Candidates for Vestry
BOB CARTER
A former Roman Catholic, I moved to Seattle from Virginia in 2017, began attending Saint Mark’s with my wife Lauren, and became a member of the Episcopal Church and Saint Mark’s parish in 2021. In my previous parish, I served as a lector, choir member, and confirmation catechist. At Saint Mark’s I serve as a lay reader and member of the Restorative Justice Council. I have facilitated two Radix groups and served in prison ministry at King County jail. I attend weekly Cursillo group and Second Sunday Cathedral book group meetings. I hold a PhD in American history. I have taught at every level of public instruction and served as a historian and manager in Virginia’s State Historic Preservation Office for 35 years. Lauren and I have been married for fifty years and have three sons and six grandchildren. As a member of the Vestry I would strongly uphold and support the welcoming, inclusive spirit of the Saint Mark’s community and our strong commitment to equality, justice and the spiritual growth of our parishioners. I will advocate for the formation of a team of parishioners to research, write and publish an illustrated history of Saint Mark’s Church.
SALLIE CROTTY
Sallie is a lifelong Episcopalian and fairly new to Saint Mark’s. She was born in Dallas but raised in Galveston, Texas where her family attended Trinity Episcopal Church. Her mother became one of the first female Episcopal priests in Texas. Episcopal schools also shaped Sallie: Trinity in Galveston, St. Stephen’s in Austin, and Sewanee: The University of the South. At each she served in various capacities. While earning her Ed.M. at Harvard, she attended Christ Church Cambridge. In Dallas, where she lived for 26 years, she attended St. Matthew’s Cathedral and married Mark. They later attended St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church and raised their children, Kate and Stephen, there. She served as a Lay Eucharist Minister, Sunday School and Children’s Chapel teacher, Lay Reader, Young Adult Forum facilitator, and Diocesan Convention delegate. She served one term on the Vestry, her last year as Senior Warden. She led a Vestry retreat and stewardship campaign. After moving to Seattle in June 2019, Sallie and Mark joined Saint Mark’s. She finished Education for Ministry and has participated in Radix and EfM book group. During lockdown, she attended many virtual offerings and services. As the world reopens, she plans to engage in Creation Care Ministry and other opportunities. As a writer, teacher, and mental health advocate, Sallie believes she would bring a unique perspective to Vestry. She is open and curious. As a priest’s child, she recognizes clergy demands. Additionally, she has watched her children move through the various stages of growing up Episcopalian.
NANCY GEORGE
I grew up in a small town on the Oregon coast. My family did not attend church except for a few times with our grandma. I knew there was a God, because we said the Lords Prayer every morning in school until about 4th grade. I worked in aerospace for 35 years starting out as an airplane mechanic, and then working my way into engineering. I was a mechanical engineer in fasteners with Boeing when I retired in 2017. After retirement I felt like I needed to grow my community so I started attending services at Saint Marks figuring I’d find a good cross section of people on Capitol Hill. The first morning I walked into the 11 a.m. service Carolyn White nabbed me. She told me about the service and sat with me until it ended. After a couple more services I felt like I found a home, so I was baptized and joined the church in 2018. I am currently active in the Garden Ministry and the Facilities Committee, and serve as Greeter, Acolyte, Oblation bearer, and Eucharistic visitor (2nd). I have participated in both Women’s Retreats and in Radix groups. I love to figure out how things go together and how to fix them when they don’t. I’m always trying to learn more about how the church works and where my work is within it. Joining the Vestry might tie it altogether. I’m not sure where I’m going on my journey, but I know I’m going with God.
GREG HAMM
I have been a member of Saint Mark’s Cathedral for about 6 years. My wife and I relocated to Seattle from New Jersey to be near our sons; earlier we lived in Germany and California. We began attending Saint Mark’s shortly after arriving in Seattle. We were initially drawn by two things: the music offerings and the inclusive spirit that is evident in all the Cathedral does. I am retired; my professional life was spent in both academic settings (computing in genomics and molecular biology) and in biotechnology companies (IT, human resources, and corporate management). Most recently, I consulted for life science companies on issues involving corporate integration, change management, and executive team coaching. I currently serve on the Saint Mark’s Finance Committee and sing in the Cathedral Choir. I served on a subcommittee of the Finance Committee tasked with determining needs and plans for office space at the cathedral. Since 2019, I have chaired the ad hoc Audit Committee for the cathedral Foundation. I feel called to service on the Vestry out of gratitude for Saint Mark’s and its contributions to life in Seattle. As the Cathedral continues to weather many changes wrought by the pandemic and other storms that beset our community, I hope that my background in organizational change and helping people to achieve consensus around common goals could be useful in the Vestry setting as well.
