Episcopal Church Women

Rev. Canon Mary Crist, Ed.D

Province VIII – Diocese of Los Angeles

The Diocese of Los Angeles ECW has chosen The Rev. Canon Mary Crist, Ed.D., as their Distinguished Woman for Triennial 2022.  She qualifies for this honor in numerous ways.

Her work has enriched and benefitted people through her initiative, leadership, educational passion, selfless service, and creativity in delivering the good news of the gospel message.

Canon Mary Crist’s guiding and determined ministry at St. Michael’s Episcopal Ministry Center in Riverside has revived a closed church which now provides needed services to the underserved and homeless in the Riverside community while nurturing the message of commitment to those most vulnerable.

She accomplished the huge task of raising funds and working with the city to build low-income housing on the St. Michael’s grounds, realizing the shared goals of providing housing for the city’ s homeless population and re-purposing church land for the city’s public needs and the church’s commitment to service.

Named Indigenous Theological Coordinator at General convention in 2018 for her work assisting the development and implantation of Indigenous curricula and the Doctrine of Discovery workshops, Mary inspires us in so many ways, with her pride in her heritage and  as  an articulate voice to the ministry of the indigenous peoples..

Sandra Leialoha

Province VIII – Diocese of Hawai’i

A member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Honolulu. Very active on the parish level, diocesan level and active member of Hawai’i ECW.

Currently, she is the CPC Representative for Hawai’i. Sandy has also represented Hawaii as a delegate to ECW Triennial meetings.

Gerry Chartrand

Province VIII – Diocese of El Camino Real

Gerry grew up in the farm country of Davis, California. She has served her community as an educator, as a reading specialist, an Associate Superintendent of Educational Services and a professor in the College of Education at San Jose State University.

In her parish and greater community, she has served as Senior Warden, a member of the Order of St. Luke, is a leader of ECW and anchors the jail ministry team.  She helped launch the Hope Inside/Out ministry as the board president which serves recently released inmates.

Canon Cathy Black

Province VIII – Diocese of Arizona

Canon Cathy Black is a cradle Episcopalian and native Arizonan. She is a past president of the ECW at All Saints’ Church and Day School in Phoenix, Arizona.

Currently she is the Canon for Administration in the Bishop’s Office of the Diocese of Arizona where she was also the Bishop’s Assistant until just recently as she is preparing to retire.

She has served faithfully on the bishop’s staff since 2004. Cathy is currently a member of Christ Church of the Ascension in Paradise Valley where she is an active member of the church choir. She has been the heart, memory, and wisdom of the Diocesan Office in Arizona. 

She has been the person people call, turn to, cry with, laugh with, vent to, and ask for help. In all these ways and more, she is a very Distinguished Woman of Arizona!

Betty Morris

Province VII – Diocese of West Texas

Betty is a daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend, servant and dear sister in Christ.  Betty is ACTIVE in the community, parish and the diocese.

Betty loves Jesus, her family, her parish, her friends, her cat Morris, the deer and other animals that have sanctuary in her beautiful hill country yard. Betty regularly examines her life, seeing God’s hand in her journey.

She understands the importance of sharing her love of Christ with others.  No matter if you’ve known her for 30 minutes or 50 years, Betty graciously offers love, kindness, wisdom, truth and faithful encouragement to everyone who has the opportunity to have a relationship with her.

She is a tireless trailblazer for Christ… “reflecting His glory, being transformed into the image that she reflects in brighter and brighter glory, this is the working of the Lord…” (paraphrased from 2 Corinthians 3:18)

The Rt. Rev. Kai Ryan

Province VII – Diocese of Texas

Kathryn “Kai” McCrossen Ryan was born in Raton, New Mexico and was baptized at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.  Camping ministry, the Happening movement and parish committee work, especially resettling a refugee family, nurtured her faith and her leadership gifts.

Attending Albuquerque public schools, she pursued her fondness for athletics by competing in gymnastics, track and cross-country. She graduated from Sewanee with a BA in Philosophy in 1986. While there she met her husband, Tim. They married in 1989 and have 2 children.

She returned to Albuquerque to gain employment experience before seeking ordination. She received her Master of Divinity from the Seminary of the Southwest, served 20 years in parish ministry – 14 years as rector of Ascension Church in Dallas, learning from brothers and sisters of other cultures how to lead a multi-ethnic community.

