Dear People of God in the Diocese of Vermont,
Please join me in welcoming Lisa Hamm and the Rev. Sarah Ginolfi to the diocesan staff. Lisa, our new Chief Financial Officer, began work on October 14. Sarah, who is Rector of Trinity, Rutland will also serve as our youth missioner and began October 1.
Both Lisa and Sarah bring impressive skills, essential experience and a deep knowledge of the Episcopal Church to their work. They will play vital roles as we look to continue to build on the work done during the THRIVE period in pursuit of our strategic mission goals.
Lisa has an extensive career in finance and accounting with a variety of public and private companies. Most recently she worked as a consultant providing CFO services to companies in transition. As our CFO, Lisa will help to ensure a high level of consistent overall financial governance is established, maintained, and monitored throughout all Diocesan operational processes related to financial matters. This role will be in transition for an initial period as Mike Shapiro, our interim CFO, prepares for Diocesan Convention and will provide additional transitional assistance through the end of the year.
As our CFO, Lisa will oversee our day-to-day financial and budget operations; oversee the diocesan budget process; prepare financial reports for leadership; coordinate the annual audit; assist with grants; support congregations as requested; and serve as the main contact with our investment manager.
A graduate of the University of Georgia, Lisa earned her CPA license in Georgia and lived in the Atlanta area until moving to Vermont in 2022. She is a member of All Saints, South Burlington.
Sarah joined our diocesan household in 2021 as Rector of Trinity, Rutland and will continue as Rector as she takes on this new role. Recently, she collaborated with a Burlington area UCC youth group for the Rutland Youth Mission Trip and Pilgrimage that took place in June of this year. As our youth missioner, Sarah will work to bring together middle and high school aged young people across our diocese for events, formation, and fellowship. She will also coordinate a new youth presence at our diocesan conventions, beginning this year.
She has spent a significant part of the past 25 years nurturing the lives of young people and credits her passion for youth ministry as an offering of joy and gratitude for all of those who supported her own growth and development. In an era with deep grief about the decline of youth participation in church, Sarah brings a diversity of perspective, possibility, energy, and an unapologetic love for pop culture that will surely resonate with our young people.
The addition of these staff members will allow us to better serve our congregations and continues our push to reduce the number of contractors on my staff. I look forward to their contributions to the common life of our diocesan household.
Peace and Blessings,
Bishop Shannon
