At this year’s diocesan convention, we will elect leaders, both lay and clergy, to seven of our governance bodies.
Nominees were asked to provide a brief bio that includes two questions:
- Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community
- Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
Nominees also were invited to provide a two-minute video introduction for our four pre-convention meetings. Click here to watch the video messages (video up to date as of October 1, 2025).
Nominees
Diocesan Council members play a critical role in the governance of the diocese, acting as the “convention-between-conventions.” Members review the budget and mission share review requests, follow implementation of convention resolutions and work with the bishop on ministry and mission decisions in the diocese. Diocesan Council meets six times per year (or as called).
At this 151st Convention, we will elect:
Four lay persons for full three-year terms (Class of 2028)
One cleric for full three-year term (Class of 2028)
This information has been corrected.
Clergy
1 Cleric – 3-Year Term (2028)
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
Hello, my name is Julia Joyce-Miesse, and I am the rector of St. Luke’s in Granville. I am blessed to journey with an incredibly loving and passionate group of servant leaders! We care for those experiencing food insecurity at our Market Street Pantry, which opens its doors twice a week and serves over 150 families each week. I bring over 35 years of experience in youth and young adult ministry, gained through work in Province IV and national church programs. And now St. Luke’s is launching a new college ministry program, St. Luke’s Canterbury Club, to open our doors to college-aged young adults and nourish them physically, emotionally, and spiritually through dinner gatherings, storytelling, discipleship, community, and prayer. We pray to be mentors to young adults, while also being mentored by them. I am a member of the Young Adult Campus Ministry (YACM) leaders of Province V, as well as a member of the Province V YACM cohort with lay leaders from St. Luke’s, where we journey together to navigate best practices in campus ministry at this time in our nation. I have also had the opportunity to attend two bi-diocesan (Ohio and Southern Ohio) Beloved Community retreats as we work to see where the Holy Spirit is calling us to “Speak the Truth, Proclaim the Dream, Practice the Way, and be Repairers of the Breach.” I am grateful to have spent significant time with other faith leaders in dialogues with elected officials at the Capitol, bringing concerns of our communities that align with our baptismal vows. I have also had the blessing of being a part of a session crew at the Procter Center for Family Camp 3: Conservation Camp, where I served as team Chaplain and team medical, and journeyed with incredible staff, counselors, and families to listen to where God is calling us to care for Creation.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
I feel called to serve on the Diocesan Council of the Diocese of Southern Ohio because a portion of my vows to the priesthood included, “You are to love and serve the people among whom you work, caring alike for young and old, strong and weak, rich and poor.” (BCP p. 531) The Diocesan Council has the blessing and responsibility to collaborate with the bishop in guiding the mission and ministry of our diocese. Each member of the council brings their individual gifts and the voices of those entrusted in their care. My passion is to help the Episcopal Church share that it is a place of welcome, belonging, and love as we work towards becoming a Beloved Community. Where we spend time matters. Who we engage with matters. Where we spend our money often indicates the priorities of an institution. I want to demonstrate that we are a people with a theology of abundance, a theology of liberation, and a theology of justice for all of God’s people and God’s creation.
Lay
4 Lay – 3-Year Term (2028)
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
I was blessed twelve years ago to encounter The Episcopal Church for the first time on the campus of Ohio State at St. Stephen’s, where I found a community ready to welcome a young evangelical who loved Jesus, but didn’t yet know a collect from an antiphon. I’ve enjoyed and had my faith deepened by continuing to study since then, from EFM to retreats at Proctor. I currently serve on the vestry at St. James, happily scrubbing toilets and working on more effective ways to welcome our neighbors. This is my third year as a delegate to Diocesan Convention. I live in Ashville with my husband Travis. Professionally I have a non-partisan role in politics which keeps me on the road, giving me the joy of visiting many parishes across Ohio on Sunday mornings every Summer.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
I knew I was interested in becoming more useful to the wider Diocese, but I wasn’t sure exactly how until I read through the last year of minutes of the Council. Our Episcopal polity requires highly engaged, cheerful & prayerful lay participation to function properly, and I believe I can meet that need. I was glad to see a body carefully stewarding our resources while supporting and encouraging Bishop White, and would like to continue that effort.
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
I am Barbara Shoemaker, and I am a parishioner at Trinity Episcopal Church on Capitol Square, Columbus. I was raised up and educated in the Roman Catholic Church, parish schools, and university. I lived in California for 27 years. During that time, I was received into the Episcopal Church when I experienced the desire to live a fully inclusive spiritual and liturgical life. Church communities I served while in California include, clerk for the vestry at my receiving parish of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Auburn and later at the inner-city church of St. John the Evangelist in Stockton. I served the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin on the planning committee with the Canon for the Ordinary to develop two diocesan wide women’s retreats. Bishop David Rice appointed me to the Commission on Ministry (CoM), and I served one half of my term due to a move back to Ohio to be closer to family.
I moved to Hilliard in May of 2024. I am fully engaged with Trinity on Capitol Square. I accepted a volunteer role for the coordination of our Kindness Fund, which assists those who are unhoused with financial gifts toward down payment fees or first month rent or for those facing eviction due to rental debt. I accepted a call to expand that role to Lay Pastoral Care Coordinator for the parish. I am working with my clergy to nurture ministries to live out our baptismal covenants in caring for each other. I am a member of our parish team who completed year one of the College for Congregational Development here in the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio and I look forward to completing year two of the CCD curriculum next summer.
Professionally, I served in various leadership capacities during my nursing career as a pediatric advanced practice nurse and clinical educator and as secretary for two terms for the board of directors for the National Association of Orthopaedic Nursing.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
Each time I contemplate a life decision, I reflect on this very probing question. I then remind myself of Isaiah 6:8 where God asks, “Whom shall I send?” and Isaiah responds, “Here am I, send me.”
