Grace Church Staff & Leaders

The Reverend Dr. J. Gregory Prior , Interim Rector
Father Greg retired last June as Rector of St. Andrew's by-the-Sea in Little Compton after more than 25 years of active parish ministry. Previously, he served parishes in the diocese of South Carolina. A native of Providence, he entered the ministry after 15 years career in journalism and public relations. He and his wife, Anna Gray have four children and three grandchildren. He enjoys walking, running and anything in or on the water.

Mark Johnson, Organist and Choirmaster
Mark has directed the music at Grace Church since 1990.

Lisa Almada, Office Manager and Bookkeeper
Lisa is the Back Office Manager and Bookkeeper. Lisa has been an active parishioner of Grace Church for the past 37 years. She was baptized and married here and actively on the Altar Guild. Lisa has three sons whom she loves to spend time with and you can always find her conversing about them. You 'll find Lisa enjoying a good book, vacationing on the Vineyard, participating in outdoor activities and most of all lounging in the pool during the summer.

Lisa's responsibilities include accounts payable/receivable, data base update, assisting all committees of the Church, supporting the Rectors and wearing multiple hats completing other various job duties.

Stop in and say hello and your guaranteed to receive a warm welcome.

Carolina Boyle, Office Manager and Receptionist
Carolina came to Grace Church as a volunteer in October, 2006. She was born in Malaysia and now resides in Cumberland. She enjoys writing poetry and had published a poetry book - A Shining Fragment in 2006. She also enjoys spending time with her daughter, Gwendlyn and travelling.

Carolina's responsibilities include supporting the Rectors, update Grace website , prepare monthly Newsletter , assisting parishioners request on administration issues, taking care of Outreach matter/homeless issues, and various job duties as any request comes along.

Laurie DiBattista, Treasurer

Laurie was born and raised in RI in the Roman Catholic Church, attending parochial schools most of her life. Married to Joe in 2001 and between the two of them, they have six sons and four grandchildren. Struggling with the Roman Catholic Church, Laurie & Joe turned to the Episcopal Church and found their home at Grace Church in 2006. They fell in love with the diversity of the church. Laurie is a graduate of Bryant University with a degree in Accounting. She is a CPA and currently works in the travel business at Collette Vacations in Pawtucket. Both Laurie & Joe have a passion for travel, love to walk and to be able to walk all over the world is a dream come true for them.

Cathy Iacobucci, Ministry Leadership Coordinator
Cathy is a life long Episcopalian, who came to Grace Church in June 2006 on the occasion of the merger of Grace and the Church of the Messiah. She and her husband Steve live in Cranston and have 2 adult daughters, Kayla and Carey. Cathy is passionate about her work at Grace which includes the Newcomer Ministry, the Welcoming Team and the Leadership Development program.

Anne McCarthy ,Parish Nurse
A native Rhode Islander, Anne has had many work experiences as a Professional Nurse. Eight years ago, she found her place as a Parish Nurse - a.k.a. Faith Community Nurse and her passion for this work has surpassed any other clinical or community experiences.She is an eclectic reader - biographies, fiction, non-fiction, enjoys travel, music, walking and being with her close friends. At Grace Church, she has been a Chalice Bearer and is currently a lector and Lay Eucharistic Visitor.
Anne introduced the Prayer Shawl Ministry here, an extension of the spirit care Parish Nurses give.

Meredith "Champ" Cooley, Sexton

Champ (as everyone calls him)was born in Skowhegan, Maine. Champ has 2 step-children with his wife Gail, Patrick and late Colleen. His favorite hobby being a DJ at Riverbend Campgrounds. He has been the DJ there for the past 12 years.

The Vestry
Dave Seifert, Senior Warden
Dave and Lavonne moved to New England from the Kansas City area in 2006 to be near their daughter's family. They joined Grace Church - and the Welcome Committee - soon afterward. Dave, who formerly chaired the Communications Committee for the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas, has had a long career in corporate communications. He now has a business providing writing, editing and communication consulting services. Dave and Lavonne are fans of the Red Sox and the KU Jayhawks; they also enjoy sampling good food and wine.

Melody Ennis, Junior Warden
I grew up in Ohio and moved to Rhode Island in 1980. I came to Grace Church from the Church of the Messiah when the two congregations merged. Married with one son, I am an administrator at the RISD Museum of Art. I participate in the Prayer Shawl Ministry and love to "make a joyful noise" with the Grace Church Singers.

