Clergy
The Rev Michele Morgan, Rector
Michele is Indigenous and the seventh of nine children, an upbringing that taught her how to share space, find her voice, and keep a lively sense of humor. Amidst the bustle of a large family, she developed a lifelong love of hockey and baseball. After a childhood marked by frequent moves, she made her way to Minnesota to attend the College of St. Catherine. It was there she found both a sense of rootedness and her enduring loyalty to her home teams: the Twins, the Lynx, the Gophers, the Wild, and the Vikings.
After a long and successful run in retail management, Michele followed a deeper call and enrolled at the General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church in New York City. She arrived in late August 2001, just weeks before the terrorist attacks of September 11th — an experience that forever shaped her ministry and deepened her call to serve God’s people with compassion, steadiness, and courage.
Since then, Michele has served in several congregations in Minnesota, often as a transitional rector guiding parishes through change and renewal. Parish ministry, she says, speaks directly to her soul. She delights in connecting people within the church and far beyond its walls, and in nurturing communities that practice justice, mercy, and joy in equal measure.
Michele now lives in Northeast DC with her wife, Michelle Dibblee. She is fiercely proud of having watched all 961 episodes of the Star Trek franchise — in stardate order — and is equally devoted to the TV show Wynonna Earp, which she insists has some of the best representation on television.
An avid bike commuter, Michele rides the 13-mile loop from home to work and back, her bone-conducting headphones letting her hear both her beloved Minnesota Twins and the cars coming up behind her. Her favorite evenings end with a good ride, the crack of the bat in her ears, and just enough time to catch the final innings at home, content, grateful, and grounded in grace.
The Rev. Patricia Catalano, Liturgy and Pastoral Associate
The Rev. Patricia Catalano was born and raised in Colombia and has lived almost half of her life in the United States. In the U.S., she first lived in California, where she taught simultaneous translation in Monterey. This is where she became an Episcopalian and was later ordained to the priesthood. As a priest, she served in Menlo Park, Carmel, and Marina, California. She moved to Washington, D.C., in 2008.
Patricia has been actively working as a simultaneous interpreter since moving to DC but has had a renewed calling to serve as a priest at St. Mark’s, where she leadx a Centering Prayer group.
Patricia lives on Capitol Hill with her daughter and two grandsons.
Staff
Jeff Kempskie, Director of Music
Jeff Kempskie has served St. Mark’s as Director of Music and organist since the fall of 2010. He directs the Chancel Choir, oversees the Boys & Girls Choir and Teen Choir, and manages all other aspects of the music program. In addition to his responsibilities at St. Mark’s, Jeff accompanies the University Singers at George Washington University, is a regular substitute countertenor at the Washington National Cathedral, sings with the Cantate Chamber Singers, and maintains a small piano studio.
Prior to moving to Washington, D.C., Jeff taught choral music at the Eaglebrook School and Quabbin Regional Middle/High School while serving as organist or director of music at a variety of churches of different denominations—Unitarian Universalist, Catholic, Episcopal, and Presbyterian—in Massachusetts and New York. He has been piano and organ accompanist for choirs at the Eastman School of Music, Smith College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In addition, Jeff has music-directed or played keyboard for nearly 60 musical theater productions.
He received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and a Master’s degree in Choral Conducting from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, studying conducting with Dr. E. Wayne Abercrombie. Jeff also earned a Master’s degree in Organ Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music, where he studied with Dr. William Porter. Other significant teachers include Larry Schipull on organ and Kevin McGinty on piano.
Lisa Ramish, Director of Children, Youth & Family Ministries
Before taking on a staff role in 2025, Lisa was a member St. Mark’s with her husband and their three children. She taught Sunday School, served on the Service and Social Justice Committee and chaired the Children, Youth and Family Ministries Board.
She has over two decades of professional experience teaching kids and training their teachers at KIPP DC. In 2011, President Obama awarded Lisa the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching, the highest award given to math educators in the United States. For many years, Lisa was the executive director of Sunday Suppers, a program that served unhoused neighbors through an innovative model of shared weekly meals. She is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity degree at Wesley Theological Seminary.
Lisa is passionate about understanding the unique church experience of people of different ages in order to cultivate an inclusive and interconnected spiritual community.
