Nominations

The following positions will be open for nominations beginning November 12, 2025. These positions will be elected at the business meeting of the 42nd Diocesan Convention. Please read through the following positions and, should you feel led, submit your nominations using the button at the bottom of each section beginning November 12, 2025.

Nominations may be made only by the Bishop, Clerical and Lay Delegates, Vestries, and any other person authorized by Canon. See Rule 8.01. Nominations are due by Friday, January 9, 2026. All nominees are invited to submit a photo, detailed biography, and reasons for seeking the position to the respective diocesan office (no word limit). This information will be posted on the website. Nominees are also invited to submit an abbreviated 100-word informational profile to be included in convention materials. Additionally, all nominees will be invited to participate in a breakout session during convention to meet and answer any questions from delegates and interested parties.  For further assistance with nominations after this date, please email the Secretary of Convention at elizabethfarr@stpaulschatt.org.

 The Bishop and Council (B&C) comprises the Bishop, the Dean of the Cathedral (or their appointed representative clergyperson), plus ten lay and clerical members who represent each of the three geographical areas of the diocese – two of each from the populous South East and Middle East areas and one of each from the Upper East Area. 

B&C carries out the work of the Diocesan Convention between its annual meetings and oversees the program of the diocese. 

Among its responsibilities, B&C prepares the diocesan budget to be approved by Diocesan Convention and approves grants and loans recommended by the Opportunity Fund Committee. Members may serve on the Opportunity Fund and other council committees: Budget and Finance, Health Insurance, Stewardship, the Diocesan Youth Council, or Diocesan Convention. Each term is three years. Clergy and lay members may not be from the same parish, and members must be 18 years old or more. Bishop and Council members may not serve simultaneously on the Standing Committee. Members gather approximately four to six times a year for meetings at the Diocesan House in Knoxville. As valued leaders in the Diocese, members of Bishop and Council are also asked to attend an annual overnight Leadership Summit.  

Please see Rule 8.03 of the Diocese of East Tennessee Annual Convention Rules of Order for specific provisions governing the election of members of Bishop and Council. 

Bishop and Council Nominees

Middle East Clergy Nominee – Vote for ONE

The Rev. D Brian Austin, PhD

Church of the Annunciation, Newport
Nominated by the Rev. John Mark Wiggers, St. James, Knoxville

Rev. Dr. Brian Austin was ordained to the Episcopal Clergy in 2024, but has worked in Christian ministry for more than 40 years in Baptist, Methodist, and Episcopal churches. He has recently retired from a career as Professor of Philosophy at Carson-Newman University and has served at Annunciation church in Newport since April of 2024. He and his wife, Sandra were confirmed into the Episcopal Church in 2012. His areas of studies are Religion/Science dialogue and Christian Ethics. He has been active in justice ministries and contemplative Christianity conversations.

Lay Upper East Nominee – Vote for ONE

Susan Stevenson

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Kingsport
Nominated by the Rev. Johnny Tuttle, St. Paul’s, Kingsport

Susan Stevenson is a faculty member at Northeast State in the Honors College & Lifelong Learning programs. She is a faithful member of St. Paul’s in Kingsport, where she has served in a variety of capacities, including Sr. Warden, Altar Guild, and Daughters of the King.

Lay South East Area Nominee – Vote for ONE

Tammy Randolph

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Cleveland
Nominated by the Rev. Joel Huffstetler, St. Luke’s, Cleveland

Tammy has been an active member of St. Luke’s, Cleveland, since 2006. She has served widely in parish life, including EFM Mentor, Senior Warden, EYC parent, and founder of the parish feeding ministry, Loaves & Fishes to Go. She served on the 2017 Bishop Search Committee, as a convention delegate, and staffed Happening and Cursillo. She works at the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce as Administrator for the Industrial Development Board and Director of Investor Development. Tammy seeks to serve on Bishop and Council, offering faithful, collaborative leadership rooted in parish life and service.

