Lariza was born in Bogota, Colombia. She moved to the United States and attended Stetson University in Deland, Florida. Lariza has been working with farmworker communities since 2004, when she was still in college. She is passionate about food production systems and farmworker justice.
Lucia Modragón was born in El Salvador where lived until 2016, when she moved to North Carolina with her family. Lucia is a member of La Sagrada Familia, Episcopal Church, which she joined shortly after her arrival to the U.S. Lucia is passionate about working with the community, and specially excited about uplifting the women in the community so that they feel more confident, supported, and valuable. Lucia is married and has two kids. She enjoys traveling with her family, going to parks and the beach, and taking pictures of her children.
Maria Guerrero is a native of Michoacán, Mexico. She came to the United States at an early age and has lived in North Carolina since the early 90s. She graduated from NC Wesleyan University where she received a degree in Psychology and Business Administration. Maria has been an advocate in her personal life and dedicated her career to helping the underserved communities by working in various nonprofits. Prior to joining Episcopal Farmworker Ministry, she worked at Legal Aid of NC as a Human Trafficking Initiative Paralegal.
In her current role as Immigration Program Coordinator she works directly with clients in a variety of immigration cases. She is also involved in community education and advocating for an Integral Immigration System. She is passionate about her work in assisting the most vulnerable and improving the living and working conditions of agricultural workers in North Carolina.
Dr. Juan Carabaña, Ph.D, is a native of Spain, a molecular biologist by training and a longtime member and current senior warden of ”El Buen Pastor”of Durham, NC.
He obtained his PhD in molecular Biology in Madrid, Spain and came to the US in 1998, to the Triangle. In the past, he was as a researcher at Duke University Department of Immunology and at UNC Chapel Hill Department of Ophthalmology.
He is also very involved with the Latino community at his church as a co-leader of a Latino Girl Scouts group, as director of the youth group and youth soccer, and developing leadership and educational programs aimed to strengthen the Latino community and improve the quality of life of Latino residents in Durham.
He has three children and enjoys spending time with his family, the great outdoors, and playing soccer.
On November 8, 2014, Robert Stuart Skirving was ordained and consecrated as the Eighth Bishop of the Diocese of East Carolina. Rob was born on August 28, 1960 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, in 1982, with a focus in philosophy, and followed these studies with a Master of Divinity degree from Huron University College, London, Ontario, in 1986. This included a 2-year field placement at St. George’s Anglican Church and a yearlong residency in Clinical Pastoral Education at University Hospital in London, Ontario. He was ordained to the diaconate on May 1, 1986 at St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, Ontario, and to the priesthood on December 17, 1986, at St. James Westminster Church, London, Ontario, by Bishop Derwyn Dixon Jones, Bishop of Huron. Two years as Assistant Curate at Church of St. John the Evangelist, London, Ontario, with particular responsibility for youth ministry followed. In 1988, Rob assumed pastoral leadership of 3 small congregations in rural SE Kent County, Ontario, as Rector of Advent, Redeemer, and Trinity Churches, Ridgetown. He worked to strengthen the collaborative ministry of these congregations until the end of 1991. During this time, he also completed graduate level coursework in Religious Studies at the University of Windsor, Ontario, and the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana.
In 1992, he became Rector of St. Mark’s Anglican Church, Brantford, Ontario, a large program-sized church, expanding the physical facilities to accommodate the growing congregation and addressing staff and pastoral demands. Diocesan roles included Executive Council and budgeting and youth committees. In 1998, he completed the coursework for the Doctor of Ministry Degree from Seabury Institute, Evanston, Illinois, and was later awarded an Advanced Theological Certificate in Congregational Development.
From 1999-2004, Rob was Rector of Bishop Cronyn Memorial Church in London, Ontario, a downtown church dedicated to liturgical innovation and community ministry, with the responsibility of a preschool, seniors’ housing center, active street ministry, and support of a Sudanese refugee community.
From 2005-2014, Rob was Rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church, Midland, Michigan, being received into The Episcopal Church by the Rt. Rev. Ed Leidel, Bishop of Eastern Michigan. Along with leading regular congregational ministry, Rob supported St. John’s in extensive local and global outreach ministries, including a partnership with the Episcopal Church in the Dominican Republic to build a new church in San Isidro. Rob served as Deputy to General Convention (2012), as Dean of the Diocese (2011-2013), as Dean of the Saginaw Valley Convocation, as chair of the Commission on Ministry (2005-2007), and as a participant in the Diocesan Review Task Force (2008-2011). Rob served on the Province V Executive Board, as a representative of the Diocese of Eastern Michigan, and briefly on the House of Deputies State of Church Committee.
He and his wife, Sandy, have two grown children, Cate and Matt.
Denise Yglesias Varela is a life long Episcopalian. She was born and raised in Brooklyn Heights, NY where she was an active member of Grace Church. She graduated from New York University with a BS in Early Childhood Education and from Middlebury College (Vermont and Madrid,Spain) with an MA in Spanish.