Right now, it is one of those moments when I have carefully discerned the call to nominate for Diocesan Council. I have reflected about being young in the Diocese and what do I bring to the table. Through the wrestle of the discernment, I find the mission of Isaiah 6:8 to be the reason to say yes to this call to serve. I pledge to use my time and talents to support and live out the mission and vision of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio as we care for each other and walk together, living out the Gospel message of Jesus in the work of the Diocese.
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
Nancy Talley, a cradle Episcopalian, is currently serving as a second-term Junior Warden at All Saints Episcopal Church, New Albany. A 21-year member, Nancy has witnessed the remarkable growth of All Saints, transitioning from a small mission to a vibrant, 600 member parish.
At All Saints, I have engaged in various leadership roles, including working on program development to encourage new members to become contributors of time and talent within our community. Currently, All Saints is actively working to encourage members to participate in our diverse
ministries, and ensure that all members feel empowered to contribute. It is
crucial to ensure that each age group, demographic, and member’s needs are
met and that they have opportunities to contribute and feel valued. As our
congregation continues to expand, we must address the challenges of staffing,
programs, and inclusivity.
As Junior Warden, I’m involved in running the business side of the parish,
including budget development and management; and as a member of our New
Infrastructure team, I am involved in discerning growth of our facilities to
continue expanding our in-reach and out-reach ministries.
Throughout my life in the Episcopal Church, I have had the privilege of
serving in a variety of congregations, ranging from small groups of less
than 50 members to larger communities exceeding 600. I understand that each
parish within the Diocese of Southern Ohio possesses unique blessings and
has distinct needs and challenges.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
I have had the honor of serving on Diocesan Council for the past four years,
and am interested in serving a second term. It is an honor to represent all
Diocesan churches between conventions. Diocesan Council works with integrity
in building relationships and spreading the Love of Christ. Diocesan
Council works with our Bishop in addressing budget and spending needs,
celebrating her successes and providing advice when practical.
I have had the pleasure of working with Council as the Bishop has come to
understand our diocese’s strengths and issues. Bishop White is developing a
staff to serve our diocese spiritually, financially and in support of our
clergy. Council addressed the best practices this past year clarifying our
mission and ways of working.
An important function of Diocesan Council is advising on the appropriate
collection and use of Mission Share Funds. I believe my past experience on
Council and in various parish leadership positions equips me to continue
contributing to the overall success of Diocesan Council and the Diocese, in
general.
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
As an active member at St. Mark’s, Columbus, I serve as a lector, chalice bearer, substitute organist, and member of the vestry. Additionally, I will be serving for the first time as lay delegate at this year’s convention. I have enjoyed offering support at our annual Cultural and Artisan’s Fair and running our church’s table at the Upper Arlington Pride festivities.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
After losing my job as a pastor in a large evangelical church right before the pandemic, I came to The Episcopal Church seeking peace, healing, and rest. I found in St. Mark’s and in the Diocese of Southern Ohio a new, life-giving, joyful way of doing church and being the Body of Christ, and I want to further offer my services toward this church. I’ve long been a bit of a polity nerd, and I am passionate about the role of the diocese in equipping the local church for ministry. When I learned of the need for more lay nominees for Diocesan Council, I felt a little nudge from the Spirit to offer what I can in this role as an opportunity to further live into my baptismal covenant. I believe in how God is moving in our diocese, and I believe I am being called to play what part I can on the Diocesan Council.
Standing Committee serves as the bishop’s council of advice. It shares responsibility for the ordination process, is consulted for consent for the election and consecration of new bishops in the church and reviews requests from congregations to encumber their property. This group carries out a mutual ministry review with the bishop, and in the absence of a diocesan bishop serves as the ecclesiastical authority of the diocese. The committee typically meets monthly.
At this 151st Convention, we will elect:
One lay person for a three-year term (Class of 2028)
One cleric for a three-year term (Class of 2028)
Clergy
1 Clergy – 3 Year Term (2028)
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
I am the priest-in-charge at All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Portsmouth, and Christ Episcopal Church, Ironton. I am a member of New Episcopal Communities I served on the transition committee for the diocese. To add a fun fact to this description, I have led the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Portsmouth for the past three years. I participate in the local communities of Ironton and Portsmouth through civic organizations, leading vespers as scheduled at Hill View Retirement Community in Portsmouth and outreach to those in need.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
Jesus taught us to serve one another with humility that is rooted in faith. It is in this spirit that I feel God is calling me to serve on the Standing Committee. The responsibilities of this committee, that is, offering counsel to the bishop, oversight of church property and the ordination process, resonates with my practice of collaborative leadership, prayerful discernment and stewardship. I feel that I would enrich the work of the Standing Committee by bringing to it a representation from the southeast part of the diocese.
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
I am the rector of Saint Mark’s, Columbus. I am a part of the Network UA group which helps connect a variety of non-profit organizations in the Upper Arlington area. I am also a part of the Upper Arlington Community Health Action Team. Currently I serve on the Commission on Ministry and the Committee on Dispatch of Business for Diocesan Convention as well as taking part in Columbus regional events. I have served on the diocesan staff of two dioceses, Southern Ohio and Western New York and have served as rector of congregations in both of those dioceses.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
In more than 25 years of ordained ministry, I have worked closely with Standing Committees while serving on diocesan staffs, Commissions on Ministry and Boards of Examining Chaplains. I have a deep respect for the importance of the the Standing Committee in providing balance, oversight, advice and support to Bishops and representation for the diocese in the councils of the wider Episcopal Church. I believe I bring a great deal of experience and prayerful and thoughtful input to the role.
Lay
1 Lay – 3-Year Term (2028)
Nominees
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
After having been away from St. Patrick’s, Dublin for nearly twenty years due to job transfers, my wife and I returned in 2019. Shortly thereafter, I was asked to co-lead the search committee to find our current rector, the Rev. Jason Emerson. From there, I became senior warden, and my term was completed earlier this year. Today, I serve on the Endowment Committee and sing in the choir.
