The Art, Science and Spirit of Prison and Related Ministry

Christ Episcopal Church Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

March 2-4, 2016

The Episcopal Diocese of Florida 325 N. Market Street

Jacksonville, FL 32202 www.diocesefl.org

Wednesday, March 2 9:00- 12:00 Registration Dining Room 12 Noon Noonday Prayer Dining Room 12:30-1:30 Lunch Dining Room Welcome and Overview

The Rt. Rev. Samuel Johnson Howard Bishop of Florida 1:45-2:30 Building Justice that Restores Dining Room Mr. Craig DeRoche Executive Director, Justice Fellowship 3:00 Opening Eucharist Church Sanctuary 5:00- 6:15 Social Hour Hilton Garden Inn Lobby*

Sponsors: Ready 4 Work & COPRM- Commission on Prison and Related Ministry

* Hilton Garden Inn is located at 45 PGA Tour Blvd., Ponte Vedra Beach, 32082. (904) 280-1661

Dinner is on your own

Thursday, March 3 7:30 Registration Dining Room 7:30 Eucharist Church Sanctuary 8:00 Breakfast Dining Room 9:00 Welcome Contemporary Worship Space (CWS) Introductions & Today’s Event Overview 9:15-9:45 Advocacy CWS Mrs. Janet Owen Vice President, Governmental Affairs University of North Florida 9:45-10:00 Break

10:00-10:45 Advocating for Ex-Offenders CWS Mr. Kevin Gay Founder & CEO, Ready 4 Work and Operation New Hope, Jacksonville, FL 10:45-11:30 Advocacy for Death Row Inmates & Their Families CWS The Rev. Deacon David Crabtree The Diocese of North Carolina 11:30-12:15 Positive Criminology and the Pro-Social Gospel CWS Dr. Byron Johnson Distinguished Professor of the Social Sciences Baylor University, Waco, Texas 12:15 Noonday Prayer CWS

12:20-1:00 Lunch Dining Room 1:00-1:45 Criminal Justice Reform & Reinvestment in Georgia CWS The Honorable Michael Boggs, Lunch Keynoter Judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals 1:45-2:00 Break

2:00-2:45 Monastery of the Heart CWS Sister Ann McCarthy, Order of St. Benedict (OSB) 2:50-3:35 Reconciliation CWS The Very Rev. Michael Battle Director, The Desmond Tutu Center

General Theological Seminary 3:35-3:50 Break 3:50-4:30 Reconciliation and Healing CWS Ms. Ann Perrott Prison Chaplain 4:30-5:10 What the OSB has Created in Helping CWS Sister Ann McCarthy, OSB Sister Mary Ellen Plumb, OSB

5:15-6:00 How Churches Can Welcome Home CWS Formerly Incarcerated Persons The Rev. Canon William Barnwell Former Canon Missioner, Washington National Cathedral 6:15-7:00 Social Hour Christ Church Courtyard 7:00 Dinner & Keynote Speaker Dining Room The Very Rev. Michael Battle Director, Desmond Tutu Center, General Theological Seminary

Friday, March 4

7:30 Eucharist Church Sanctuary 8:15 Breakfast Christ Church Patio 8:45-9:30 The Next Great Awakening: CWS Grief Ministry and the Lessons of Angola’s Prison Seminary Dr. Michael Hallett Professor, Criminology & Criminal Justice University of North Florida 9:30-9:45 Break 9:45-10:30 “From Advocacy to Activism: CWS The Justice for Girls Reform Model” Ms. Tayloe McDonald The Delores Barr Weaver Foundation 10:45-11:30 An Ex-Offender’s Journey CWS Mr. Johnny Branham 11:30-11:40 Break 11:40-12:15 Closing Session/Panel CWS Panel Leader: The Rt. Rev. Samuel J. Howard. Panel: Rev. Cn. William Barnwell; Rev. Peter Kang; Rev. Dn. David Crabtree; Dr. Byron Johnson; Dr. Michael Hallett; Rev. Ron Owen; Rev. Dn. Bill Carroll; and Rev. Cn. Allison DeFoor 12:15 Noonday Prayer CWS Lunch Dining Room

