Meet St. James\’s Vestry

A member of St. James’s since 2011, I love our parish’s welcoming spirit and vow to be doers, not just hearers, of the Word. I was chair of WomanKind in 2016; participated in Sacred Ground; and serve on the Becoming Beloved Community steering committee, Children’s Center Board and as an usher. I worked as a newspaper reporter and editor for 20 years and then as a corporate communications executive for 10 before retiring in 2005. Bob and I have two sets of twin granddaughters and two grandsons. I am honored to join the vestry at a time when I believe it is especially important that we put our faith into action in the church and in the larger community.

For more than 20 years, St. James has been an integral part of who I am and who I want to be.¬† Brooke and I were married here in 2002.¬† All three of our kids (Charlotte, Harrison, and Stuart) were baptized and confirmed here.¬† At St. James, I am an usher; a student in EFM (4th year); a former small group book co-leader; a member of the Tuesday Morning “Young” Mens’ Bible Study; and an active participant in Invite, Welcome, and Connect ministries.¬† St. James has given so much to me — especially over the past 5+ years — and I’m called (and excited) to give back.¬† When not managing litigation at Dominion Energy, I like to read, spend time with my family and our two dogs, and play weekly pub trivia.

TA Hickman began his term as Treasurer in Spring 2025.

Karen has been an active member of St James’s for 15 years, having completed Pilgrim’s Path in 2009. She can be found on Sunday mornings in the alto section of the West Gallery Choir and on Wednesday nights in the kitchen leading a cooking team. The Advent Fair is another favorite St James’s tradition for Karen, as her family annually scours their old homestead in James City County for wreath-making greenery. Karen is grateful to St James’s for many formative faith and community experiences, especially MLK Evensongs, Shrine Mont and Emerald Isle retreats, WomenKind, and service on the Outreach Committee.

Outside of church, Karen does tech-oriented work-as owner/operator of a small software company specializing in real-time hurricane tracking and decision support tools for emergency management. In her off hours, she is an avid gardener and steward for the City’s trees and parks.

I had the good fortune of joining St. James’s in the very early 2000’s with my soon to be wife Janet and have never looked back.

My glue to St. James’s over the years has been the incredible sense of community I’ve witnessed, not just from afar but up close and personally at a time when my family and I were the direct beneficiaries.

I’ve been profoundly nourished by my involvement with St. James’s over the years, starting off by participating in what was then the Pilgrim’s Path program with Janet early on followed by two years of EFM, serving on the Vestry, chairing the Feast one year, Mardi Gras another, and co-chairing the Capital Campaign not long after the fire with my dear friend Lilo Ukrop.

I’m excited about the search for a new Rector that is underway, and am honored to be going back on the Vestry.

I have been fortunate to call St. James home since 2001. Danielle and I were married here in 2010, and you have probably been witness to my two children (Finn 11, Grace 7) tearing around Baker House on Wednesday nights. I am a Pilgrim’s Path graduate, have led and participated on mission trips to Alaska and Honduras, served as an usher, an EYC leader, Shrine Mont Chief Rocketeer, and most recently a JYF leader. I have received far more from St. James than I have ever given and I am both called and excited for the opportunity to give back. I look forward to being part of the tremendous possibilities that the next three years will bring for our church. I am a dentist, and when I am not managing my practice, I enjoy skiing, camping, and flying control-line airplanes.

Hi I’m Dick Fowlkes and I’ve been a member of SJEC for my whole life.

I love SJEC and I’m excited to serve in leadership on our vestry as our congregation is reconnecting after the pandemic and the events of the last few years. My hope is that as a vestry member I can help reconnect with members who haven’t yet returned and that I can serve as an ambassador for SJEC in Richmond. I am excited to see us returning to the warm, welcoming, dynamic parish that I love so much. I can’t wait to see all of you in church soon, if I don’t see you I’ll be coming to find you.

My name is David Gardner and I’ve been a member of St. James’s since 2012. My wife Laura, a life-long member of St. James’s, and I were married at St. James’s and we have an 8 year old son, William. I have enjoyed participating in numerous activities and ministry opportunities at St. James’s over the years as an usher team leader, Sunday school teacher, baptism guide, and member of the Tuesday Men’s Bible Study. I appreciate the opportunity to serve as a vestry member during a very important time in the life of the parish. Penny Nash, our interim rector, has defined our current period of transition ministry as a time to assess the health and vitality of the parish, and clarify its identity and mission as we ultimately work towards the calling of a new rector. I hope to be able to help support Penny, current vestry members, parish staff and the congregation as St. James’s works to solidify its foundation for the next chapter in its life as an integral part of our Richmond community.

