Click here to learn about the Class of 2015 Vestry Nominees
(Election on May 6 during the 9:45 a.m. Annual Meeting)
Click here for the Vestry Nomination form (the last day for additional nominations is April 20, 2012...send to Vestry Nomination Committee co-chairs Dan Millard or Ron Buchman or St. John's Secretary, Sally Scott Marietta).
St. John’s Episcopal Church 2011-2012 Vestry Biographies
The Rev. Dr. Carol Pinkham Oak, Chair of the Vestry
In September 2006, Carol became the 18th Rector of St. John’s since its founding in 1822. In answering the call, she was inspired by the educational mission of both St. John’s Church and St. John’s Parish Day School (SJPDS), and excited by the lively sense of community in the congregation, as well as in the academic excellence engendered by SJPDS. Carol has served urban, suburban and small-town parishes over the course of 23 years of ordained ministry, including nine years as rector of St. James Church, Goshen, NY, and immediately prior to St. John’s for six years as associate rector at Christ Church, Alexandria, VA, where among other things she developed and oversaw a mentoring and leadership formation program for new clergy. She has chaired the Standing Committee in the Diocese of New York, served on the Search Committee for a Suffragan Bishop in New York, was adjunct faculty at the College of Preachers at the Washington National Cathedral, and served as a program evaluation advisor for the Religion Division of the Lilly Endowment. Carol believes that teaching and learning in the Christian life requires the engagement of heart, mind and spirit. She holds a bachelor’s of science in environmental studies from the University of Colorado, a master’s of divinity from Yale University and a doctor of ministry degree in congregational and leadership development from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary. Her husband, Jeff, serves on the executive leadership team for Bon Secours Health System, and is a corporate fellow with the Ethics Resource Center, an independent think tank founded in 1922 that advances high ethical standards and practices in public and private institutions. Carol and Jeff have two children: Nathaniel, who is a senior at Boston College, and Julia, who is in her first year at Hobart and William Smith.
June M. Robinson, Senior Warden
Born in Washington, DC, June was reared in Gatesville, NC. She received a bachelor’s of science degree from Howard University in psychology and a master’s of science in higher education from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL. Employed in administration at Kent State University, she married and joined her husband in Washington, DC. A federal government employee for more than 39 years, she worked in the U.S. Department of Labor from 1965 until her retirement in 2002. During that time, June held positions of progressive management responsibility, culminating in her appointment to the Senior Executive Service, where she served as special assistant to the deputy secretary (Office of the Secretary) and directed various programs. A member of St. John’s since 2005, June has two sons: Arthur, III, who with his wife, Luzmila, has three sons (Reinaldo, Arthur IV and Stephen), all of whom are members of St. John’s, and Michael, who also attends services. June was elected to the St. John’s Vestry in May 2008. Her activities include Women’s Bible Study; co-organizer of the St. John’s Women’s Retreat; lay delegate to the Diocese of Maryland; Discovering Our Vocation Everyday (DOVE) mentor for a high school youth; year three of Education for Ministry (EFM); Alda’s Memorial Garden helper; usher; Eucharistic minister and scheduler; Worship Commission member and Vestry liaison; the Prayer Chain; and Church Ladies. In 2007, she served on the Rector’s Transition and Human Resources Policy Committees. June actively supports the outreach and special programs of St. John’s Church, including those related to SJPDS.
Tom Brandt, Junior Warden
Tom has been a member of St. John’s since 1957 and has actively served in all aspects of church leadership during much of his adult life. He served on the SJPDS board for six years, chaired the church finance committee in the 1980s, as well as recently, co-chaired the St. John’s Church Expanding Ministries campaign in 2001, and was actively involved in Episcopal urban ministry for west Baltimore youth, including service on the St. James (Lafayette Square) Academy Board. He also participates in St. John’s Education for Ministry. In his professional life, he has served as chief financial officer of TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSYS), an Annapolis-based wireless technology company, since 1997. He was recently elected to its board of directors. Tom has served as CFO or controller of several other corporations, and worked for 12 years with PriceWaterhouse. He serves on the boards of Antenna Research Associates, a private communications technology manufacturing company, and TechAmerica, the largest U.S. IT trade association, where he is treasurer. He is a CPA with an A.B. from Duke University and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Tom and his wife, Nancy, also a Duke graduate who runs her own business Pleasant Living Interiors, have two adult children who are SJPDS alumni.
