St. Alban’s Clergy & Directors
Complete list of St. Alban’s Staff and contact information »
The Reverend Scott Benhase, Rector, was born and raised in southern Ohio and attended DePauw University in Indiana. During the summers of his college years he worked as Center Director for the Appalachia Service Project in Kentucky. After graduating from DePauw (majoring in Philosophy & Religion) Scott was appointed an overseas missionary of the Episcopal Church and served a year in Honduras. He spent that year discerning a call to the priesthood. His bishop confirmed for him that he thought Scott was so called. So, the following year he entered Virginia Theological Seminary. While in seminary, Scott renewed a relationship with Kelly Jones who had served with him in Kentucky. He graduated and was ordained in 1983 and married Kelly a year later in May of 1984. Kelly teaches high school and college level students. The Benhases have been blessed with three children: Jake, Charley, and Mary Grace. Prior to his coming to St. Alban’s, Scott served parishes in Durham, NC, Charlottesville, VA, East Cleveland, OH, and Indianapolis, IN. E-mail Reverend Benhase »
The Reverend Timothy A. Boggs, Assistant Rector for Stewardship & Outreach, took a circuitous route to joining the clergy of St. Albans. Tim was a parishioner here for almost fifteen years when he left his position as Senior Vice President of Time Warner and asked the church to consider sending him to seminary as a candidate for ordination. Tim describes this as a time of discernment in which he “was permitted to close doors behind him as Christ and the Spirit were opening new doors ahead.” Tim was ordained at the National Cathedral on June 9, 2007. From a large and lively family, Tim was educated at the public schools of Lake Bluff and Lake Forest, Illinois, and at the University of Wisconsin and Georgetown University. He received his Master of Divinity degree with honors from the General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church in New York in May 2007. While at seminary, Tim wrote a book, Through the Gates into the City, a history of the a piece of the seminary’s past. At Time Warner Tim managed the company’s world-wide public policy team during a time of enormous change in business, politics and technology. Prior to this position, Tim was on the Professional Staff of the House of Representatives. Since the late 1980s Tim has been partnered with James Schwartz who is Executive Editor of Coastal Living magazine. They have thirteen nieces and nephews and an ancient field spaniel, Anna. For added challenge, Tim is a high altitude mountain climber. E-mail Reverend Boggs »
The Reverend Erin Hensley, Assistant to the Rector for Youth & Young Adult Ministries, was born in Henderson, Kentucky, and grew up in Jackson, Tennessee. After third grade, her family began attending St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. She was active in the parish as well as West Tennessee diocesan events. After graduating from high school, she attended Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina. During her college years, she was active at St. Mary’s House Episcopal/Anglican Center. After graduating in 1999, Erin was an elementary school teacher. During her first year teaching she met her now husband, Sam, in Greensboro. During this time, Erin continued serving at church and in the community. Erin officially began the discernment process in 2002. Sam proposed to Erin in June of 2003 and they married on July 10, 2004. Less than a month later, Sam and Erin moved to Alexandria, Virginia, so that Erin could attend seminary. She did her field education work at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Alexandria. At Virginia Theological Seminary, Erin focuses on peace and social justice issues as well as supporting youth in the church. Other interests include music and modern dance. She is especially excited about equipping the people of God for their own ministries in the church and in the world to further the kingdom of God today. E-mail Reverend Hensley »
The Reverend Harriette Sturges, Deacon & Coordinator of Children’s Ministries, says, “I learned my catechism out of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer which gives a clue as to my age. I memorized that I was a Member of Christ, the Child of God, and an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven. This is still who I am.” She has a BA in Philosophy, a Master’s in Theology, and a background in spiritual direction. She was ordained to the Diaconate in 1990. Her passions are environmental issues, Hispanic Ministry, Panama, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and St. Alban’s. She has been married to Buzz, a retired country lawyer, for over 40 years. They have two sons, two daughters-in-law, and an adorable granddaughter, Olivia. E-mail Reverend Sturges »
The Reverend Loren Mead, Honorary Associate, is an ordained Episcopal priest, educator, consultant and author, who works to strengthen religious institutions, especially local congregations. A pioneer in congregational studies, Loren has collaborated with lay people, clergy, bishops, teachers, executives and others committed to ministry.
