Area Committees on Episcopacy

2026 General Conference

Area Committees on Episcopacy are made up of representatives from the annual conferences within an episcopal area. The committees interview, evaluate, and rank episcopal candidates. This allows for the kind of thorough discernment and vetting often associated with an executive search process.

Episcopal Area 1

Tanzania, Covenant Philippines, India, Mega Manila, Philippines, Panama, Mississippi-Western Tennessee, Trinity



Committee Members


Chair: Oscar Garza - Trinity

Vice Chair: Upendo Likondi - Tanzania

Secretary: Sheryl Gadia - Mega Manila


Jason Burnham - Trinity

Satish Chandar - India

Jazir Del Cid Morales - Panama

Deusi Emmanuel - Tanzania

Alexis Frias - Panama

Rajan Immanuel - India

Linda Ishee - Mississippi-West Tennessee

Virgilio Olonan - Covenant Philippines

Vida Rivera - Mega Manila

Gideon Salatan - Covenant Philippines

Stephen Sparks - Mississippi-West Tennessee

Episcopal Area 2

Bulgaria, Mexico, MidTexas, Northeast, Afrika Mashariki, Korean-American

Committee Members


Chair: Ryan Barnett - MidTexas

Vice Chair: Arnie Fritzius - Northeast

Secretary: Eugene Semashko - Bulgaria


Arnie Fritzius - Northeast

Margarita Caballero - Mexico

Mark Farnell - Northeast

TJ Kim - Korean American

Carol Loeb - MidTexas

Jessica Morris-Ivanova - Bulgaria

Amos Muthoiri - Afrika Mashariki

Joseph Mwaine - Afrika Mashariki

Eugene Paik - Korean American

Diana Sanchez Arechiga - Mexico

Episcopal Area 3

Central Nigeria, South Carolina, Peru, Upper Midwest, Florida, South Africa

Committee Members


Chair: Jay Therrell - Florida

Vice Chair: Luzuko Mdubeki - South Africa

Secretary: Becky Heeren - Upper Midwest


Ntombifuthi Dalindaba-Jona - South Africa

William Floyd - South Carolina

Joseph Irmiya - Central Nigeria

Danladi Likita - Central Nigeria

Monteen Pillay - Florida

Angela Pleasants - South Carolina

Toribio Portocarrero - Peru

Ross Reinhiller - Upper Midwest

Norma Yuyarima - Peru

Episcopal Area 4

North Alabama, Thailand, MidSouth, West Plains, Western States, Northeast Nigeria

Committee Members


Chair: Alan Beasley - North Alabama

Vice Chair: Matt Seel - MidSouth

Secretary: Ryan Smallwood - West Plains


Liz Bowlin - North Alabama

Bangon Champami - Thailand

Liz Chancey - MidSouth

Varin Doungkaeo - Thailand

Margaret Enns - West Plains

Paul Idi - Northeast Nigeria

Frederick Mast - Western States

Adamu Nbaishe - Northeast Nigeria

Jennifer Weston - Western States

Episcopal Area 5

Ethiopia Nazrawiyan, Great Lakes, Virginia, Southern Nigeria, Oasis, Grain Coast

Committee Members


Chair: George Wilson Jr - Grain Coast

Vice Chair: Kirk Little - Virginia

Secretary: Jennifer Wilson - Great Lakes


Mohamed Aanaya - Oasis

Sule Abasu - Southern Nigeria

Nahili Aschalew - Ethiopia Nazrawiyan

Bob Cooper - Virginia

Anbessu Feyissa - Ethiopia Nazrawiyan

Dan Miller - Oasis

Jestina Sayon - Grain Coast

Yunusa Usman - Southern Nigeria

Mike Womack - Great Lakes

Episcopal Area 6

Central African Republic, Central Russia, East Russia-Central Asia, Northwest Russia-Belarus, South Russia, Democratic Republic of Congo

Committee Members


Chair: Kira Yufereva - Central Russia


Elena Chudinova - Northwest Russia and Belarus

Artem Golov - East Russia and Central Asia

Olga Kobzeva - Central Russia

Tatiana Li - Northwest Russia and Belarus

Elena Lyovushkina - South Russia

Kabah Mwenze - Democratic Republic of Congo

Hervine Ondobo - Central African Republic

Claude Pahouala Zaman - Central African Republic

Alexander Shevchenko - South Russia

Victor Stukalov - East Russia and Central Asia

Nicolas Sukisa - Democratic Republic of Congo

Episcopal Area 7

Venezuela, South Georgia, North Georgia, Central Europe, Zambia, Northern Nigeria, Alabama Emerald Coast

Committee Members


Chair: Jeff Jernigan - North Georgia

Vice Chair: Martina Lukic - Central Europe

Secretary: Jimmy Towson - South Georgia


Herzen Andone - North Georgia

Eduardo Batista Chirinos - Venezuela

Salisu Farouk - Northern Nigeria

Gene Floore - Alabama Emerald Coast

Brad Folsom - South Georgia

Peter Ibrahim - Northern Nigeria

Robby Kalitongi - Zambia

Svetlana Komives Francisti - Central Europe

Mayeli Peralta - Venezuela

Knowledge Silondwa - Zambia

Lester Spencer - Alabama Emerald Coast

Episcopal Area 8

Allegheny West, North Carolina, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Heartland

Committee Members


Chair: Kari Howard - North Carolina

Vice Chair: DA Bennett - Heartland

Secretary: James Pollitt - Allegheny West


Wilber Bwire - Uganda

Christin Dush - Heartland

Heather Grabbs - North Carolina

Joseph Kanyike - Uganda

Remember Masamba - Zimbabwe

Washington Mtende - Malawi

Ganizani Nkhambule - Malawi

Reuben Ososo - Kenya

Gregory Stover - Allegheny West

Bonface Wanyama - Kenya

Farirayi Zhakata - Zimbabwe