Diocesan Staff

The Rt. Rev. Samuel Rodman

The Rt. Rev. Samuel Rodman was ordained and consecrated as the XII Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina in Duke Chapel on the campus of Duke University in Durham on July 15, 2017. He was elected on March 4, 2017.

Prior to his election, Bishop Rodman served as the Special Projects Officer for the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, a role he took on after spending five years as the diocesan project manager for campaign initiatives, where he engaged congregations, clergy and laity, in collaborative local and global mission through the Together Now campaign, helping to raise $20 million to fund these initiatives. Prior to that, he spent 16 years as the rector of St. Michael’s in Milton, Massachusetts, during which the parish established a seven-year plan that included a capital campaign for a major renovation of the church school building.

Ordained in 1988, Bishop Rodman is a graduate of Bates College and Virginia Theological Seminary. He and his wife of 32 years, Deborah, live in Raleigh. They are the parents of two adult daughters. In his free time, Bishop Rodman enjoys basketball, golf, kayaking, crosswords and creative writing.

The Rt. Rev. Jennifer Brooke-Davidson

A native of Texas and a graduate of Yale, the University of Texas School of Law and Fuller Theological Seminary, the Rt. Rev. Jennifer Brooke-Davidson’s early career was spent in the practice of commercial financial law. She was ordained in 2009. Following her ordination, she served first for two years as assistant rector at St. Stephen’s in Wimberley, Texas, and then as vicar of Saint Elizabeth in Buda, Texas, until her consecration as bishop suffragan of the Diocese of West Texas in 2017. Throughout her ordained career, Brooke-Davidson’s focus has been on congregational development, evangelism and formation, with a particular passion for developing adaptive leadership capacity in ordained and lay leaders.

Immediately prior to joining the Diocese of North Carolina as the assistant bishop on November 1, 2022, Brooke-Davidson served as the assistant bishop in the Diocese of Virginia, a position she held from 2019 until 2022. She is no stranger to transition, as part of her role there was working alongside the Rt. Rev. Susan Goff, bishop suffragan and the ecclesiastical authority of the Diocese of Virginia until the consecration of the Rt. Rev. E. Mark Stevenson, who was elected the 14th bishop diocesan ion June 2022. As assistant bishop, Brooke-Davidson served in a full range of capacities, including Sunday and other visitations; oversight of the diocesan regional structures, including the deans; oversight of the Committee for Congregational Mission; support of persons in the ordination process; congregational development; conflict transformation; and work with other diocesan committees and commissions.

In her role as assistant bishop of the Diocese of North Carolina, Brooke-Davidson focuses on Christian formation, church redevelopment and leadership training.

Brooke-Davidson is joined in North Carolina by her husband, Carrick, an environmental attorney and sports enthusiast. They have two grown daughters, Emma and Kate.

Follow Bishop Jennifer on Facebook.

The Rev. Canon Lindsey Ardrey

The Rev. Lindsey Ardrey lives in Durham, but before landing in North Carolina, Lindsey served as a children’s and youth minister, school chaplain, and co-chair for the Racial Reconciliation Commission in the Diocese of Louisiana. A deep believer in healing as a vital medium for issues stemming from race, Lindsey brings this perspective into every conversation and space she occupies, whether it’s on the parish or The Episcopal Church level. Creativity, artistic expressions, and practices of embodiment infuse her approach to this work.

Lindsey is a lover of books, plants, hot tea, and manifesting dreams her ancestors didn’t know they had. She is a writer, an auntie, a serious seeker of rest, a godparent, and a human in deep need of laughter and silence in equal measure.

Lisa Aycock

As of January 1, 2019, Lisa Aycock is the lead youth missioner in the Diocese of North Carolina.

She and her husbad, Ricky, have four kids, three granddaughters, two dogs and a flock of chickens. In her free time, Lisa enjoys gardening, photography, and spending time outdoors and at the beach.

Jenny Beaumont

Jenny Beaumont is a cradle-born Episcopalian who has lived in the Diocese of North Carolina for most of her adult life.

Jenny is a race and reconciliation leader and a national trainer for Education on Ministry through University of the South. She was the lead author of These Are Our Bodies: Talking Faith at Church and Home and co-author of These Are Our Bodies: Talking Faith at Church and Home: Foundation Book, all while running a learning center created to meet the needs of families and students with specific and expert support in learning.