David J. Standeven, Treasurer
Dave, along with his wife, Diane, and their three children, Matthew, Gregory and Molly, have been active members of St. John’s since relocating to Ellicott City from Philadelphia in 1993. Dave has served on the St. John’s Finance Committee since 2007. He is currently a principal of Master Security Company, a protective services firm specializing in providing security personnel and technology to both government and private-sector clients that is based in Hunt Valley. In 2007, he retired as chief financial officer of Allegis Group, a Maryland-based temporary services firm with more than $5 billion in annual revenues. Prior to relocating to Maryland, Dave spent 11 years with Deloitte & Touche, a professional accounting and services firm, in the Philadelphia practice office. Dave is a 1981 graduate of St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.
Sally Scott Marietta, Secretary
Sally is IBM Corporation’s corporate citizenship and corporate affairs manager for Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC. In support of IBM’s primary focus areas, Sally currently serves as chair of the Association of Baltimore Area Grantmaker’s (ABAG) Business Giving Roundtable and as a member of the ABAG board. She also represents IBM on the Washington Grantmaker’s Corporate Affinity Group and the Washington Grantmaker’s Public Education Working Group. She serves on various commissions, coalitions and boards, including the Technology Council of Maryland’s Governmental Relations Committee; the Maryland Business Roundtable for Education’s Steering Committee; the Business Roundtable’s Tapping America’s Potential Coalition; and the Business Coalition for Student Achievement. Prior to joining IBM, Sally was executive director of the Maryland Economic Development Commission. She was previously vice president of the Greater Washington Board of Trade. At St. John’s, Sally is the registrar of the Vestry and also serves as a lector, Welcome Center volunteer, chair of the Technology Committee. He is also a former kindergarten Sunday school teacher.
Jean Boone, Vestry Class of 2012
Jean has been a member of St. John’s for 18 years and has served in a variety of ministries including education, choir and outreach. She served on the staff of St. John’s Church as co-director of Children’s Faith Formation from 2006-2008, and she currently enjoys coordinating the Godly Play program and teaching Godly Play for kindergarteners. Her three daughters (now 17, 14 and 10) attended preschool at SJPDS, and Jean served on the SJPDS board for six years. In her professional life, Jean works as a children’s information specialist and instructor at the Howard County Library, and is an adjunct faculty member at the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies at Georgetown University.
Ron Buchman, Vestry Class of 2012
Ron has been a member of St. John’s Church since 2007. He serves as a lay Eucharistic minister, is a member of the Outreach Commission, volunteers at both the front desk in the Parish Life Center and in the parish “book store,” and serves as a St. John’s representative to both the Patapsco Valley Regional Council of the Diocese of Maryland and on the Diocesan Council. In other parishes, Ron has served as both senior and junior warden, a Vestry member, a member and/or chaplain of several search committees, a trustee of Roland View Towers (Hampden) and as a delegate to diocesan conventions. Ron is a retired senior highway design engineer for the State Highway Administration, and he has taught in the Division of Continuing Education at the Community College of Baltimore. Ron is a graduate of Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Baltimore Junior College and Johns Hopkins University.
