ECBF Staff and Board

Julia M. Groom-Thompson

PRESIDENT
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Julia M. Groom-Thompson joined the ECBF as President in June 2008. She has led the Board in an assessment of the ECBF mission to ensure that the Fund is serving the needs of the Episcopal Church today. Since joining the Fund higher loan ceilings are being approved, low interest loans for special projects have been initiated, a national ecumenical symposium for those interested in new uses of building space is held annually, and a consultation service is now provided to congregations who strive to make their buildings financially self-sustaining and relevant to their community.

Prior to leading the ECBF, Julia served the American Red Cross in a variety of leadership positions in Maine, Utah, and Pennsylvania throughout her twenty-five year career. As the Executive Director of its Susquehanna Valley Chapter headquarters in Lancaster, Pennsylvania she was responsible to the board for the strategic direction and operation of the Chapter in its service area of nearly 1 million constituents, utilizing a volunteer base of 1,500 persons.

A lifelong Episcopalian, Julia has been an active lay member, having served on both the Standing Committee in the Episcopal Diocese of Utah and the Stewardship Chair of both Good Shepherd Church of Ogden, Utah and St. James in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Sally Dresser O'Brien

VICE PRESIDENT
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Sally joined the Episcopal Church Building Fund in 1992. She works with congregations that are planning a building project, and those engaged in the Re-Casting of Building Assets process. Prior to joining the ECBF she worked for 13 years in the refugee ministry with the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief and Episcopal Migration Ministries at the Episcopal Church Center in New York. She has also served on a diocesan capital campaign and led seminars on volunteer management. Sally holds master degrees in both Non-Profit Management and Social Work.

Deedi Trabosh

DIRECTOR OF LOANS, ADMINISTRATION, and FINANCE
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Deedi joined the Episcopal Church Building Fund in 2009 offering financial administrative support, joining the staff full time in 2011 as the Director of Loans, Administration and Finance. Prior to the ECBF she served for nine years as the Financial Administrator at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Richmond, VA. Deedi made the jump to the non-profit world from MCI Worldcom where she spent eight years as a Reporting Analyst. Deedi is a graduate of Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, VA and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in French.

Paul Evans

COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
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Paul joined the Episcopal Church Building Fund in 2011 offering Communications support and planning, social media management, and website development. Prior to the ECBF, he worked for St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Richmond, VA as Web Coordinator. Paul's interest in social media and web development started with a blog that he kept while working as a deckhand on a 44 foot schooner that sailed from Bodo, Norway, to Cork, Ireland in the summer of 2008. Paul holds a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Political Science, both from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA.

Board of Trustees

The ECBF is governed by a Board of Trustees consisting of clergy and laity.

The Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe, Board Chair, Erie, PA
The Rev. Jimmy Bartz, Santa Monica, CA
The Rev. Dr. Frederic Burnham, Flat Rock, NC
Mr. Brewster Caesar, Morrison, CO
Mr. Paul Cooney (Legal Counsel) Washington D.C.
Ms. Mary Lou H. Ivey, Richmond, VA
The Rt. Rev. Jeffrey D. Lee, Chicago, IL
Ms. Barbara S. Losse, Salt Lake City, UT
The Rev. Dr. Martini Shaw, Philadelphia, PA
Ms. Patricia Ann Tourangeau, Lafayette, IN
The Rev. Ralph R. Warren, Jr., Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Ms. Julia M. Groom-Thompson, Trustee/President, ECBF, Richmond, VA