Board of Directors
The Directors are the official governing body of the College for Bishops, overseeing all matters of the College, including structure, finances, programs and curriculum. This group of appointed bishops and leaders from around the Church assesses past performance and plans for the future.
The Most Rev'd Michael B. Curry, President
The Most Reverend Michael Bruce Curry was installed as the 27th Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church on November 1, 2015. He was elected and confirmed at the 78th General Convention of The Episcopal Church in Salt Lake City, UT, on June 27, 2015. He is the Chief Pastor and serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society and chair of the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church.
The Rt Rev'd Mark A. Bourlakas Vice-President Diocese of Southwestern Virginia
Consecrated the 6th Bishop of the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia on July 20, 2013, Bishop Bourlakas comes to Southwestern Virginia from Christ Church Cathedral in Louisville, Kentucky, where he served as dean. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1985 and a Doctor of Ministry degree in 2012 from the School of Theology at University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee; and a Master of Divinity from Seabury Western Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois in 1997. Before becoming dean of Christ Church Cathedral in 2007, he served parishes in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. He enjoys painting, walking, playing basketball, and watching auto racing. Bishop Mark is married to Martha and they have three daughters.
Mr. Michael Coffin Secretary Diocese of El Camino Real
Michael Coffin is a veteran Silicon Valley technology CEO and business leader who became an Episcopalian in 2006. He co-founded and is currently COO of SG Collaborative, a global strategy consulting firm serving healthcare, transportation and government, and is an advisor to Course Hero (EdTech), Carnegie Learning (EdTech), Neverland (eCommerce) and the California Medical Association.
Michael is an active lay leader who is known for being a progressive, systems-oriented thinker with a passion for helping bishops, clergy and lay leaders think strategically and design outcomes using proven tools, systems and methods. For more than a decade he has helped Episcopal churches, dioceses and institutions plan for and adapt to change, and brings his passion for this work to the board of the College for Bishops.
In 2020 he was invited by The College For Bishops to serve as strategy consultant in the development of its current Strategic Plan, which was adopted by the board in September 2021. Michael continues to consult with diocesan and national church leaders on the future of TEC, and is a currently an adjunct faculty member for Strategy for the College For Bishops. He holds BS and MBA degrees from Golden Gate University San Francisco and the Tuck Executive Program at Dartmouth College, and resides in California with his wife Diane.
Mr. Leslie G. Callahan III Treasurer Diocese of Atlanta
Leslie G. Callahan, III (Les) is the President of First Colony Financial Corporation, a commercial real estate leasing, property management and development firm founded in 1982 and based in Atlanta. Les is a graduate of Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts, and the University of Pennsylvania, having graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Cum Laude in Political Science (urban planning) in 1972. Les and his wife Barbara reside in Sandy Springs. They have two adult daughters, Anne and Erin.
The Rt Rev'd Mary Gray-Reeves, Managing Director
Bishop Mary was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She graduated from California State University, Fullerton, in 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts in History and a minor in Music. She earned her Master of Divinity degree from the College of St. John the Evangelist in New Zealand in 1994. She was ordained in the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Los Angeles to the diaconate in 1994, the priesthood in 1995 and to the episcopate in 2007 in the diocese of El Camino Real.
As a priest, +Mary served as assistant rector in two parishes in the Diocese of Los Angeles before accepting the call to be rector of St. Margaret’s in Miami Lakes, Florida, in December 1998. Following six years of service as rector she joined the staff of the Diocese of Southeast Florida as Archdeacon for Deployment. In November 2007 Gray-Reeves was elected as the third bishop of the Diocese of El Camino Real. She currently serves as the Managing Director of the College for Bishops and also offers consulting and mediation services in the church.
Bishop Mary authored the book Unearthing My Religion and co-authored The Hospitality of God with The Rt. Rev. Michael Perham, formerly of the Diocese of Gloucester, CofE. These publications and her involvement in supporting strong leadership in all orders of church ministry reflect her passion for making the Christian faith relevant in today’s complex world. Gray-Reeves was instrumental in forming Beautiful Authority, a network gathering for young women clergy and currently serves on the team for Leading Women, 2022, a gathering that seeks to support women clergy serving in a post-colonial and post-covid world. Bishop Mary serves on various committees and boards of The Episcopal Church, including ERD and is a member of the International Women’s Forum. She serves as the Vice-President of the House of Bishops.