Karen Good, Vestry Class of 2012
Karen and her family have been active members of St. John’s Church for 12 years. Karen, her husband Todd and their two children, Taylor and Nick, regularly attend the 9:00 contemporary service in All Saints Hall. Her current service to the St. John’s community centers around Parish Life, where she has served as the chairperson of the Parish Life Commission for five years and have been active in the planning and coordination of several St. John’s events including The Living Crèche, Homecoming, Progressive Dinners, Dinners for Eight, The Parish Fair and the Parish Picnic. Recently, Karen and Todd assumed responsibility for coordinating the highly popular Parish Retreat weekend to Shrine Mont. Karen enjoys cooking for the Meals Ministry, as well as serving as lector and usher on Sunday mornings. While Taylor and Nick were enrolled in SJPDS, Karen served as president of the Parents' Association and was a member of the Search Committee for SJPDS’ second head of school. In her professional life, Karen is a part-time executive recruiter for The Capital Search Group and, during the school year, a substitute teacher in the Howard County Schools. She has a bachelor’s in mathematics from Penn State University, and spent many years at Prudential Insurance Companies recruiting actuaries. After more than 16 years in human resources and staffing in both New Jersey and Maryland, and after the birth of her second child, Karen decided to focus on part-time recruiting work and her family.
Sally Kingsley Goss, Vestry Class of 2014
Sally has been involved in many aspects of the St. John’s community in her 16+ years of being a member of the church. Currently, Sally is co-chair of the Common Life Commission, a member of the Altar Guild, and a lector. Sally has also served two terms on the Day School’s Executive Board. During one of those terms, she served as secretary. Sally previously served on the Vestry from 2001-2004 and chaired the Youth Commission, taught with J2A and served on various other committees. Sally has been an elementary school teacher since 1977 and is currently a math support teacher in the Howard County Public Schools. St. John’s has meant a great deal to Sally since she first arrived in August, 1995 and thanks the church community to supporting her family through many transitions. Sally hopes for St. John’s to continue to grow as a compassionate and loving group of people and to have a seamless blending of the church community and the Parish Day School while each entity maintains its individual characteristics. As co-chair of the Common Life Commission and a Vestry member, Sally plans to work effectively to help make this happen.
William “Bill” Gould Class of 2013
Bill has been a member of St. Johns for 14+ years and is a lifelong Episcopalian. He regularly attends the 9:00 a.m. Traditional Service. Bill has served St. John’s as a J2A leader for the last four years, was a leader on both the 2008 Pilgrimage to England and the 2010 Pilgrimage to Scotland. Bill has participated in a number of youth retreats and been an overnight leader for Discovery Weekends. He has a master’s in social work and is presently a public administrator and manager for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service, working on program integrity and provider compliance issues. Bill has been a volunteer coach in the Howard County Lacrosse Program and a volunteer coach for the Mt. Hebron High School Lacrosse Program. Bill’s grandfather was an Episcopal priest in several congregations in Maryland, Virginia and Philadelphia. He was baptized by his grandfather as an infant and was an acolyte in his last parish in Philadelphia at five years old. He was the head acolyte at his home parish at St. Andrew’s Church in Bridgeton, New Jersey, where he was confirmed. Bill believes the last few years have been the most meaningful of his lifelong spiritual journey by participating in St John’s Youth Program as a J2A leader. Participating in the 2008 pilgrimage was one of the high points of his life, making an even greater connection to St John’s as a nurturing and inclusive spiritual community. Bill’s vision for our Christian community is to expand and strengthen our youth programs and, in particular, to increase the cultural and racial diversity of our parish. St. John’s is truly an extended family that is a spiritual and loving safe harbor during these turbulent and difficult times.
