SENIOR WARDEN

Elisa moved to DC out of undergrad in 2012 and began attending SMSJ (and singing in the choir!) in 2013. She works as a survey researcher at the Pew Research Center and lives in the H Street neighborhood. She is always ready to talk about whiskey or her most recent overly ambitious home improvement project.

You can reach Elisa at seniorwarden@smjec.org

JUNIOR WARDEN

I moved to Capitol Hill in 1983 and lived here 14 years, before moving to Alabama for 14+ years. I have been back on the Hill since 2011. I have a been a member of St. Monica and St. James (for the 8 AM service specifically) for almost 2 years.

I am married to Shawn Freeman, my wife of 40 years! I’m a retired business owner, and I serve on the board of a community bank. We have a daughter (+2 granddaughters!) who live in Minnesota, and a son in Massachusetts. I am an avid cyclist. Anytime you want to go for a ride let me know. Last year’s adventures on bike were in Burgundy France (7 days exploring hill and dale), the Empire State Trail (pedaling from Buffalo to Albany), and the Virginia Creeper Tail.

You can reach Russ at juniorwarden@smjec.org

TREASURER

Bob Tomkinson grew up in the DC suburb of Silver Spring, MD and has lived on Capitol Hill since 2009. He and his wife, Anne, began attending SMSJ in 2022 and were received into the Episcopal church in 2023. Bob works as a general manager overseeing automotive service and enjoys spending time in nature and attending live music events. His favorite thing to do is spend time with his family and be PopPop to his two granddaughters.

You can reach Bob at treasurer@smjec.org

VESTRY, CLASS OF 2026

Ben grew up in Dayton, Ohio and moved to DC in 2015 after spending time here intermittently throughout his PhD (in electrical engineering at Purdue University). For five or so years he attended Trinity Episcopal in Takoma, where he went through the confirmation process. In 2022, he started attending SMSJ and quickly got involved as a thurifer. He is a spacecraft navigation engineer at NASA and has been living in Brookland since 2016. He enjoys playing music in local bands, studying maps, and learning about old buildings.

VESTRY, CLASS OF 2026

I am originally from Lubbock, Texas, and moved to DC to work on Capitol Hill after graduating from college in 2021. I have been attending SMSJ since then and was confirmed in the Episcopal Church after becoming a member of the parish. While I no longer live in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, I still commute to attend church as often as I can and I have served as a member of the Vestry for the last two years. 

VESTRY, CLASS OF 2025

Ian Nelson has been coming to SMSJ since June 2019. He was elected to the Vestry in 2022. Ian works as a teacher, specializing in science and engineering classes. He lives in Washington DC with his partner and their dog and cat.

VESTRY, CLASS OF 2025

Doug was elected to the Vestry in June 2022. Born and raised in Ohio, he has lived in the District since 2016 and began attending St. Monica & St. James just before COVID shut down the world. Doug is an attorney and a proud dog dad to the most adorable border collie in the DMV. He has a Master's Degree in Philosophy from Duke University, along with a passion for metaethics and political philosophy.

VESTRY, CLASS OF 2027

Greetings everyone! My name is Nia Harris, and I have been attending St. Monica and St. James since January of 2023. An Atlanta native, I moved to Washington DC in the fall of 2022 and have lived in the Capitol Hill neighborhood ever since. I am excited to serve my fellow parishioners and bring God's (and our church's) love to our community!

VESTRY, CLASS OF 2027

I have been attending 8am services at St Monica and St James since moving to Washington from New Jersey in 2018. My wife Stephanie, my daughter Michele, and I live on Tennessee Ave. 

I am a retired engineer and an absolute morning person. I look forward to meeting the 11 o'clock folks.

VESTRY, CLASS OF 2027

I have been a member of the Parish of St. Monica and St. James since Dec. 1991. I was married in the church on Oct 11, 1992.  I live in the neighborhood and have enjoyed attending services at SMJEC. The community always welcomed me and my husband, Rick. Unfortunately, we weren't able to attend often due to Rick's long term illness. When he passed away on June 3 this year his funeral was held at SMJEC and I was reminded of the wonderful SMJEC community. I look forward to being an active member of the parish through service on the vestry. 

Delegate

Alternate Delegate