Bishop Mary was widowed in June 2014 following 32 years of marriage to Michael Reeves. She is the mother of Katie and Dorian and soon to be mother-in-law to Nick. She is Calla’s equine partner, a Rocky Mountain gaited mare, who proves to be both an excellent riding instructor and rigorous spiritual director!
THE RT REV’d Laura J. AhreNs Episcopal Church in Connecticut
The Rt. Rev. Laura J. Ahrens was elected and consecrated in 2007 and serves as the Bishop Suffragan of the Episcopal Church in CT. Laura enjoys working with parishes and communities as they seek to enhance their life of discipleship, nurturing their spiritual lives and engagement with scripture. Linking this discipleship with ministries of being sent out into the world as apostles to share the good news is the primary focus of her ministry.
The Rt Rev'd Dr. J. Neil Alexander
Bishop J. Neil Alexander has been Dean, Professor of Liturgy, and Charles Quintard Professor of Theology at Sewanee since 2012. From 2001 to 2012 he was Bishop Diocesan of the Diocese of Atlanta. Prior to serving as Bishop of Atlanta, he was the Norma and Olin Mills Professor of Divinity in the School of Theology of the University of the South, the Trinity Church Professor of Liturgics and Preaching at The General Seminary in New York, and has taught at Wilfrid Laurier, Yale, Drew, and Emory universities.
The Rt Rev'd J. Scott Barker Diocese of Nebraska
The Rt. Rev. J. Scott Barker is a life-long Episcopalian, born and raised in Nebraska. He received his BA in Religious Studies from Yale College in 1985, and attended seminary at Berkeley Divinity School at Yale (MDIV - 1992).
He was ordained a priest in 1992 and served as Assistant to the Dean, later Canon Vicar, at Trinity Cathedral in Omaha. At Trinity he was particularly involved in youth, young adult and outreach ministries. Beginning in 1996, he served as Rector of Church of the Resurrection also in Omaha, where he helped restore the church from mission to parish status and founded a residential discernment community for young adults known as Resurrection House.
In 2002 Barker was called to be Rector of Christ Church in Warwick, NY. During his tenure, Christ Church grew from a pastoral to a program sized parish. Accomplishments included the addition of two new worship services, the hiring of a full-time assisting priest, the establishment of TV and web-based church video ministries and the founding of a church-based community youth choir. He additionally chaired the Congregational Development Commission of the Diocese of New York.
In 2011 Barker was elected as the 11th Bishop of Nebraska, returning home to begin that ministry in the autumn of that year. In this new chapter, he helps to care for 53 mostly small church communities scattered over 77,000 square miles of beautiful if sometimes lonely landscape. Barker serves on the Board of Directors of the College for Bishops, as a member of the Planning Committee for House of Bishop’s Meetings, and as a member of General Convention’s Program, Budget and Finance Committee.
He has been married to his college sweetheart Annie for 25 years. They have two young adult children and Lola the Labrador.
The Rt Rev’d jennifer Brooke-Davidson Diocese of North CArolina
Bishop Jennifer Brooke-Davidson serves as Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of North Carolina. A lifelong Episcopalian, she was born and raised in South Texas and received her A,B, in History from Yale University and her J.D. at the University of Texas School of Law. After a career in commercial law, followed by a decade of work in Christian formation and evangelism, as parish staff and on the diocesan level, she completed her theological preparation at Fuller Theological Seminary with a degree focused in theology and global leadership development.
As a priest in the Diocese of West Texas, she extended her work to include forming clergy as an Examining Chaplain. Elected Bishop Suffragan in that diocese in 2017, Bishop Brooke-Davidson worked closely with the diocesan Iona School and with the College for Congregational Development to further develop bivocational ministry in the diocese. She was called to serve as Assistant Bishop of Virginia from 2019-2022, working with Bishop Goff in the interim period between episcopal elections. She was called to serve as Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of North Carolina in 2022. She lives in Raleigh with her husband, Carrick, an environmental attorney and sports enthusiast. They have two grown daughters, Emma and Kate.
The Rev’D Canon Anna Carmichael, Ph.D. Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin
Anna has served as Canon to the Ordinary and Diocesan Transition Minister in the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin since September 2016. Prior to serving in EDSJ, she served as Rector of St Mark’s Episcopal Church in Hood River, Oregon in the Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Oregon, for six years. She was ordained in the Diocese of Los Angeles after graduating from Church Divinity School of the Pacific in 2008.