*** Take a box lunch with you if you are on the go!!

PRESENTER BIOGRAPHIES

The Rev. William Barnwell The Rev. William Barnwell has been working in prison ministry and reform for the last forty years, most recently with Kairos Prison Ministry at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. He also supervises three Episcopal programs there that grew out of DOCC (The Disciples of Christ in Community). In May of last year, Barnwell brought together a broad coalition of organizations in Louisiana for their first “Welcome Home Sunday” event, designed to change the culture Formerly Incarcerated Persons (FIPs) return to, from a culture of shame to a culture of welcome. The coalition included many faith leaders, with the Roman Catholic Archbishop as the keynote speaker; FIPs; staff from the local and state departments of corrections, community activists, and victim- survivors who support successful reentry. This April 1st, the University Press of Mississippi is publishing his latest book: Called to Heal the Brokenhearted: Stories from Kairos Prison Ministry International. The Very Rev. Michael J. Battle The Very Rev. Michael J. Battle, was recently appointed as Herbert Thompson Professor of Church and Society, and Director of the Desmond Tutu Center at General Theological Seminary in New York. He has an undergraduate degree from Duke University, a master’s of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, a master’s of Sacred Theology from Yale University and a PhD in theology and ethics, also from Duke University. Dr. Battle was ordained a priest by Archbishop Desmond Tutu in 1993. His clergy experience, in addition to his current church work, includes serving as vicar at St. Titus Episcopal Church in Durham, NC, rector at Church of Our Saviour, in San Gabriel, California; rector at St. Ambrose Episcopal Church, Raleigh, N.C.; and interim rector or associate priest with other churches in North Carolina and in Cape Town, South Africa. On two occasions he moved into churches located in ethnically changing neighborhoods and helped both to adapt and grow. He also served as provost and canon theologian for the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles. In 2010, Dr. Battle was given one of the highest Anglican Church distinctions as “Six Preacher,” by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. This distinction is given to only a few who demonstrate great dedication to the church and goes back to 16th-century England and Thomas Cranmer. Battle’s academic experience includes service as interim dean of Students and Community Life at Episcopal Divinity School, dean for academic affairs, vice president and associate professor of theology at Virginia Theology Seminary; as associate professor of spirituality and black church studies, at Duke University’s Divinity School; and as assistant professor of spiritual and moral theology in the School of Theology at the University of the South. Battle has published nine books, including “Reconciliation: The Ubuntu Theology of Desmond

Tutu,” and the book for the Episcopal Church’s General Convention, “Ubuntu: I in You and You in Me.” In his Peace Battle Institute he works on subjects of diversity, spirituality, prayer, race and reconciliation. Almost since its inception, he has served as pastor and spiritual director to hundreds of clergy and laity for the CREDO program of the Episcopal Church. He has also served as chaplain to Archbishop Tutu, Congressman John Lewis, the House of Bishops and, in 2008, was chaplain to the Lambeth Conference of Anglican Bishops. Battle is a featured keynote speaker and has led numerous clergy and lay retreats, including the bishops’ retreat of the Province of the West Indies. In addition, he has served as vice president to the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, Arun Gandhi’s Institute for Nonviolence. Battle and his wife, Raquel, were married by Archbishop Tutu and are parents to two daughters, Sage and Bliss, and a son, Zion, each of whom was baptized by Archbishop Tutu as well. The Honorable Michael P. Boggs Judge Michael P. Boggs was appointed to the Court of Appeals of Georgia on January 6, 2012 by Governor Nathan Deal. On July 31, 2012, Judge Boggs was elected state-wide to serve a six-year term beginning in 2013. Prior to his appointment, Judge Boggs served as a Superior Court Judge for the six-county Waycross Judicial Circuit having been elected to an open seat in 2004. He was re-elected without opposition in 2008. Judge Boggs was raised in Waycross and now lives in Pierce County with his wife Heather, a kindergarten teacher in the Ware County public school system. Judge Boggs obtained his undergraduate degree in Political Science and Psychology from Georgia Southern College in 1985. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from Mercer University's Walter F. George School of Law in 1990. While in law school, Judge Boggs was a member of the Moot Court Board and participated on the ABA Moot Court competition team. At Mercer, Judge Boggs was inducted into the Order of Barristers and was elected to the Student Government Association. Following his graduation from law school, Judge Boggs practiced property insurance defense litigation in Atlanta until 1992, when he returned to his hometown of Waycross. From 1992 to 2004, Judge Boggs maintained a general trial practice specializing in family law, real estate, banking, personal injury, and general civil litigation matters. Judge Boggs served as a County Attorney, Development Authority Counsel, and as a Special Assistant Attorney General. In 2000, Judge Boggs was elected as a State Representative to the General Assembly and represented Ware, Charlton and Clinch Counties until 2004. While in the Legislature, Judge Boggs served on the Judiciary, Public Safety and Government Affairs Committees. Among his legislative accomplishments, Judge Boggs authored the "Child Protection Act", a bill aimed at protecting children from sexual predators. In 2002, Judge Boggs was selected as the Outstanding Freshman Member of the