As Canon to the Ordinary for the Diocese of Texas 2014-2018, she led the ministry staff as they sought to implement the diocesan vision. Elected Bishop Suffragan at the Diocese of Texas Diocesan Council in February 2019, she   was consecrated by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry on June 1, 2019.

Mary Gail Ruark

Province VII – Diocese of Oklahoma

Mary Gail Ruark has been the backbone of the Diocese of Oklahoma’s Women, as an ECW Diocesan Board Member, and as a member of Diocesan Committees.

Her 50+ years of service to the Diocese is remarkable. Her path began when her mother and mother-in-law volunteered her as regional ECW chair.

Mary Gail worked with talented, busy women giving of their time, talent, and money to promote education, new ideas, existing programs and support women’s inclusion in all areas of the Church, while providing for spiritual enrichment.

Nurtured by new friends who taught her the oral history of the Diocese and ECW, Mary Gail is ever grateful to them for their support. She has served ECW as Regional Chair, Christian Ed Chair, VP for Regional Meetings, Diocesan President, has been a Provincial delegate and officer, was Province 7 Representative on the National Board and member-at-large; involved in her diocese on many levels, she received the Bishop’s award.

Mary Gail deserves this award especially for starting the endowment for the Oklahoma ECW, which today has over $250,000 to award women grants and scholarships!

The Rev. Helen Hoch

Province VII – Diocese of Kansas

Active with our ECW Board for approximately 20 years, Helen Hoch has served multiple terms in multiple positions throughout her ministry.

Though currently serving as Treasurer, Helen has also served on the Diocesan ECW Endowment Fund, on the planning committee and as co-chair for our Diocesan Women’s Summit Events.

In addition, she has worked  on by-law revision, attended numerous National ECW Triennials and mentored many on this board and throughout the diocese.

Helen considers her years of ministry with ECW as an influential part of her spiritual journey. Ordained to the priesthood in 2001 Helen spent about five years as a member of the former five-parish Holy Trinity Regional Ministry team in the Southeast region of Kansas.

Currently the 21-year Vicar at Calvary Episcopal Church in Yates Center, Helen presently is  Chair of the Woodson County Ministerial Alliance, participates with  the Love-Emitting Disciples within the Diocese of Kansas, is on the Board  for the Bishop Kemper School for Ministry  and belongs to  Daughters of the King.

The  mother of three grown children she  is retired from the field of education, grateful to be able to spend time with her family and friends.

The Rev. Joanna Seibert

Province VII – Diocese of Arkansas

The Rev. Dr. Joanna Seibert, a healer of body and soul is the Diocese of Arkansas Distinguished Woman. As a physician, in 1976 she developed the department of pediatric radiology at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

Ordained deacon in the Episcopal Church in 2001, she served four congregations – St. Margarets, Trinity Cathedral, St. Luke’s North Little Rock and presently is at St. Marks Little Rock.

Joanna forms  health ministries, grief recovery groups across the state, teaches lay people to become visitors to the sick, is a facilitator at Community of Hope assisting people in recovery, preaches and develops adult education for parishes.

She leads retreats  nationwide both for women seeking a deeper spiritual life in a busy world and men and women in recovery from addiction. Joanna has written for Forward Day by Day, The Living Church and the Anglican Digest, has served in the board of Episcopal National Recovery Ministries, produces a blog called Daily Something and has authored nine books. She and her husband Robert Seibert have three children and six grandchildren.

Valorie Rondell Augustson

Province VI – Diocese of South Dakota

Valorie Rondell Augustson serves as a Senior Catechist at St. James’ Episcopal Church (Sisseton Mission) in Enemy Swim, SD.

Indispensable as a leader of worship and fellowship in her congregation, she provides much of the pastoral care for the people of the area.

Looked up to as an elder, she was instrumental in bringing the Native and white women together in the Diocesan ECW.  Besides holding various offices at St. James’ over the years, Val has also served as President of the Missions Council, as an officer of the local Elderly Board, and is the main outreach person between the mission and the community.

Val is especially appreciated for her work preparing the next generations for lives of service and devotion to God.  Val can be counted on to fulfill any task entrusted to her. Many times, she is the one called to minister at wakes and funerals, which involves a commitment of several days or more.

She is known for her graciousness, compassion, and humility. For her many years of devoted service to all of us, we selected Valorie as the South Dakota ECW Honored Woman and recognized her contributions publicly at our 137th Convention in September, 2021.