Deputy (7X): Green Caucus (2023-), liaison Diocese of Taiwan (2018-); Former Deputies of Color: convener (2012-21), chair Asian Caucus; GC Committees: chair JSC Nominations, Consecration of Bishops, Evangelism, Governance & Structure, Stewardship & SRI, World Mission;

In my opinion, the major issues facing the church today are

“If It’s Not About Love, It’s Not About God,” former Presiding Bishop Michael Curry.

On Sunday, I streamed the Rev. Canon Katlin McCallister’s sermon, Canon for Intergenerational Ministry (Diocese of Arizona). With her 2-year-old daughter Tessa in hand, Rev. Katlin addressed the folks in the pews, being our brothers, sisters, children, and family, then: “We don’t get to choose who we get to go to church with, but we do have to choose to love them”.

Love is a high bar, and we often fail. God wants us to love like that. With God, it’s all about love.

We’re living in especially hurtful times. For many, love replenishes our souls.

Why are you running for this position?

I am a legislator blessed with a gift for crafting critical GC legislation and ensuring its success:

• conceptualized/crafted resolutions (A021, D055, Resolution#5);
• spearheaded DioCal’s Legislative Themes with Memorial format (M002);
• created the churchwide Biodiversity Policy (MBMW002);
• co-sponsored, formed strategies for legislation to pass through GC maize; and
• help new deputies and bishops write resolutions/testimony.

With a history of collaboratively ministry, I’ve authored, sponsored, and testified on legislation, chaired committees, served as floor leader, and managed GC campaigns for elective offices.

Finally, I feel called to build Bishop Austin’s vision and DioCal’s Legislative Priorities.

I’d be honored to continue representing DioCal in Phoenix 2027.

Clergy Nominee

Interests

I am passionate about discovering how the Holy Spirit is moving in the world and in the Church today, while being grounded in a love of Jesus. As a priest, I have an interest in liturgy and Christian formation, with a strong interest in the balance between Anglican tradition and contemporary expressions of faith. I enjoy exploring the intersection of faith and culture, including feminism, social justice, social media, and technology. My background as a trained classical singer also leads me to find spiritual resonance in the arts, and I’m grateful to live in a place with all different kinds of artistic pursuits. Outside of my clerical life, I enjoy reading fiction and spending time around the Bay Area with my husband and dog.

Professional associations

• Associate Rector, St. Mary the Virgin, San Francisco (2023-present)
• San Francisco Deanery Vice-President (2024-present)
• Bishop’s Ranch Board of Trustees Member & Vice-President (2024-present)
• Diocese of California Executive Council (elected 2024 Diocesan Convention)
• Vanderbilt Divinity School alumna
• Rice University alumna

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

As Associate Rector at St. Mary’s, I primarily oversee our parish programming – Christian formation at all levels, parish life including Young Adult, outreach, and social justice ministries. As part of the pilot cohort of Vital & Thriving, I also serve as the spiritual leader for the St. Mary’s Missional Innovation Team.

Major activities beyond diocese

• Interim Rector/Priest-in-Charge, St. Ann’s Episcopal Church, Nashville (2018-2023)
• Priest-in-Charge, Epiphany, Lebanon (TN) (2013-2018)
• CPE Resident and PRN Chaplain, Vanderbilt Medical Center and Children’s Hospital (2011-2023)
• 2 terms as an Bishop & Council representative in the Diocese of TN
• Clergy Alternate Deputy for Diocese of TN to the 80th General Convention
• Contributing writer with Upper Room Publishing and United Methodist Publishing (2014-present)
• Contributing writer to Forward Day by Day devotionals (May 2024)
• Author of Pro-Choice and Christian: Reconciling Faith, Politics, and Justice (pub 2017)
• Member of Religious AF Camp at Burning Man (2023)

In my opinion, the major issues facing the church today are

I believe, as our Presiding Bishop does, that The Episcopal Church is at a crossroads. Declining membership and aging congregations are urgent realities, but they’re also a call to reimagine how we share the Gospel in today’s world. We can’t simply maintain what has been; we need bold, creative ways to engage people who crave meaning but distrust institutions. I think another critical issue is living into our identity as a truly inclusive, justice-oriented church—not just in statements, but in transformative action around racial equity and economic justice. We’re also called to navigate a polarized culture without losing our soul: offering a vision of unity rooted in Christ, not ideology. These challenges demand courage and hope, but I believe the Spirit is already moving, calling us to a deeper, braver, more vibrant future.

