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.
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 Ives
Executive Assistant to the Bishop
Jess manages Bishop José’s calendar and visitation schedule and assists with diocesan committees such as Executive Council and Commission on Ministry. Contact Jess if you need to make an appointment with the bishop, have questions about the discernment process, clergy licensing, or canonical transfers.
Eden Lewis
Director of Lifelong Christian Formation
Eden assists the Bishop with overseeing Christian faith formation for the diocese, by supporting all ministries with children, youth, young adults, and adults. She works to equip and empower our congregations, lay and clergy leaders, providing collaborative working groups, initiating new ideas, and bringing innovative programs, resources, and events to the diocese.
Charlotte Garcia
Coordinator for Children, Youth, and Family Ministries
Charlotte 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 oversees the youth council and deanery events.
The Rev. 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 Tabasco, Mexico and his last assignment was in Santo Tomas, Las Vegas NV.
The Rev. Anna Shine
Campus Missioner, PECM App State and Missioner for Creation Care & Social Justice at St. Luke's, Boone
Anna serves as the Campus Missioner to Appalachian State University, working with the undergraduate students through the Presbyterian Episcopal Campus Ministry (PECM) as well as serving as the coordinator for 3rd Place. In addition, she serves as the Missioner to Creation Care and Social Justice at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Boone. She aspires to walking alongside others in their faith journeys and delving into the deep questions of faith and life. She considers part of her job to be a collector, keeper, and purveyor of story, which started early on with her appreciation for the stories from Godly Play. Her passions include any and all things related to stewarding and caring for the planet and all that inhabit it.
The Rev. Gaelyn Evangreene
Campus Missioner to Western Carolina University
The Rev. Gaelyn Evangreene is the rector of St. David’s, Cullowhee and Campus Missioner for Western Carolina University, a ministry focused on spreading God’s love and the inclusivity of that love which can be found in the Episcopal Church. Gaelyn is also on staff at the Wild Goose Festival, where she handles administration, finance, and worship. She loves running, watching her daughter play basketball, murder mysteries, and being outside in the mountains of WNC with her wife, Sarah.
The Rev. Kevin Todd
Director of Blue Ridge Service Corps
The Rev. Kevin Todd is the rector of St. Paul's Edneyville and interim director of Blue Ridge Service Corps. Kevin spent several years working as a palliative care chaplain after graduating from Duke Divinity School. Kevin began serving on the board of Blue Ridge Service Corps in the spring of 2021. He looks forward to continuing this phenomenal work and is excited to journey with corps members through their program year. He and his family have called Hendersonville home for ten years, and during that time, Kevin has worked at the intersection of food insecurity and community building.
Lewis Sorrells
Office Assistant and Receptionist
Lewis serves as the office assistant at the bishop's office, answering calls and keeping things organized. A genuine native of WNC, Lewis grew up in Haywood County. He graduated from Carson Newman College with some further study at Vanderbilt University. He had a 40-year career as a bookseller and bookstore owner in Asheville, operating Accent On Books for 30 years until retiring in 2014. An active member of the Cathedral of All Souls since 1977, he has served in many capacities as a vestry member, senior warden, usher, and committee chair. He currently chairs the Altar Guild. Lewis is married to Christine Longoria and has a daughter Rachel and a son Franklin, both longtime Camp Henry attendees and counselors. There are now four grandchildren. He can most often be found in the garden or out on a hike.
Margaret Love
Executive Director of Valle Crucis Conference Center
Margaret is a native of Columbia, South Carolina and holds a BA in History from Davidson College. She has worked in conference planning, education and training, and grants management for nearly 20 years, and has extensive experience in working with boards of directors, fiscal management, human resources, and professional education and training. She has been fortunate to have lived in Anchorage, Alaska; North Yorkshire, England; and most recently, a suburb of Detroit, Michigan. Margaret and her husband share a household with two young children and a rotating cast of dogs, cats, fish, and frogs. She can answer questions about new and existing reservations, marketing, programming, newsletters, social media, history, or general information.
Laura Elliot
Executive Director of Lake Logan Conference Center
Fueled by her passion for community-building and transformative work, Laura brings nearly thirty years of experience in the fields of education, outdoor recreation, and nonprofit leadership. Laura was born and raised in the Episcopal Church in Eastern NC and has now called Western North Carolina home since 1999. She and her wife Jenny are members of St. Andrews on the Hill in Canton, NC and live at Lake Logan with pups Nola, dock diver extraordinaire and Layla, queen of the Gazebo trail. When not working you can find Laura in the woods or on the water, spending time with family and friends, playing music, traveling for learning and adventure, and “being ever curious about the world around us”. Laura brings with her the pursuit of life-long learning and the ability to show up as a transformational, vision- and mission-driven leader – cultivating love, joy, connections, and community.