Social Justice Archives - Grace Cathedral

About Lenny López

I have been an active member of Grace Cathedral since 2016 when I arrived in San Francisco from Boston. Immediately, Grace Cathedral felt like my first real church home in many years, and I have been nourished spiritually through the fellowship of so many wonderful brothers and sisters at Grace.

My spiritual journey began as a Roman Catholic and then was deepened through a Master of Divinity degree at Harvard Divinity School. I joined my deep commitment to social justice by earning a Doctorate of Medicine from the University of Pennsylvania.

I currently serve as a physician-researcher and professor of medicine at the University of California San Francisco and the San Francisco VA Medical Center. My research is focused on eliminating health and healthcare disparities in cardiovascular care for all patients with limited resources.

I believe Grace Cathedral has a proven and impressive social justice mission. I currently serve on the stewardship committee. If elected, it would be my honor to strengthen and nurture Grace Cathedral’s mission as a home for all people.

About Alexandra Morgan

A native San Franciscan and Greek Orthodox by birth, I came to Grace Cathedral in 1996 looking for a spiritual community that welcomed everyone. The first time I heard Alan Jones say, ‘We’re very glad you’re here,’ I knew I was in the right place.

Since 2001, I have been the CEO of Family House, a San Francisco nonprofit that provides free housing, meals, transportation and other essentials for low-income families whose children are being treated at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital. I attended the University of San Francisco both as an undergraduate and for graduate school, where I earned a master’s in nonprofit administration.

I am a board member of the Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good, and a past board member of the American Himalayan Foundation, the San Francisco Maritime Museum, as well as several arts organizations.

In addition to the deepening of my faith experience, I love coming to Grace Cathedral to see friends, to participate in outreach and to enjoy an intellectually enriching program.

I am delighted to rejoin the Grace Cathedral Board of Trustees because Grace is a place of reflection and rejuvenation, and it is where I feel most at home practicing my faith. Under Malcolm’s leadership there are many exciting plans in the making to ensure that Grace continues to be a place where all are welcome, and where faith is alive.

About Anna Rossi

The Rev. Anna Rossi serves at Grace Cathedral as Succentor.

About Barbra Ruffin-Boston

I have been an active member of Grace Cathedral since 1983. Over the years I have described Grace as my rock, the anchor in my life, and I’ve experienced Grace as a beacon in San Francisco and the greater Bay Area. Certainly, during the pandemic, our reach expanded, and we are known throughout the world for what we offer and what we do: our programs, the care and compassion of our clergy and staff, the services we provide, being a house of prayer to all, and the list goes on. I have memories of our response to the AIDS crisis in the 80s, pre- and post-Labyrinth installations, and while we have never been perfect, our persistent efforts to face and respond to key issues such as homelessness, social justice and climate change are making a difference.

My previous service includes serving on the Congregation Council, Vocations and multiple committees. I am currently co-chair of Stewardship and a member of the Commission on Ministry of the Diocese of California. I am a senior consultant in human resources, strategic management, facilitation, and career development at Torchiana, Inc. If elected, it would be my honor to serve.

About Regina Walton

I was baptized at Grace Cathedral over 10 years ago in 2009. I love this church and was elected to Grace Cathedral’s Deanery last year. Now I’m the convenor for Grace’s Deanery and am also the Lay VP for the San Francisco Deanery.

I specialize in marketing: community management and events. I’ve been the lead event organizer for SFTech4Good since 2011. SFTech4Good is a Meetup focused on how technology is used to further social change. Because of the pandemic, we’re unable to meet in-person. In the interim, I’m organizing the occasional event online.

I earned my B.A. from UCLA and my law degree from UC Hastings, but I chose to move to South Korea take a university teaching position and travel over the bar exam. While abroad, I earned my Master’s in International Studies from Ewha Womans University. I moved back to the States in 2009, and, after I was baptized at Grace, I moved to NYC. I moved back to the SF Bay Area in 2011, and I started attending services at Grace again.

About Claire Griffin

Grace Cathedral has been my spiritual home since 2000. I have over the years participated in its many ministries. I have served in the Deanery, the Congregation Council, as acolyte. I believe a church has a responsibility to its community and led “Done in a Day” a monthly volunteer group. Likewise, I believe the youth and families of Grace are one of its greatest treasures and I have been both a Youth Group and Grace Quest Leader. I believe that Grace is enriched by the diverse talents of its members and look forward to serving you as a member of the Congregation Council.

About Dee Jomo

The goddaughter of an Anglican priest who was (blessed memory) very active in my upbringing, I was born and baptized in the Anglican communion. Although my dad was Catholic and some part of my childhood included learning to read the rosary and attending early morning mass, my Anglican mother would later win the entire family over to the Anglican Church. “You were baptized in the Anglican Church anyways,” she would say and that justified it.