Just prior to our time at St. Patrick’s, we were members of the Wooster, OH United Methodist Church for ten years, where I served as finance chair for over five years. That led me to a Board of Trustees position at MTSO (Methodist Theological School
of Ohio), where in addition to attending board meetings, I serve on the Investment
Committee for the seminary’s endowment fund. I am beginning my seventh year
as a board trustee.
Vocationally, I have spent the overwhelming majority of my career in corporate
sales and marketing positions for food companies, including Borden, Nestle,
and Mars. About a dozen years ago, I left the corporate world, and became an
executive recruiter, identifing, recruiting, and evaluating CEO’s and their direct
reports for food and agricultural related companies–public, private, trade
associations, foundations, and NGO’s.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
I have been richly blessed in both my professional and parallel lay leadership career
by being exposed to wonderful leaders, both clergy and lay. Through God’s gifts
to me and experience, I feel as though I have developed a well balanced skill set of
strategic thinking and planning, financial savvy, and human capital deployment–all
necessary skills in becoming a contributing member of the Standing Committee.
Trustees of the diocese (also known as the Procter Trustees) is the group responsible for management of diocesan and certain other investments and property owned by the diocese; and for serving as the board of advisors to the bishop on administration of the William Cooper Procter Memorial Fund. Trustees meet quarterly.
At this 151st Convention, we will elect:
One person (clergy or lay) to a five-year term (Class of 2030)
Lay or Clergy
1 Lay or Clergy – 5-Year Term (2030)
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
My family and I moved to Southern Ohio in 2010 upon receiving the call to serve as Rector at St. Thomas in Terrace Park. Within these fifteen years, I have had the privilege of serving the diocese in a number of capacities in addition to my role as a priest & pastor locally. I currently serve on the Finance Committee, the Subcommittee of the Diocesan Council for Clergy Compensation Review, and the Mission Share Formula Revue Committee; as well as representing the Diocese as Board Member of Episcopal Retirement Services and their Affordable Living Team. Previously, I have served as a facilitator and then Coordinator for Safe Church Ministry, Chair for the Bishop’s Advisory Committee for Compensation and Resources and several ecumenical ministry initiatives for our greater area and represented our Diocese on the Board of Trustees for Berkeley Divinity School. I have also served a previous term on Diocesan Council as the Secretary. With over 27 years in parish ministry, my experience spans congregations of various sizes, Total Ministry teams, and service in six different dioceses nationwide. All of these experiences reinforce the commitment I feel to the Church being about relationships and equipping each other for the work of ministry, both in our congregations and into the world and especially thinking about the impact our decisions have on the lives of those we are entrusted to serve.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
I sense that God may be calling me to serve as a Trustee at this moment when our Diocese continues to discern how best to steward the gifts entrusted to us for mission & ministry as we embrace a new chapter of our diocesan vision with our new bishop. The Trustees’ work, grounded in fiduciary care yet animated by faith, embodies a foundational aspect of discipleship: to hold our common life in trust for the sake of the Gospel and for generations to come. Throughout my ministry, I have sought to bridge faith and strategy, helping congregations align vision, resources, and relationships so that their ministries might flourish. I have learned that wise stewardship requires both imagination and discipline: imagination to see how God’s abundance might be revealed, and discipline to manage that abundance faithfully and transparently. My formation in theology, music, and organizational leadership has shaped a way of seeing stewardship as a spiritual art, where numbers tell stories of faithfulness, and decisions about property or endowment become acts of hope. I believe I could help bring to the Trustees both pastoral insight and practical experience in governance, finance, and mission alignment. At its best, this ministry invites prayerful discernment and collaboration. I would be honored to help our diocese continue investing in ministries that proclaim God’s reconciling love, ensuring that every resource entrusted to our care serves Christ’s work of renewal in this time and for the future.
The Trustees of the Church Foundation are responsible for administering loans and funds for church buildings as well as some oversight over diocesan-owned properties. Trustees meet quarterly.
At this 151st Convention, we will elect:
One person (clergy or lay) to a five-year term (Class of 2030)
Lay or Clergy
1 Lay or Clergy – 5-Year Term (2030)
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
I have been on the vestry, served has senior warden, and I am currently on the building and grounds committee. I am a chalice bearer, a reader, and an usher. Also, my wife and I pledge every year and meet that pledge. In the larger community I have been a faculty leader at Cincinnati State and a long time member of the Elder High School alumni board. Nationally I have been a national leader of the American Association of University Professors. As a national collective bargaining chair and a vice president of the association I served on its foundation board.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
I believe God is calling me to this position because of all of the above experiences but also because of my strong feelings about the importance of serious planning when it comes to planning and implementing the needs for our parishes building and grounds needs.
The Procter Center Board of Advisors advises the bishop and main stakeholders on the stewardship, operations, and programming for the Procter Center.
At this 151st Convention, we will elect:
One person (clergy or lay) for a three-year term (Class of 2028)
Lay or Clergy
1 Lay or Clergy – 3-Year Term (2028)
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
At St. Patrck’s in Dublin, I have served in the choir, as a Lay Eucharistic Minister, as a Lay Eucharistic Visitor, as a vestry person, as a Stephen Minister,a Parish Nurse, and I have organized and led several Advent Quiet Days for the congregation. I participate in the Way of Love Dinner and am serving on the Feeding the Homeless at St. John’s Town Street ministry that is just starting at St. Patrick’s. In the DSO, I have been a member of the Diocesan Council, The Standing Committee and The Procter Board of Advisors. In the larger community I have served in multiple medical missions to Choulteca, Honduras and in Frome, Jamacia. I served 36 years in the United States Navy as a Navy Nurse and I am an Emerita Professor of Clinical Nursing at The Ohio State University College of Nursing.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
As a young girl, I went to church camp every summer for 14 years. It was there that I realized that God was real, that creation mattered, and I was a part of it. It was also the time that I realized that Jesus was the person after whom I needed to model my life and relationship with God, Creation and People. All this was formed at camp, and guided my formation as a Christian Woman. This formation served me well during challenging times in the Navy and in my responses the current world climate. When I moved to Ohio in 2003, I learned about Procter and realized that this was a place in which I needed to invest time, talent and treasure. I have served on both the Board of Directors and the Board of Advisors. This is the place where I am called to serve. I am excited and highly enthusiastic about the revitalization of our beautiful Camp and Conference Center. I commit to serve to enhance formation for members of our Diocese and others who are called to be with us. I look forward to being a participant in the growth and fulfillment of the mission of Procter Camp and Conference Center.
