The Board of Directors of the College for Bishops is pleased to announce the appointment of the Rt. Rev. Mary Gray-Reeves as the managing director of the College. She succeeds the Rt. Rev. F. Clay Matthews who has led the College since 1998. Gray-Reeves is presently the bishop of the Diocese of El Camino Real and the election process for her successor is underway. Gray-Reeves will commence leadership of the College in early 2020.

“Bishop Mary brings a compelling constellation of wisdom, experience, and vision to the work of the College for Bishops,” said Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, the chair of the Board of the Directors of the College. “She has everything we need to build on the solid foundation nurtured by Bishop Matthews.”

Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Gray-Reeves earned her master of divinity degree in New Zealand in 1994. She was ordained to the diaconate in 1994, the priesthood in 1995, and as the third bishop of the Diocese of El Camino Real in November 2007. Gray-Reeves has served in the Dioceses of Southeast Florida, Los Angeles, and El Camino Real. She is the author of “Unearthing My Religion” and co-author of “The Hospitality of God” with Michael Perham. Gray-Reeves was a co-founder of Beautiful Authority, a network gathering for women clergy, and has served in various capacities to encourage, energize, and empower clergy leadership. She serves on various committees and boards of The Episcopal Church, including vice-president of the House of Bishops. She is an active voice in both the Church and the wider society regarding the presence and impact of healthy spirituality and religion in today’s world.

A search committee was formed from among members of the Board of Directors and was led by the Rt. Rev. Mark Bourlakas, bishop of the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia. Other members of the committee included Mary M. MacGregor, distinguished lay leader from the Diocese of Texas; the Rev. Canon Elise Johnstone of the Diocese of Lexington; Bishop Duncan M. Gray, III; and Bishop J. Neil Alexander, vice-chair of the Board of Directors.

In commenting on the search, Bourlakas noted, “The search committee was encouraged by the number of persons who expressed interest in the position. In the end, however, Bishop Mary’s vision for the continued development of the College was a compelling one and we are all excited that she will be taking up the leadership of this important work.”

The College for Bishops was established in 1993 to provide training and support to newly-elected bishops and continuing education and enrichment for bishops through the course of their active episcopates. A variety of programs, designed to respond to the various stages of a bishop’s ministry, are provided on an annual basis. The College is a ministry of the House of Bishops and is governed by a Board of Directors that includes laypersons, bishops, and priests, chosen for their expertise in leadership education, and theological and pastoral formation. Information on the programs of the College for Bishops may be found at www.collegeforbishops.org.