The Standing Committee serves as a council of advice to the bishop. Among its responsibilities, it gives consent for all bishops elected in the Episcopal Church, recommends individuals for ordination, and advises on the purchase, sale or encumbrance of any diocesan property or property held by a congregation or ministry of the diocese. In the event the diocese is without a bishop, the Standing Committee serves as the ecclesiastical authority until the diocese elects a new bishop.  

The Standing Committee schedules monthly meetings, but sometimes it conducts business via e-mail or conference call. As valued leaders in the Diocese, members of the Standing Committee are also asked to attend an annual overnight Leadership Summit.  

The Standing Committee has six members, three clergy and three lay. One clergy and one lay member rotate off each year. Each member’s term is three years, and they may be re-elected for one successive term. Members of the Standing Committee may not serve simultaneously on the Bishop and Council, Commission on Ministry, or Disciplinary Board. 

Standing Committee Nominees

Lay Nominees – Vote for ONE

Susan Hirche

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Maryville
Nominated by the Rev. Sean McEwen, St. Andrew’s, Maryville

Susan Hirche has been a member of St. Andrew’s Maryville since 2017. In the past 8 years, Susan has completed Education for Ministry (EfM) and served a term on the Vestry as both Junior and Senior Warden, implementing the remodel of our former choir room to a much more accessible nursery space for our growing community of young families. Currently Susan serves as usher, altar guild member, coordinator of the “Playground”, and caretaker of Amy’s Wildflower Garden. Susan says, “It is such a joy and challenge to be an Episcopalian and an honor to be considered for the Standing Committee.” She is a retired Registered Nurse who has been married to Bob for 44 years with whom she has 2 sons and one granddaughter who live in Knoxville.

Christina Sjoberg

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Athens
Nominated by the Rev. Claire Brown, St. Paul’s, Athens

Christina Sjoberg is a long-time member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, where she serves on altar guild, the budget and finance committee, is a licensed lay preacher, and helped start Love, Period. She has served on Standing Committee and was a deputy to General Convention in 2024. Christina works as the Director of Student Involvement at Tennessee Wesleyan University. She is married to Dr. Trey Ivins.

Clergy Nominees – Vote for ONE

The Rev. Kelly Coffelt

St. Peter’s Eppiscopal Church, Chattanooga
Nominated by the Rev. April Berends, Grace Episcopal Church, Chattanooga

Deacon Kelly Coffelt was ordained March 2025 and is joyously serving at St. Peter’s, Chattanooga. Prior to answering the call to the diaconate, she lived out her ministry as an educator in the public schools, 20 years in administration. She was a member of St. Paul’s, Chattanooga, for over 40 years and is a devoted member of the diocese. She hopes to apply her administrative experience, as her call to ministry, to the diocese as a member of the Standing Committee.

The Rev. Bailey Norman

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Oak Ridge
Nominted by the Rev. Zac Settle, PhD, Grace Episcopal Church, Chattanooga

After attending seminary at Virginia, I was assigned as the Curate at St. Stephen’s, Oak Ridge. Clearly they made a mark on me as I was willing to come back when I received their call as Priest-in-Charge in 2020! In between, I served as Rector of Calvary, Cleveland, MS from 2009-2012 and as Rector of Trinity, Mobile, AL from 2012-2020. At Trinity, on our first Christmas there (Christmas Day, no less), a massive tornado ripped through Mobile and, among its swath of destruction, caused millions of dollars of damage to our facilities. One of the great blessings of that terrible experience was the support of our Bishop and Standing Committee in guiding our work navigating the logistics of Church Insurance, Episcopal Relief and Development, and all the various and sundry real property issues that came up through the rebuild. I was elected in 2018 to serve on the Standing Committee of the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast, which provided me an opportunity to be on the other end of helping parishes and ministries find needed support from their Diocese in their vision and ministries.

2026 marks my 20th year in ordained ministry, and I would love the same opportunity here to offer what I’ve learned through the many blessings and occasional challenges of my ministry experience to Bishop Cole and the people of the Diocese of East Tennessee.

