Distinguished Women

Paula Beltrana Velasquez de Orocopey

Province IX – Diocese of Venezuela

Paula Beltrana Velasquez de Orocopey grew up living with her father and six siblings in the State of Sucre until age 15 when she moved to Puerto la Cruz for work, eventually marrying and raising seven children. As a young girl she became involved in social, community and religious activities, working for many improvements in community public services, including the construction of houses in her town of Puerto La Cruz.

When the Anglican Church began a mission called San Migue Arangel in the the Las Charas sector, Paula became a committed and enthusiastic member; she worked to acquire space in the Reading Room of the sector so the church could carry on its activities, religious and social. When the space was lost due to remodeling, Paula graciously offered use of her home so the mission could continue to function; she has served as treasurer, coordinator of Women in Mission, member of the prayer group, stewardship committee and as a minor guardian, in addition to organizing many fund raising events for Mission San Miguel Arcangel.

Haydee Alicea Ruiz

Province IX – Diocese of Puerto Rico

Doña Haydee as we affectionately call her, is a committed and creative leader for Evangelism and social works, in her parish of San Pablo. Her achievements are many: she assists the Vicar in various activities of visiting the sick or identifying needs in different communities.

Led by Dona Haydee, our Church created   Ministry of Social Action, inspired by the needs identified in the towns of Arecibo and Hatillo, where she resides, and meeting those needs in collaboration with other near-by financial and material resources.

Perhaps her greatest joy is this: Every year Dona Haydee prepares an event celebrating the 15^th birthdays of several young women chosen from different communities – a dream come true for young girls who might not have imagined living that long.

This event reveals the spirit, leadership, commitment, and achievement of this masterful planner, including building community and brotherly love with each other and in collaboration with other local charitable organizations.

With Doña Haydee’s efforts, this event confirms God’s abiding presence to families with an unimagined opportunity to praise their daughters. The Episcopal Church Women Diocese of Puerto Rico proudly nominate Mrs. Haydee Alicea Ruiz as the Distinguished Woman of the Diocese of Puerto Rico for the Triennial 2022.

Sandra Ann Bedard

Province VIII – Diocese of San Diego

Sandra Bedard was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts in 1940. She was raised Episcopalian from age six, First Communion/Confirmation age 12.

Member, St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Diocese of El Camino Real – 35 years. Member, ECW at St Andrews: Guild Meetings, Thrift Store volunteer. Other volunteering: Sunday School Teacher, Room Mother, PTA, Little League Team Mother, Brownie/Girl Scout Leader.

From 2000 on in Ramona, CA, attended St. Mary’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church: ECW WOSM President 9 times, Chair: international prayer quilt group – Prayers & Squares, Choir, Altar & Flower Guilds, Chalice Bearer, Children’s Theater, Bible Studies, Annual Bazaar, Silent Auction, Chili Cook-Off, Pancake Breakfast, Quiche making, Youth Ministry, ECW Convention Delegate several times, Triennial Delegate twice. Received two grants for church irrigation and plants.

Sandra is called by God to serve. Sandra always has a smile and kind word for everyone. Anytime volunteers are requested, she steps up. Sandra is a wonderful friend, extremely hardworking, and is well deserving of the title: Episcopal Church Women Distinguished Woman.

Jo Elaine Martin

Province VIII – Diocese of Oregon

Jo Elaine Martin shares her faith foundation received as a 10-year-old: “Lay people from a Mennonite local church gathered after their service to all who wished to hear about our Lord and Savior. My God is a kind and wonderful person who will love me until we meet one day.

“I am blessed that those lessons of so many years ago are my foundation still and forever.”

Born on Easter Day, and baptized in the Episcopal Church as a teenager, she was a 40-year member of St. Thomas Church, Dallas, Oregon, faithfully serving her parish as President of the Altar Guild, Senior Warden, Lay Reader and Licensed Eucharistic Minister.

Jo eventually accepted the call to the Diocesan ECW Board as a member-at-large, particularly sharing her ministry with Rahab’s sisters located in Portland Oregon—a community-creating radical hospitality ministry with those marginalized in poverty. Elected President of the Diocese of Oregon ECW Board in 2016 she remains in that position.

Presently living in the seaside village of if Waldport, Jo is a member of St. Luke’s by the Sea and still very involved in her church and community.

Rose Mary Kinale

Province VIII – Diocese of Nevada

Rose Mary Kinale is a priest in the Diocese of Nevada.  She is a native Paiute woman. Rose Mary is very involved in the Diocese and the national church.
She is a member of the Standing Committee; serves on the Galilee Camp and Conference Board; member of the Episcopal History Project Board; Acting Director of Mountain and Deserts Native Churches; Path’s Crossing; Province 8 Convener for Indigenous Ministry; Wintertalk.
Rose Mary states: “As an Indigenous Native American woman, a mother, and a grandmother, it is women who carry a major responsibility in the individual lives of their families and church. We maintain a healthy home lifestyle especially with church participation. As a Priest, it is my duty to be involved and spread God’s message to all I encounter and not be judgmental or prejudiced as well as to serve with love to all.” Rose Mary is incredibly involved with her church and the Diocese of Nevada and serves to the best of her ability.
Rose Mary also believes in and practices the 5 Marks of Mission and feels a strong bond to the efforts of the Diocese of Nevada.
Diocese of Nevada

Rose Mary Kinale is a priest in the Diocese of Nevada.  She is a native Paiute woman. Rose Mary is very involved in the Diocese and the national church.

She is a member of the Standing Committee; serves on the Galilee Camp and Conference Board; member of the Episcopal History Project Board; Acting Director of Mountain and Deserts Native Churches; Path’s Crossing; Province 8 Convener for Indigenous Ministry; Wintertalk.

Rose Mary states: “As an Indigenous Native American woman, a mother, and a grandmother, it is women who carry a major responsibility in the individual lives of their families and church. We maintain a healthy home lifestyle especially with church participation. As a Priest, it is my duty to be involved and spread God’s message to all I encounter and not be judgmental or prejudiced as well as to serve with love to all.” Rose Mary is incredibly involved with her church and the Diocese of Nevada and serves to the best of her ability.

Rose Mary also believes in and practices the 5 Marks of Mission and feels a strong bond to the efforts of the Diocese of Nevada.

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.