Why are you running for this position?

I am running as a clergy deputy for the General Convention because I believe deeply in the governance and mission of The Episcopal Church. Having served as an alternate deputy at the 80th General Convention, I witnessed firsthand the meaningful conversations, courageous decisions, and the collaborative spirit that shape our Church’s future. That experience affirmed my call to participate more fully in this vital work. I am committed to joining the tradition of DioCal’s representation with integrity, compassion, and a deep love for the Episcopal tradition. I bring both pastoral experience and a strong theological foundation, along with a passion for justice, inclusion, and the ongoing work of reconciliation. I want to help ensure the Church remains responsive to the needs of our time while grounded in our faith. I’m excited to contribute to shaping our common life for generations to come.

Interests

Spirituality & Religious Life, Pastoral Leadership & Care, Governance & Political Life, Piano & Chamber Music, Web Programming

Professional associations

The Brotherhood of Saint Gregory (life professed member) – an Anglican/Episcopal vowed religious community

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

• Rector, Church of Our Saviour, Mill Valley, 2006 – present
• Vicar, Christ Church – Sei Ko Kai, 2002-2006
• Secretary of the Convention, 2020 – present
• Assistant Secretary of the Convention, 2018-2019
• Standing Committee President, 2012-2013
• Standing Committee Secretary, 2010-2012
• President of the Marin Deanery, 2009
• Vicar, Christ Church – Sei Ko Kai, San Francisco, 2002-2006
• Secretary to the Marin Deanery and Asian Ministries Commission in DioCal, 2003-2008

Major activities beyond diocese

• Deputy to General Convention, 2015 & 2024
• Alternate Deputy to General Convention, 2009, 2012, 2018, 2022
• Secretary (2015-2022) & Vice Chair (2023-2024), House of
• Deputies Resolutions Review Committee
• Appointed to the Standing Commission on Governance and Structure, Constitution and Canons, 2018-2021
• Minister Provincial (Province 8/West) of the Brotherhood of Saint Gregory, 2015-2018
• Secretary to the Episcopal Asiamerica Ministries Council, 2003-2006

In my opinion, the major issues facing the church today are

1. Remembering who we are, especially in the face of rising autocracy and open threats to the Gospel and baptismal values of empathy, compassion, self-offering, and justice.

2. Remembering *Whose* we are in the face of forces of domination and incessant claims on our attention, time, resources, and loyalty.

3. Resourcing proclamation of the Gospel and our continued call to bring compassionate justice to the marginalized and care for all those who enter our common life seeking sanctuary, sacramental nurture, and spiritual support.

4. Safeguarding our democratic values and our gathered wisdom through a time of multiple threats on human dignity and the life of Creation.

Why are you running for this position?

General Convention has been a love of mine for many years — if elected again, this would be my seventh triennium of serving as part of our deputation. The witness of our highest governing body in discerning the Spirit through democratic process has only grown in importance in recent years, especially as the democracy in which our Church was born is under increasing threat. I treasure the careful work of helping perfect legislation that bears witness to our baptismal covenant and that leads our historic Church into new avenues of ministry and opportunities for growth and service. And I am excited to see where the Spirit leads us in this time that is both dangerous and yet ripe with opportunity for witness to the love of Christ.

Interests

Reading histories of the Church and of California, attending meetings of book collectors, time with family and friends. I continue to serve as a board member of two schools, in Vermont and San Francisco. I also am an avid traveller on passenger trains, the opportunity to meet other passengers to learn about their lives whilst traveling in different parts of the country from is a privilege, indeed. The latter is a wonderful ministry of presence in a very individualized, hurried, stressed world.

I continue to follow Univ of California Football, in all its ups and downs.

Professional associations

• Member of the Union of Black Episcopalians
• San Francisco Interfaith Council
• Peninsula Solidarity Cohort
• Episcopal Urban Caucus
• The Book Club of California

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

Member of clergy in the diocese, weekly participation in celebration of the Holy Eucharist and preaching in congregations around the diocese.
Attendance at various social justice events in the Bay Area; marches, meetings, workshops.