The Disciplinary Board is unique among our elected leadership bodies in that it does not convene for meetings on a regular schedule. The disciplinary board meets once  annually for an orientation and then serves through the remainder of the year as a pool of members from which panels may be drafted as needed.  The ideal qualities of a good disciplinary board member include sound judgment and the ability to listen carefully.  This board is composed of seven persons, four members of the clergy and three lay. Clergy members must be canonically and geographically resident within the diocese, and lay members must be adult communicants in good standing who are geographically resident in the diocese. Members of the Standing Committee may not also be members of the Disciplinary Board. Functions of the Disciplinary Board are listed in the Canons of The Episcopal Church, Title IV. 

Disciplinary Board Nominees

Lay Nominee – Term Ending 2028 – Vote for ONE

No One Nominated

St. Dolly’s in the Mountains, Townsend
Nominated by the Holy Spirit

One vacancy and no nominations were received by the publication deadline. Per Convention Rule 8.01, “Nominations from the floor” are accepted until noon Friday, Februrary 20. After that, vacancies are filled in accords with procedures outlined by the Canons.

Lay Nominee – Term Ending 2029 – Vote for ONE

Dianne Britton

St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church, Farragut
Nominated by the Rev. Brett Backus, St. Elizabeth’s, Farragut

Dianne Britton has been a parishioner at St. Elizabeth’s since its early years. During that time, she has held multiple roles at the church, diocesan, and provincial levels. Most recently, she is active at St. Elizabeth’s as a Eucharistic Minister and Server, a member of the Pastoral Care Council, an Endowment Board member, and a member of the Daughters of the King. She is currently serving on the Disciplinary Board and would like to serve again. She is a retired Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specialized in treating trauma in her private practice, and as a consultant, prepared for and responded locally, nationally, and internationally to mass casualties.

Clergy Nominee – Term Ending 2029 – Vote for ONE

The Rev. Mandy Lippe

St. Francis Episcopal Church, Norris
Nominated by Jon Humber, Registrar of Convention

Amanda “Mandy” Lippe was ordained in the Diocese of Southeast Florida and moved to Tennessee in January of 2017. She will be starting her ninth year at St. Francis, Norris. She has previously served on Bishop and Council by completing a term in 2018 and then a full term from 2019-2021. She was on the Diocesan website redesign team and on the Clergy Continuing Formation Committee. She is currently co-chair of the Middle East Clergy Clericus and President of the Disciplinary Board. Mandy is blessed to be married to Jason, and mother to Mason.

Two lay people and one member of the clergy serve on the Board of Trustees of the University of the South. The term of office is three years, and trustees can be re-elected for one successive term. One trustee rotates off each year.  

Trustees are expected to attend the annual board meeting each May and any special meetings that may occur throughout the year. Trustees should be personally committed to the basic aims of the university. They are responsible for informing their dioceses about the university and should be willing to contribute to its financial well-being. 

Trustee Nominees

Clergy Nominees – Vote for ONE

The Rev. Claire Brown

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Athens
Nominated by Christina Sjoberg, St. Paul’s, Athens

The Rev Claire Brown has served as the rector of St. Paul’s Athens since 2021, and previously served as associate rector at St. Paul’s Chattanooga. She studied at Vanderbilt Divinity School, the University of the South School of Theology, and has done further study in mental health, spiritual direction, facilitation, and pedagogy, especially children’s spirituality through Auburn Seminary and the Godly Play Foundation. Claire serves on the Commission on Ministry and has been a previous deputy to General Convention 2024. In Athens she serves on the board of the Grace House (a men’s addiction recovery community founded by the parish) and is an active supporter of the Area Arts Center. As part of her ministry to the Diocese of East Tennessee, Claire has led the development and facilitation of anti-bias curriculum for various groups and committees in the church. She is passionate about clergy and lay ministry development, most recently co-creating the Rooted and Ready workshop with Cn. Emily Bruner Doane. She is an enthusiastic supporter of formation for all ages, mentoring new clergy, and supervising seminarians.Claire is also a writer and has co-authored three books: Keep Watch with Me: An Advent Reader for Peacemakers, New Directions for Holy Questions: Progressive Christian Theology for Families, and the forthcoming The Athlete Devotional. Claire is married to Austin Sauerbrei, who is a sequential artist and the Executive Director of Statewide Organizing for Community Empowerment (SOCM), based in Knoxville. They have three young children, a dog, and too many crafty hobbies that keep them busy.