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
I have served as the Associate Rector at Trinity on Capitol Square since May, 2024. This was a joyful return to my home diocese after spending a year in Boulder, CO where my wife (also an Episcopal priest) served in her first call after our graduation from Virginia Theological Seminary in May, 2022.
I was cradled within the loving arms of St. John’s, Lancaster from a very young age, where I had modeled early and often what it meant to live into my baptismal covenant. I remained devotedly engaged in faith communities throughout college and early adulthood. Prior to seminary, I attended St. Patrick’s, Lebanon and St. Anne’s, West Chester; I served each of these parishes in virtually every lay leadership role that existed, and a few that I created on my own, prior to discerning my call to holy orders.
In my current context, I am responsible for shared liturgical and preaching responsibilities and directly oversee our Adult Formation program offerings and our Pastoral Care team. I support, in a collaborative manner, the rector in multiple administrative initiatives within a growing parish. Most recently, I convened a visionary team of lay leaders as we reimagined and updated a Mission/Vision statement to more accurately reflect Trinity in its discipleship and community engagement. In my role, I consistently engage with other faith leaders and colleagues to speak and bear witness to statehouse policy and legislation that stands in opposition to the radical hospitality of Jesus, the full inclusion of all people, or our the vows within our baptismal covenant. I currently serve on the DSO Creation Care and Environmental Justice Commission, have served as session crew Chaplain/Medical Team at Procter Family Camp as well as on the medical team of the national Episcopal Youth Event in 2023.
Before sensing a call to ordained life, I served my first vocational call to healthcare as an orthopedic/sports medicine physical therapist and administrator for nearly 30 years.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
I began attending Procter in 1984, when I attended my first Happening, a bi-annual diocesan youth event, modeled closely after the Cursillo movement. I fondly remember Procter with the old farmhouse and without the Conference Center and Lodge. I fondly remember the worship space upstairs in Hobson and without Christ Chapel. I even, well, almost, fondly remember the sulphury-smell of the rusty well water in the showers in Blanchard Commons. Yes, I met the tender love of community at church and LEARNED a lot about God there, too, but Procter is where I MET God…out here amidst the corn and the quiet, under the trees and under the stars, listening to the songs of creation, and sitting in the shadow of the big red barn. I carry Procter with me in my ministry; it informs my work and my vocation because it, this place, is a part of me.
My, how we’ve grown, both Procter and me over these forty years. I’ve come back to pick up my campers and subsequently my summer counselor, to worship, to discern my call with the Commission on Ministry, to attend clergy days and regional confirmations, to participate in Creation Care retreats, to serve on Summer Camp Staff…and to pray. And yet, as the car accelerates out of Midway and rounds that next big sweeping turn, the Barn and the Chapel come into view, my heart sings and I know that I am home.
I would be humbled to serve on the Procter Board of Advisors to ensure that the recently revitalized mission and vision continue to meet the needs of our diocese and our youth, and that the growth we are witnessing there is supported into the future. I would treasure the opportunity to give back, even a widow’s mite, to this place that formed me, so that others can meet God in this place.
The General Convention is the governing body of The Episcopal Church and sets mission priorities, budget and policies for the succeeding three years. General Convention approves changes to The Episcopal Church’s Constitution and Canons and approves liturgical texts for trial use and changes to the Book of Common Prayer.
The 82nd General Convention will meet July 2027 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Per Canon IV, Sections 1-2, deputies are elected first from the slate of nominees; a separate ballot will be taken to elect alternate deputies from the remaining candidates.
At this 151st Convention, we will elect:
Four lay deputies
Four lay alternate deputies
Four clergy deputies
Four clergy alternate deputies
Lay
4 Lay Deputies
4 Lay Alternate Deputies
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
At St. Patrick’s in Dublin, I have served in the choir, as a Lay Eucharistic Minister, as a Lay Eucharistic Visitor, as a vestry person, as a Stephen Minister, a Parish Nurse, and I have organized and led several Advent Quiet Days for the congregation. I participate in the Way of Love Dinner and am serving on the Feeding the Homeless at St. John’s Town Street ministry that is just starting at St. Patrick’s. In the DSO, I have been a member of the Diocesan Council, The Standing Committee, the Regional Disciplinary Board, and The Procter Board of Advisors. In the larger community I have served in multiple medical missions to Choulteca, Honduras and in Frome, Jamaica to name a few. I served 36 years in the United States Navy as a Navy Nurse and I am an Emerita Professor of Clinical Nursing at The Ohio State University.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
I have served as Lay Deputy and Alternate for four previous conventions. I love the energy of the House of Deputies and the work they do to serve Jesus and the Episcopal Church. This is the forum where the Lay persons in the Diocese, along with our Clergy deputies can debate difficult issues without rancor and in the spirit of making decisions that are consistent with Jesus’ teachings. In addition, we have the opportunity to listen to our Bishops, and offer our responses. As a Deputy, the task is not just to go to the convention, but to be assigned a committee and commit to hard work before the convention. I am called to offer not just my experience, but also my openess to change, my support of all persons in their ministries, a true belief that all of us are beloved children of God and thus we are all related and there is no exclusion of anyone in our human family. I am forward thinking, excited to combine experience with fresh ideas and pathways. I have a special love for global health. I have served on many medical missions including those to Liberia, Cambodia, Albania, Jamaica and Honduras. Being with these people has opened my heart to embrace the amazing diversity of our human family. I truly believe that the Episcopal Church is in the forefront of learning from our past, being intentional about not repeating our sins, and working toward the environment that Jesus would have us create. I strongly believe that I am called to participate as a Deputy in the work of the Episcopal Church.