Anna recently co-authored a book with Bishop David C. Rice, A Holy Experiment: Finding Ourselves Through Finding Others which recounts the lessons they’ve learned rebuilding and resurrecting the diocese post litigation. Prior to this collection of reflections and stories, Anna published the book, Modeled After Mary: A Feminist Collaborative Inquiry Exploring Mary as a Heuristic Concept for Women in The Episcopal Church.
Anna completed her doctoral studies in Women’s Spirituality in 2018 after successfully defending her dissertation at California Institute of Integral Studies. In addition to her M.Div. from CDSP (2008), she has a Master’s Degree in Theological Studies (2005), a Master’s Degree in Counseling (1998), and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English (1997).
She enjoys long walks, podcasts, reading, dreaming big dreams, traveling and being with friends. The Rev. Canon Anna Carmichael, Ph.D., Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin
The Rev. Canon Lee Curtis
Canon to the Ordinary, Diocese of the Rio Grande
A native of Florida’s Space Coast, Lee graduated from Florida State University with a bachelors in Humanities (Literature and Classics) before moving to Atlanta, Ga. During a brief gap before beginning seminary at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, Lee was confirmed as an Episcopalian and began discernment with the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta. Lee met his wife Hannah at a prospective student weekend for Candler, and they were married in his second year of seminary.
Ordained in 2013, Lee served as the Rector of the Church of the Incarnation, Atlanta Ga, as Canon Missioner at Christ Church Cathedral in Indianapolis, IN, and currently serves as Canon to the Ordinary in the Diocese of the Rio Grande.
In each of those contexts Lee served multilingual and multicultural communities, becoming proficient in Spanish and learning what it means to be a priest that can build bridges across difference.
As Canon to the Ordinary, Lee’s portfolio includes Congregational Development, Communications, Deployment and Transition, Crisis Response, and Oversight of the Diocesan Borderland Ministries. The Diocese of the Rio Grande is committed to providing its congregations with all the tools and support necessary to thrive and, in the largest geographic diocese in the continental US, that means spending a lot of time on gorgeous New Mexico and West Texas roads connecting with the folks who are living out the Gospel in their local, and very often remote, contexts.
Lee currently is based out of El Paso, Tx where he lives with his wife, two sons, and two very good dogs.
The Rt REV’d CArlye j. hughes Diocese of Newark
The Rt. Rev. Carlye J. Hughes was ordained as the XI Bishop of Newark in 2018. Her greatest delight is shepherding the needs and opportunities for ministry in the diocese. Raised as the daughter of a successful high school sports coach, she sees herself as the “Head Coach of Spiritual Life and Formation” in the Diocese of Newark. Her ministry is shaped by an oversight that empowers others to embrace and live boldly into their own ministry beyond the doors of the church. Her vision for the diocese is a simple one: change the world by taking God’s love everywhere we go. Bishop Hughes is grateful to the many parishes, clergy, and lay leaders that have blessed her ministry all through her life. She is a proud graduate of Virginia Theological Seminary and a strong supporter of all Episcopal Seminaries.
The RT Rev’d J. Russell Kendrick Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast
The Right Reverend James Russell Kendrick, Bishop of the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast since July 25, 2015; currently serves as Vice Chair of the 2018 General Convention directed Task Force on Formation and Ministry of the Baptized; was Rector of St. Stephen’s, Birmingham, Alabama from 2007 until July 2015; Rector of St. Paul’s, Newnan, Georgia from 1998 until 2006; Curate at Church of the Nativity, Dothan, Alabama from 1995 until 1998; earned Master of Divinity degree from Virginia Theological Seminary in 1995; earned Bachelor of Arts degree in Architecture and Marketing from Auburn University in 1984. Married to Robin, they have two children: Aaron and Hannah [married to Logan Oakes].
Mr. John McCray-Goldsmith Diocese of El CAmino REal
A clergy spouse, church musician and son of missionaries who served in Latin America when he was in grade school, John joins the board with a professional background in the public infrastructure finance field. He holds degrees in Government, City and Regional Planning and Business Administration and has worked as a community organizer and low income housing developer in Nicaragua and Jamaica for Habitat for Humanity International, as an investment banker for 21 years at Lehman Brothers and Barclays, and is currently an investment portfolio manager for the world's largest bank-owned municipal bond portfolio at Wells Fargo in San Francisco. His wife Julia serves as Priest-in-Charge at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in San Jose, California. John and Julia live near their two sons Aaron and Amos, both of whom were born in Bluefields, Nicaragua where John and Julia lived and worked for nearly five years.
