Clergy & Lay Staff
Clergy
The Rev. Brenda Husson
Rector
Brenda Husson has been Rector of St. James’ since All Saints Day (Nov. 1), 1996. Her history here is a bit longer, however, as she was also Associate Rector from 1988 until 1991 and then Interim Pastor from 1991-1992. As Rector, Brenda’s work leads her into every aspect of St. James’ life - from worship and preaching, to pastoral care and leadership development, to budgets and administration. She is passionate about preaching, loves pastoral care and teaching, and those opportunities to talk with parishioners about their own journeys into deeper relationship with God through Christ. She and her husband Tom Faulkner, a sculptor and Episcopal priest, have a son, Chris. When not at St. James’, Brenda can be found swimming laps, at the theater, or just spending time with the men in her life, including the family dog, Quique.
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The Rev. Ryan Fleenor
Vicar
Ryan has been at St. James' since July 2010, serving first as Lilly Fellow, then as Associate Rector of Spiritual Formation, and now as Vicar. He is particularly responsible for coordinating our worship ministries and initiatives in adult formation, including the Forum, Bible studies, small groups, retreats and more. As Vicar, Ryan works with the Rector, lay leadership and staff to focus everything we do as a parish on our core mission of forming disciples of Jesus who will actively share God's love with each other, our city and the world. Originally from Durham, North Carolina, Ryan studied history at the University of Virginia and earned his M.Div. at Yale Divinity School. He and his partner Dan were married at St. James' and live in Brooklyn.
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The Rev. Zachary Thompson
Associate Rector
Zack has been an Associate Rector at St. James' Church since July 2017. In order to draw others into the full life of St. James', he is primarily responsible for parish life, new member incorporation, and pastoral care. Working closely with the Rector, the Vicar, and lay leadership, Zack is committed to the work of forming disciples of Jesus who show forth with their lives what they profess with their lips. Zack is passionate about cultivating a transformative sacramental imagination. Prior to joining the staff at St. James', Zack served as an associate priest and as a rector in Atlanta. Originally from Princeton, New Jersey, Zack earned his M.Div. at Emory University and a Master of Sacred Theology at Sewanee: The University of the South, where he defended a thesis on the theological vision of Rowan Williams. Zack is married to Amy, an elementary school educator, and they have two sons, Rowan and Ezra. They are all thrilled to be living in the city and worshipping at St. James Church.
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The Rev. Eva Suarez
Rockwell Fellow
Eva Suarez is the 2017-2019 Rockwell Fellow. She is passionate about pastoral care and outreach ministry, and the different ways communities can build relationships and follow Jesus. As a newly ordained priest, Eva is excited to learn more about how a big church like St. James' runs and grows. Eva is originally from Washington, D.C. After studying religion at Columbia University, she received her M.Div from Union Theological Seminary and her M.S.W from the Silberman School of Social Work at CUNY Hunter. When not at work, you can probably find Eva exploring the city, catching some live music, or just making a mess in the kitchen.
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The Rev. Craig Townsend
Priest Associate
Craig arrived at St. James' Church as Associate Rector for Education in the fall of 1997 and was named Vicar (senior associate) in 2007. Since its inception in 2003, Craig also served as Coordinator of the Lilly Program, a mentoring program for new clergy. His leadership enabled the creation in 2015 of the Hays Rockwell Center for Clergy Development at St. James' Church. Craig was born in Syracuse, New York, and received an A.B. from Brown University, an M.Div. from the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Mass., and a Ph.D. in the History of Christianity and American Religious History from Harvard University in 1998. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two sons.
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Lay Staff
Grace Beacham
Associate for Parish Life
It seems that everyone at St. James’ knows Grace Beacham, our resident Southern Belle and Jill of all trades. Grace has been a part of St. James’ 1990, as a parishioner, staff-person, or both! Grace's deep faith, real love of people, and attention to detail help make St. James' retreats, workshops, newcomer events, and parish-wide functions places where parishioners can come to better know each other and Jesus. Grace and her volunteers are also responsible for the thrift and antique sales that raise money for St. James' Grants Program to support social service agencies throughout the city. Grace loves her job for the many parishioners and visitors she gets to work with all year. Her other great love is, of course, New York City. (“It has never gotten boring after 25 years,” she claims.)