During her early adulthood she served on the Commission of Ministry for the Diocese of Long Island. Prior to her marriage to Richard, an army officer, she taught English to Spanish Laborers in Madrid, Spain and then returned to work as a bilingual teacher in NYC. Military life took her to TN, GA, NC, Panama, and back to NC. She raised her 3 sons in Fayetteville, NC and was a Special Education Teacher in Cumberland County Schools until her retirement in 2015. Helping the Spanish community navigate the the special education system was a priority during her tenure with Cumberland County Schools.
She is an active member of St. John’s Episcopal Church, Fayetyeville , NC. She serves on the altar guild,Pastoral Care Committee, assists with the Children’s Choir, and participates in the Chancel and Bell Choirs.
Denise volunteers with several organizations that help those in need. Denise looks forward to working with the EFwM in supporting the migrant workers and their families.
The Rev. Jody Greenwood is the Rector of Church of the Servant in Wilmington, NC. She began serving on the EFwM Board in 2019 and is currently the Board Chair. Jody earned her Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University, Atlanta, GA in 2013. Prior to embarking on the vocation of ordained ministry, Jody had a twenty-year career with Chase Bank in her hometown of Houston, TX. She has always been passionate about outreach and social justice and endeavors to live into her baptismal promise to “strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being.” In her free time Jody can be found walking on the beach, discovering enticing restaurants with her spouse, Alice, or just hanging out with their dynamic rescue-dogs, Abbey, Roxie and Finn.
Harrel is a retired Deacon in the Diocese of North Carolina. He was born and raised in coastal South Georgia and a graduate of the University of Georgia, in addition he is also a retired 30 year career Marine Biologist with the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries and currently farms cattle and pasture raised poultry and pork in Warren County. Harrel was confirmed in the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of East Carolina and on retirement in 2000 moved to the Diocese of North Carolina. He is the past Chair of the Bishop’s Committee for Justice in Agriculture, and has served on the Bishop’s Committee for Hispanic Ministry and is the current Chair of the Bishop’s Committee for the Diaconate. Harrel has served as Deacon at Saint Andrews Episcopal Church in Rocky Mount NC and The Church of the Holy Innocents in Henderson NC. He currently attends Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church in Louisburg NC, is married and has two grown sons and two grandsons.
Bailey Farrin grew up in Memphis, Tennesse, where she personally witnessed struggles for civil rights and by which she was deeply affected. In 1982, she graduated with a bachelor of arts in English Literature at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, during which she also studied Spanish in Madrid, Spain. After graduation she was a teacher of English and Spanish for three years in different public schools in the states of Arkansas, Connecticut and New York. Bailey graduated with honors from Duke University School of Law in 1990 and practiced civil law including family law for 5 years in Los Angeles County, California. Returning to North Carolina in 1995, Bailey practiced family law until 1998 and then from 1998 to 2005 she worked with Hispanic clients pursuing their legal rights for personal injuries at the law firm James Scott Farrin in Durham. Licensed to practice law in California and North Carolina, Bailey now practices immigration, criminal defense, traffic defense and personal injury with Marcus E. Hill in Durham. She is the president of the North Carolina Advocates of Justice Immigration Lawyer Division and a member of American Immigration Lawyers Association and a member of the Durham County Bar Association. Bailey is a cradle Episcopalian and is a member of Iglesia de Buen Pastor in Durham, North Carolina. Twice a month, Bailey gives free legal consultations at El Centro Hispano in Durham. Bailey has volunteered as an attorney at Church World Services with the Central American Minors Program before it was recently canceled by the Trump administration. Bailey lives in Durham with her two daughters and enjoys tennis and travel during her free time.
Father Daniel Robayo serves as Missioner for Latino/Hispanic Ministries of the Diocese of North Carolina. Before that, he served in parishes of the Diocese of Virginia, where Bishop Peter James Lee ordained him deacon (1987) and priest (1988). He was rector of Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Harrisonburg from 2009 until Bishop Sam Rodman and Bishop Anne Hodges-Copple called him in the summer of 2018 to serve in North Carolina. He resides in Raleigh with his beloved wife Nancy Urrecheaga-Robayo. They have 5 children and 6 grandchildren. Born in Venezuela, Padre Daniel has lived in the US since age 16. Besides his vocation for ministry, he has a passion for community organizing focused on issues affecting Latino communities. He loves singing, reading, and riding his motorcycle.
The Rev. Jan Lamb is the Archdeacon for the Diocese of North Carolina and also serves as Chaplain to the Bishop Suffragan. She is Bishop Anne Hodges-Copple’s representative on the Board of the Ministry. Previously, Jan served as deacon at St. Luke’s in Durham, Raleigh Episcopal Campus Ministry, and St. Andrew’s in Haw River. In Durham, she is the tutoring coordinator for the Latino Educational Achievement Partnership (LEAP). Jan also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Holy Cross Education Foundation which supports Holy Cross Anglican School in San Mateo, Belize. She recently retired after a 43-year career as an educator of students with learning differences. She has 2 sons and 2 granddaughters.
Jennifer Cárdenas was born and raised in North Carolina. She currently attends the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, pursuing a major in political science. She is a part of San Jose Episcopal Church in Smithfield NC. She has always been passionate about supporting farmworkers and her community. In her freetime she enjoys listening to music, going to the beach and reading a book.