Reimagining Christian formation for a 21^st-century context is a focus and passion for Jenny. She uses both traditional in-person gatherings as well as online models to expand offerings and networks across our diverse diocese. Jenny collaborates in efforts, strategies and approaches in adult learning, emphasizing our mission priorities.

Jenny works closely with the diocesan youth missioners and other diocesan staff, the Chartered Commission for Lifelong Christian Formation, the Racial Justice and Reconciliation Committee, the Commission for the Diaconate and the Diocesan Council department for Christian formation, all of whom work together to continue to build relationships and cooperative efforts with formation leaders across the diocese and the wider Church.

Jenny is a Deep Living Spiritual Life Coach, certified in the Enneagram and is currently working towards her a Masters in Religious Studies from UNC-Charlotte. She lives in Charlotte with her spouse, Michael, and her three grown children. Jenny loves to read just about anything and to have her hands in the dirt—weeding, planting and sowing seeds.

The Rev. Steve Cheyney

In addition to serving as the campus minister for Niner United, Steve also directs the Faith and Leadership Experience, funded by the Lilly Endowment. Steve graduated from Western Carolina University, received his master of divinity degree from Duke University and earned his doctorate from Emory University, where he studied theology and ecclesiology.

Leah Dail

Leah Dail is a native North Carolinian, born and raised in Raleigh. She majored in English and American Studies at UNC-Chapel Hill and stayed there to work at the NC Jaycee Burn Center. She is married to Rick Schertz and they have four children and two dogs. After a 15-year career at home with her kids, she was the youth minister at St. Paul’s, Cary, for the past six years. She enjoys reading, gardening, and playing games with her family.

Leah is based out of the Raleigh office.

Elizabeth Dawkins

A native North Carolinian, Elizabeth Dawkins was born in Raleigh and is a life-long Episcopalian. Prior to joining the diocesan staff as executive assistant to the Bishop Diocesan, she enjoyed 15 years on staff at The Church of the Good Shepherd, Raleigh.

She enjoys spending time with family, gardening, and joining friends to see any play at the DPAC. Her addiction to modern fiction and classic literature, with a particular weakness for John Donne, is just the lingering after effect of having received an MA in English Languages and Literature from NCSU.

The Rev. Cathy Deats

Cathy was called to the priesthood at the age of 16, but The Episcopal Church was hearing only the calls of males at the time. She chose the vocation of social worker, completing her MSW at the University of Connecticut and doctorate (DSW) at Hunter School of Social Work in Manhattan. She was a clinical social worker in private practice in Montclair, New Jersey, for 12 years.

She answered the call to the priesthood and was ordained in 1996 in the Diocese of Newark. Cathy served the Diocese as president of the Standing Committee, member of the Commission on Ministry and deputy to General Convention. She served as curate at St. Paul's, Englewood, and rector at St. James', Hackettstown, before moving to North Carolina in 2013.

Cathy was interim rector at Church of the Good Shepherd, Rocky Mount, and associate rector at St. Paul's, Cary, before being called to the Diocese as east regional canon. She retired from that position in 2019 and began training and consultation for Title IV disciplinary matters in The Episcopal Church.

Cathy has been called back as interim canon missioner for congregational vitality.

She is married to Ted Deats, a retired NY salesman. They have a grown son who lives in California and have been foster parents to 14 children so far.

The Rev. James Franklin, III

Since his ordination to the diaconate in 2013 and priesthood on January 5, 2014, the Rev. James Franklin has served as associate to the rector of St. James, Wilmington. The Rev. Franklin and his wife, Samantha, have one daughter, Corinne.

Maria Gillespie

Maria joined the diocesan staff in April 2013. Her responsibilities include all aspects of finance for the diocese, including the budget, common trust fund, health and retiree benefits and the general administration of the diocese. She also serves as the treasurer of the North Carolina Church Foundation. She graduated from The Ohio State University with a major in accounting and received her CPA. Shortly after, she attended Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio, graduating with her Master’s in Business Administration. Prior to working with the Diocese, she worked in public accounting and as an adjunct professor at Franklin University, where she enjoyed teaching students of all ages.