Major activities beyond diocese

Board Member: Braid Mission, Cathedral School for Boys (SF), Corporate, Lyndon Institute (VT), member of the Executive Council of the The Episcopal Church. Member of Union of Black Episcopalians, The Consultation, former member of Living Stones Cooperative and of the Task Force for Church Planting and Evangelism.

In my opinion, the major issues facing the church today are

a) Encouraging the revitalization and renewal of the congregations of the Church, becoming committed followers of Christ in the Way of Jesus. This include providing the resources to congregations can use to be more involved in their church and community
b) Supporting marginalized and threatened communities in our world and church – migrants, refugees, the unhoused and the hungry for whom Jesus speaks of in the Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:20–49)
c) Realizing and understanding the great changes in our current society. I wonder: How can Episcopalians be witnesses of God’s love and truth through following Jesus’ Way of Love: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/way-of-love/.

Why are you running for this position?

Serving as a Deputy to General Convention allows me the privilege to share the stories of the Diocese of California directly to The Episcopal Church, gathered at General Convention. It happens in the committee rooms, in the conference meetings, and convention floor when I stand at the microphone to say: ‘Madame President, Fellow Deputies, I speak from the Diocese of California’.
I am also a church governance nerd! The work doe in the conference meetings, the floor of convention, creates the policy of The Episcopal Church. The policy that supports climate justice, women’s ministry, LGBTQ+ ministry, the church that speaks truth to power and be living examples of Christ’s love and work in the world. This process and detail work is what I enjoy doing.
All of this work, and more, is why I wish to serve as Deputy to Convention from the Diocese of California.

Interests

Swimming (I’m a US Masters swimmer – you’ll see me at 6 am at the Albany pool), ballet (I take ballet classes and have season tickets to the SF Ballet), hiking (I completed the St. Dorothy’s Rest Woods to Waves hike for the first time this year), reading, crossword puzzles and other word and number puzzles, cooking and baking

Professional associations

• Associated Parishes for Liturgy and Mission
• Episcopal Peace Fellowship
• North American Academy of Liturgy
• Societas Liturgica (international, ecumenical association of liturgical scholars)

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

At All Souls, I preside and assist at celebrations of the Eucharist, preach on occasion, and teach adult classes a few times each year.
In the Diocese of California, I convene the Task Force on Christian Nationalism and previously served on the Diocesan Liturgical Commission.

I’ve been part of the DioCal deputation to General Convention since 2015.

Major activities beyond diocese

I’m currently a member of the “Working Group to Review Canons and Implement Changes Related to Revised Article X of the Constitution,” which is working on church-wide canons related to the Book of Common Prayer.

I’m a member of the board of the Bible and Common Prayer Book Society, which provides Prayer Books and Bibles to Episcopal churches.

I’ve served on several churchwide interim bodies: Task Force on Liturgical and Prayer Book Revision, 2019-2021; House of Deputies Special Committee on Sexual Harassment and Exploitation, 2018 (vice chair); Task Force on the Study of Marriage, 2016-2018; Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music, 2008-2015 (chair, 2009-2015).

I advocate for immigrants through participation in the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity.

In my opinion, the major issues facing the church today are

The climate crisis, the ongoing legacy of racial injustice in this country, hostility towards immigrants, a growing gap between rich and poor, housing insecurity, attacks on LGBTQ people and efforts to erase trans identities, and so much more are exacerbated by the rise of authoritarianism in our country and the wider world. Responding as faithful Christians calls for worship and formation that build up the body of Christ and enable us to witness to God’s love, justice, and mercy. How will we draw from our heritage to meet the challenges of our time? How will the church continue to proclaim good news in the world, as membership and participation in church decline? How will we build a more diverse church that welcomes people from different racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds?

Why are you running for this position?