I currently live in Smithfield, NC and for over 30 years have been a member and attend St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. I grew up on a farm just outside of Selma, NC and still Farm today. After many decades of tobacco, my time now is dedicated to cattle farming. In addition to farming, I retired With 35 years from the NC Army National Guard and over 45 years umpiring various sports. I enjoy spending time with my family, my cows and my Beagle “Izzie”.
The Rt. Rev. Samuel Rodman was ordained and consecrated as the XII Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina in Duke Chapel on the campus of Duke University in Durham on July 15, 2017. He was elected on March 4, 2017.
Prior to his election, Bishop Rodman served as the Special Projects Officer for the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, a role he took on after spending five years as the diocesan project manager for campaign initiatives, where he engaged congregations, clergy and laity, in collaborative local and global mission through the Together Now campaign, helping to raise $20 million to fund these initiatives. Prior to that, he spent 16 years as the rector of St. Michael’s in Milton, Massachusetts, during which the parish established a seven-year plan that included a capital campaign for a major renovation of the church school building.
Ordained in 1988, Bishop Rodman is a graduate of Bates College and Virginia Theological Seminary. He and his wife of 32 years, Deborah, live in Raleigh. They are the parents of two adult daughters. In his free time, Bishop Rodman enjoys basketball, golf, kayaking, crosswords and creative writing.
Anne Elliott Hodges-Copple was elected the Diocese’s sixth Bishop Suffragan and the first female bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina on January 26, 2013, at the 197th Annual Convention. She was consecrated on June 15, 2013, in Duke Chapel on the campus of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
Bishop Hodges-Copple grew up in Dallas, Texas, and attended Duke University where she received her Bachelor of Arts in 1979 with a major in public policy. She earned her Master of Divinity from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California, in 1984.
In the years between college and seminary and then seminary and ordination, Hodges-Copple worked as a community organizer in Massachusetts and Appalachia and as a shelter director for victims of domestic violence in North Carolina. She was ordained a deacon in 1987 and a priest in 1988.
Bishop Hodges-Copple has served her entire ordained life in the Diocese of North Carolina working 13 years in parish ministry and 13 years as a campus minister. She served as the rector of St. Luke’s, Durham, until she was elected to the episcopate. Bishop Hodges-Copple has a particular passion for shaping mission and ministry to be attuned to the voices, needs and wisdom of disempowered communities.
In her role as Bishop Suffragan, Bishop Hodges-Copple has particular responsibilities in campus and young adult ministries, new mission starts (Galilee ministries), the Racial Justice and Reconciliation Commission, the ordination process for the diaconate, global partnerships for mission, ecumenical and interfaith collaborations and the pastoral care of retired clergy, their spouses and surviving spouses. In the spring of 2018, she helped to lead a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, her third such pilgrimage, and plans another in 2020.
Hodges-Copple is currently a member of the Executive Council for The Episcopal Church, the Board of Historic Black Colleges & Universities, and the Task Force for Social Advocacy. She served on the Special Legislative Committee for Marriage at the 2015 General Convention in Salt Lake City and Chaired the House of Bishops’ Legislative Committee on Social Concerns at the 79th General Convention in Austin, Tx. She is also a member of the Bishops United Against Gun Violence.
During the transition between the 11th and 12th Bishops of North Carolina, she served as Bishop Diocesan Pro Tempore, the Ecclesiastical Authority of the diocese.
She and her husband, John, have three adult children and one grandchild. John is Director of Planning for the Triangle J Council of Governments.
Nanci Atkeson grew up in Pennsylvania. After graduating from East Carolina University, she taught in Wake County Public Schools for 30 years, retiring in 2005. Atkeson is active in St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Raleigh, singing in the choir and participating in numerous committees, including Adult Missions, Needlepoint, Prayer Shawl, Lay Eucharistic Ministry, ECW, and Bible study. She also sings in the North Carolina Master Chorale.
Atkeson serves as secretary on the EFwM board of directors and is on the ministry’s Finance Committee.
Cynthia (Cyn) S. Thomas comes to the Episcopal Farmworkers Ministry with over 25 years of experience in financial management from the service industry.
Her personal strengths, empathy, belief, responsibility, adaptability and harmony are present in all she does. Her accounting strength is in her attention to detail and the ability to see the big picture. She has the ability to pull all the pieces together in a timely, accurate and concise manner. This allows for the necessary reporting, essential planning and future projections.
Cyn holds a MBA from Monmouth University (Long Branch, NJ) and a BS in Economics & Business Administration from Wagner College (Staten Island, NY). She is Notary Public in the state of North Carolina.
Originally from New Jersey, Cyn relocated to North Carolina in 2008. She lives with Robert, her husband of 36 years and is the mother of two grown sons, William and Douglas.
In addition, Cyn is a fully participating member of Trinity Episcopal Church, Fuquay-Varina where Bob is serving as Deacon. At Trinity, Cyn serves as treasurer and is also on the altar guild. She is also an active member of the North Carolina Master Chorale in Raleigh.