I grew up in a tight Anglican community. My church was less than a block away, my neighbors included my priest and his family. My Sunday school teacher would ask me where I was headed to and if my parents were aware of my destination every time he saw me – he found pleasure in finding kids at the wrong place and taking them back home to their parents. There were other women in the church who complained my hat or head tie was not big enough or my dress was not flowing below my knee or sweeping the ground enough. I think I can give them credit for my style/fashion because they made me conscious of what I had on at all times. I also had two choir members whom I shared a fence with and we would sing on weekdays. I sang alto, and they both sang tenor, sitting in our backyards and hearing each other sing across the fence. This was the only life we all knew and what we were always told was right in the eyes of God. A life very judgmental of your physical actions but blinded to every other aspect of life. Although I must say my mother always preached spirituality over physical appearance and I would later in life be shaped by her views of Christianity, after my rebellious years.

My family dynamic is different from the traditional family dynamic where the men are automatically in control. In my family, it was balanced (my grandmother was the daughter of a king and she had a huge influence on the family). The words of the women in my family held water and their presence was treated with great respect. As the first child, I was expected from an early age to control my emotions in the midst of chaos and react, if necessary, only after the situation was under control. This skill would, later on, be beneficial in my role as Student Union President (first female to hold the position) and later the National Secretary. I represented every college student in my state, dealing with student complaints/protests and finding common ground between students, school officials and government officials. Among other projects, I commissioned the first student-run restaurant on campus and ensured payment of years of backlogged student bursaries. A great learning experience that shaped both my world and political views.

In 2015, a friend invited me to Grace. I felt peace and it was like I never had even left the church. Well, it hasn’t been the same since. In 2016 I decided to be fully committed to Grace. Grace drew me back and reminded me of my roots, my upbringing and the sense of community. I joined EFM in search of finding answers to so many unanswered questions and to reconnect spiritually. Grace drew me closer to the city of San Francisco and I felt responsible to impact positive change through my words and action and by volunteering in any capacity that I could. I have volunteered with the Red Cross, Compass Family Services (providing shelter for the homeless) and with different groups/events at Grace.

My mother always said to me, “Make wherever you are your home and make it as comfortable as you can. Life’s too short to live carelessly hoping to be home someday, someday may never come” – author, my mother, Comfort N. E. Grace is my home, San Francisco is my home now and I am ready to serve to keep it loving, peaceful, united and habitable for us all! Let me know if you want to try some spicy Nigerian cuisine, the famous Nigerian jollof rice is a must-try.

About Ron Hermanson

Active member(s) of the cathedral congregation since 1995. Married to Cathy for 49 years with two married daughters and three grandchildren. Professionally, own and manage a global, retail, travel company.

Volunteer service and activities within the church and greater community include:

Past – Grace Cathedral trustee, member of Congregation Council, Chair of legacy/planned giving, Chair of stewardship, Stephen Ministry Leader and 4-year graduate of Education for Ministry among others.
Current – Grace Cathedral Deanery Delegate, DioCal alternate deputy to General Convention, DioCal Institution School for Deacons Board of Trustees President, Province VIII Chair of Stewardship, Planned Giving and Endowments education cluster for nineteen dioceses in the West/Pacific.
Outside the church, current member of the Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce/Visitor’s Bureau Board of Directors and Chair of the Civic Affairs program.

If re-elected and as a member of a dedicated team, it will be my privilege to continue representing Grace Cathedral at Diocesan Convention, quarterly deanery meetings at both SF and Contra Costa deaneries and in my long-standing visits to our DioCal parishes, missions and institutions while cultivating new and existing relationships.

About Niall Battson

My family (wife and 2 kids) are familiar faces around Grace Cathedral. I have been coming here since 2002 when it became the perfect solution to my desire to find a church experience similar to my English childhood. I was a choir boy growing up, so I loved the singing at Grace, the organ, the beautiful stained glass, the sermons and familiar structure of the service. It provided me with a refreshed feeling each Sunday that made starting a new week so much easier. Not to mention that my family will forever be connected to Grace as I was married here, kids baptized and family interned.

Over the years I have done a lot of volunteer outreach, and photography at Grace’s big ceremonies including Easter and Christmas. In my professional career, I am a Director of Product Management at Dolby. I am outgoing and relish opportunities to forge relationships (even through zoom nowadays) that build to become part of a bigger picture strategy. Coupled with strong business acumen and the ability to understand the needs of a community, I aim to continue to nurture the relationships with the diocese community and develop effective strategies to accomplish the goals of the deanery delegates.

About Erin Wiens St. John

This would be my fourth term on the Deanery Council representing Grace Cathedral. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of learning about and contributing to a wide range of issues, from divestment to the role of youth in the Church. I am now a postulant for Holy Orders, and I am looking forward to gaining this experience as a layperson that might help me better serve the Church if I am ordained.

About Karma Quick-Panwala

It’s my pleasure to run for the Cathedral’s Deanery Delegation once again. Over the last ten years, I have represented Grace to the San Francisco Deanery, having also previously served as Convener of the delegation.

