Diocesan Staff Page

Adam Barner
Administrative Assistant

• Provides administrative support for:
  Canon for Evangelism and Ministry Development
  Canon for Mission and Outreach
  Canon for Youth
  Director of Planned Giving, Stewardship, and Development
• Database entry and maintenance
• Coordination and scheduling of Safeguarding programs
• Administrative support for Diocesan Convention

Caroline Bomgardner
Administrative Assistant to the Bishops

• Coordinates the master calendar for both bishops. Prepares the Sunday Visitation schedule with the canon to the bishops, and the Confirmation Schedule with the youth missioner and missioner for lifelong Christian formation.
• Answers the telephone in the Bishops’ Suite. Fields questions or finds the person(s) who can.
• When the Bishop is absent, opens and checks his e-mails daily.

The Rev. Theresa Brion
Bishops' Deputy for Western Maryland

Theresa may be reached at Emmanuel Parish in Cumberland:
16 Washington Street
Cumberland, MD 21502
443-642-7116 (mobile/primary)
301-777-3364 (alternate)

• Coordinates mutual ministry program in Western Region (Garrett and Allegany Counties)
• Offers pastoral care, oversight, and guidance to Western Region mutual ministry teams
• Design and coordinate formation program for existing and new team members
• Educates congregations about mutual ministry and what it means to be a mutual ministry congregation
• Assists Western Region congregations in prayerfully discerning whether to become mutual ministry parishes and in their identification of individuals for discerning call to mutual ministry
• Guides individuals and teams through the discernment, formation, assessment, and commissioning processes
• Serves as a liaison between bishops, diocesan staff, and Western Region teams and congregations
• Serves as a resource to Western Region churches and teams

Fran Brown
Coordinator of Facilities

• Welcomes and announces guests to the Diocesan Center.
• Staffs switchboard and provides information and answers to inquiries where possible.
• Negotiates the use of and reserves conference space in the center for the diocese, the cathedral, and outside groups.
• Maintains and distributes the Diocesan Center calendar to the staff and other entities, including the property manager and custodial staff wherein instructions for room configuration and needs are provided.
• Maintains events calendar on the diocesan Web site.
• Deals with people in need who come to the center; i.e., refers to resources in community, makes contact with resources for them, when possible.

The Rt. Rev. Joe Goodwin Burnett
Assistant Bishop of Maryland

The Rev. Charles Cloughen
Director of Planned Giving, Stewardship and Development

• Acts as a staff advisor to congregations in the areas of Planned Giving, Year- round Stewardship, and Development
• Staff administrator for the Bishops' Annual Appeal and diocesan development

Maizie Heil
Administrative Assistant to the Bishops

• Assists and supports the bishops in their ministry: maintains correspondence, keeps current records of clergy and lay ministry licenses and certificates, canonical list of clergy practicing in the diocese, letters dimissory, remarriage requests and oaths of conformity.
• Compiles Official Acts of Bishop(s), including confirmations and ordinations, for publication in the Post-Convention Diocesan Journal.
• Administers Clergy Children Scholarships and manages the bishops’ discretionary fund.
• UTO Grant Applications: distributes packets, tracks grant requests, acts as liaison with diocesan UTO coordinator, submits final application to the United Thanks Offering Committee and arranges disbursement of UTO funds.

Jason Hoffman
Associate for Electronic Communications and Webmaster

• Maintains the database of parishioners for Maryland Church News.
• Maintains and updates the diocesan Web site; updates the homepage, adds new content, manages existing content.
• Assists with communications from the diocese. Compiles content for the Clergy and Parish Emailing and other electronic news releases.
• Provides tech-support within the diocesan office and manages in-house e-mail accounts.
• Assists parishes and committees with internal and external communications, e-mail, technology, and Web sites.