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Sandra De La Cruz
Administrator for Stewardship & Operations
Sandra joined St. James' staff at the end of January, 2017. She has many years of experience in organizational administration, most recently at the Board of Global Missions of the Methodist Church. Sandra was also at one time an assistant in the office of the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.
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Jeremy Diakonov-Curtis
Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries
Jeremy joined the staff of St. James' in August 2018. He is responsible for spiritual formation, worship, fellowship, and service/mission for the youth groups, confirmation group, and the young adult group, the St. Jamesians. Jeremy has led youth groups at three congregations, started and organized a young adult group at one, and wore many leadership hats at the Anglican Chaplaincy in St. Petersburg, Russia, for four years. He studied Classical Civilizations at the University of Michigan and earned an M.Div. focusing on youth ministry and an M.A. in church history, both from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific, with the intent of remaining in the laity. Just as God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, Jeremy is passionate about using the church historic in guiding us as we live out our faith today and shaping the future, especially seeing Christ in all of humanity and respecting God’s creation. If you want to distract him, just start talking anything theology. Jeremy, his wife Daria, children Katya and Andrei, and their beloved dog Karma live in Brooklyn.
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Loraine Enlow
Music Associate for Children & Youth
Loraine joined St. James' staff at the start of 2015. Loraine holds a double-degree with highest honors from the New England Conservatory of Music for viola performance and music theory. At the Conservatory she studied under Alan Fletcher and Marcus Thompson, and was a teaching assistant at the Conservatory for both keyboard harmony and music theory. While at NEC she studied at Harvard University with David Lewin and at MIT with David Epstein. Her graduate work was at the University of Chicago, where she was a Century Teaching Fellow in ethnomusicology, and also Visiting Fellow at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel, where her work in Coptic liturgy earned her presentations at conferences worldwide. She has also done post-graduate study in early childhood music education at both the Catholic University of America and the Hartt School of Music, and has served as a national adjudicator for the National Guild of Piano Teachers. She is also the Director of the summer Girl Chorister Course at Saint Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue, and an active member of the Board of Trustees for VOICE Charter School.
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Susana Ferrer
Associate for Mission
Susana was born in Spain and grew up in Honduras, where her parents were missionaries. She moved to the Bay Area in 2004 to attend college and upon graduation decided to take on the challenges of seminary training. She graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary with an M.A. in Intercultural Studies, and then from Union Theological Seminary with an M.A. in Christian Social Ethics. She loves the variety of programs she gets to be involved with at St. James’, as well as the enthusiasm and commitment of its parishioners.
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Vicki Hall
Director of Children’s and Family Ministries
Vicki has been shepherding children and families into the St. James’ community since 1997. A Band Director in her previous life, Vicki received her MA in Christian Education from the Presbyterian School of Christian Education (now Union Presbyterian Seminary) in Virginia. At St. James', she oversees all of our family and children’s programming - helping little ones become engaged in worship, understand what it means to be Christian, and love their neighbors. Our kids are integral to all aspects of our life in the church, from music to mission and everywhere in between. It’s no surprise that Vicki is often sought-after for answers to questions like: Are the playgroups full or can I still register? Can my daughter acolyte and sing in the choir? Can my son have a speaking part in the Christmas pageant? Where is the fourth grade Church School class? My father is very ill and close to death. Do you have any resources that I can use to help my child through this difficult time? When she isn’t at St. James’, Vicki loves her morning exercise time and her great big family.