The Rev. Casey Perkins

Christ Church, Chattanooga
Nominated by the Rev. Zac Settle, PhD, Grace, Chattanooga

The Reverend Casey Perkins was assigned as deacon at Christ Church in Advent 2025. He is a graduate of the School of Theology—Sewanee with a Master of Arts in Theology. During the week Deacon Casey serves as Parish Administrator at Grace Episcopal Church. He previously served as the Director of Alumni, Annual Giving, and Church Relations for the School of Theology. He is a spiritual director, and retreat leader—specializing in spiritual practices including labyrinths and Centering Prayer. He is in formation to become a Benedictine Oblate of the Community of St. Mary, Sewanee.

Four clergy and four lay people are elected in the year prior to that of a General Convention. The scale of votes determines each deputy’s seat and order of alternates in accords with Convention Rule 8.03. Deputies service for three years – until the next group is elected – and they may be elected to successive terms. Indeed, in some respects, the stability of a deputation relies on a healthy mix of new and experienced deputies.  

Deputies sit in the House of Deputies of the General Convention, which is the legislative body of the Episcopal Church. The House of Bishops is the other unit in the bicameral body. Deputies are not delegates; they are deputized to act on their own and to vote their own consciences. Experienced deputies may represent the Diocese of East Tennessee on national committees.  

In the Diocese of East Tennessee, deputies will complete all required training and attend an orientation and spring gathering in 2026. They also attend additional deputation meetings, Province IV Synod meetings, and then the 82nd General Convention (July 3-8, 2027 in Phoenix, Arizona). 

At the General Convention, they consider resolutions, elect officials, establish a budget, pray, and worship. The schedule is full and they opportunities to connect with other leaders in our denomination are vast. When they return, they are asked to interpret for East Tennessee Episcopalians, along with the Bishop, the actions and decisions of the convention.  

General Convention Deputy Nominees

Lay Deputy Nominees – Vote for FOUR

Cynthia Coe

St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church, Farragut
Nominated by the Rev. Brett Backus, St. Elizabeth’s, Farragut

Cindy has attended General Convention several times and has seen the energy and inspiration created when large groups of Episcopalians come together in common purpose. As a curriculum developer for Episcopal Relief & Development, Cindy was a Guest Teacher in the General Convention Children’s Program and worked the Episcopal Relief & Development booth. She also attended General Convention as a Justice & Advocacy Fellow of The Episcopal Church and enjoyed meeting Episcopalians from all over the world as she discussed her work supporting creation care. This past Convention, she enjoyed working as a check-in clerk, meeting deputies and bishops as they arrived at Convention.

In her younger years, Cindy earned a law degree from The University of Tennessee College of Law and worked as a trial lawyer. She found that her advocacy skills came in very handy while working for the church, as she recruited volunteers to teach Sunday School every Sunday at 9:00 a.m. She later used these skills as she urged Christian educators to teach young people about the work of Episcopal Relief & Development and about care of God’s creation. She hopes to use her skills as an advocate and her training as a lawyer for good if elected Deputy to General Convention.

In her personal life, Cindy is a mother to three young adult children, a dog, and two cats. She lives in a suburban neighborhood made up of young families and hopes to bring her familiarity of the needs, challenges, and hopes of families to General Convention. She spends her time writing novels focused on faith, including The Prayer Shawl Chronicles.

Ellie Graham

Church of the Good Samaritan, Knoxville
Nominated by the Rev. Leigh Preston, All Saints Chapel, Sewanee

Ellie Graham is a current junior at Sewanee, majoring in English and American Studies. They are a sacristan and active participant at All Saints’ Chapel, and they research Sewanee’s relationship with religion and racism. Ellie has held many leadership roles at a parish and diocesan level. They served as a deputy to General Convention in 2024, and would be honored to represent all East Tennessee Episcopalians at General Convention in 2027.