General Assembly by the Legislative Alumni Association and was also recognized by the Editors of Georgia Trend Magazine as one of the "40 under 40" leaders throughout Georgia who have made significant contributions to the state. He was a member of the 2009 Class of Leadership Georgia. In 2003, Judge Boggs received the Waycross YMCA Community Service Award and the "Legislative Award" from the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia. In 2004, he received the University System of Georgia Foundation Regents Award for Excellence in Education in recognition of his outstanding accomplishments as a lawyer and legislator. Judge Boggs is also a recipient of the Georgia Sheriff's Association "Leadership Award" and was awarded the Georgia District Attorney's Association "Commitment to Justice Award" for his support of law enforcement and victim's rights legislation. In 2007, he received recognition for his support of the Magnolia House Shelter for abused women and child victims of domestic violence in Waycross and was presented the Boy Scouts of America "Golden Eagle" Award for his service to the community and his support of Scouting. An ardent supporter of accountability courts, Judge Boggs founded the Waycross Judicial Circuit Drug Court Program, served as its Presiding Judge, and served as a member of the Judicial Council of Georgia's Standing Committee on Accountability Courts. Judge Boggs has served as a member of the Governor's Judicial Nominating Commission, and serves on the Foundation Board of Trustees at South Georgia State College in Waycross, where he was a part-time adjunct professor. In 2011, Judge Boggs served as a member of Georgia's Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform and was appointed by Governor Nathan Deal to serve as Co-Chair of the Criminal Justice Reform Council in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. Judge Boggs is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Council of State Governments Justice Center, The Supreme Court of Georgia Committee on Justice for Children, and The National Center for State Courts Judicial Peer Group, and National Task Force on Fines, Fees and Bail Practices. Judge Boggs is a member of the Lawyers Club of Atlanta and the Atlanta Bar Association. Johnny Branham Johnny Branham was born and raised in Tampa, the son of John and Delphine Branham. Mr. Branham is the youngest of three children, and is the father of two beautiful daughters who are very influential in his life. He graduated from Leto Comprehensive High School, and later entered in the United States Army where he served as an Automated Logistical Specialist. Shortly after returning home from the military he made a poor life-altering decision that led to his incarceration. He spent 14 and a half years in the custody of the Florida Department of Corrections, during which he took the opportunity to transform his life. He became active in both the Faith- and Character-Based programs under the supervision of the Horizon Communities in Prison. He became a leader in the Horizon dormitory where he taught several classes and mentored other men looking to change their lives as well.

