Search Committee | Episcopal Diocese of Western New York

Lisa Yaggie (Chair)

Lisa Frew Yaggie is a long-time member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Jamestown, NY, where she has served in multiple leadership roles, including Senior Warden and Vestry member. She is currently Chair of the Bishop Search Committee and remains active in parish life through the Altar Guild, Sunday School, and book club. Professionally, Lisa is a Senior Human Resources Business Partner at Refresco Beverages NA in Dunkirk, NY. A committed community volunteer, she is a trustee of the Lakewood Memorial Library and a long-standing member of the Rotary Club of Jamestown, where she has hosted 14 youth exchange students. Lisa and her husband Jay have been married for over 32 years and have one son, Jared. She enjoys traveling, reading, digital scrapbooking, boating on Chautauqua Lake, and cheering on the Buffalo Bills.

The Rev. Nicholas Evancho (Administrator)

The Rev. Nicholas Evancho, SOSc is the priest-in-charge at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Grand Island. Born in WNY and ordained through the diocese of NWPA, he has served in Washington, DC, Southern Ohio, and Western New York. He is a member of the Society of Ordained Scientists with a background in Biochemistry and the interaction between science and religion. He enjoys photography, playing the organ, and being a dad to his daughter Sophia and his puppy Claire.

Mark Henger (Treasurer)

I was born in Long Island, NY, and raised in a faith-centered family—my dad, a career Marine, taught me to love God, remember Jesus’ sacrifice, and treat others with kindness. When he was overseas, I lived in South Buffalo with my mom and grandmother, attending Saint Simon’s, where I’ve been an Episcopalian since birth and served as Warden for 25 years. Throughout my involvement with the Diocese of WNY, I’ve worked with four bishops, deepening my faith and ultimately becoming a Benedictine Monk in 2015. Guided by Saint Benedict and Sister Scholastica’s teachings, I founded the Genesis Center of WNY to support those in need and also provide healing services at Saint Simon’s. My hobbies include woodworking and rehabilitating pitbulls.

Karen Lawler

Karen is a lifelong Franciscan who serves as the Priest in Charge at Trinity, Lancaster. She was raised in WNY, but spent much of her life living in Northern California, where she worked in healthcare for over 25 years. She also served on the Partners in Health Ministries group of the Diocese. Karen and her wife Kathy returned to WNY in 2023 to be closer to family. Karen is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, a certified SoulCollage® facilitator and a member of the Order of Ecumenical Franciscans. She enjoys gardening, music and spending time by the water.

Rebecca Barnes

The Very Reverend Rebecca A. Barnes became Dean of St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral, Buffalo in May 2024, following prior roles as Rector of St. Luke’s in Scranton, Vicar of Holy Trinity in NYC, and Assistant Rector at St. Ignatius of Antioch on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Passionate about social justice, outreach, pastoral care, and contemplative prayer, she is a commissioned Centering Prayer presenter and Certified Facilitator Trainer with Contemplative Outreach, Ltd. She has served on various diocesan commissions, was a founding president and CEO of the re-entry bakery Cypress House at St. Luke’s, and has held leadership roles in ministerial, civic, and musical organizations. Rev. Barnes holds graduate degrees from the General Theological Seminary and Manhattan School of Music, and enjoys religious pilgrimage, travel, photography, and history.

Su Hadden

Member of, and currently on, the Vestry of St Paul’s Cathedral, Buffalo. I served under 4 successive Presiding Bishops as Operations Manager at the Church Center in New York and Executive Assistant to the Chief Operating Officers prior to retirement in July this year. A cradle-member of the Church of England and a member of The Episcopal Church since arriving in Buffalo in the early 90’s

Susan Woods

Susan Woods is a member of Good Shepherd, Buffalo where she serves on the Vestry. She participates in the WNY and NWPA Joint Commission to Dismantle Racism and Discrimination. She is retired. Her professional background is in workplace practitioner education and training through Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations and later, Henderson Woods, LLC. She specialized in labor- management relations, conflict resolution, and workplace diversity and inclusion.

Diane Cox

Deacon Diane is an RN in the Genesee County Jail and a Faith Community Nurse serving eight Episcopal congregations in Genesee, Wyoming, and Orleans County. As a Deacon, she is serving congregations that have felt ignored and dismissed for generations, providing pastoral care. She has helped give them a sense of new life and a vibrancy to make a difference in this region.

Dianne Gaddis

Dianne Gaddis, a Salamanca native and St. Mary’s alumna, earned her B.S. in Mathematics from RIT and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Virginia. She retired after 42 years at Lockheed Martin in Manassas, VA, where she held roles in engineering, management, and business development. Now living in Randolph, Dianne enjoys time with her grandchildren and hobbies like quilting, gardening, and woodworking. She serves as treasurer and vestry member at Grace Church in Randolph.

Milania Lullo

I have served as a deacon in the WNY Diocese since 2009, focusing on supporting marginalized communities, including acting as a chaplain for Homespace where I empowered young mothers, and currently co-directing the Genesis Center Soup Kitchen & Food Pantry that feeds nearly 1,000 people weekly. A retired NYS high school English teacher of 30 years, I am a twice-widowed single mother of two adult children, a proud grandmother, and have lived across the Midwest, West Coast, and East Coast. My passions include reading, gardening, cooking, and especially enjoying live music of all genres.

Tom Tripp

A parishioner at St. Peter’s of Eggertsville for 46 years, I have served on multiple vestrys and was ordained to the Diaconate in 2007, focusing on Refugee Resettlement, Prison Counseling, and ministry at St. Peter’s. I have participated in several Diocesan committees and held the position of Archdeacon in both the Diocese of WNY and the WNY/NWPA Partnership. Previously, I spent 37 years as a science teacher and 28 years as a football coach in the Amherst Central School System. Married to Lois for 54 years, I am the father of three grown children—Bryan, Kristen, and Jeffrey—and grandfather to Lainey, Sienna, and Vivienne.