Donna Kerner
Program Director, Bishop Claggett Center

Donna can be reached at the Bishop Claggett Center:
P.O. Box 40, Buckeystown, Maryland 21717
Telephone: (301) 874-5147
Fax: (301) 874-0843

• Adult Programs
• Summer and Seasonal Camps for Youth at the Bishop Claggett Center
• Works with churches and other Diocesan institutions to coordinate the development of programs for spiritual renewal, education, & Christian formation

Joe Kerner
Executive Director, Bishop Claggett Center

Joe can be reached at the Bishop Claggett Center:
P.O. Box 40, Buckeystown, Maryland 21717
Telephone: (301) 874-5147
Fax: (301) 874-0843

• Tireless promoter of the Bishop Claggett Center as a ministry center and resource throughout the Diocese and the Region.
• Responsible for all aspects of administration for the Claggett Center

Mary Klein
Archivist

• Assists researchers, especially official diocesan requests, asking to use the Archives, whether in person, by mail, phone, or e-mail.
• Maintains, processes and files material within the Archives.
• Oversees the Archives budget.
• Performs outreach activities, such as workshops, talks, programs, exhibits, written articles and parish visits.
• Maintains the records-retention policy to ensure that records created during the normal work of the diocese are placed in the archives at the end of their current usefulness.
• Serves as liaison between the diocese and the Archives; and is an advocate for the Archives.

Dawn Kline
Administrative Assistant to the Office Manager & Human Resources Coordinator

• Reconciles insurance accounts by comparing diocesan and Medical Trust invoices. Reconciles Medical Trust and diocesan insurance data bases. Assists the HR Coordinator with insurance enrollment and changes.
• Convention Registration: enters information into computer program, mailings; updates information for the Journals; updates senior warden and treasurer information.
• Provides clerical support to Exploring Ministry and Finding Our Way programs, which includes rosters, folders, mailings and financial records.

Sam Marlow
Staff Accountant

• Responsible for accounts payables transactions
• Processes all non-payroll operational expenses

Will Pass
Staff Accountant

• Responsible for all accounts receivable transactions
• Audits & reconciles accounts receivable

Randi Hicks Rowe
Missioner for Christian Formation
Resource Center Director

• Coordinates the activities of the Christian Formation Commission, which helps equips parish leaders in their ministry of formation
• Serves as staff liaison to the Horizons 2015 Christian Formation task force
• Maintains and promotes the Diocesan Resource Center as a place where Christian educators, ordained or lay, paid or volunteer, can access knowledge and resources to help with their ministry
• Periodically travels outside of Greater Baltimore to provides resources and knowledge to support Christian educators
• Develops and oversees an online resource center, which includes documents, links, blogs and other support for the ministry of formation
• Assists parishes in choosing curricula and other resources for use in formation for children, youth and adults

The Rev. Canon Angela Shepherd
Canon for Mission

• Encourages and enables congregations in the Diocese of Maryland to engage in mission and outreach efforts--both locally and globally—helping congregations to broaden their ministries beyond the walls of the church building.
• Assists Episcopal-related ministries of mercy and justice to coordinate their efforts in conjunction with the vision and goals of the Diocese.
• Truth and Reconciliation Commission – Organizer and Co-chair.
• Represents the Diocese in ecumenical, governmental and social service organizations, with particular focus on urban mission in Baltimore and the metropolitan area.
• Staff liaison to Camp Amazing Grace, Episcopal Service Corps, Horizons 2015 Education task force and Maryland Episcopal Public Policy Network. Board Member - Baltimore International Seafarers’ Center and Episcopal Community Services of Maryland.
• Advises the Bishops on issues that impact our public witness in Maryland.
• Works with the diocesan Communications staff to educate and inform the whole Diocese of Maryland of these efforts.
• Strategizes with the Bishops and Canons and to meet various congregational needs.
• Experienced parish priest of 14 years is available to preach, lead mutual ministry reviews, and retreats.

The Rev. Canon Scott Slater
Canon to the Ordinary

• Serve as chief of staff, overseeing and managing diocesan staff, especially regarding day-to-day operations and staff interaction.
• Oversee convention planning, including acting as the bishop’s liaison with the diocesan council planning team.
• Oversee the development of diocesan strategies to implement its strategic goals and priorities.
• Actively participate in the Sunday visitation rotation to parishes in the diocese, and coordinate the visitation schedule.
• Serve at the will of the Bishop regarding conflict resolutions in parishes.
• Serve as the Bishop’s representative on boards as appointed.
• Lead vestry retreats, preach on Sundays, and assist the ministries of the congregations in the Diocese of Maryland.
• Provides pastoral care and vocational support to clergy and their families.