I’m a Convention geek, and it has been a joy and privilege to be part of the DioCal deputation. In prior service as a deputy, I served on the Prayer Book, Liturgy, and Music legislative committee, including as chair, vice chair, and secretary. I understand the legislative process and have authored several resolutions on liturgy, governance, and social justice. I have built effective relationships with deputies and bishops from around The Episcopal Church, finding common ground on the issues we face. I value the opportunity to listen for the Spirit in the midst of many voices. The next Convention will consider finally adding marriage rites for all to the 1979 Prayer Book; having led the work of the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music to develop those rites, it would be a privilege to bring this work to completion as a deputy.

Interests

I love hiking (especially San Bruno Mountain, especially when the wildflowers are out), photography (especially outdoors), reading (sci fi/fantasy, other fiction, memoirs, and YA fiction) cooking and baking, listening to music, and exploring the Bay Area with my family. Even as someone who grew up in the Bay Area, I always feel like there is so much more to explore.

Professional associations

American Academy of Religion, the Gathering (GenX and Millennial Episcopal clergy), the Historical Society of The Episcopal Church

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

I’ve been the rector at St. Aidan’s since 2016. We’re connecting with our neighborhood through food ministries—especially our weekly food pantry and monthly senior luncheon – showing up with and for our neighbors in times of loss, sharing space for trainings and events. We’re preparing to build a kitchen on our main floor to strengthen our food ministries. Through Know Your Rights trainings, formation series, marches and protests, we are seeking to equip and encourage one another in response to the terrifying, changing landscape for immigrants and LGBTQIA+ adults and youth.

Diocesan activities

• General Convention Deputation, last two conventions
• Trans & Non-binary Working Group (2025-)
• SF Regional Dean
• Commission on Ministry (2020-)
• Bishop’s Advisory Group for 50th Anniversary Triennium of the Ordination of Women (2025-)
• Ecumenical House board (2017-)

Major activities beyond diocese

• Co-Chaplain to The Episcopal Church Executive Council (2024-)

• Episcopal Church Task Forces: Study of Marriage (2012-2015); Liturgy and Prayer Book Revision (2018-2021); House of Deputies Committee 16 on Churchwide Leadership (2022); Standing Commission on Formation and Ministry Development (2022-)

• The House of Deputies LGBTQ Caucus, The Consultation (coalition of peace and justice groups in The Episcopal Church) & TransEpiscopal (transgender, non-binary, and allied Episcopalians)

•  I served among the Campus Ministry Coordinators of Province 1 (2012-13)

• I’m an academic/scholar as well as a priest, trained in early and contemporary Christian theologies and studies of women, gender and sexuality. I have taught and continue to attend conferences and write in these areas.

In my opinion, the major issues facing the church today are

• To convey in the public square and practice in our communities our Church’s social justice positions – e.g. support for immigrants to this country, for trans youth and adults, for environmental justice, for the importance of DEI – expressed by General Convention and reflecting the Good News of God’s in-breaking kingdom that Jesus proclaimed and called us to embrace
• To equip our congregations to connect with our neighborhoods in this time of intense pain, injustice and polarization, grounded and sustained by our faith
• To encourage a spirit of adaptation and collaboration within and across congregations, increasing our capacity to do things we cannot do on our own
• To plant churches in a variety of forms, not only those that may feel familiar
• To strengthen and continue to adapt Christian Formation at all age levels, including in our seminaries as they consolidate, close, or merge

Why are you running for this position?

I am passionate about the opportunity for lay and ordained people to participate in the governance of The Episcopal Church at its highest level. I have participated in GC since before I was a deputy, starting in 2009 on TransEpiscopal’s team whose organizing and testimony led The Episcopal Churchto positions of unequivocal support for trans and non-binary people. I was proud to serve on DioCal’s deputation over the last two Conventions and have collaborated on several resolutions, including one creating the Gender Justice Staff Officer position on the churchwide staff. Our Presiding Bishop wrote in a July 4th opinion piece that churches like ours are “some of the last institutions capable of resisting this administration’s overreach and recklessness.” This upcoming General Convention has an opportunity to strengthen that capacity. I would be honored to contribute to that collective work.