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
I have been a member of St. Philip Episcopal Church in Columbus Ohio since I was two years old. I have participated in Sunday School and was an acolyte as a child. As an adult, I have been on the Vestry, worked as part of the security team, on the Buildings and Grounds committee and the co chair of the Community Youth Outreach Committee. I have also been on the search committee for a new rector of St. Philip. Since Covid, I have been responsible for the online services that we offer. This included Friday Noon Day Prayer, Zoom service and our YouTube Live streaming. On the diocesan level, I was a member of the Commission on Ministry for six years. I was also part of the committee to write the job description for the position of the black missioner. I am a member of board for MEIT and work in a leadership capacity for the Union of Black Episcopalians. I have also chaperone youth to National UBE conferences for six years and participated in the first Civil Rights Pilgrimage for youth.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
I believe that God is calling me at this time because we all have a responsibility to be open to be open to serve as called and needed in these areas of church life. My varied experiences in many areas of church life have prepared me to participate in the governance of the wider Episcopal Church and that I have been called to offer my gifts, talents, and experiences in this area at this time. A significant majority of my faith formation occurred in the Diocese of Southern Ohio. My desire to serve in this area is strong. As the Episcopal Church fully enters our call to express the historic faith of the church in ways that are responsive to the needs of people in today’s world, I believe I have been prepared to assist in that ministry which invites change in denominational organization and practice. Part of my formation experiences have helped me to serve my parish family as we adopt and adjust to current technological advancements that help to enhance church worship, communication, and other areas of church life. This openness to changes in our world placed in context of the Biblical faith that we are called to embrace shapes the call to service that our church needs to strengthen our effectiveness in ministry and evangelization.
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
I currently serve as the Minister for Mission & Family Discipleship at The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Cincinnati, Ohio. In this role, I provide leadership for youth and young adult ministries, helping nurture faith, community, and belonging among children, teens, and families. Within the parish, I helped create and continue to oversee an after-school program for 7th–12th grade students, which predominantly serves students from Clark Montessori in Hyde Park. I also support a lay team that connects our congregation to opportunities for service and outreach in the broader community. In addition, I co-host a podcast with Anny Stevens-Gleason, The Priesthood of All Queer Believers, where we explore the intersection of the queer community and the Church as an act of integration and reconciliation between the two. In addition to contributing to youth events and initiatives for the Diocese of Southern Ohio, I currently serve as the 2nd Vice Chair of the Procter Center Board, helping guide its mission to be a place of spiritual renewal, leadership development, and community connection for people across the diocese. Beyond the walls of the church, I am committed to serving the wider Cincinnati community. I serve as the Chair of the Local School Decision-Making Committee (LSDMC) at Clark Montessori in Hyde Park, where I collaborate with administrators and families to strengthen school leadership and engagement. I also volunteer with and serve as a member of the Grant Screening Committee for Queen City Charities, supporting LGBTQ+ initiatives throughout the city.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
I would be honored to serve as a lay delegate to the 82nd General Convention of The Episcopal Church. While the core of my calling has led me to focus on youth across my work in the parish, diocese, and community, I feel a deeper motivation to create spaces where all people can experience God’s love, claim their full dignity, and discover their place in God’s mission. I believe this calling naturally extends into the wider Church, where important decisions are made that shape how we live out the gospel in our time. Serving as a delegate would give me the opportunity to bring the experiences, hopes, and voices of youth and others in my local community into the wider conversation of the Church, while also helping to discern how our common life can better reflect the love, justice, and inclusiveness of Christ.
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
I was blessed twelve years ago to encounter The Episcopal Church for the first time on the campus of Ohio State at St. Stephen’s, where I found a community ready to welcome a young evangelical who loved Jesus, but didn’t yet know a collect from an antiphon. I’ve enjoyed and had my faith deepened by continuing to study since then, from EFM to retreats at Proctor. I currently serve on the vestry at St. James, happily scrubbing toilets and working on more effective ways to welcome our neighbors. This is my third year as a delegate to Diocesan Convention. I live in Ashville with my husband Travis. Professionally I have a non-partisan role in politics which keeps me on the road, giving me the joy of visiting many parishes across Ohio on Sunday mornings every Summer.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
General Convention offers us a rare opportunity to discern together our priorities as an entire polity. I love The Episcopal Church, and I believe God is calling us to actively invite our neighbors in to know Him here. As a delegate I would be thrilled to bring my professional skills in the legislative process to bear, while keeping the gospel as my north star.
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
Our faith requires us to get involved and collaborate in various spheres to make the world better. At my congregation (St. Stephen’s, Columbus), I’ve served on vestry, as treasurer, and currently as chair of our endowment committee. I also served on a search committee to identify our new rector. A decade ago, I chaired a committee that revamped our parish’s website. About 15 years ago, I helped re-start our church’s Wednesday prayer service, which has grown and thrived over the years.
It’s important for Episcopalians to realize the vital role of our dioceses and of our denomination in keeping congregations healthy and productively connected to each other. Provinces, too, have a contribution to make here, and I’ve been blessed to represent our diocese on the Province V executive board for six years. Our affiliated organizations also play a crucial role, which I’ve become more aware of since joining the PIMIL Council three years ago. And for more than a decade, I’ve been a member of the resolutions committee for our diocesan convention.
In terms of the community beyond our church, I served 12 years as secretary and member of the board of our condo association. For many of those 12 years, our condo community faced serious challenges and internal conflict, but I stuck with it, because I believe that people in a community should step up and volunteer, regardless of the magnitude of the challenges. The last thing I’ll mention is my volunteer work on many political campaigns for local, state, and national elections. The work I’ve done is the basic grunt work of political campaigns, but I’ve been doing it in Columbus (off and on, of course) for at least 20 years.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
It certainly feels like, over the past few years, our nation and world have entered a new era, one beset by problems, threats and conflicts, many of which were hard to predict not so long ago. There are opportunities, too, but I agree that our church has a special role in promoting the Christian message on issues and among communities where suffering and conflict are at their greatest. Long-term projects of the Episcopal Church, such as Beloved Community, LGBTQ+ support and outreach, and Creation Care, began essential aspects of the work that is necessary years before we found ourselves in the current situation. New efforts and initiatives are needed, too, but they should be tailored to maximize their effectiveness in dealing with the new challenges that we now face. I’d like to be part of the effort to figure out the right response to these challenges.