The Rt Rev'd Hector Monterroso Diocese of TExas
Hector Monterroso is the Bishop Assistant of the Diocese of Texas. Originally from Guatemala, he was ordained as a deacon in 1986 and as a priest in 1987. He was consecrated as the Bishop of Costa Rica on June 7, 2003, where he served as a Bishop Diocesan for 14 years. He and his wife, Sandra Cardona, have two grown children: María Beatriz, a geriatrician, and Héctor Ramón, a civil engineer. In July 2017, he moved to Houston to be part of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.
His current ministry includes the strengthening and growth of Hispanic congregations, new missional communities, and churches in the Diocese of Texas. He oversees the Southern Region of the Diocese, which includes 52 Churches and several development programs. He coordinates interfaith and ecumenical efforts, supports the process and development of a multicultural presence in the congregations of the Diocese, and promotes the call to Ordained Ministry, identifying vocational leaders within the local Hispanic ministry. During his free time, he practices soccer, basketball, and ping pong.
The Rt Rev’d Michael D. Oulton
Bishop of Ontario
The Rt. Rev. Michael Oulton was installed as the twelfth Bishop of Ontario on September 11, 2011. Bishop Oulton holds degrees from Wycliffe college (DD 2012) (MDiv 1992), The University of New Brunswick (LLB 1985) and Mount Allison University (B.A. 1981). He has served parishes in Alberton/O’Leary Prince Edward Island in the Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, transferred to Ontario in 1997 where he served St. Peters, Collins Bay and Christ Church, Belleville.
Prior to entering the priesthood, Bishop Oulton was a practicing member of the Bars of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. He has served as a member of Municipal Council in his hometown of Port Elgin, New Brunswick and was the youngest citizen at age 18 to hold elected public office.
During his incumbency in Alberton, Prince Edward Island, Bishop Oulton chaired the not-for-profit company “ERC Concepts Ltd.”, a broad coalition of churches with public and private agencies brought together to construct an enriched residential care facility for seniors. The twenty four unit Rev. W. J. Phillips Residence opened in 1998.
Bishop Oulton’s ministry in the Diocese of Ontario, until his election as bishop on February 12, 2011, included serving as regional dean of Hastings, chairperson of the Stewardship and Congregational Development Committee, member of the Strategic Plan Implementation Committee, diocesan resource person appointed under the Sexual Misconduct Protocol, member of the sub-committee on canons tasked with the development of drafting a revised sexual misconduct policy for the diocese and member of Synod Council. He was appointed a Canon of the Cathedral Church of St. George, Kingston, in 2004, and served as a delegate to General Synod 2007.
Bishop Oulton cites a passion for the churches’ engagement with the world in mission, quoting theologian Thomas Buechner who wrote that our vocation as disciples of Jesus Christ is found where “your greatest passion meets the world’s greatest need.”
The Rev’d Jesus Reyes Diocese of Olympia
The Rev. Jesús Reyes moved from California to Wilsonville, Oregon, at the end of 2020. While in California, he served The Rt. Rev, Mary Gray-Reeves as her Canon for Congregational Growth & Development, Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real. His church development approach was and continues to be, “Let the context speak; tune the ears of your mind and heart and listen to it with spiritual attention; then engage the pastoral context with intelligence, intention and compassion.”
The Rev. Reyes has been the Rector of St. Luke’s ~ San Lucas Episcopal Church since September 1, 2021. This parish is the oldest Episcopal congregation formally established in 1853 in what was then considered the Washington Territories. It began its existence inside the Fort Vancouver. Today, this Episcopal congregation aims to honor and minister to the ethnic and social diversity of our context.
Before moving to California, the Rev. Reyes was a Church Planter (and continues to be at heart) in the Diocese of Virginia. He planted La Iglesia de Santa Maria in Falls Church, VA in 2004, the largest and only self-sustaining Latino congregation in that diocese today. He also served as the Vicar of San Jose Episcopal Church, Arlington, VA, and as a member of the standing committee of the diocese.
Before the Rev. Reyes reception as a priest of the Episcopal Church in 2002, he worked in the field of social work in Alexandria, VA, managing a wide variety of programs, e.g., emergency assistance, economic development - a micro-enterprise project -, Latino leadership development and housing. He joined the Episcopal Church while a member at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, in Laurel, MD.
Before coming to the U.S., Rev. Reyes was a missionary in the Roma Catholic Church. He worked in the mountains of Oaxaca, Mexico, ministering six Zapoteco communities for 2 ½ years. After that, he was sent to continue his missionary work in Brazil where he lived for about five years.