Maria has been married to Jim, her college sweetheart from OSU, for 25 years. She is the mom of three girls, two of whom are twins, and couldn’t imagine life without them. They are a constant joy. When not at work she enjoys being with her family and friends. Maria loves relaxing at Lake Gaston, kayaking/paddle boarding, reading and walking her goldendoodles, Ginger and Penny.

The Rev. Earnest Graham

Canon Graham serves as a regional canon located in the Greensboro and Winston-Salem convocations.

Prior to attending seminary, Canon Graham worked as a graphic artist in advertising as well as an illustrator. He comes to the Diocese from the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia where he served as interim rector of Hickory Neck Episcopal Church in Toano, Virginia, and rector of St. Matthew's in Chesterfield, Virginia.

Ordained in 2001, Canon Graham’s service to the church began long before he entered Virginia Theological Seminary. While a lay member at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Casper, Wyoming, he chaired committees and directed ministries, he led youth programs and served as a vestry member, acolyte, LEM and hospital visitor. His call deepened, leading him to VTS in 1998; he remained in Virginia following his ordination.

In his free time, Canon Graham continues to practice art, creating comic book translations of the Bible; he is currently at work on selections of the Psalms.

Lynn Hoke

A native Oklahoman, Lynn has been part-time archivist for the Episcopal Church Women since 2007 and for the diocese since 2008. Related work highlights include producing a documentary for Amarillo’s centennial; organizing archives for Baylor College of Medicine, Grace Church in Manhattan and Stepping Stones Foundation; and assisting the president of the New York Historical Society. After moving to Raleigh in 2004, Lynn joined a women’s running group and the Capital Quilters Guild. Running led to biking, swimming, yoga and traveling; quilting led to membership in two bees, which jointly have created hundreds of quilts for family, friends and local Raleigh charities. Lynn’s two adult sons are graduates of UNC-Chapel Hill and Davidson.

The Ven. Jan Lamb

The Ven. Jan Lamb is the archdeacon of the Diocese of North Carolina. While serving as archdeacon, Jan also continues in her role as chaplain to the bishop suffragan.

Jan previously served at St. Andrew’s, Haw River, where she helped to start an after-school tutoring program for neighborhood children. Lamb was ordained to the diaconate in 2006.

Dr. Sam Laurent

Dr. Sam Laurent has served as The Episcopal Center at Duke's campus minister in an interim capacity since January and assumed the permanenet position in May. A product of the youth and campus ministry programs in the Diocese of North Carolina, Sam received his Ph.D in Theological and Philosophical Studies from Drew University in August, 2012.

He lives in Durham with his wife, Kim, and daughter, Maddie.

The Rev. Kevin Lloyd

The Rev. Kevin Lloyd came to Davidson College and St. Alban's, Davidson, in August 2018. Though not born in North Carolina, he was definitely raised in the Tarheel State, having arrived here as a three month old. He is a graduate of Wake Forest University and earned his Master in Divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria. Prior to coming to Saint Alban’s, Kevin served as research assistant to the Archbishop of Canterbury in London, England; associate rector at Church of the Ascension in Hickory, NC; and, most recently, as rector of Saint Matthew’s Church in Jamestown, Rhode Island.

Kevin, his wife Julia, and their two sons, Harry and Robert, live in Mooresville.

Hershey Mallette Stephens

Canon Catherine Massey

Canon Massey graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in Mass Communications and has over 15 years of experience in sales, marketing and association management. Prior to working at Diocesan House, she served as parish life coordinator for St. John's, Wake Forest.

Canon Massey works with the congregational development team and the office of transition ministry, and she supports congregations and clergy in transition. She also helps support our diocesan staff, the Safe Church program, and the work of the Commission on Ministry, the Pastoral Response Team and the Disciplinary Board.

Canon Massey enjoys learning how people and organizations work together and says it is an honor and a privilege to serve the clergy and churches in our diocese.

Canon Massey is a native of Richmond, Virginia, and has lived in North Carolina with her family for 20 years. She and her husband, Robert, have three young adult daughters and two Scottish terriers. The Masseys live in Wake Forest and are members of Christ Church, Raleigh.