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
I serve as the Children’s Formation Assistant at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church in Upper Arlington, where I walk alongside kids in grades K–5 as they learn, create, and take part in worship. Beyond my parish, I helped coordinate the Episcopal Church’s presence at Columbus Pride and continue to support diocesan gatherings that center youth, young adults, and the full inclusion of the LGBTQIA+ community and my BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) siblings. My journey with the Diocese began at Procter in 2018, when I first served as a camp counselor. That same year, I joined the Episcopal Service Corps at Brendan’s Crossing. Over the years, I worked in many different roles at Procter: front desk, housekeeping, kitchen, respite care, the farm market store, and even farming during the height of COVID. I later helped launch the Day Camp program as its director and served as Camp Coordinator in 2023. Those experiences introduced me to people across the Diocese and helped me see how wide and connected our church family really is.
I am also deeply involved at Jacob’s Porch, an interdenominational and interfaith ministry at The Ohio State University, where I help nurture a welcoming space for students to ask questions and grow in faith. I support campus ministry at Denison University through the Canterbury Club at St. Luke’s, Granville, working with the Rev. Julia Joyce-Miesse. Outside of church life, I serve as the Receptionist at Neighborhood Services Inc., a food pantry in Columbus, where I connect neighbors with resources and welcome volunteers with the same spirit of hospitality I try to carry everywhere I serve.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
I feel God calling me to serve at General Convention because my heart for ministry has always been about hospitality, formation, and creating spaces where people know they belong. In every place I’ve been, whether teaching children at Saint Mark’s, walking alongside students at Jacob’s Porch or Denison, or welcoming neighbors at NSI, I’ve seen how the church becomes most alive when people feel seen, valued, and cared for.
Hospitality has been at the center of my work. For me, it’s more than a smile or an open door. It’s a way of showing Christ’s love. Scripture says not to neglect showing hospitality to strangers, because in doing so, we might welcome angels without realizing it. I’ve seen how even the smallest acts of welcome can change lives, a child finding their place in worship, a student brave enough to ask hard questions about faith, or a neighbor who leaves with both food and dignity.
I believe the Episcopal Church is called to that same kind of welcome on a wider scale. General Convention is where we listen for God’s call and decide how we will live it out together in worship, in policy, and in mission. If given the chance, I would bring my own experiences and the voices of those I serve into that space. I hope to help our church keep growing in love, justice, and inclusion, so that our life together continues to reflect the radical welcome of Jesus Christ.
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
I have been involved in the diocese more as a youth than a young adult. I was a counselor at Procter for 4 years. I volunteered at conventions and attended UBE and EYE. I also was a Eucharistic minister and acolyte at my church. When I went off to college I wasn’t as involved. Now that I’ve been back, I have slowly started to involve myself more. I am on vestry at my church and also becoming more involved in the safety/security team.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
I feel God has been calling me to get more involved in the church. I have been a part of the Episcopal church since a young child. I have grown up at St Philips church where as a youth I was very involved. As I got older and eventually went off to college, being involved had diminished. Now that I am back in Columbus at my home church, my passion for serving others and improving the episcopal church had reignited. During the 150th celebration of the diocese, I was approached with the idea of nominating myself and hopefully getting the opportunity to be a part of the 151st convention office.
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
In my parish I serve as Acolyte Director and acolyte, chalicist, lector, Altar Guild Member, and Sunday School Teacher for the high schoolers. I have served on the Vestry for a three-year term, was part of the Search Committee for a new rector a few years ago, and have served as both a youth delegate and full delegate to Diocesan Convention several times. I also had the privilege of attending GC81 as a first-time deputy. I volunteer everywhere at church when needed, and frequently can be found at the top of a ladder changing candles or hanging banners for the Altar Guild and Buildings & Grounds. I have worked our Pride Booth at Dayton Pride for three years now, and enjoy spending time with the other young adults of nearby Diocesan Parishes. In the City of Dayton I attend as many charity-led events as I can, particularly for the LGBTQIA+ community and various food pantries. Our parish is a strong supporter of Outreach ministries, and through them I actively support CareHouse and Canterbury Court. I also vote in every election and keep the needs of all people in mind when taxes and referendums are on the ballot.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
At GC81 in Lousiville, I had the privilege of serving as a first-time deputy. The sheer amount of time and effort put in by all the Legislative committees was both overwhelming and exciting, and I learned much about the inner workings of The Episcopal Church. I also had the joy of meeting and becoming part of the Under 40 Caucus, a group of passionate young adults from all of our Provinces who have great ideas and the skills to see them through. The Church as a whole has always said they want their young people involved; I am one such person with the time and energy to attend and work at General Convention. Much of that work is easier to accomplish if our Caucus can meet in person on-site, especially for all new members who will join.
I also feel called to see a number of resolutions completed, specifically those for marriage equality. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, it is important to me that I see my community and my friends obtain equal rights and privileges within our faith.
I feel called to continue breaking down the doors that held my grandmother and mother back as children and adults, and to ensure all future generations can worship in and enjoy The Episcopal Church to the fullest.
Clergy
4 Clergy Deputies
4 Clergy Alternate Deputies
Nominees
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
As a “retired” priest canonically resident in the Diocese of Southern Ohio, I hang my alb at All Saints, New Albany as “priest in residence.” In this capacity, I assist at the altar on most Sundays when I am not covering as supply in various parishes in the Columbus area. I also sing in the choir at All Saints and support a cohort of persons there discerning their vocation in the church and beyond. Additionally, I assist with some formation there. My diocesan service was as a parish priest at St. James, Columbus (Clintonville), and then as a member of Bishop Breidenthal’s staff initially focusing on formation and transition ministry, and finally as canon to the ordinary.
