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Office of the Bishop and
Bishop's Staff
Not sure whom to contact? Use our general Contact Form located here.
The Rt. Rev. José A. McLoughlin
Bishop
The Rt. Rev. José A. McLoughlin is the 7th Bishop of the Diocese of Western North Carolina. He is the chief pastor of the diocese and visits a different congregation almost every Sunday.
The Rev. Canon Augusta Anderson
Canon to the Ordinary and Chief of Staff
Canon Augusta assists the bishop with general oversight of the diocese. Get in touch with her if you have questions about parish property transactions, church transitions, leadership development, or parenting four children and three pets with a sense of humor.
Carol Tannenbaum
Chief Financial Officer
Before joining the diocese, Carol served as the Corporate Director of Finance for BayCare Health System, a large mission-based not-for-profit healthcare organization in Florida. She earned her Master's in Business Administration and Bachelor of Business in Accounting from Kennesaw State University in Atlanta and she currently holds a CPA license in Tennessee. Carol is excited to serve the people and churches of the diocese.
Lisa Rettew
Executive Assistant to the Bishop
Lisa manages Bishop José’s calendar and visitation schedule, and assists with diocesan committees such as Executive Council and Commission on Ministry. Contact Lisa if you need to make an appointment with the bishop, have questions about the discernment process, clergy licensing or canonical transfers, or want to talk about Carolina basketball, in season or out.
Eden Lewis
Missioner for Youth and Young Adults
Eden oversees Christian formation for middle school youth, high school youth and young adults. She coordinates (with the help of youth and youth ministers) programs such as conferences, mission trips, and pilgrimages for middle school and high school youth. She also works with the campus and young adult ministers to provide programming that meets the needs of young adults on college campuses and in our local communities.
Kelsey Davis
Director of Blue Ridge Service Corps and Campus Missioner at WCU and UNCA
Kelsey is Director of Blue Ridge Service Corps & Campus Missioner at UNCA & WCU. She loves accompanying younger adults along their spiritual journey & vocational discernment. She is passionate about contemplative activism, practical theology, sacramental life, forming community, and service in solidarity. A former professional soccer player and coach, she loves to spend time outdoors hiking with her wife, Heather, and dog, Nicks. Her former role was Curator for Emerging Communities in the Diocese of El Camino Real. Kelsey holds a M.Div. and Certificate of Religion in the Arts & Contemporary Culture from Vanderbilt Divinity School, and a B.A. in Theology with minor in Education from the University of Portland.
Virginia Taylor
Missioner for Communications
Virginia Taylor is a photographer, writer, and videographer. Above all she is a storyteller, and enjoys finding any way she can to connect and share the stories of those around her. She is passionate about the people and stories that make up this diocese and loves finding ways to help people stay connected. She is also passionate about sharing a modern idea of faith youth and young adults through a variety of different media.
Oscar Rozo
Diocesan Missioner for Latino Ministries
The Rev. Oscar A. Rozo was born in Bogotá, Colombia. During his first years in the Episcopal Church he served as musician for the Latino ministry at Grace and camp counselor for the diocesan summer camp. He attended seminary and received his Master of Divinity degree from Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, VA.
He is married to the Rev. Elizabeth Tester and together they have two children.He is passionate about social justice, multicultural ministry, and community development. He enjoys playing and listening to music, hiking and family time.
The Rev. Miguel Alvarez
Regional Missioner for Latino Ministries
Father Alvarez ministers to several growing Hispanic congregations in our diocese. Padre Alvarez is from Chiapas, Mexico and his last assignment was in Santo Tomas, Las Vegas NV.
The Venerable Brenda Gilbert
Archdeacon
The Archdeacon is a deacon of the diocese who is appointed by, responsible to, and with access to the Bishop. The Archdeacon is the liaison between the Bishop and the deacons in the Diocese, which includes but is not limited to advocating for deacons, assisting the bishop in addressing the pastoral needs of deacons, and assisting the deacons and Bishop in arranging and maintaining parochial assignments. The Archdeacon is also involved in the discernment process for deacons as well as deacon formation.
Jessica Forbes LeFiles
Director of Camp Henry and Outdoor Programming
Jessi has an impressive skill set from over nine years' experience in year-round outdoor education and summer camping for youth and children. Jessi attended Georgia College and State University where she studied Outdoor Education and graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology. After graduation Jessi moved to Mikell Camp and Conference Center for the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta and home to Blue Ridge Outdoor Education Center where she held several positions, from instructor to Director. Jessi has served as Program Director for SOAR, a local camp and Academy serving students with learning disabilities. Jessi is a Wilderness First Responder, Lifeguard instructor, and loves teaching and learning new skills.
Mayden McDaniel
Blue Ridge Service Corps Intern
Mayden was born and raised in Rutherfordton, NC. She graduated from UNC Asheville in May 2020 at the age of 20 with a degree in Mass Communication. She is currently a Blue Ridge Service Corps member and works at two placement sites throughout the week: The Diocese of WNC and Creative Peacemakers in West Asheville. Mayden assists with both Youth Ministries and Communications for the diocese. Mayden is a North Carolina Certified Beekeeper (along with her dad) and she loves to spend time outside.
Learn more about the work of Blue Ridge Service Corps at www.blueridgeservicecorps.com