Rev. Reyes has served our Episcopal Church in different capacities, including: the Presiding Bishop’s Strategic Cabinet on the Jesus Movement and Evangelism, the Latino/Hispanic Council of Advice for three years helping to develop the “The Episcopal Church’s Strategic Vision for Reaching Latinos/Hispanics”. He was a member of the Disciplinary Board for Bishops (2012-2015), served as a team leader for Spanish language CREDO (2010 – 2018), and was a member of the Way of Love Working Group. He continues to work with TEC’s Church Planting initiatives.
The Rt Rev’d Prince Singh Dioceses of eastern and Western michigan
The Rt. Rev. Prince Grenville Singh, Ph.D. serves as Bishop Provisional of the Episcopal Dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan. He was elected by the joint convention of the dioceses held in Lansing, October 2021.
Bishop Singh was born and raised in India, attending seminary and serving several congregations before immigrating to the US in the mid-90s for additional study and service in the Episcopal Church. He was consecrated bishop of the Diocese of Rochester in 2008. His church-wide leadership includes Bishops Against Gun Violence, the House of Bishops Theology Committee, the Taskforce on the Theology of Social Justice, as a coach in the College for Bishops and several others.
In his fourteen years as bishop diocesan of the Diocese of Rochester, his tenure was marked by three core priorities: relational welcome, nurturing and growing the beloved community; servant leadership, empowering lay and clergy leaders for the work of the church; and spiritual stewardship, considering spiritual and material resources with an eye on sustainability, generosity, and invitation.
The Most Rev’d Melissa Skelton diocese of Olympia
The Most Rev Melissa SkeltonThe Most Rev Melissa Skelton is a retired Archbishop in the Anglican Church of Canada, currently serving as Assisting Bishop in the Diocese of Olympia. Previous to this, Melissa was Rector of St. Paul's, Seattle, and Canon for Congregational Development and Leadership in the Diocese of Olympia, during which time she founded and created the College for Congregational Development, a comprehensive congregational development program that is now being hosted in several dioceses in the Episcopal Church and a diocese in the Anglican Church of Canada.
Melissa holds Masters degrees in English (University of South Carolina) and Business (University of Chicago) and earned her M. Div at Virginia Theological Seminary. She has taught English at the University of South Carolina and at Wofford College; Christian Formation at General Theological Seminary and Preaching, Liturgy and Pastoral Care at Vancouver School of Theology.
Former roles in and outside the Church include: Brand Manager at Procter & Gamble, Vice President for Administration at The General Theological Seminary, Vice President at Tom's of Maine, and Executive Director of a Land Trust. She has also maintained a consulting business over many years that focuses on organizational learning, facilitation, and leadership and congregational development. She is currently Bishop Visitor to the Society of Catholic Priests and serves on the Board of Vancouver School of Theology.
Melissa is married to Eric Stroo, a mental health counselor in Seattle.
The Rev’d Vanessa Stickler Glass Diocese of Colorado
The Rev. Vanessa Stickler Glass serves as the Canon for Transition and Wellness in the Episcopal Church in Colorado. She supports congregations and clergy in creating healthy congregational systems by encouraging them to explore their missional identity and imagine how God is calling the church to join with God in doing a new thing.
For the last twelve years Vanessa has served as a CREDO faculty member and has taught spiritual and vocational wellness, and currently serves as a Conference Leader. In 2022, she served on the planning team and as a chaplain for Leading Women. Through these roles, and her work as a canon, she feels privileged to serve clergy across the church.
Vanessa is married to the Rev. Terri Hobart, the Rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Denver. Together they have four adult children.
Dr. Sarah Stonesifer Boylan Diocese of Central Pennsylvania
Sarah Stonesifer Boylan (she/her) brings experience in Organizational Theory and Behavior, creating and managing digital space and learning platforms, and knowledge of lifelong learning and Christian Formation. She currently serves as Dean of the Stevenson School for Ministry, a vocational and continuing education program out of the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania.
She has worked at Virginia Theological Seminary as the Lifelong Learning Department's Manager of Operations and Digital Missioner and as a ministry and change management consultant to parishes, dioceses, and ecumenical judicatories across the nation. She serves as an elected at-large member of The Executive Council of The Episcopal Church. In 2022, Sarah completed her educational doctorate in Leadership and Learning in Organizations from Vanderbilt University's Peabody College. Her capstone project, "Executive Leadership Development in The Episcopal Church: Learning from Past Experiences and Narratives," focused on the College for Bishops and the power of role and identity exploration, adaptation, and adoption.