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