Annick Milde, Parish Financial Administrator
Annick joined St. Mark’s as the Parish Financial Administrator in January 2022. Born and raised in Brussels, Belgium, she moved to Washington, DC, in 1986 to work for the World Bank. Before coming to St. Mark’s, Annick served as the Finance and Administration Coordinator at an Episcopal church. In her free time, she enjoys music and cooking.
Annick keeps the Realm database up-to-date and tracks donations, pledges, and expense reimbursements. Contact her for help with making a pledge or a donation or for help navigating the church’s finance system.
Samantha White, Parish Administrator for Building and Facilities
Samantha is a DC area native, growing up in Rockville, Maryland, and moving to DC to do nonprofit work and volunteer with various local LGBTQ+ groups. Before coming to St. Mark’s, she was a management consultant for two years. She is very excited to be part of the staff and looks forward to meeting and collaborating with parishioners and volunteers. She enjoys cross stitch, baking, and spending time with her two cats in her free time.
As Parish Administrator, Samantha handles space use contracts and reservations, keeps the parish calendar updated, prints the weekly bulletins and announcements, and manages office-related accounts payable and office equipment.
Judith Rautenberg, Children’s Choir Director
Judith is a conductor, vocal coach, and professional singer who has worked extensively in Germany, Austria, and the United States. She currently resides in Virginia, USA.
For over 15 years, she has taught children and adults in group lessons, private lessons, and choral conducting. Further, she has been involved in general music teaching at the elementary and middle school level.
Born and raised in Germany, Judith studied Singing and Music Education in Graz, Austria, where she also gained several years of experience with the Graz Boys Choir as a vocal coach. After graduating with two Bachelor’s and two Master’s degrees, she moved to Berlin, where she lived as a freelance singer and vocal coach. Her knowledge and experience placed her as Head of Vocal Coaches for the famous Staats- und Domchor, Boys Choir of the Berlin University of the Arts.
Furthermore, she taught at the award-winning Girls’ Choir of the Singakademie Berlin and several other adult ensembles. Her teaching methods and techniques are always informed by her work as a professional active choir and solo singer, as well as state-of-the-art pedagogical expertise.
Judith is currently pursuing her PhD in Music Education at George Mason University in Virginia, USA.
Katherine Parr Philipson, Bulletin Coordinator
Katherine grew up in Oregon and has lived in D.C. for seven years. She has worked as an advocate and organizer for peace, economic and racial equity, and climate stability. When not at St. Mark’s, Katherine manages a house for the Church of the Brethren Volunteer Corps, sings in a social justice a cappella choir, and seeks to become more healthy and aligned with divine purpose.
Deborah Cunningham, Nursery Coordinator
The youngest of children may be placed in the loving and attentive care of Deborah Cunningham during worship services on Sunday mornings and one-Sunday-month during the 5 p.m. service. Deborah has been providing Nursery Care at St. Mark’s for many years and is a valued and valuable member of the team!
Jasper, Hound Dog, Food Enthusiast, and Office Escape Artist
Jasper is a tri-coloured hound mix named after the beautiful city of Jasper in Alberta, Canada. She has a nose for adventure, a heart for people, and what can only be described as an unwavering commitment to food. If there is a snack to be found anywhere in the office suite, Jasper considers it her professional responsibility to investigate.
When she is not busy greeting guests or carrying out a detailed inspection of the food, Jasper likes to play tug of war, chase her toys, and from time to time leave the office without having been asked in order to follow her other interests. These consist of attending Dog Yoga (only if there are no dogs booked) and taking part in the intermediate ladies’ ballet class, where she brings her own particular way of showing grace and movement.
Jasper splits her time between St. Mark’s Episcopal Church and Church House, where she spends time with her other human Michelle Dibblee, Bishop Mariann and all her colleagues. She is generally in the office on Fridays and on a number of Wednesdays, ready to greet visitors, make someone’s day more pleasant, or check whether anyone has brought a snack.
Jasper thinks that anyone can be a friend, that any office might serve as a place for dining, and that each day presents a chance for a bit of play, a bit of dancing, and maybe a few treats. She treats her responsibilities seriously, particularly those concerning food, and is a much-loved example of the idea that a friendly welcome can sometimes be given by a four-pawed creature with a very hopeful nose.