Interests

Family – spending time with my spouse, children, and cats
Community – engaging it, growing it, celebrating it
Music – church choirs and hymns, study of Gospel Music, and even the occasional karaoke time
Ethics/Social Justice – a focus of my Doctor of Ministry degree, but moreover, my commitment to teaching, preaching, and living the Baptismal Covenant
Nature – hiking, swimming, beaches, trees, and caring for the environment
Service – serving the community through education, feeding programs, and community organizations
Reading – My GoodReads list has over 700 books in the to-read category (I might have a problem…). Current books include The Amen Effect (Sharon Brous), The Nickel Boys (Colson Whitehead), and Run Rose Run (Dolly Parton and James Patterson)

Professional associations

In addition to a wide and deep variety of experiences in the church, I have an extensive background with Girl Scouts of the USA on the national, regional, and local level. I spent two years serving the FBI as a chaplain. Service to the schools has long been a part of my background – from stepping in as a volunteer chaplain to helping with crossing guard duty. I was active with the Omaha-based Tri-Faith Initiative. Committed to combatting food insecurity, I established The Pantry (University of Oregon), The Pantry on Blondo (Omaha), and the Allied Churches of Alamance County Pantry (North Carolina). A sampling of more specific associations and service are listed in other parts of this document.

Additionally, I have degrees from the Clark Honors College at the University of Oregon, Yale Divinity School, and Drew University.

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

My current diocesan service includes:

• Member of Executive Council
• Intake Officer
• Chair of Assessment Appeals Committee
• Peninsula Deanery

In prior dioceses, I served in roles such as:

• Rauscher Outreach Fund Committee, Member, Diocese of Nebraska
• Sacred Ground Facilitator, Diocese of Nebraska
• Bishop and Trustees, Member, Diocese of Nebraska
• Canons Review, Diocese of Nebraska
• Diocesan Council, Member, Diocese of North Carolina
• Ministry Resource Support Team, Member, Diocese of North Carolina
• Fair Share Appeals Committee, Member, Diocese of North Carolina
• Constitution and Canons Task Force, Member, Diocese of Oregon
• Episcopal Academy for Formation/Mission, Board Member, Oregon
• Diocesan Consultant, Diocese of Oregon
• Diocesan Committee on Human Sexuality, Diocese of Oregon
• Diocesan Council, Program/Budget Committee, Diocese of Oregon

Major activities beyond diocese

TEC:

• Court of Review, Member, The Episcopal Church
• Standing Commission on Governance, Structure, Constitution, and Canons
• Gathering 2016, Gathering 2023, and Gathering 2026, National Clergy Conferences
• General Convention Deputy from the Diocese of Nebraska
• Member of the Secretariat for General Convention
• Task Force for Ecumenical and Interreligious Work
• Contributor, Statements on Interreligious Relations
• Contributor, Forward Movement: Planning for Rites and Rituals

Federal Bureau of Investigation, Regional Chaplain

Girl Scouts of the USA: National Board Member, Credentials Chair, Governance Committee, Troop Leader, WAGGGS/International Relations Group

Greening Forward, Board Member

University of Oregon:

• Faculty Grievance Appeals Committee
• Religious Directors’ Association
• Formal Hearings Board

Yale Divinity School:

• Sacramental Whiners
• Student Council
• Latino/a Association

In my opinion, the major issues facing the church today are

There are 3 major issues facing the church: identity, tradition, and action. Current culture is placing churches under the umbrella of Christian nationalism. We need to make it clear that this is NOT our identity, instead promoting a message that is of and by Jesus, focused on the sanctity of love and dignity, focused on service and welcome to all, and the words and actions of Jesus as our guide. We need to exist in a multifaith, multicultural world in a way that is proactive in maintaining our tradition, bringing who we are into larger efforts without losing our rich past. We need to examine our actions, worship, spaces so that we may identify and hold those parts that make us who we are without getting caught up in what are not essential Episcopal constructs. And it is critical that we act, recognizing that the world needs our thoughts and prayers to be manifested in action and service.

Why are you running for this position?

I am running because I truly believe in the work of the church, here and throughout the denomination. I want to represent our diocese and our voice as we work through the needs of the world in a larger body. I hope to bring our unique perspective to the table while increasing our platform through broader connections. I hope to focus on things such as justice and equity, clergy discipline, and ecumenical and interfaith work. As a policy and canons nerd, I believe I can serve our diocese by knowing this place as well as the system that governs our Church. It would be an honor and a blessing to represent the Diocese of California at the next General Convention.