He worked as a Certified Law Clerk in the Law Library, enrolled in college by correspondence and earned his paralegal diploma. Mr. Branham is the co-founder, with Ms. Shenika Dukes, of Life Anew, a non-profit organization that helps ex-felons and their families with the reentry process. Life Anew provides hope in the form of offering resources to help clients create stability after leaving prison. Johnny’s insight into reentry is unique in that he knows personally the pitfalls, struggles and challenges involved transitioning back into society. His passion for the men, women and their families who are attempting to navigate through life after prison continues to fuel his desire for change. His mission is for his clients to not only survive after their release but to thrive. Mr. Branham’s hobbies include writing poetry, writing, singing, and songwriting. He enjoys utilizing his gifts and talents to uplift and encourage people everywhere. The Rev. Deacon David R. Crabtree David Crabtree is a multi-award-winning anchor/reporter, working at WRAL-TV in Raleigh, North Carolina since 1994. Crabtree’s news philosophy is to serve the community, to educate, enlighten and empower. He says, “Our focus must be to strive for fairness, accuracy and compassion.” He has won a number of awards including a DuPont Award, and 13 Emmys. Crabtree’s most memorable assignments include: Election of Pope Francis; Funeral of Nelson Mandela; survivors of the Haiti earthquake in 2010; interview with Holocaust survivors; Funeral of Pope John Paul II; Funeral of Mother Teresa, and more. In 2004, Crabtree was ordained as a vocational deacon in the Episcopal Church focusing on working with death row inmates and hospice patients. He earned a Bachelor of Science at Middle Tennessee State University; attended Vanderbilt University School of Divinity; Master’s Degree in Theology with coursework at Oxford University, Oxford, England; working on a Master’s in Divinity at Duke University. He has two daughters and one granddaughter. Craig DeRoche Craig DeRoche serves as senior vice president for advocacy and public policy at Prison Fellowship, the nation’s largest outreach to prisoners, former prisoners, and their families. He leads the organization’s efforts to advance restorative criminal-justice reform at the state and federal levels. A recognized subject-matter expert, he has testified before Congress and confers with lawmakers to help them design legislation that prioritizes accountability, community participation, and second chances. DeRoche made front-page news when, at 34, he became the speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives. In 2010, he made national headlines again for two alcohol-related arrests, revealing a long-concealed addiction to alcohol. It was only after his arrests, the ensuing rehab, and a renewed focus on his Christian faith

that he entered lasting recovery. He relates the story in Highly Functional, his 2015 memoir. Since joining Prison Fellowship, DeRoche has brought his political acumen and personal experiences to the pursuit of restorative criminal justice. He pens op-eds for publications including The New York Times, The Washington Times, and The Christian Post. He serves on the Charles Colson Task Force on Federal Corrections, a bipartisan body charged with making recommendations to Congress and the president about how to improve the federal corrections system. He is also a signatory to Right on Crime’s Statement of Principles on conservative criminal justice reform. Right on Crime is a project of the Texas Public Policy Foundation in cooperation with Prison Fellowship and the American Conservative Union Foundation. DeRoche lives in Michigan with his family. He holds a master’s degree from Michigan State University and a bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University. TOPICS OF EXPERTISE

• Sentencing reform • Reintegration and restoration of rights for people with criminal records • Addiction and recovery issues in the justice system • Juvenile justice policy and reform

QUICK HIGHLIGHTS • Twice elected to the Novi, Michigan, city council prior to his three terms in the state legislature • Active participant and volunteer in addiction-recovery programs and events

Kevin T. Gay Kevin T. Gay is a native of Jacksonville, FL and a graduate of the University of Florida. He brings to his role as CEO/Founder of Operation New Hope, many years of entrepreneurial experience and a deep commitment to revitalizing urban neighborhoods. He combines this with his strong faith and a special interest in helping the underserved in communities who seek a way out of the cycle of addiction, poverty and incarceration. Kevin left for the non-profit world 16 years ago and founded Operation New Hope in 1999 in order to create a new model for community development. He felt that while there were many houses in many urban communities in need of major restoration there were also many people broken and in need of Hope once again. Thus, Operation New Hope was born in order to bring Hope in the form of new housing, new skills leading to new jobs and a revitalized community. ONH was selected by the White House in 2003 to develop the first national model for Prisoner Re-entry called Ready4Work. This employment based re-entry model was then introduced in 16 other cities around the country. Ready4Work Jacksonville has gained national attention because of its impact in reducing recidivism. Kevin has been invited to the White House on several occasions for his work in prisoner re-entry.