In his work with churches, Loren has helped develop a number of resources now widely used for: the role and work of the interim pastor, conflict management, clergy stress and burnout, and training methods for executives and bishops. He has been concerned for the personal, professional, and spiritual development of lay and Clergy leaders, and especially for the creative possibilities for churches and leaders at moments of transition. He has worked with churches and seminaries in several dozen denominations and with interfaith organizations in the US, Canada, England, Scotland, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Namibia.
Loren served as an Episcopal parish priest for 15 years. He is the author of four books on the future of the church: The Once and Future Church; Transforming Congregations for the Future; Five Challenges for the Once and Future Church; and Financial Meltdown in the Mainline?
Born in South Carolina, Loren received a BA from the University of the South and an MA from the University of South Carolina. He attended Virginia Theological Seminary, receiving a Master’s in Divinity in 1955. He is married to the former Polly Ayres Mellette. They have four children and seven grandchildren. E-mail Reverend Mead »
Sonya Subbayya Sutton, Director of Music, directs four choirs and plans the music for nearly 200 services a year at St. Alban’s. She received her education at the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, earning Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in Piano Performance and a second Master’s in Arts Administration. She has served as organist and choirmaster at several churches for the past 20 years; served on the music faculty of Charles County Community College; directed the Prince George’s Community Chorus in its annual Messiah performance for seven years, and was a guest conductor for the Kennedy Center’s annual Messiah sing-along performance.
Other activities have included organizing and hosting the regional conference of the Association of Anglican Musicians and serving on that organization’s board; directing a diocesan children’s choir festival at the consecration of the Bishop of Washington; organ recitals at Washington National Cathedral, St. Thomas’ Fifth Avenue in New York City, and St. Albans Abbey in England; and a two-week conducting residency at The Chautauqua Institute. Sonya is also the Keyboard Associate for the Washington Choral Ensemble.
Sonya has recoreded two CDs:
- Russan Exile: Piano Music of V. P. Netchvolodoff
- Spiritual Corners of the Piano Repertoire: Music of Liszt, Bach-Busoni, Messiaen, Eben Respighi and Brahams
She is married to the Reverend Canon Eugene Sutton and is mother to Sophia and Stefan Vastek. E-mail Sonya »
Eric Gustafson, Director of Parish Administration (bio to come). E-mail Eric »
Ron Hicks, Parish Verger, has been with St. Alban’s since June 2000. He retired from government service in 1997 after 34 years working for the U.S. Senate and the Department of the Treasury. He was received into the Episcopal Church from the Roman Catholic Church in 1958, and has served in many parishes as Sunday School teacher; vestry member; Junior Warden; lay reader; chalice bearer; acolyte; usher; greeter; director of acolytes, layreaders and chalice bearers; master of ceremonies; and verger. Ron has been an Associate of the Order of the Holy Cross since 1979, and he volunteers at the Washington National Cathedral as a verger and as Captain of the Altar Guild’s Linen and Silver Team. He enjoys giving seminars and workshops on the Daily Office.
He and his wife, Jonnie Sue, married in 1958. They have one son, two daughters and six grandchildren, and live in Arlington, VA. E-mail Ron »
Vilma Guerrero Smith, Director of Financial Affairs, has been part of the St. Alban’s community for more than 20 years. She implements the Vestry’s financial decisions, works closely with the Treasurer to develop budget projections and interacts with Vestry, clergy, staff and parishioners regarding financial issues for the Parish. She holds a BA in Fine Arts from the Catholic University of America and a Master of Economics from George Mason University. Her involvement in the community has included outreach and tutoring programs, as well as work overseas through the Companion Diocese Program. Vilma lives in Alexandria, VA, with her husband Edward and their son, Mark Smith-Guerrero. Vilma is presently learning Portuguese and looking for conversational practice opportunities. E-mail Vilma »
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