Saint Francis Ministries
Saint Francis Ministries announced today the appointment of three new members to the Board of Directors.
The Rev. Brock Slabach, Heather Zdancewicz, MBA, and The Rev. Carissa Baldwin-McGinnis respectively bring extensive experience in health care, finance, and social justice to their new responsibilities.
“We are pleased to welcome Brock, Heather and Carissa to the Saint Francis Ministries board,” said Greg Meissen, board president. “Along with their practical experience that supports our work, they are committed to making the lives of children and families better. At the center of the board’s work is our vision of transforming lives and systems, and we proactively focus on continual improvement to seek the best for those we serve.”
Carissa Baldwin-McGinnis received a call to the priesthood while working in the field of International Human Rights. This led her to undergo formation as a faith-based community organizer in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas and later priestly formation in the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. Carissa served three congregations in Texas and Los Angeles before initiating Northside Episcopal Church, a church plant in central Houston. She has worked as a consultant to faith-based organizations doing social justice work, including Houston reVision, which is breaking the cycle of isolation for system-affected youth. Carissa and her spouse are the foster and adoptive parents of three children.
Chief operating officer for the National Rural Health Association, Brock Slabach has served in hospital administration for more than 21 years and has served on the board of the NRHA and American Hospital Association Regional Policy Board. Also an ordained Episcopal deacon, he is canonically resident in the Diocese of West Missouri. Brock earned his Master of Public Health degree in health administration from the University of Oklahoma and is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Currently serving as vice president of finance and administration for the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Heather Zdancewicz has also worked in the same capacity for the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Va. Besides serving on boards for Kanuga Conference Center and the Episcopal Evangelism Society, she has also served on the Endowment Committee at All Saints Episcopal Church in Austin, Texas.