My ministry to and with the larger community has emerged from my experience with clergy disciplinary canons as an advisor to complainant, respondent, and parish-as-injured-party in a few dioceses, as well as a consultant to disciplinary board leadership concerning Title IV disciplinary canons. I have served as a deputy from Southern Ohio to two General Conventions (2022 and 2024) and was appointed to the Title IV legislative committees for both of those conventions. Most recently, I was appointed by the Presiding Bishop and President of the House of Deputies to serve on the Standing Commission for Structure, Governance, Constitution and Canons through 2030. This interim body of 18 persons (appointees from the lay, clergy and episcopal orders) receives resolutions from General Convention that have been referred to it for greater research and preparation for the next General Convention; we also look for ways to improve the canons of the church. In 2023 – 2024 I served as National Chaplain to The Order of the Daughters of the King. I am in my fourth year a member of the Board of Directors of Healthy Congregations, Inc. and am currently singing with the Gahanna Community Chorus.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
Through my experience with Title IV clergy disciplinary canons at a wider church level, and my experience with the clergy disciplinary canons of The Episcopal Church, I believe God has called me in my “retirement” to continue to use my experience to improve the canons of the church. My service on the Standing Commission is not limited to clergy disciplinary canons. I have been blessed so far to work on resolutions concerning support of lay-led congregations and how best to provide for lay officer accountability that is sensitive, fair and just. I continue to think about how the canons of the church can support our vocation to be the church and carry out the ministry of the risen Christ as followers of Jesus in a changing church and secular environment.
It would be a privilege once again to represent the Diocese of Southern Ohio as a deputy to General Convention and to be able to speak to convention in Phoenix in 2027 about the work of the interim body to which I belong and with which I continue to work for the good of the Reign of God as expressed through the church.
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
My primary ministry is serving the wider Episcopal Church at Forward Movement, publishers of Forward Day by Day and creators of many other discipleship resources. When I am not traveling, home base is Christ Church, Glendale, where I preach, celebrate the sacraments, and teach. In our diocese, I have served on the Standing Committee, Commission on Ministry, and Board of Examining Chaplains. I currently serve on The Episcopal Church’s General Convention Reinvention Steering Committee, with a mandate to treasure the essentials of General Convention while also pivoting to help this gathering meet the needs of today’s church.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
I am a church geek, and serving as a deputy to General Convention is the fullest
expression of church geekery. In particular, I am drawn to work so that we as a
church do not forget our highest and best callings while also changing to meet
the needs of today’s world. As a deputy, this means thinking through many issues
large and small to decide what we should give up and what we should treasure. The
considerable reading (hundreds of pages!) required is always a treat for me, and I
have blogged through all the matters to be considered at several conventions. If
elected, I would most likely do this again as folks have told me the work is helpful.
Serving as a deputy would allow me, I believe, to use the gifts God has given me to
make disciples of Jesus Christ.
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
Since April 2020, it has been my privilege to serve as rector of St. John’s in Worthington and Parts Adjacent. My ministry in our diocese has included chairing the Mission Share Formula Committee in 2024-5, serving as a deputy to the 81st General Convention in 2024 (where I was a member of the legislative committee that oversaw revisions to the denominational health insurance plan), and chairing the Nominating Committee for the Tenth Bishop of Southern Ohio in 2022-3. Recently I’ve begun a side project as a consultant for bishop searches at the request of Presiding Bishop Rowe’s staff; I’m currently working with the Diocese of Lexington as they call their next diocesan bishop. I’m an active member of the Central Region a.k.a. Columbus Deanery, Worthington Faith Leaders, and Worthington Leadership Roundtable. I’ve also served on two task forces of General Convention: the Task Force on Theology of Money from 2018-21, which reported on theologies of money, stewardship, and practices of socially responsible investment in the Episcopal Church; and the second iteration of the Task Force on the Study of Marriage from 2015-18, whose work led to liturgical marriage equality in all dioceses of the church.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
I love the Episcopal Church because this is where Jesus found me when I was a broken, hurting young adult. He followed me into the tomb I’d made of my life, grabbed my hand, and led me into resurrection. And I continue to find him here, in the pews and parish halls and Zoom meetings of the Episcopal branch of the Jesus movement. My service as a first-time deputy in 2024 and on General Convention task forces persuaded me that God has given me gifts for the ministry of deputy, particularly the practice of Ignatian spirituality, with its focus on discernment; systems thinking; an ability to absorb a lot of material quickly; and the willingness to say the thing that needs to be said. My broad experience of the Episcopal Church, in dioceses as conservative as Tennessee and as liberal as California, has given me a wide perspective on our church, an appreciation for the big tent of Anglicanism, and a commitment to the dignity of all baptized people. It would be an honor to serve our diocese as a deputy.