KELSEY HERSCHBERGER
My name is Kelsey Herschberger (she/her) and I’ve been a member of Saint Mark’s Cathedral since my confirmation in November 2021. I serve as a chalice-bearer, work with Creation Care and go to events for the 20s/30s group. I’m also serving as a confirmation mentor and I’m in my second year of Education for Ministry. In my professional life, I work as a business continuity analyst for HomeStreet Bank, a Seattle-based community bank. I’m responsible for implementing the business continuity program, which ensure the bank has plans and infrastructure to weather all kinds of disaster scenarios. I’ve also done quite a bit of volunteer work outside of church. I worked the front desk at Peer, an organization that helps provide peer emotional support and development services to the LGBTQ community. I was the public relations assistant for GeekGirlCon, which is dedicated to celebrating female involvement in all fields of math, the sciences, comics, sci-fi, fantasy, fiction, gaming, and much more. I also wrote public relation materials for Thurston County Coalition Against Trafficking, which works to prevent human trafficking through community partnerships and prevention education.
PETER SNYDER
I was baptized and raised an Episcopalian. After a detour into other denominations, I eventually came home to the Episcopal church because I found there a commitment to “seek and serve Christ in all persons” and an openness to the multitude of ways this commitment can be lived out. I became a member of Saint Mark’s about three years ago, drawn by the community’s focus on justice and inclusivity, and by the beautiful and compelling worship that I experience here. Since then, I have participated in liturgical ministry as a lector, intercessor, and assisting lay minister. I sit on the Council for Intergenerational Ministry, was a delegate to the Diocesan Convention this year, and am currently in my third year of EfM. More recently, I have been involved in racial justice ministries and in our feeding programs. These experiences have enriched my spiritual life in more ways that I can name. I have served on vestries at other parishes, and it would be an honor to do so at Saint Mark’s.
DOUG THORPE
Doug Thorpe is emeritus professor of literature and creative writing from Seattle Pacific University and the author of four books, including Rapture of the Deep: Reflections on the Wild in Art, Wilderness and the Sacred. Having joined the Episcopal Church and Saint Mark’s Cathedral at the Easter Vigil in April 1980, he subsequently served as a Vestry member, a lector, chalice bearer, greeter, and spiritual director. He chaired the Adult Education Committee, taught adult education classes, worked for twenty years with the labyrinth group, and co-led a high school group to Belize (such a hardship!). He currently co-chairs the Mideast Focus Ministry (and serves on the Diocesan Middle East Affairs Committee) and writes for and helps the Creation Care Committee publish its newsletter. He’s married to Judy Andrews, is the father of Kate Thorpe and delighted grandfather of Walter. Doug was elected to the Vestry in 2022 to serve a one-year term, to complete the term of a Vestry member who stepped down before their term was complete.
ALEXANDRA THOMPSON
My name is Alexandra Thompson and I am honored to be nominated for the Vestry. I have watched their work from afar for years and am excited to have the chance to get a closer look at the life of the Cathedral. I have been attending SMC since 2001. I live in West Seattle with my two teen-aged daughters and husband (and our one year old poodle mix). My husband is from the area and works for Boeing. I was born and raised on the campus of the Virginia Theological Seminary and graduated from the nearby Episcopalian high school. In my 20-some years here, I’ve served on a few committees, worked in the Child Care program, and volunteered in the Godly Play program while my daughters were young. I’ve been acolyting for 10 years and recently became the cathedral’s newest Verger. My professional background is primarily in project and program management for King County, but also includes teaching and language translation and interpretation. We are a neuro-diverse family and embrace creative problem solving to every day situations. My younger daughter exclaimed the other night (after a rehearsal of the Pageant of the Nativity) that she loves coming to Saint Mark’s because she likes how coming to the cathedral also means that you can be “in” the Cathedral. I want to be part of the Vestry in part because I want everyone to feel the same way, that coming to the Cathedral means they belong.