The Rev. Kevin Matthews

The Rev. Matthews is the Episcopal chaplain at St. Mary’s House, serving Greensboro colleges and universities, primarily the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. That ministry includes serving an alternative worshipping community of students, active and retired faculty, and community members who support the outreach to the schools through Bible study, fellowship meals, midweek Eucharist, service projects, crisis intervention, emergency food provision, and other activities, not only at UNC-G, but at Guilford and Greensboro Colleges as well. In his spare time, you might find the Rev. Matthews brewing beer or cider on his back deck or playing with his dog, Andy, in the park across the street from his house.

The Rev. Beth McKee-Huger

The Rev. McKee-Huger serves as the regional deacon for the Greensboro and Winston-Salem areas.

Christine McTaggart

While Christine has enjoyed the chance to work in several interesting industries throughout her career, the common thread for her has always been marketing and communications. She enjoys seeing how communications can bring people together to share ideas, news, conversations, thoughts, discoveries and more. In her work with the diocesan communications department, she’s working to create those connection channels for all 120 worshipping communities through strategic planning, integrated communication and new opportunities to bring everyone together as a diocese.

When she’s not working, Christine enjoys spending time with family and friends, cheering on her favorite (usually underdog) sports teams, reading, doing just about anything outdoors and, above all, enjoying time with her dog, Bentley.

The Rev. Canon Franklin Morales

Franklin Morales is a native of Venezuela. He's married to Dr. Yenny Morales, and they have an almost six-year-old girl called Sarah.

Franklin is a former Roman Catholic priest within the Discalced Carmelites Order. He went to seminary in Venezuela, Central America, and Europe. After being in the priesthood for four years, Franklin changed to another Christian denomination, starting his discernment process within the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America), where he was received as an ordained minister. He also served as an associate pastor in a congregation in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area and an Episcopal congregation.

Serving within the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina is a blessing for Franklin and his family. They hope and pray that we may grow together as a Body of Christ, bringing the Gospel to those in need, and, at the same time, continuing to build the Beloved Community Jesus asked us to create.

Franklin is eager, as the canon missioner for Latino/Hispanic ministry, to learn and create spaces where diversity and inclusion are beyond words and can be incarnate in the daily life of our diocese.

Becky Poynter

Becky joined the diocesan staff as an accountant in the spring of 2022. She will be a value-added member of our finance team and assist our chief financial officer with maintaining internal controls, preparing financial reports, and working on the diocesan audit and convention.

Becky is married to her best friend, Greg, and is the mom to a son and a daughter. In her free time, Becky enjoys reading, beginning new cross stitch projects and attending her daughter’s travel softball games.

The Rev. Monnie Riggin

Patricia Sarazen

A cradle Episcopalian, Sarazen served for many years in the Dioceses of Massachusetts, Northern Indiana and, most recently, North Carolina. For the past two years, she worked as the administrative assistant for spiritual growth and adult formation at Christ Church, Charlotte. There she was involved in creating and supporting transformative programming including Christian Essentials, Sacred Ground, The Good Book Beginning to End, and The Space Between us, to name a few.

As a graduate of Duke University, Sarazen is an avid Blue Devils fan and looks forward to March Madness and cheering on the team. Her other interests include music, reading, travel and spending time with her family. One of her favorite things is going to church, especially visiting different churches and experiencing the Eucharist in unique and inviting ways.

Cathy Shearin

Cathy oversees the disbursements for the Diocese and some of its missions. She reconciles and maintains company disbursement posts and completes accounts payable-related reconciliations and audit work papers while assisting with data entry and office supply levels.

Joy Shillingsburg

Joy Shillingsburg is a lifelong educator who served as the director of youth and outreach at St. John’s, Wake Forest, for more than a decade before joining diocesan staff. Prior to serving at St. John’s, Joy spent 15 years as a classroom history teacher outside of Philadelphia and in the Wake County Public School System. Her commitment to teaching historical truths and how these truths have the power to liberate and transform our lives and society has been a through line of her work. At St. John’s, Joy led vibrant intergenerational programs that linked formation rooted in Becoming Beloved Community to vibrant outreach ministries. As an extension of her work as director of youth and outreach, Joy founded Wake Forest Community Table. This thriving nonprofit served more than 25,000 meals from 2020 through 2022 while connecting diverse members of the community to each other through quarterly gatherings that explore the history, laws, personal stories, and systems that necessitate the twice-weekly meal distribution.