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
I am the rector of St. Luke’s in Granville, and I am blessed to journey with an incredibly loving and passionate group of servant leaders! We care for those experiencing food insecurity at our Market Street Pantry, which opens its doors twice a week and serves over 150 families each week. I bring over 35 years of experience in youth and young adult ministry, gained through work in Province IV and national church programs. And now St. Luke’s is launching a new college ministry program, St. Luke’s Canterbury Club, to open our doors to college-aged young adults and nourish them physically, emotionally, and spiritually through dinner gatherings, storytelling, discipleship, community, and prayer. We pray to be mentors to young adults, while also being mentored by them. I am a member of the Young Adult Campus Ministry (YACM) leaders of Province V, as well as a member of the Province V YACM cohort with lay leaders from St. Luke’s, where we journey together to navigate best practices in campus ministry at this time in our nation. I have also had the opportunity to attend two bi-diocesan (Ohio and Southern Ohio) Beloved Community retreats as we work to see where the Holy Spirit is calling us to “Speak the Truth, Proclaim the Dream, Practice the Way, and be Repairers of the Breach.” I am grateful to have spent significant time with other faith leaders in dialogues with elected officials at the Capitol, bringing concerns of our communities that align with our baptismal vows. I have also had the blessing of being a part of a session crew at the Procter Center for Family Camp 3: Conservation Camp, where I served as team Chaplain and team medical, and journeyed with incredible staff, counselors, and families to listen to where God is calling us to care for Creation.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
I hear God calling me to serve as a clergy deputy to the 82nd General Convention of the Episcopal Church because I believe baptism matters. I believe that when we walk through those waters, we are forever changed. We take vows that we strive to live into every day with God’s help. I am passionate about the ways the Episcopal Church can be a place of belonging, healing, and empowerment for voices who have long been excluded or muted. This diocesan convention calls us to be “Disciples and beacons of Christ’s love and justice.” Through the lens of baptism, I bring my passion for youth and young adult ministry, for the work of Beloved Community, for our LGBTQIA2S+ siblings – all lights that have been burning brightly and doing beautiful works of justice – but not always regarded or honored within our churches. I believe that representation matters. As a biracial, queer, female clergy person, I sit in many intersections of culture within our church. With over twenty years of experience as a registered nurse in trauma departments, I am a healer who centers the art of listening and storytelling as a vehicle for healing. I believe as disciples of Christ, we are called to model the life of Christ. Jesus sat WITH, ate WITH, listened WITH, and taught WITH God’s people. These are all active ways of love. In a nation that seems more fragmented than ever, I hear God calling us, the Episcopal Church, to go and be WITH God’s people. It is time for us to step out of our comfort zones, our beautiful sanctuaries, our well-manicured spaces, and be the Church in the world. These are the hopes that I have heard from young people. They want a church whose Sunday morning message matches their Tuesday morning feet. The ability to serve as a deputy and representative of the Diocese of Southern Ohio would allow me to bring the lights of the unseen, the stories of the unheard, and the courage of our baptism to the ears, hearts, and minds of the wider church…with God’s help.
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
I am the rector of All Saints in New Albany Ohio. I also serve as the chair of the Liturgical Commission for the diocese as well as a member of the Commission on Ministry.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
I have joyfully served as a deputy at the 2018 General Convention in Austin, Texas as well as in 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. I am passionate about Jesus Christ whose Passion, Death and Resurrection has brought us salvation, hope and peace ushering in the New Creation. As a church, we are called to share this Good News with our words, lives and actions. General Convention is a powerful ministry of the Body of Christ to listen to the Holy Spirit in our midst and walk forward in the world as disciples with the Light of Christ. I feel called to this position to help listen and discern God’s presence among us with the gifts and talents Christ has given me. Our church is very much alive and we live in exciting times to bear witness to Christ. I feel called to be a part of this awesome ministry.
Please describe your participation in the life of your congregation, the diocese, and the larger community –
Since being ordained to the diaconate eleven years ago, I have been blessed to serve in various ministries of different congregations, the diocese and the wider church. Currently, I serve liturgically at St. George’s Dayton as part of the ministry team proclaiming the Gospel and serving with and for the people of the parish. My responsibilities include teaching and guiding acolytes who serve the parish in the formative years of their faith journey, as well as supporting the laity who minister to those in need in the parish and our community. Personally, my spiritual grounding at St. George’s provides a solid foundation for me when I go out to minister beyond the walls of the parish (another charge to a deacon). Vocationally, my dual ministry settings (as a hospice chaplain and as a staff chaplain at a multi-level retirement community) call me to provide pastoral care to patients, residents and their families in different settings over a large portion of our diocese including Cincinnati, Dayton and much of rural south-central Ohio. At the diocesan level, I have served two terms on the Diocesan Council as part of the elected leadership that supports and empowers the ministries of people of the Diocese of Southern Ohio. Last year I served on Bishop White’s Task Force on Regional Structures which helped to lay the groundwork for reimagining our diocese in the years to come. Additionally, I was blessed to serve as the first clergy alternate Deputy to General Convention in Louisville in 2024 where I represented our diocese in the wider church. My diaconal journey has also allowed me to worship and serve at a number of the parishes of our diocese, participating in life and ministry with the people of Southern Ohio.
Why do you feel God is calling you to serve in this position?
As followers of Jesus Christ, each of us, as part of our Baptismal Covenant, professes our faith and trust in God and our desire to share the Good News. We also promise, with God’s help, to live out our faith in the world. One of the service dismissals I routinely use calls on each of us to “Go in peace to Love and serve the Lord.” Since long before my ordination, I have always tried to be open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead me to places where I can best love and serve God and God’s people. As an alternate deputy to the 2024 General Convention, I learned about the structures and procedures of our church. The church, as assembled at General Convention, benefits from the diversity of opinions and perspectives of its members, something that became abundantly clear to me as I experienced firsthand the prayerful deliberations of those gathered. As the only deacon in the deputation from Southern Ohio, I believe that I brought a somewhat different clergy perspective that needed to be voiced to the gathering. Working alongside the other members of our deputation, I learned many of the ins and outs of the complex governance of the broader church while representing the hopes of those who selected me as one of your representatives. If I am given the opportunity to represent DSO in Phoenix in 2027, I believe that this understanding of General Convention and my various ministries in service to God’s people will help me to be an effective deputy of our diocese. I feel that by following the guidance of Jesus to love and serve others and grounded in faith and trust of God I will be able to serve for the betterment of our diocese, church and the world.
In cases involving alleged clergy misconduct, the Regional Disciplinary Board serves as members of a Conference or Hearing Panel as directed by Title IV of the Canons of The Episcopal Church. Our board consists of 13 members, one lay and one clergy member from each of the following contiguous dioceses: Northwestern Pennsylvania, Ohio, Pittsburg, Southern Ohio, West Virginia, and Western New York.
At this 151st Convention, we will elect:
One lay person to fill an unexpired, two-year term (Class of 2027)
Lay
1 Lay – Fill Unexpired, 2-Year Term (2027)
Contact Nominations Committee chair Jon Boss at jbboss@fuse.net if you have any questions.