Outside of St. James’s, I am a financial advisor with Wells Fargo and enjoy coaching William’s athletic teams, playing golf, and reading.

Yvonne grew up in the Episcopal Church and became a member of St. James’s in 2016. St. James’s strong tradition of ministry through community outreach is one of the reasons she was drawn to St. James’s, and she feels especially fortunate to serve on the Doers Doing Committee, where she helps to foster the parish’s relationships with our outreach partners, Real Life, CARITAS, and Peter Paul Development Center.

Yvonne was trained and served as a Stephen Minister for 3 years and found the caregiving experience to be deeply rewarding. She also serves as a lector and is an ardent fan of the Jazz Mass, as well as all the incredible music that enriches our worship experience at St. James’s.

Yvonne retired from practicing law in 2020, but stays involved with the legal profession through volunteer service on a number of boards at the Virginia State Bar. She also volunteers as a docent at the VMFA and serves in a number of volunteer roles for her alma mater, Mount Holyoke.

Yvonne and John have three children and four grandchildren and are thankful for video calls that allow John and Yvonne to stay involved in their lives, despite the thousands of miles that separate them.

My wife, Tarran, and I began attending St. James’s in 2011, shortly after we were married as we were looking for a shared faith community. The central call of ‚ÄúBe Ye Doers of the Word‚Äù spoke to us and we knew we had found our church. Our children, Gavin and Miles, were both baptized at St. James’s and much of my early engagement supported the Children’s Ministry as Tarran and I volunteered to lead Sunday School. I have also served as the entirely unofficial and self-appointed role of ‚ÄúChoir Dad,‚Äù supporting Tarran as the ‚ÄúChoir Mom‚Äù and Gavin and Miles as they moved from Cherub, to Childrens’, and Youth choirs. In 2021, I joined and, ultimately, led the Connect committee as part of the broader Invite-Welcome-Connect program to help the church transition from the pandemic. Through this engagement, I realized not only the need, but the opportunity to do more for St. James’s. I am honored to be asked to serve on vestry and to support St. James’s – clergy, congregation, and campus – through the transition of the coming years.

Teri Miles has been an active member of St. James’s since 2004. During that time, she has served on the Altar Guild and as a LEM, while also committing to the EfM four-year course of study and attending Sewanee’s School of Theology. In addition to her commitments here at St. James’s, Teri is active in many non-profits, including VMFA, SPARC, University of Mary Washington, Richmond Society of Human Resources Management, and Elder Homes, among others. Teri has been an attorney at Altria, in the Office of the Virginia Attorney General, Circuit City Stores, and McGuire, Wood, Battle & Boothe. She is an enthusiastic traveler.

I was introduced to St. James’s back in the 1990s by my other mother, Lou Kendrick, and immediately knew I had found my church home. The warmth and joyful spirit that persists among this community comes from a holy place. I’m deeply grateful for the relationships forged here, whether it’s passing the peace on Sundays, working alongside others on the Food Force, as Mardi Gras co-chair, on the Landscape, Creation Care, and Building Committees, as co-chair of the Flower Guild, or in nearly four years of Education for Ministry.

My career involved working as a writer and editor, and practicing as a consultant in corporate communications for several Fortune 100 companies in Virginia. I’ve served on many non-profit boards in Tidewater and Richmond in the arts and in environmental organizations, including as founding chairman of Capital Trees. I served in various capacities with the Garden Club of Virginia, including as editor of the GCV Journal, and currently serve on the Virginia Institute of Marine Science Foundation board. I studied English and Fine Art at Old Dominion University and West Dean College, U.K. In addition to volunteer work, I’m an artist and a (lapsed) master gardener. I’m married and the mother of one son, Jordan, who was raised in this church, three step-children, and the grandmother of five.

Melinda joined St James’s when she moved to RVA in 2018 on a recommendation of a native who knew Melinda’s love of choral music and liturgy. A native Washingtonian, she joined the Episcopal Church as a child when her father took the position of choirmaster and organist at All Souls Memorial (by the Zoo). Wherever life has taken her, Melinda has been involved in church life. She has served on the search committees at Winchester’s Christ Church and The Church of the Redeemer, Baltimore where she also served on the Vestry.