Joy lives her faith by serving her neighbors and is deeply committed to leading diverse stakeholders to do the work of Becoming Beloved Community. Joy earned her M.S. in History Education at Villanova University. She lives with her family in Wake Forest. Joy loves biking, hiking, traveling, and podcasts almost as much as reading!

Erin Sweeney

A native North Carolinian, Erin was born and raised in the Raleigh area. Prior to joining the team at the Diocesan House in Raleigh, she worked as an office manager and bookkeeper for several years. She finds great joy in welcoming all who visit the Diocese, and she supports the diocesan office in countless administrative tasks.

In her free time, Erin enjoys cooking, traveling, cheering on her favorite sports teams, and volunteering at her church in Wake Forest.

The Rev. Caleb Tabor

The Rev. Tabor previously served as vicar of St. Cyprian’s, a bilingual congregation in Oxford, North Carolina. He was educated at Elon University, Emory University and Virginia Theological Seminary. Originally from Efland, North Carolina, he has settled down close to home in Durham, where he lives with his husband. Theology, history, coffee, creative writing and good drag shows are just a few of the things keep him occupied in his spare and not-so-spare time.

Julie Tonneson

Julie ministers with Lutherans, Episcopalians and Friends on the campus of Elon University.

The Rev. Kathy Walker

The Rev. Kathy Walker previously served as the associate rector for pastoral care and parish life at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Tallahassee, Florida, though her call to church leadership and ministry is one she has answered her entire life. Prior to becoming a member of the clergy, over her lifetime she has served as a licensed lay reader, a lay Eucharistic minister, vestry member and church officer. She was instrumental in the founding of the David Henry Brooks chapter of Union of Black Episcopalians in the Diocese of Florida, and while serving as its president organized multiple forums about the future of Black churches.

Kathy believes strongly in the honoring and continuity of Black churches and hopes in her new role to help as many as possible not only survive, but flourish. She also wants to work with congregations to deepen their churches’ roots in the communities they already serve so well, and build leadership opportunities in the Church for future generations.

Summerlee Walter

Summerlee joined the diocesan staff in August 2011 as a youth ministry coach and assistant to the communications coordinator before assuming the communications coordinator position in 2013. Prior to her time at Diocesan House, she attended Davidson College, graduating with a BA in English, and served three years as a high school English teacher in Northampton County high schools as a member of Teach for America. Summerlee was born in Toledo, Ohio, and raised in Cleveland, and she will gladly explain to anyone who will listen why her home state is an awesome place.

When she's not working, Summerlee enjoys reading; snuggling with her dogs, Cali and Shady, and her still-sorta-feral cat, Perspehone; playing involved board games; and caring way too much about her recreational softball league.

The Rev. Rebecca Yarbrough

Rebecca works with the bishops and ministry leaders throughout our diocese to develop proposals for funding through the Jessie Ball duPont Fund to support and promote our diocese’s mission. She’s always happy to discuss the types of projects and ministries the duPont Fund supports, and she encourages those with projects to contact her to discuss the possibilities.

The Rev. Mary Cat Young

Mary Catherine “Mary Cat” Young is a life-long Episcopalian who grew up in Arkansas and Minnesota. After graduating from Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, with her B.A. in Religious and Social Studies, Mary Cat served as a youth minister in the Diocese of Minnesota, then attended Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Ordained to the transitional diaconate in June 2006, Mary Cat took her first call in the Diocese of Upper South Carolina where she was ordained priest in January of 2007. While there, she served as youth and campus minister and met her husband, Chad Young. In 2011 she was called to the Diocese of New York as the Episcopal Chaplain to NYU. For eight years she has recruited, coached and organized city-wide young adult ministry while caring for a diverse and growing student community called Canterbury Downtown, based at Grace Church, Manhattan.

Mary Cat has been active in local, diocesan and church-wide ministry from the time she was a Vacation Bible School leader in 6th grade, an avid camp-goer and a diocesan youth leader in Minnesota. She has served as the Province II coordinator for Young Adult and Campus Ministry since 2015. And was on the General Convention Task-Force that created our rites for same-sex blessings, approved for church-wide use in 2018.

Mary Cat enjoys reading, playing guitar, knitting and spending time outdoors with her family. Following Buffy the Vampire Slayer and other horror comics and superhero pop-culture is also a favorite pastime.