Grace has been my spiritual home for over fifteen years. In that time, I’ve served on Congregation Council and the Social Justice Working Group and have served as a greeter at the 11 o’clock service. My daughter, Sofia, was baptized here on Trinity Sunday, 2016, and we look forward to our son’s baptism at Grace once our in-person services resume.

Elsewhere in the Diocese, I have served on Executive Council, the Commission on Ministry, the Task Force on Disability and Deaf Access, and on the General Convention Deputation. I look forward to continuing to serve, with your blessing, on the Cathedral’s Deanery Delegation in furtherance of both our Beloved Community and the Jesus Movement, and to foster the relationships, ministries, and fellowship of the San Francisco Deanery and local congregations.

About Jean Krasilnikoff

Jean has been a member of Grace Cathedral since 2012, when she and her husband, Mike, were deciding where to get married. Since that time, Jean has become deeply involved in Grace and its many offerings, including serving as the co-President of the Congregation Council in 2017 and 2018. She is also currently serving on the Board of Trustees and on the Deanery as an alternate. Jean currently works in Oakland as a plaintiff-side labor and employment attorney. Jean, her husband Mike, and their active two-year-old son, Nicholas, live in the Bayview district with their dog, Sadie, and cat. Bowie. Jean is looking forward to getting more involved and serving Grace especially as we continue to navigate new territory together.

About Stephanie Hoehn

I live in San Francisco with my spouse, beloved dog, Max, and also presently with my father with ALS. I am an attorney for the State of California, working in environmental and public utilities law. I was not raised with a religious tradition but was thrilled to find the Episcopal Church as an adult. I joined Grace in 2009, being baptized then at the Easter Vigil. Like many others this year, I took up bicycling with a renewed vigor and otherwise am cooking or baking for comfort. 2020 was quite a first full year to have returned to San Francisco from Sacramento and to have been elected to the Deanery. I hope for a safer 2021 allowing for meetings and connections beyond the virtual screen as I get integrated into the community and as still a relative newcomer to the church, to better understand and contribute to church governance. I appreciate the opportunity and would be honored to continue to serve.

About Joe Garity

I was born and raised in the Bronx, in New York City, and moved to San Francisco in 1983, when I was 27. I’m one of those people who used to visit Grace but quietly sat in the back and enjoyed the beauty of the space and the services. In 2013, I joined Grace Cathedral. For the last four years, I’ve been the coordinator of the docents (officially, the Guild of St. Martin), a group of people who love telling visitors about this amazing place. I am a graduate of the Cathedral’s Education for Ministry (EfM) program of study and community. For three years I was one of the Grace delegates to the San Francisco Deanery, and I’m now in my third year serving on the Stewardship Committee. Since joining in 2013, I’ve learned so much about the Grace community and how important it is to so many of us. 2020 has been such a challenging year for all of us and I hope to serve on the Congregation Council as we reinvent Grace going forward.

About Phoebe Campbell

In early 2019, I moved to San Francisco after thirty-five years in New York City. Settling into a new city was daunting, so one of my first priorities was finding a church home. It soon became clear Grace was that place. One reason is Grace’s engagement with social justice. I appreciate opportunities for direct participation through volunteering, and to apply a spiritual lens to complex issues via educational initiatives. This includes helping organize the Grace/Glide “Who is my Neighbor” series (sadly interrupted due to COVID) and, in 2021, acting as a lay facilitator for the upcoming Sacred Ground anti-racism small group curriculum.

The foundations of my faith have been reinforced thanks to EFM, Bible study with the Dean and the Newbigin Fellowship. (Not to mention the inspiring clergy and their wonderful Sunday sermons!) Professionally, I founded and ran a cause-marketing firm representing leading non-profits. More recently, I act as a strategic planning consultant. As a volunteer, I worked on behalf of community organizations, serve on boards and was warden of a church in Westchester County, New York. My husband Tom and I live alongside a menagerie including three dogs, a cat, a horse, future chickens and two adult children who wander through with alarming regularity.

About Michael Smith

I was born and raised just over the bridge in Sausalito, went to college here in the Bay Area, and was baptized as an adult at Christ Episcopal Church in my hometown. I remember Christmas Eve 2007, feeling called by the Spirit to find my religious home, and I have been richly rewarded in the Church of my parents, The Episcopal Church.

I have been attending Grace regularly since 2019 – my plans to be confirmed this past Easter were rudely interrupted by Covid, though I know that is long down the list of calamities that it has caused – and I am immensely honored and humbled to be called to serve on the Congregation Council. I hope to bring the perspective of a passionate newcomer to the Council and to strive deeply to connect our experience of Church to our experience in the wider world.

I worked in politics in Washington, DC before making my way back to San Francisco to work in finance and then, naturally, several startups. My free time is dedicated to friends, books, the outdoors, and the occasional game of chess.