Interests

I enjoy reading and writing and spending time with friends and family. My spouse and I have two adult children. My eldest son is currently serving in The Episcopal Church’s Young Adult Service Corps, and my younger son is finishing his degree in film, with a special interest in truly horrifying practical makeup effects. We love watching films, bike-riding, and traveling together. On my recent sabbatical, we visited Australia and New Zealand. When I am not at church or with my family, you can usually find me doing exactly what my mom told me not to do – talking to strangers.

Professional associations

I am a member of the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County and the Contra Costa Deanery. In addition, I work closely with the City of Martinez’s Homeless Action Coalition. Grace is a member congregation of Hope Solutions, which provides housing and services to individuals and families. Prior to being ordained, I was a Clinical Forensic Psychologist for many years. I have retained my interest in psychology and remain a licensed Clinical Psychologist in the state of California and a member of the Society for Personality Assessment.

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

I am the Rector of Grace Church in Martinez where we seek to serve our local community through ministries such as Laundry Love with Grace; Winter Nights; Community Thanksgiving Dinner; and advocacy for housing services and low-income housing development in Martinez. I am the Regional Dean of the Contra Costa Deanery and the Chair of the diocesan Governance Committee. I previously served the Diocese of California as the President of the Standing Committee, Secretary of the Executive Council, and on the boards of Grace Cathedral and The Episcopal Impact Fund, a diocesan institution.

Major activities beyond diocese

I am running for a second term as a General Convention Deputy. At General Convention 81 in 2024 I served on the Safety, Wellness, and Mental Health legislative committee; proposed two resolutions that were successfully passed by GC; and collaborated and/or testified on several other resolutions with other GC deputies. Prior to being ordained, I worked in broadcast journalism, as a Social Worker with chronically mentally ill people on the streets of Baltimore, as a Psychologist in the California state prison system, for the Departments of Mental Health in Massachusetts and California, and as a forensic psychological expert witness. I have retained my interest in the needs of unhoused people, assisting those with mental illness, and forensics and criminal justice

In my opinion, the major issues facing the church today are

Many people are concerned with the decline in church membership and the financial difficulties that accompany it. While I am also worried about these trends, I believe the larger issue is one of corporate identity. We need to be unified in our vision of who we are as church and how we can best carry out Jesus’s mission to love one another in concrete and tangible ways in a tempestuous and changing world. I know in my heart that if we focus on missional ministries – engaging and helping the unhoused, the unwell, the hungry, and others who feel unloved, people will be drawn to the importance and beauty of that work and the One who inspires us to do it.

Why are you running for this position?

The work of General Convention is multi-layered and requires a willingness to learn and work within a complex system on behalf of all the members of The Episcopal Church. I feel called to participate in this ministry, particularly during this crucial time. The Episcopal Church is attempting to grow into our common mission to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves. There is much to be done, and the Diocese of California has a great deal to contribute. I would be honored to continue to represent the people of this diocese as part of the DioCal Deputation.

Interests

Liturgics, Preaching, Racial Reconciliation, Social Justice, Congregational Vitality, Financial Sustainability of Ministry, Polity and Governance of the Church.

Professional associations

National Association of Episcopal Schools

Summary of activities within my congregation / diocese

C.F.O. of the Board of the Directors of Clausen House, Member of the Board of St. Paul’s Episcopal School, Afro Anglican Commission Diocese of California.

Major activities beyond diocese

National President of the Union of Black Episcopalians

In my opinion, the major issues facing the church today are

The church needs to work bringing hope to communities that are increasingly hearing messages of negativity and strive. Jesus told his disciples to not be afraid, yet today in many of our communities, fear is exactly what seems to permeate our discourse: fear of lower A.S.A., of less money in the coffers, of less people going to seminary, of others’ differences.

Why are you running for this position?

I offer myself to be a General Convention Deputy because I believe in being part of the solution to the problem and challenges of our Church and the world. The Episcopal has a solid history of being at the forefront of change, innovation and advocacy in the Anglican Communion. And though these things may happen at a very slow pace, we are among the fastest moving religious organizations in the world. I hope to continue being part of the diverse representation that comes from the diocese of California.