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Matthew Leaycraft
Director of Finance & Lay Associate
Matthew Leaycraft joined St. James' staff in May 2015, bringing many years experience in commercial real estate finance and administrative asset management. He was also involved in the work of non-profit management, as a Director for more than twenty years and ultimately Board Chair of the New York City Mission Society and as a board member and then Executive Director of Byrdcliffe, an arts non-profit in Woodstock, New York. Matt is a graduate of Vassar College; he received his Masters of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School in 2010 and has served as an intern at both the Church of the Heavenly Rest and Holy Cross Monastery. He served most recently as a Parish Associate at St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church in Brooklyn Heights. He is a retreat leader and spiritual director. Matt and his partner of twenty-three years, Steve Cambron, were married in 2011. We are excited by the skills and experience Matt brings to this work and his clear belief that the work ahead for him and for us is a ministry that can strengthen our proclamation of the Gospel and support St. James' parishioners in their discipleship.
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Cathy McAleer
Accounting Manager
Cathy joined the staff at St. James' in June 2014 with more than fifteen years' experience in corporate and public accounting -- and the intention to find more than gainful employment. Her goal was to find a “home" both at St. James' and in NYC. Born and raised in NJ and a longtime resident of East Brunswick, she raised two sons, Kevin and Daniel, who are her pride and joy! Both her boys moved to NYC after graduating college. Empty-nesters, Cathy and her husband Kevin sold their home in the suburbs to rent an apartment in NYC. High school sweethearts married more than 30 years, they believed it was time for a change of pace and lifestyle. Cathy and Kevin spend their time together exploring the city, embracing the culture, and enjoying more than a few good meals! But most importantly, they enjoy spending quality time with their children and being part of the St. James' community and family.
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Emil Ramirez
Maintenance Assistant
Emil has worked at St. James' Church since the summer of 2006. Prior to working here, he worked part-time at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church. He and his longtime girlfriend, Jennifer, were married in March 2013. He enjoys working at St. James' and helping keep God's house clean and maintained.
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Mercedes Rosario
Receptionist
Born and raised in Manhattan, I began at St. James' as a temp receptionist in February 2006, and three months later was hired as full time staff. I have met many interesting people at St. James'. I love that things are never the same here at the receptionist desk, and it helps that I am a people person. (My family likes to call me "a social butterfly!") I have a wonderful husband, Miguel Rosario, who I have shared my life with for the last 29 years. God has blessed us with six wonderful children---Miguel, Christina, Megan, Manuel, Mia, Matthew---and four grandchildren---Miguel the 4th, Madison, Benjamin, and Luis. My family loves going to the mountains in Glens Falls, NY, where we camp all summer long, and the little ones love fishing, canoeing and just exploring nature in all its wonders. Mike and I have volunteered for many years in amateur boxing. He began as a boxer at the age of 6, has won numerous titles, and today is an international referee and judge. I began as fan and became a computer scoring technician, both nationally and internationally. Today I am happy to say that I spend the better part of my day in a place I love with the people I have come to love as my family, the staff at St. James'.
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Stephen Tharp
Artist in Residence
Stephen Tharp has been Artist-in-Residence at St. James’ Church since November 2014, serving as the principal organist for the 9:10 and 11:15 a.m. liturgies on Sunday. Stephen is an internationally-acclaimed concert organist, recording artist, and composer. Learn more at www.stephentharp.com.
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Chris Veillon
Communications Director
Chris came to St. James’ in October 2011 with her little yellow lab mix, Boomer. Together, they administer St. James’ website, design our signage and print publications, and diligently color-code calendars. Chris loves to talk about grids and typography, and believes there’s nothing a walk through Central Park can’t solve.
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Davis Wortman
DMA, Director of Music & Organist
Davis has been at St. James’ since August 2000. As Director of Music & Organist, he plans the music for all of our worship services (including weddings and funerals) and concerts. He also directs the adult choirs, plays the organ for services, presents educational forums about sacred music, and oversee the children’s music program. Most parishioners seek Davis out for information about how they can volunteer to sing or play an instrument in the music ministry. People also call to ask about what our musicians do in the service itself, especially what kind of music we're using and why. Davis is passionate about sacred music and crafting experiences of liturgical music that help draw parishioners more deeply into worship.
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