He is a founding member of Reconcile Jacksonville, which has been responsible for partnering over forty black and white churches since 1992. In 2003, the City of Jacksonville nominated Kevin for a national award through Neighborhoods USA (NUSA) and on May 22, 2003 he and nine others from around the country received the prestigious NUSA Notables Award. Previous winners are Willard Scott of the Today Show and distinguished television personality Ms. Oprah Winfrey. Kevin has served on numerous community boards including HabiJax, the largest Habitat for Humanity affiliate, and most recently on the board of Gateway Community Services, Jacksonville’s largest alcohol/drug treatment operation. He served on the management committee for the Jacksonville Community Council, Inc. study called “Neighborhoods on the Tipping Point.” He was asked by the Jacksonville Sherriff’s office to be on the management team of a study to address violence called “Reducing the Violence: A Community Response.” Kevin has served on the Florida Department of Corrections Prisoner Re-entry Advisory Board for the State of Florida. Kevin became a member of the Board of Directors of the Florida Alliance of Community Development Corporations (the “FLACDC) on June 23, 2015. In October of 2007, President Bill Clinton cited Kevin for his work in prisoner re-entry in his book called “Giving-How Each of Us Can Change the World”. Kevin was invited by President Bush in 2008 to join him at the White House in the signing of the new “Second Chance Act”. During the Presidential Campaign in July of 2008, President Barack Obama mentioned the Ready4Work re-entry program in a national speech on religion. Kevin is a contributor on several publications on re-entry including: Governor Bush’s Ex-offender Task Force Report in 2006 as well as on several publications through the Council of State Governments-Justice Council on re-entry. Kevin served on President Elect Barack-Obama’s Advisory Council for the White House Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships during the transition as America’s 44th President in 2009 and 2010. Kevin also served on the transition team for Jacksonville’s first African American Mayor Alvin Brown in 2011. Kevin also served on Mayor Elect Curry’s Transition Team. In 2013, Kevin was the only CEO from a non-profit organization to be honored by the Jacksonville Business Journal with the Ultimate CEO Award. Kevin is a recent graduate of the Leadership Jacksonville Class of 2015. In November of this year, Kevin was nominated for the 2016 OneJax Humanitarian Award sponsored by The University of North Florida. Kevin, along with #cut50, recently co-hosted Operation Reform, a national bipartisan summit on reentry solutions. Kevin T. Gay, CEO/Founder, Operation New Hope – Ready4Work Jacksonville 1830 N. Main Street, Jacksonville, FL 32206, 904-354-4673 www.ready4work.com www.operationnewhope.com

Dr. Michael Hallett Dr. Michael Hallett is a Professor in the Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice at the University of North Florida.  Dr. Haslett’s work has appeared in numerous books and journals including Punishment & Society, Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, Contemporary Justice Review, Critical Criminology and others. Dr. Hallett has served as principal investigator on grants from the US Department of Justice, Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Jesse Ball DuPont Foundation, and several other organizations. Dr. Hallett also serves as a Senior Research Fellow at Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion. Dr. Byron R. Johnson Dr. Byron Johnson is Distinguished Professor of the Social Sciences at Baylor University. He is the founding director of the Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion (ISR) as well as director of the Program on Prosaically Behavior. Before joining the faculty at Baylor University, Johnson directed research centers at Vanderbilt University and the University of Pennsylvania. Professor Johnson recently completed a series of studies for the Department of Justice on the role of religion in prosaically youth behavior and is a member of the Coordinating Council for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (Presidential Appointment). Johnson and colleagues have just completed several major studies on how being an Eagle Scout influences life in adulthood. He is a leading authority on the scientific study of religion, the efficacy of faith-based initiatives, and criminal justice. Recent publications have examined the impact of faith-based programs on recidivism reduction and prisoner reentry. His newest book is More God, Less Crime: Why Faith Matters and how it could Matter More. Johnson and other ISR colleagues completed the first and only national survey on the religious landscape of China. Johnson and ISR colleagues are partnering with the Gallup Organization on studies addressing religion and spirituality in the world. Johnson has been principal investigator on grants totaling more than 30 million dollars in funding from private foundations as well as federal agencies including the Department of Justice, Department of Defense, U. S. Institute of Peace, Department of Labor, and the National Institutes of Health. Johnson is the 2013 “Big Brother of the Year” for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Texas Lone Star. Tayloe McDonald Tayloe McDonald serves as the Director of Strategic Planning and Public Affairs for the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center in Jacksonville. She grew up participating in all things Episcopalian at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, St. Mark’s Episcopal Day School, Episcopal School of Jacksonville and later served on the vestry of the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer. Although she can bust out the Nicene Creed with the best of them, she earned the class superlative of “least likely to become a priest” in 8th grade. She now channels her subversive energies into juvenile justice reform efforts.