Lillian Bailey
Lillian was a member of the Church of the Messiah for 19 years before coming to Grace Church at the time of the merger. She has been married for 27 years to Charles R. (Chip) Jr. , has a daughter Jennifer , living in Atlanta, Georgia and a son Charles R.(Chip) III attending college. She is a third grade teacher whose hobbies include sewing and reading.

Dr. Nancy Kendrick
I began attending Grace Church in July 2003. I was looking for a dynamic, lively, and reflective parish, and felt drawn to the community at Grace even during my first few visits. I was raised in the Roman Church, but joined the Episcopal Church about 10 years ago. In addition to serving on the Vestry, I am a co-leader of the Sunday morning Bible Study. For the past couple of years, I've been scheduling the lectors, intercessors, and chalice bearers.

I am an associate professor of philosophy at Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, where I have excellent students and fine colleagues. My primary area of research is in philosophers of the 17th and 18th centuries.

Dwayne Keys
Born and raised in Wilmington, DE, I moved to Providence in September of 1999 to attend Johnson & Wales University, where I obtained an A.S. in Retailing, B.S. in Marketing, and M.B.A. in International Trade. While attending Johnson & Wales, I occasionally attended services at Grace Church. I became a member of Grace in 2005, and this past year was baptized confirmed in the Episcopal faith. I work as an Investment Specialist with Bank of America Investment Services, Inc., a non-bank subsidiary of Bank of America, and volunteer for numerous non-profit organizations across RI. In addition to volunteering, I enjoy reading, jogging, exercise, and spending time with family and friends.

James Poder
I began attending Grace Church on Christmas Eve 2004. Wanting to attend Christmas Eve Mass and seeing a sign at Grace Church brought me in that night. I was raised Catholic and was active in the Roman Catholic Church but had stopped attending for several years. I missed not having a church presence in my life so it wasn't long before I became a member of Grace Church. At Grace Church I serve as an usher/greeter, worked on the Crossroads sandwich brigade, walked with Team Grace Church for R.I. AIDS and participated in many other church activities. I was received by the Bishop in 2007. I graduated from Northeastern University with a Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering and have spent my career working in metal cladding operations. I am currently employed by Engineered Materials Solutions, which was formerly part of Texas Instruments where I started twenty-four years ago. Originally from Long Island, NY, I have lived in Massachusetts since 1977. I am the father of three grown children and grandfather of two grandsons.

Elizabeth Richards
Liz is a lifelong Episcopalian and the co-leader of Grace Church's "Teens In Action" youth group. After working for several years as an English teacher, Liz received her Master's Degree at Brown University in Urban Education Policy, and now works for the Rhode Island Department of Education. In the warmer months, Liz can be seen riding her bike all over Rhode Island, attending local art and theatre productions, and playing pub trivia with other Grace Church 20-somethings. She lives on Federal Hill with her cat, Che.

Geneva Letecia Walker
My entire Christian journey includes participation in children's missionary radio broadcast programs at ELWA, and being enrolled at Bromley Mission (Episcopal boarding school) - both in Liberia, - to various positions throughout my adult life. At Church of the Messiah I served as: Usher, Lector, Litanist, Vestry member, and Search Committee member. Having been raised Presbyterian; I found some similarities in the Episcopal liturgy. As a result, I am happy that as an active member of Church of the Messiah the merger with Grace Church has become a reality. At URI, I am part of a dynamic Research Administration community. My decision to relocate to Providence, Rhode Island nine years ago after residing in Boston, Massachusetts almost two decades has been a rewarding experience. My daughter and son-in-law, along with two grandchildren, reside in Massachusetts. I have an appreciation for almost all types of music. My stewardship commitment at Grace Church includes singing with the Grace Church choir, Lector, Litanist, and occasionally hosting coffee hour.

Dr. Ed Wing
I was raised in the Episcopal Church on Long Island, NY and began attending Grace Church 5 years ago. I was attracted to the mission of the church to care for the people of Providence, to the beauty of the building, and most of all to the congregation and the clergy. My family consists of my wife of 40 years, two grown boys, one a lawyer and one a high school history teacher plus two dogs, one fast and one slow. My wife and I are both professors at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University. She is a Professor of Psychiatry with a strong interest in the treatment of Diabetes and Obesity. I am the Chairman of the Department of Medicine where I am privileged to lead a talented group of physicians, residents, and staff. I have a strong interest in medicine in resource poor countries and the poor in this country. I recently joined the board of the Rhode Island Free Clinic on Broad Street and I hope to strengthen the relationship between the Clinic and Grace.