Jon Humber

St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral, Knoxville
Nominated by the Very Rev. Chris Hackett, St. John’s Cathedral, Knoxville

Of the work of General Convention Deputy, he shares the following for your consideration: “I appreciate Dean Hackett’s nomination, and I am running because it will not only be an honor to represent the people of East Tennessee, but a challenge that I look forward to taking on. My formative years were bracketed by Episcopal experience, from my young childhood at baptism at Grace to my college years and continuing participation in the St. John’s Cathedral choir. Music is my contribution to the parish, and my work as the Diocesan Episcopal Engagement Specialist is my offering to all of you; I hope to realize a contribution to the wider Church through this work.”

Sonya Marsh

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Maryville
Nominated by the Rev. RJ Powell, St. Andrew’s, Maryville

Hello! I’m Sonya Marsh from Maryville, Tennessee. My ministry is shaped by deep roots in community and faithful service. I have recently completed a term on vestry, where I served for two years as Senior Warden at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. I feel that I provided steady leadership, clear communication, and pastoral support during a significant season of transition in the life of the parish. I strongly believe in a collaborative approach, commitment to congregational health, and dedication to shared leadership. I also value attentive listening, spiritual discernment, and creating inclusive, welcoming communities where all people are encouraged to grow in faith and service.

Christina Sjoberg

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Athens
Nominated by the Rev. Claire Brown, St. Paul’s, Athens

Christina Sjoberg is a long-time member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, where she serves on altar guild, the budget and finance committee, is a licensed lay preacher, and helped start Love, Period. She has served on Standing Committee and was a deputy to General Convention in 2024. Christina works as the Director of Student Involvement at Tennessee Wesleyan University. She is married to Dr. Trey Ivins.

Clergy Deputy Nominees – Vote for FOUR

The Rev. April Berends

Grace Episcopal Church, Chattanooga
Nominated by the Rev. RJ Powell, St. Andrew’s, Maryville

Prior to my ordination, I worked for several years in nonprofit management at a large HIV/AIDS services organization in Miami where my responsibilities included strategic planning, diversifying revenue sources, grant writing and management, and program development support.

In the Diocese of East Tennessee, I recently completed two 3-year terms on the Standing Committee, including two years as Standing Committee president. Last year, I served as a member of the diocesan strategic visioning team. I also co-chair the diocesan liturgy and music commission. I served on both the Commission on Ministry and the Standing Committee in the Diocese of Milwaukee, and as a member of the Young Adult Ministry Network in the Diocese of Washington. I have twice served as a deputy to General Convention (2022 and 2024), and was a member of the most recent iteration of the Episcopal Church’s Task Force for Creation Care and Environmental Racism. I love fostering relationships across the church, taking part in big-picture conversations, and working to carry out our shared mission on a denominational level. Serving in this way has been a deep blessing to my ministry, and I consider it a gift and a sacred trust to represent our diocese at General Convention.

I am a graduate of Yale Divinity School/Berkeley Divinity School. Not only did I leave that place with an M.Div. and a diploma in Anglican studies, I also met my love, the Reverend Drew Bunting (St. Peter’s, Chattanooga), on the very first day of class. We have been married for 23 years, and we are the proud (and frequently humbled) parents of two interesting, inquisitive children, ages 12 and 14. When I am not keeping up with the people of Grace (and they are always up to something!), I enjoy spending time in God’s creation, hiking, gardening, cooking, making art, reading good books and taking walks with my extremely friendly dog.

The Rev. Claire Brown

St. Paul’s Epsicopal Church, Athens
Nominated by the Rev. Johnny Tuttle, Kingsport

