Bishop & Staff
The Rt. Rev. Thomas J. Brown
Tenth Bishop of Maine
Susan Sherrill Axelrod
Director of Communications
Susan leads our congregations and clergy in spreading the Good News! Contact Susan to share stories from your church, people, and ministries. Reach out to her with your press requests and questions about newsletters, social media, podcasting, our diocesan hosting plan for churches, and video.
Mike Douglass
Director of Camp Bishopswood
Contact Mike about Camp Bishopswood or to have Mike speak to your congregation about the camp.
Emily Keniston
Director of Faith Formation
Emily supports members of the diocese as they engage in their life-long faith journeys. Contact Emily for support with your church’s formation programs for children and youth, or adults. Emily is also our liaison with the Province of New England and the Global Mission Advocate for the diocese. She serves on the board Camp Bishopswood.
The Ven. Aaron Perkins
Archdeacon
Contact Aaron for matters about deacons including identifying who in your faith community might be called to be ordained to the diaconate. He is responsible for the support of and pastoral care for deacons, organizing events including the diocese-wide Deacon Sunday within congregations. You might see Aaron when he accompanies Bishop Brown on visitations. Aaron serves on our Commission on Ministry. He continues his ministry as a deacon at St. George’s in York Harbor.
Teresa Pinney
Director of Engagement
Teresa ensures that members of the church and governing bodies stay connected to the work of proclaiming the gospel and to each other. She manages the diocesan annual convention cycle, the diocesan website, and serves as the primary support for domestic poverty initiatives. You can also contact Teresa with questions about jubilee centers, our database and directories, annual congregation reports, parochial reports, diocesan grants, clergy reports, our archives, or summer chapels. Please reach out to her if you have an inquiry for the chancellor.
Sherri Quint
Accounting Manager
As Accounting Manager, Sherri is the point of contact for parish treasurers and churches and manages all bookkeeping, accounting, including assessments and payroll functions for the diocese, supervising our payroll specialist. She reconciles and prepares financial statements, supporting the audit and managing internal controls. Contact Sherri about diocesan accounts payable/receivable, payroll, insurance, and congregational assessments.
If you need assistance with loans and have inquiries regarding investments with the Trustees of the Diocesan Funds, please be in touch with Cornerstone Franciscan Ministries at [email protected].
Lauralee Raymond
Executive Assistant to the Bishop
Lauralee provides support to Bishop Brown with his calendar and correspondence and official acts. She serves as the Loring House office manager and the staff liaison to our Commission on Ministry. Contact her with questions about the chaplains to the retired clergy and the ordination process and our support network, the Parish Administrators Collaborative. Reach out to Lauralee for help getting on the bishop’s schedule, questions about visitations, permission to officiate, and requests for Letters of Good Standing.
The Rev. Suzanne Roberts
Transition and Deployment Officer
Contact Suzanne about changes in clergy leadership or to apply for a clergy position in the diocese. She is available to guide clergy and congregations through their times of transition and is your contact for supply clergy. She trains search committees, screens candidates, and creates letters of agreement.
Staff by Topic
Please don’t hesitate to be in touch with diocesan staff with any questions, concerns, or requests. If you’re not sure which staff member can help, click the button below for a list.
Assisting Staff, Consultants, and Contractors
The Rev. Cn. Michael Ambler, Consultant to the Bishop for Conflict Remediation
Bishop Brown can arrange to have the Rev. Cn. Ambler assist you or your congregation or vestry for conflict remediation. Please contact the bishop about this possibility. He also serves as the case manager for clergy disciplinary matters and is one of two intake officers. To discuss a complaint against a clergy person, please email or call him at 207.208.0434.
Cornerstone Franciscan Ministries, Bookkeepers for the Diocese of Maine
The Episcopal Diocese of Maine works with Cornerstone consultants for bookkeeping. Please direct your inquiries regarding investments, loans, and the Trustees of the Diocesan Funds to Cornerstone Franciscan Ministries by email to [email protected].
Anne Coyne, Payroll Consultant
Email Anne at [email protected] with questions related to payroll and to submit hours or call 207.772.1953 x138.
Gordon K. Gayer, Esq., Chancellor
Gordon serves as our chancellor, a legal adviser and is an officer of the diocese. Appointed by Bishop Brown, he advises the bishop on matters of secular and ecclesiastical law. Congregations who are seeking advice should convey their matter to Teresa Pinney.
The Rev. Cn. Mark Furlow, Canon for Ministry Development
As Canon for Ministry Development, the Rev. Cn. Furlow works on special projects to aid the diocese at Bishop Brown‘s discretion. For this work, he uses the email address [email protected].
John Hennessy, Public Policy Director
John helps all of us live out our baptismal vows by representing our social justice interests in the public square. Contact John about advocacy at the State House through the Maine Episcopal Public Policy Network and Maine Council of Churches. John loves to speak about faith-based advocacy and the justice work of the diocese at churches. Reach out to invite him via email or phone 207.400.6619 (mobile).
Wendy Kopera, Database Consultant
Email Wendy at [email protected] with database (Realm) or directory updates, or questions about Safe Church training access.
Loring House, the building housing the Bishop and staff offices at 143 State Street in Portland, is closed on Mondays and Fridays and holidays. Staff continues to work for you from their home offices on Mondays, but from Memorial Day through Labor Day, do not work on Fridays.
Is the email link not opening up for you? All staff members’ email addresses are the initial of their first name, full last name, @episcopalmaine.org except for Sherri. She’s “sherriq @…”!