Blair Kennard Class of 2013
St. John’s has been Blair’s spiritual community for 10+ years. She and her husband, Ross, were married at St. John’s, their three children were baptized here and you can often find them at the 9:00 contemporary service. Because she has gotten so much from this community, she has been intentional about giving back. Blair has participated in youth ministries, including teaching Sunday School, being a J2A coordinator, chaperoning at retreats and participating in Discovery Weekend. She has taught yoga to parishioners as part of the Pastoral Care Ministry, and she has participated in ushering, the Donut Ministry and the Shrine Mont tradition. Blair has been a working mother for 15 years. Professionally, she has worked in the financial services industry for 20 years, where she has enjoyed a leadership role in developing and implementing software in the commercial banking, mortgage, and consumer debt management industries. What inspired her to be a part of the Vestry was learning that the Vestry will be focusing on creating a strategic plan. It is an exciting time and Blair has seen a strong foundation laid. She hopes to take our foundation and extend it to new and prospective members so that they can experience what all of us have come to cherish here at St. John’s.
Greg Johnson Class of 2012
Greg is the eldest of four boys born in Alaska and who attended high school in Wisconsin. He joined the Marine Corps directly out of high school and was trained as an administrative clerk and then as a counterintelligence specialist. He is combat-wounded veteran who served seven years and was honorably discharged as a staff sergeant. Since the Marine Corps, Greg has worked as an operations manager in a family import business, as a national field services manager, a business owner of a contracting company and as a salesman. Greg recently received a master’s of education in school counseling from Loyola College in Maryland and is school counselor at Woodlawn High School in Baltimore County. Greg started attending St. John’s in 1989 and married his wife, Laura, here in 1990. Together, Greg and Laura have two children, Greg Jr. and Ellen, who were baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Church and were very active in the children and youth programs. Greg has taught Sunday school, led youth programs, participated in Outreach, and has been an active member. This is the second time Greg has served on the Vestry.
Brad Lieberman Class of 2013
Brad has been a member of St. John’s for 20+ years and most often attends the 9:00 a.m. service in the Historic Church. Brad has been a member of the Youth Commission for eight years, working with the Rite 13, J2A and YAC programs. Brad also helps with various youth activities such as the Pancake Supper, is a member of the Building and Grounds Committee and has become a friendly visitor through the Pastoral Care Commission. Professionally, Brad works as an account manager of a major corporation. He is also on the board of a local swim and tennis club. Brad sees St. John’s as a welcoming spiritual community and believes it is important that we continue to reach out to people of all faiths from our community. Although Brad was raised in the Jewish faith, he started attending St. John’s with his wife shortly after they were married. As their children were baptized and their family became more involved in the life of the church, Brad made the decision to become baptized and confirmed in the Episcopal faith. Brad enjoys coming to St. John’s not only for the spiritual enrichment but for the friendships he has formed.
Anna Loomis Class of 2014
Anna has been a member of St. John’s since 2005 and is a lifelong Episcopalian, having spent her teenage years at Christ Church Alexandria and having been a part of the National Cathedral community off and on from the time she was very small until the time of her wedding there. Anna and her family regularly attend the 9:00 a.m. service in the Historic Church. Both Anna’s father and father-in-law are Episcopal priests, the former having entered into his clerical vocation as a second career. As a St. John’s parishioner, Anna has been involved as the Junior Choir Director for two years, working with Nancy Stavely to provide a welcoming introduction for children in first through eighth grades. That experience led her to assist the Sunday School Music Sunday program. Anna has also been a St. John’s Parish Day School parent and served as the Lower School vice president in the Parents’ Association (PA), acting as a leader to school families and facilitating community events to fulfill the PA’s mission of building community and collaborating between parents, the school’s Board of Trustees, and the administration.
Having been raised by two classical singers, Anna comfortably choose a career in classical singing and earned her master’s of music degree and graduate performance diploma at Peabody Conservatory, following it with a career singing in a 12-member professional choir at Christ Church Georgetown and performing in Europe and the Middle East. For the last 14 years, Anna has pursued a career in healthcare, working for major health insurance companies in a variety of management roles. Anna’s vision for St. John’s is for continued growth for both the parish and Day School communities, knitting the two together to provide opportunities for learners of all ages to thrive. That vision includes consideration for our financial well-being, the management of our campus and facilities, and the many programs we offer to develop and enhance one’s own spiritual health.