The Rev Claire Brown has served as the rector of St. Paul’s Athens since 2021, and previously served as associate rector at St. Paul’s Chattanooga. She studied at Vanderbilt Divinity School, the University of the South School of Theology, and has done further study in mental health, spiritual direction, facilitation, and pedagogy, especially children’s spirituality through Auburn Seminary and the Godly Play Foundation. Claire serves on the Commission on Ministry and has been a previous deputy to General Convention 2024. In Athens she serves on the board of the Grace House (a men’s addiction recovery community founded by the parish) and is an active supporter of the Area Arts Center. As part of her ministry to the Diocese of East Tennessee, Claire has led the development and facilitation of anti-bias curriculum for various groups and committees in the church. She is passionate about clergy and lay ministry development, most recently co-creating the Rooted and Ready workshop with Cn. Emily Bruner Doane. She is an enthusiastic supporter of formation for all ages, mentoring new clergy, and supervising seminarians.Claire is also a writer and has co-authored three books: Keep Watch with Me: An Advent Reader for Peacemakers, New Directions for Holy Questions: Progressive Christian Theology for Families, and the forthcoming The Athlete Devotional. Claire is married to Austin Sauerbrei, who is a sequential artist and the Executive Director of Statewide Organizing for Community Empowerment (SOCM), based in Knoxville. They have three young children, a dog, and too many crafty hobbies that keep them busy.

The Rev. RJ Powell

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Maryville
Nominated by the Rev. April Berends, Grace, Chattanooga

Fr. RJ has been a three-time Deputy to the General Convention, and is currently serving as the Vice-Chare of the Task Force for LGBTQ+ Inclusion and member of the Methodist-Episcopal Dialogue Committee. Additionally, he is one of the founding members and subsequent Chair of the LGBTQ+ Caucus of the House of Deputies.

Before coming to St. Andrew’s this past January, Fr. RJ was the Chaplain at Tyson House, the Episcopal-Lutheran Campus Ministry at UT Knoxville, and the Priest Associate at St. James Church in Knoxville

Fr. RJ believes that, as disciples of Jesus Christ, we must devote ourselves to what theologian Miroslav Volf calls “a compelling vision of a way of life worth living;” passionate in doing justice and loving mercy for our neighbors and by walking humbly with our God as a community of siblings in Christ. RJ and his husband Michaelangelo have been married for ten years, and are proud dog-cat-&-bee dads.

The Rev. Leigh Preston

All Saints Chapel, Sewanee
Nominated by the Rev. Claire Brown, St. Paul’s, Athens

The Rev. Leigh Preston serves as interim associate university chaplain at All Saints’ Chapel, and also teaches courses in Latino ministry at the School of Theology. She has served parishes in East Tennessee, Virginia, Connecticut, and El Salvador. On the diocesan level, she chaired the Commission on Ministry and was elected as deputy to General Convention in 2018, 2022, and 2024. She has served on various churchwide committees, including the State of the Church Committee and the Council of Advice for Latino/Hispanic Ministries, and she was recently appointed as the Presiding Bishop’s representative to the Standing Commission on World Mission.

The Rev. William Simerly

St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church, Farragut
Nominated by the Rev. Brett Backus, St. Elizabeth’s, Farragut

The Rev. Johnny Tuttle

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Kingsport
Nominated by the Rev. Claire Brown, St. Paul’s, Athens

The Rev Johnny Tuttle of St. Paul’s Kingsport since 2018. Before that he was the rector of St. John and St. Mark in Albany, GA. He is an avid reader and pickle ball enthusiast. Johnny is married to Nicki and they have two young children.

The Rev. Canon Joseph R. Woodfin

Diocese of East Tennessee
Nominated by the Ven. Dr. Jerry Askew, St. John’s Cathedral, Knoxville

Joe was ordained in 2015, and served parishes in Middle Tennessee, East Tennessee, and Florida before becoming Canon to the Ordinary. Prior to ordination, Joe attended the School of Theology of the University of the South (Yea, Sewanee’s Right!), where he served as president of the student body. Before seminary, Joe was a partner in his family’s small printing business, which is why he loves paper and ink so much.

No stranger to diocesan service, Joe served as President of the Standing Committee of East Tennessee, and Chair of the Board of Examining Chaplains, while he was Associate Rector at St. Paul’s, Chattanooga. He has also been honored to serve on the boards of several community and social service nonprofits in the last decade.

In his spare time, Joe enjoys spending time with family and friends. He also loves to lift weights, play pickleball, read, recite poetry, cook in cast iron (see above), and dabble in other hobbies.