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Facilitators' Biographies

Alex Montes and his family have recently moved to Austin, Texas to "plant" a church in the northeast area of that city.   He was the campus missioner for students at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and before attending seminary, he served as youth minister and music director at San Mateo, in Houston, Texas.  Alex is married to Thi (pronounced "tea"), and has three children: Thanh (19), Alissa (15), and Laura (13).

Stephen Mazingo is serving as a missionary in the Diocese of Matlosane South Africa.  He was ordained priest in December 2007 in South Africa.  He will be serving as Assistant Rector at St. James’, Wilmington, NC, in the Diocese of East Carolina beginning in summer 2008..

Katherine Tate is Director of Youth/Young Adults Ministries for the Diocese of Southwest Florida.

Anne Ditzler works for the Episcopal Church Foundation helping Episcopal organizations strengthen their leadership and financial capabilities.  She has served in professional and volunteer roles with nonprofit and religious organizations serving youth, college students, and young adults.  Living in New York City, Anne is an active member of St. Mary’s Manhattanville, the parish that hosts the New York Intern Program.

Miguelina Espinal, Young Adult Ministry Office (PLSE), The Episcopal Church Center.

Rene Somodevilla, Canon of the Diocese of West Tennessee.

Carlton Allen, a cradle Episcopalian, is a Civil Engineer from the Diocese of Northern California.  During his previous endeavors he was the Youth and Young Adult Ministries Coordinator for the Diocese. Carlton currently serves as Vice President for Vocare International, Inc. and as a member of the Episcopal Church's Committee for Young Adult Ministry.

Eric Moen is a 20-year veteran of youth and young adult ministries, and currently serves as the director of youth and young adult ministry at St. Martin’s Episcopal in Houston, TX.

The Rev. Chuck Culpepper is the Vicar of St. Alexis’ Episcopal Church in Jackson, MS.  St. Alexis’ is the newest mission church in the Diocese of Mississippi, and has a focus on young adults, spiritual growth, and social ministries in downtown Jackson.  Chuck also serves as the Diocesan Coordinator of Young Adult Ministries.  He is a graduate of the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest located in Austin, TX.

Lucas Grubbs serves as the Canon Pastor of St. Michael’s Cathedral, in the Episcopal Diocese of Idaho.  Previously, he served as curate at Christ Church, New Haven, a place that instilled a deep love of the beauty, mystery, and awe that can come with powerful liturgy.  He graduated from the Yale Divinity School/Institute of Sacred Music with a second Masters in the liturgy of the church, focusing specifically on modern and post-modern trends in liturgy.

The Rev. David Umphlett is the rector of two rural parishes in the Diocese of East Carolina.  A young adult himself, Fr. Umphlett serves as the Chairperson of both his Diocesan Liturgical Commission and Diocesan College and Young Adult Commission.  His liturgical experience ranges from benediction of the Blessed Sacrament to rocking out on a djembe in the Palm Sunday procession.  He seeks to create a climate in the parish and diocese where artistic and liturgical talents are encouraged and cultivated, and where excellence in workshop is joy driven, not anxiety driven.

The Rev. Justin Lindstrom is the Founding Vicar of Saint Aidan’s EpiscopalChurch in northwest Houston. Saint Aidan’s is a vibrant and exciting community of Gen X’ers (young adults and young families) in the burbs.

Nicole Seiferth has worked in Episcopal communications as Communications Aide in the Presiding Bishop’s Office, and as editor of The Episcopal New Yorker for the Diocese of New York.  She is currently assistant editor for web and parish publications at Trinity Wall Street and a member of the Episcopal Church’s Committee of Young Adult Ministry.

Nathan Finnin is a cradle-Episcopalian raised in Eastern Carolina. During his junior year at the University of North Carolina, he began discerning a call to ordain ministry with the Diocese of East Carolina. Nathan completed his MDIV and Diploma in Anglican Studies in May 2008 from Berkeley Divinity School at Yale. He is currently serving a curacy at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Kinston, NMC, as assistant to the rector.

Lemuel R Moncur is a high school social studies teacher for Miami-Dade County Public Schools.  He is a board member for the Youth Commission for the Diocese of Southeast Florida.  He is a lay minister at St. Agnes’ Episcopal Church and currently serves as a member of the Episcopal Church’s Committee of Young Adult Ministry.

Elizabeth Marie Melchionna serves as Assistant to the Rector at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Arlington, VA, with particular ministry to youth and young adults in the parish.  Previously, Elizabeth Marie received a fellowship from the Henry Luce Foundation and taught theology in the Masters of Divinity program at Payap University in Chiang Mai, Thailand.  She worked with students from Burma, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia.  While in Thailand she also served at the Institute for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Peace facilitating interfaith dialogue between Christians, Buddhists, and Muslims.

Ewart Jones, a life long Episcopalian, is the Minister for Youth and Yong Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Texas. In his previous life, Ewart served as a youth Minister for eight years in two parishes in the Diocese and currently serve as a member of the Episcopal Church Committee for Young Adult Ministry.