As a new member at St James’s, she immediately felt welcomed by so many, and has loved being a part of the Parish Choir, volunteering with Caritas, helping with The Taste of St James’s, and contributing to our famous hospitality. She is especially grateful to two special St James’s friends who facilitated the connection to her husband, Mark Cooper. Their clan now includes Mark’s three daughters and their families, and Melinda’s two sons and their families. Melinda will soon be retiring from nursing and looks forward to spending more time with her adventurous husband and family, hiking, biking, and gathering together.

Dr. John W. Reynolds retired from his medical practice in 2014. He was a pathologist working in Richmond since 1984. He has worked in both the Bon Secours and HCA systems. He graduated from the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, in 1974. Training included a residency at Baylor Hospital, Dallas, and a fellowship at MD Anderson Hospital, Houston. He has attended St James’s parish since 1984. After retirement, he became active in the Thursday morning men’s breakfast and has volunteered as an usher at the 11:15 AM service. He has been active in EfM. He is interested in the future of the parish and The Episcopal Church in general.

Our family joined Saint James’s in 2011, shortly after moving to Richmond. The call to ‚ÄúBe Ye Doers‚Äù emblazoned over the altar spoke to me immediately, but what really sealed the deal was watching kids stream out to children’s chapel and then up to sit on the carpet for a good view of the communion preparations. My husband, a lifelong chorister, was wooed by the fabulous music. St. James’s commitment to service and embrace of community, even its littlest members, made it the perfect home for our young family. Since then, I’ve taught Sunday School and served on a variety of standing and ad hoc committees. Currently, I serve as a lector and am a regular in the Women in Fellowship bible study group. On weekdays, I’m a nonprofit executive and strategic communications leader in the health policy field. I’m humbled and honored to give back to St. James’s and our community through service on the Vestry.

Andy Sherrod is a cradle Episcopalian who grew up attending Fork Church in Hanover.¬† Andy and his wife Tina have been members of St. James’s since 2002, and their daughters Drew and Powell were confirmed last year.¬† Andy has taught Sunday School and Confirmation classes, and is a long-time member of the Tuesday morning bible study group.¬† He is an attorney who leads the employment law practice group at Hirschler.¬† Andy is excited to serve on the Vestry and looks forward to doing his part to help St. James’s continue its resurgence from the pandemic and to chart a vibrant course into the future.

Emily participated in Pilgrim’s Path in 2004 and was a founding member of the Wine Women & Wonder bible study. She has taught Sunday school, including confirmation, and volunteered with Mardi Gras, WomanKind, Vestry Nominating, and other St. James’s activities over the years.

Emily grew up in a Navy family that eventually landed in Virginia Beach. She moved to Richmond after college at JMU and graduate school for urban planning at UVA. She now works for the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation as Chief of Rail Transportation. She is honored to be considered for vestry at St. James’s, and looks forward to serving and welcoming others to the church home she and her family have leaned on as a spiritual refuge.

Marisa Trible and her husband Will Trible joined St. James’s in 2019 in hopes of finding a church community that their children could grow up in. They found that and so much more. From the retreats to Shrinemont, to Young Family Socials, to Wednesday night dinners, St. James has truly been a place of warmth and community. Since joining, Marisa led the Welcome committee under Invite, Welcome Connect, volunteers with Sunday school, participates in the Women in Fellowship small group and Wednesday night classes, and is currently the Mission Committee Chair. Growing up, Marisa participated in many mission trips to the Dominican Republic inspiring her to become a middle school teacher and to help others. She loves that St Jamesers are doers and is looking forward to giving back to the church. In her spare time, Marisa enjoys spending time with her husband Will and two children Lucy and Austin. She loves any and all things outdoors especially, camping, the beach, and hiking.

Wilson Trice is a lifelong member of St. James’s, has served two terms on vestry previously, including a term as Senior Warden, and on two search committees, one as chair. For thirty years he has served as a trustee of the Endowment Fund and, until his recent retirement from law practice, he was the church’s legal counsel. Over the years he has played many roles in the church, including various parts in the Christmas pageant. He regrets that, after his failure as a wise man, he was dropped from the cast. His favorite role was anchoring first base for the short-lived (but fabulously successful) St. James’s softball team. He is grateful for the opportunity to serve.