Saint David of Wales
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Meet St. David's staff and vestry

Staff
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The Rev. Dennis j Parker
Priest-In-Charge (he/him)
The Rev. Dennis j Parker has been actively involved in the Church since he was a young boy when he would help his sainted Irish Mother (who was the sacristan) set up the vestments and altar for daily Mass at St. Lawrence the Martyr in Chester NJ.  His love affair with the liturgy and ceremony of the Church has continued into this new adventure as Priest Associate at Saint David’s.  Dennis j.+ has served in Parish ministry since his ordination in varied settings – as curate at Christ Church Lake Oswego; Interim Priest at Resurrection in Eugene and 8 years as Rector at St. Stephen’s in Portland.  Fr. Dennis is currently serving as a Hospice Chaplain for Mt. Hood Hospice in Sandy, OR.  This work is the fulfillment of his passion for the baptismal promise to strive for justice and peace among all people and to respect the dignity of every human being. Dennis can be reached at [email protected].

Tracy LeBlanc ©2017-2045
The Rev. Dcn. Tracy LeBlanc
Deacon (she/her)

Tracy has been a deacon in the diocese of Oregon since 2006 and before coming to Saint David’s served at St. Matthew’s and Sts. Peter and Paul in Portland.  By weekday she is a licensed clinical social worker/registered play therapist and spends her days delighting in the stories and journeys of children with hands covered in paint, through the voices of puppets or figures buried in sand. In the same way she delights in and feels privileged to be a witness to the stories of life and faith that are shared by those in parish community.  She loves meaning making conversations about scripture, our experiences and how we find and proclaim Jesus in the world today.  She loves exploring liturgy, symbol, music, scripture, service and all the ways we experience the Holy.  She cares deeply about social justice and finding ways to understand and give voice to those experiencing marginalization.  Her favorite playful hobbies include singing, tap dancing, strategy board games and reading mystery novels.  Tracy can be reached at [email protected].

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Brian Fairbanks
Parish Administrator (he/him/they/them)

Brian is also the Choir Director at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church here in Portland, Oregon. He directs three choirs there, from children through adult ages. Brian is also principal flutist in the Sunnyside Symphony Orchestra, a community orchestra based in southeast Portland. He is a founding member of the Cathedral Trio, based in Seattle. Formed in 2009 by members of the Cathedral Choir at St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle, they play music for flute, viola and harp. They have premiered several pieces, including works by Jiro Censhu, Dell Wade and Peter Hallock. Brian was the Associate Musician at St. Mark’s Cathedral for 14 years. Brian has also worked for several years at Kitchen Kaboodle (“Only in Portland since 1975”), and enjoys reading, walking, baking, and practicing French (by reading children’s books—he’s not very good!)
Brian can be reached at [email protected].

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Josh Hegg
Director of Music (he/him)
Joshua is a Portland-based pianist, composer, and educator with a deep appreciation for the art of music-making and the connections it forges within the church community.  He's  a sought-after pianist and music director, performing in a wide range of styles. Besides Sunday mornings where you can see him play organ and piano in church, you can catch him on stage performing with several bands, underneath stages performing in various theaters around town, and sometimes on top of a stage with a microphone fronting his original trio Crosstalk. 

In addition to music, Joshua loves movies, gardening, good coffee with conversation, and spending time with his wife, Megan, and their two dogs, Peanut Butter and Gidget. He is a proud member of the American Federation of Musicians and the Music Teacher National Association. For all things music, Josh can be reached at [email protected] .

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Lauren Krygier
Building Curator (she/her)


Lauren can be reached at [email protected] .

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Cleo Mozena
Children and Youth Ministry Coordinator (she/her)

Cleo and her family joined the Saint David’s community in December 2016.  She has always felt the most at home spiritually in the Episcopal church.  Her background is in nursing, and she received her BS in nursing from the University of Portland.  She brings her skills in coordination, organization, communication, and implementation from her nursing background to the children’s ministries at St. David’s. Cleo started in children’s ministry in 2015, and received Godly Play training in August 2016.  She fell in love with how Godly Play shows God’s love to children through its stories and story-telling methods.  She also loves the insights children have in the Bible lessons, bringing newness to the familiar stories and readings.  Cleo, her husband, daughter, and chocolate lab live in Gresham. She loves reading, playing board games, skiing, and travelling.  Reach Cleo at [email protected].

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Mel Foresman
Postulant to the Holy Orders for the Diaconate (she/her)

Mel is in training to be ordained as a deacon in the Episcopal church. Mel lives in Washougal, WA—although she raised her kids in a house on Mt. Tabor. She and her wife Gale live on a lovely forested property that feeds their souls and provides their dog, Howie, with lots of 4-legged animals that interest him very much. Mel is a retired elementary school teacher with a passion for kids and families. Her home church is St. Luke the Physician in Gresham, where she was an acolyte, an LEM, and a vestry member. Mel was also senior warden for a year and a half and, "loved every minute of it." Her current volunteer job is tutoring Ukrainian refugees to learn English. In her spare time she likes to hike, read all sorts of things, and camp with Gale.


Vestry
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Kieran Cannistra
Senior warden
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​Steve Denniston
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​Cheaquetta Johnson
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Mary Hultquist
​Junior warden
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​Brian Felder
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​Emily Maass
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Jim McConnell
​Treasurer
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Fran Gardner
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Chris Norloff
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Wendy Beth Oliver
​Clerk
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​Ned Hayes
Saint David of Wales Episcopal Church
​2800 SE Harrison St. Portland, Oregon 97214
​[email protected]
503-232-8461
Office hours: M-Thu, 10am-2pm

Clergy hors: Mondays & Wednesdays, 10am-4pm
Clergy available other days as needed
Friday is our staff sabbath
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  • Home
  • Rev. Jana Whitworth
    • Rector Search
  • Our Church
    • Who We Are >
      • History
      • Staff & Vestry
    • Sunday Service >
      • Sermons
      • Our communion bread
    • Ministry Teams >
      • About Ministry at St. David's
      • Children’s Ministries >
        • SAFE Church and Behavioral Covenant
      • Outreach
      • Pastoral Care
      • Adult Formation
    • eNotes archive
    • Vestry minutes and documents
    • St. David's Land Acknowledgement
  • Our Building
    • Book A Space
    • Calendar
    • Building Users
  • Donate
  • Contact