Sister Anne McCarthy Anne McCarthy, OSB, staff member at Monasteries of the Heart and Benetvision, holds an MA in Theology from St. John's University, Collegeville in monastic studies and completed Shalem Institute's program, "Leading Contemplative Prayer Groups and Retreats." She has experience leading retreats for a variety of community on themes of nonviolence, the journey from fear to love, monastic spirituality, and a retreat modeled on the spiritual exercises of St. Gertrude. The retreats are experiential, holistic and can be silent, contemplative retreats. Together with Sr. Carolyn Gorny-Kopkowski, OSB, she initiated a Monasteries of the Heart program for women in poverty in inner-city Erie. Long involved in peace and justice ministry nationally and locally, Anne is president of the board of the international Monastic Interreligious Dialogue. She lives at Mary the Apostle Catholic Worker in Erie. Janet Owen Janet Owen is the Vice President for Governmental Affairs and Associate General Counsel at the University of North Florida. She has also served as the Legislative Liaison for the Board of Governors of the State University System. A Jacksonville native and graduate of the University of Florida, Janet received her law degree from Stetson University College of Law and was a senior associate with the Jacksonville law firm of Brant, Moore, Sapp, Macdonald & Wells prior to joining UNF in 1994. Appointed to serve as UNF’s lobbyist in January 1998, Janet serves as the University’s principle liaison with federal, state and local governmental offices, legislative bodies and community organizations.  She is responsible for development and implementation of strategies and programs to obtain public funding goals, and to foster mutually supportive, on-going relationships with elected officials, executive branch leaders, other education institutions as well as UNF’s public and private partners. She has worked on system-wide initiatives and legislation to increase efficiency and flexibility for the state universities, and has served on several statewide committees to review, develop and recommend laws and policies governing public higher education. As a member of the state university lobbying team, Janet is the liaison to the university general counsels. Active in the Jacksonville Chamber, Janet is a member of the Public Policy and Transportation & Logistics Committees, and previously served a two-year term as chair of the Chamber’s Governmental Affairs Committee. Janet currently serves on the Board of Directors of the LeRoy Collins Institute and chairs the Board of the Cathedral Arts Project. She is chair-elect of the Task Force for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) Higher Education Government Relations Conference. Janet is a member of the Florida Bar’s Education Law Committee, the National Association of College and University Attorneys, the Florida Association of Professional Lobbyists, the Rotary Club of Jacksonville and Leadership Florida. In 2002, Janet was a Florida Times Union “Eve Award” Finalist in Education. She has also

served on WJCT’s Community Advisory Board of WJCT, and has been a member of the Board of Trustees of her high school, Episcopal School of Jacksonville, and chancellor of the Cathedral School and Early Learning Center. Janet and her husband, the Rev. Ron Owen, were empty nesters until the arrival of a Labradoodle named Moses. Ann Perrott Ann Perrott is a postulant for the priesthood in the Diocese of Connecticut and a prison chaplain at the Cybulski Community Reintegration Center in Enfield, CT. She will be working with the South East Region of the Diocese as a missioner for re-entry serving inmates as they become eligible for returning to the outside world. She has previously worked as a facilitator for Houses of Healing in prisons in Massachusetts and Connecticut, as a publisher (Larcom Press), as a social worker (Massachusetts Department of Mental retardation, Career Resources, Bass River Inc.) and as a speech therapist (John T. Berry rehabilitation). Ann has a BS Communication Disorders from Emerson College, Boston, MA and an M.Div from Episcopal Divinity School, Cambridge, MA. Ann is married to Godfrey Perrott. They have three children and three grandchildren. Sister Mary Ellen Plumb Mary Ellen Plumb, OSB, has spent her professional life in secondary education as a Social Studies teacher, Director of Campus Ministry, Director of Discipline and Counselor. In these roles, she spends a good part of her time facilitating the spiritual and communal development of young people on high school and college levels. She has served as a retreat leader and motivational speaker on a wide range of topics that strive to inspire young people and mentor new teachers. As a member of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, she has served as Director of Monastic Formation, Novice and Scholastic Director, and Oblate Director. Presently, she serves as a member of the Benedictines for Peace Steering Committee, as well as a member of the community's Liturgical Life Committee and Monastic Formation Committee. She has served as national chairperson of the American Benedictine Formation Conference and Director of the Benedictine Summer Workshop and Retreat for Sisters preparing for perpetual monastic profession.