Beth Mackey Class of 2014
Beth has attended St. John’s for 17+ years and been involved with activities that include Youth, Parish Life and Stewardship. In addition to organizing a variety of receptions for parish events, Beth volunteered for 10 years with the Sunday School program and served as fundraising coordinator for the J2A pilgrimage to Iona, Scotland in 2010. Beth also serves as a Eucharistic minister at the 9:00 a.m. contemporary service and served three years as chair of the Stewardship Committee. Beth has worked for the Department of Defense for 27 years. Always happy as a student, Beth is now working on a Ph.D. in second language acquisition at the University of Maryland, College Park. Beth and her husband, Ben, have two children. In what little free time Beth has after her own school and ice hockey games, she enjoys sewing, knitting and walking the family dog, Chester. Beth is honored to serve on the Vestry at St. John’s. Working with Stewardship gave Beth not only the opportunity to meet people from across the parish, but also to develop a vision for a strong, financially secure St. John’s. Beth comments, “As I look back on our two decades here and reflect on the changes, what strikes me more is what has not changed – when I am in church on Sunday, I am surrounded by a community of caring, loving friends, and I am grateful.”
Mike Salmons Class of 2013
Mike has been a member of St. Johns since 1990 and regularly attends the 9:00 a.m. Historic Church service. Over the past 20 years, Mike served on the Vestry, chaired the Buildings and Grounds Committee, and has been active in the Men’s Club. He is a recent graduate of the Disciples of Christ in Community course taught at St. John’s. In 1992, Mike helped to establish the covenant relationship between St. John’s and St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Port Maria, Jamaica, and he has been part of several medical mission and youth trips there. In 2006, he was the recipient of the St. John’s Award, presented at the annual meeting in May. Upon retiring from the U.S. Army in 1997 as a medical service corps officer, Mike returned to the federal workforce as the director of plans, operations and security at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. In 2007, he joined the staff of the Library of Congress in Washington, and oversees disaster planning and emergency response as the director of emergency management. Mike’s vision for St. John’s is one of continued parish growth, strengthening relationships as individuals and as community, and strong leadership in challenging times. Mike’s goals are to help shape wise decision making, strengthen and promote the Parish Day School, and guide our development as good stewards of our campus, facilities, programs and resources.
Patty Wise Class of 2014
Patty grew up at St. John’s and then returned 15 years ago. Patty has lead Music Sunday for the Sunday School, and she is a lector and greeter. Patty chaired the Worship Commission for six years, co-coordinated the Parish Picnic for several years, coordinated numerous activities as leader of the Episcopal Young Families group, taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, and organized Mom’s Morning Out. Patty has also participated in Women’s Bible Study, Shrine Mont and many other St. John’s activities. When growing up at St. John’s, Patty was a member of the Junior, Youth and Adult Choirs. Currently, Patty is a stay-at-home mother of three boys and supports them in their church activities, which include Choir, being acolytes, attending Sunday School and Rite-13, and in their other activities, including Scouts and sports. Patty finished her final term as PTA president of Northfield Elementary School in 2011, where she emphasized improved communication, fiscal responsibility and environmental awareness, helping to get the school both its Maryland Green School Certification and its Healthy Howard designation. Patty also managed the PTA website. As an active master gardener, Patty participates in various environmental projects, including stream cleanups and tree plantings. Patty also worked in IT project management for 12 years at Maryland National Bank/NationsBank and at Garrison Forest School. Prior to that, she worked in theatrical costuming. Patty sees St. John’s as a jewel in our community – not only because of its physical presence, but because of our warm and involved people. Patty believes we can find more ways to use those assets to expand our presence and make us the heart of the greater community. Patty comments, “We live in a frenetic world and we can offer the church as a place of calm. I believe that if we share this, both our community and our church can benefit.”