The Venerable Kerry Smith
Archdeacon for Deployment and Pastoral Care

• Deployment of deacons
• Pastoral care of deacons and their families
• Long term and strategic Planning for the Diaconate
• Convener of the Deacon Council
• Day-to-day administration of the Deacon Program

Karen Stewart
Assistant Treasurer and Comptroller

• Manages all diocesan financial operations including, but not limited to, banking, financial reporting, investments, capital projects, diocesan budget and filing of Parochial Reports.
• Facilitates the budget process.
• Manages all diocesan properties.
• Attends and supports 20+ committees as ex-officio, including Programming and Budget Committee.
• Serves as a resource to congregations on all financial operations, audits and other required annual reporting, as well as congregational development.

The Rt. Rev. Eugene Taylor Sutton
Bishop of Maryland

• Chief pastor of the Diocese
• Pastor to congregations, clergy and families
• Regular Sunday visitations
• Crises in congregations
• Confirmations
• Vestry workshops
• Retreats and quiet days
• Strategic planning (Horizons)
• More information about Bishop Sutton can be found here.

Sharon Tillman
Director of Communications

• Publish, quarterly, Maryland Church News (MCN), the journal of the diocese
• Solicit advertising, maintain rate card and schedule
• Write/edit diocesan publications as needed
• Public Relations: assist parishes, diocesan staff, and diocesan committees/groups/entities in publicizing, advertising, marketing and communicating news, events and/or programs both within and outside the diocese
• Media Relations: Write and distribute press releases/media advisories, maintain media list and press kits

The Rev. Canon Daniel Webster
Canon for Evangelism and Ministry Development

• Oversees evangelism efforts in the Diocese of Maryland, helping its members to share their faith stories in order to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to people who have not yet heard or believed.
• Brings about church growth in our Diocese. Recommends new mission starts in the geographic boundaries of our diocese and identifies resources for supporting these missions.
• Preaches, leads retreats and works with vestries in our diocese.

The Venerable Lauren Welch
Archdeacon for Formation
Liaison for Justice & Peace

• Director of the Deacon Formation and Post Ordination Formation Programs in the Diocese of Maryland
• Responsible for the continuing education of ordained Deacons
• Responsible for the mentoring program for Postulants, Candidates, Ordinands and Deacons two years post-ordination
• Program and ministry development in the area of justice and peace, particularly in urban settings

The Rev. Canon Stuart Wright
Diocesan Transitions Minister and Director for Human Resources

• Assists congregations in transition. This includes, but is not limited to: explaining the deployment process to vestries; meeting with Search Committee members and providing them tools and information to help them with their task; assisting in the preparation of parish profiles and helping the committee to decide the best means to disseminate information about their parish; providing names of possible candidates from the Office for Transition Ministry’s database in New York.
• Assists clergy by helping them with their Office for Transition Ministry portfolio.
• Counsels new clergy and lay employees within the diocese regarding benefits options. Responsible for enrollment.
• Provides assistance to congregations concerning benefits, personnel and employment issues.
• Responsible for implementing personnel policies for the diocesan staff.
• Title IV intake officer for the Diocese of Maryland.
• Staff liaison to the Compensation and Benefits Committee

The Rev. Canon Wes Wubbenhorst
Canon for Youth

Wes can be reached at the Diocesan Center:
4 East University Parkway, Baltimore 21218
Office: (410) 467-1399

• Consults and meets with clergy on youth issues (Mending Creation), youth group activities, etc. Maintains contact with clergy and assists them with youth concerns and issues.
• Coordinates and plans diocesan programs, including Nightwatch, retreats, Bishops’ Teaching Days, mission trips and activities.
• Participates in Provincial Youth Network. Meets and communicates with the other youth missioners of the province to plan retreats, programs, and EYE events.
• Coordinates and assists the Hispanic Mission in the diocese.
• Oversees and coordinates the exchange program with the Diocese of Honduras. Guides and assists the visiting clergy in adapting to this culture and supplying this person with all the resources needed for this mission.
• Serves as resource for the bishops, diocesan staff and churches of the diocese.