Clergy & Staff

The Rev. James (Jimmy) Hartley came to Trinity in 2021 and now serves as Sub-Dean and Canon Pastor. As Sub-Dean, he assists the Dean in strategic visioning and implementation, supports and develops the ministries of our staff and parishioners, and oversees the day-to-day operations of the Cathedral. As Canon Pastor, he leads parishioners in their common call of discipleship by developing relationships and providing care to one another and the wider community. 

Canon Hartley grew up as an Episcopalian in the Diocese of Upper South Carolina and was involved as a camper and staff member at Camp Gravatt, diocesan youth ministries, and campus/young adult ministries as a young person.  He spent his childhood in Fort Mill where he attended Christ Episcopal Church in Lancaster with his parents and brother.  Before ordination, Canon Hartley served at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church (North Augusta) and later at Grace Episcopal Church (Charleston) as a youth minister.   

Before his call to Trinity, Canon Hartley served as Canon for Christian Formation, Congregational Vitality, and Missional Communities for the Diocese of Upper South Carolina.  Canon Hartley also serves on the Board of Trustees for Heathwood Hall, as well as the Bishop Gravatt Center.
 

Canon Mia C. McDowell came to Trinity in 2022 as Canon Catechist. In this role, she oversees Christian formation and shares fully in the sacramental and missional life of the congregation. Prior to coming to Trinity, Canon McDowell served as Vicar at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church (Newberry), as assistant to the rector at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church (Spartanburg), and as Curate of the Church of the Epiphany (Spartanburg).

Mia earned a Masters of Divinity from The School of Theology at The University of the South, Sewanee, in 2015. She was ordained to the priesthood in January 2016. She currently serves as Chair of the Deputation to the 81st General Convention, and on the diocese Board of Examining Chaplains. She has previously served on the Bishop’s Nominating Committee, and as diocesan chaplain for The Order of the Daughters of the King. She has served as a clergy deputy to the 80th General Convention in 2022 in Baltimore, Md.

Prior to entering discernment for Holy Orders, Mia was employed as a pharmacy technician, and as an organist/choirmaster for various churches in the Upstate. She earned a bachelor’s degree in music-organ from Anderson College (now Anderson University). Mia is a native of Greenville, SC, daughter to Linda and Johnny Lee, sister to Corky, aunt to Dravon, Carl, and Steven, and great-aunt to Calyx. She was married to the late Rev. James W. McDowell for eight years.

Mia and her dog, Sonny, a terrier mix, live on Columbia’s west-side. Mia enjoys cooking, antiquing, dancing, traveling, and great food with great friends.

Laura Amick joined the Trinity staff in 2023 as Director of Finance and Human Resources. In this role, she leads the business office in maintaining the highest standards of accountability for and stewardship of the congregation’s generous support of our Cathedral, the Trinity Learning Center and the Trinity Foundation. She also handles the human resources policies and procedures for the Trinity staff.
Prior to Trinity, Laura worked as the finance manager at Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative. She is a certified public accountant and has 15 years of accounting experience in the Carolinas. She began her career in public accounting, auditing for Deloitte. A native of Gilbert, Laura received her bachelor’s degree in business administration and accounting at Presbyterian College and a master's of accountancy at the College of Charleston.
Laura and her dog, Cash, live in Lexington. She loves anything related to Lake Murray or the beaches. Laura enjoys hiking, cycling, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
 

Carole Carter joined the Trinity staff in 2004 as an administrative assistant to the canons and pastoral care ministries. In 2008, her role changed to administrative assistant for pastoral care,  and communications & membership secretary. She has served as executive assistant to the dean since 2013. In this role, she manages the dean's calendar and correspondence, schedules weddings and baptisms, handles arrangements for funerals, serves as the liaison for the Vestry meetings, and manages the Church Registers and Parochial Report.

Carole has a graduate degree from West Virginia State College.

After moving to South Carolina from West Virginia, Carole worked at the SC Department of Employment for a year, then joined the staff at Unisource for 10 years as a sales secretary/receptionist. She was then hired by the director of development at The SC Home at Still Hopes as administrative assistant, where she worked for 10 years before coming to Trinity.

Carole has been an active member of Trinity for 34 years. She lives in the Rosewood area of Columbia and has three adult children, 12 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren, who lovingly refer to her as Cat Lady.  Her hobbies are gardening, reading and going to birthday parties, weddings, and other family get-togethers. 

Lisandra Diaz-Rivera joined the Trinity Cathedral staff in 2024 as director of the Trinity Learning Center. In this role, she directs all activities of Trinity’s childcare center, including curriculum development, staff hiring and supervision, safety and security measures, and regulatory requirements.

Prior to joining the Trinity Learning Center, Lisandra served as the executive director of the My Amigos Bilingual Education Center in West Columbia. Previously, she was a director-in-training at Big Blue Marble Academy in Columbia

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, she has called South Carolina home since 2017. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major in management from University of Puerto Rico-Humacao, and a master’s degree in early childhood education leadership from the University of Arizona Global Campus.

Allison C. Fowler joined the Trinity staff in 2000 as the receptionist for Trinity Cathedral. Her title and responsibilities have changed vastly over the years. Since 2014, Allison has served as membership secretary.  In this role, she oversees the membership transfers in and out of the cathedral and assists all of the clergy and canon staff with day-to-day projects.  Allison oversees a wonderful group of volunteers who serve at the Trinity Welcome Center, answering phones and greeting visitors.

Allison is an accomplished and published professional artist who taught painting classes for more than 10 years at a well-known art bar, Grapes and Gallery, before the COVID pandemic. You will always find a blade in her pocket as she is an avid collector of knives and swords with well over 100 pieces in her collection to date.

Allison is calm and quiet, but don't be fooled. It's the quiet ones you need to look out for!

Julie Fulmer joined the Trinity staff in 2011 as an accounting associate. In that role, she supports financial and accounting functions of the parish, but also works on human resources matters, new hires, payroll and insurance, payables, receivables and contributions.

Julie graduated from Winthrop College when it was still a women's college and received a graduate degree from the University of South Carolina.  
Prior to coming to Trinity, Julie worked for Ducane for 19 years, managed the Rockbridge Club for more than 10 years, and handled books for a trucking and truck wash business for a few years.

Julie says she will retire one day, but for now, she enjoys working and being with fellow staff members and parishioners. She lives in Columbia with her husband and spoiled Yorkie. She enjoys spending time with her mother and grand-nieces, and her happy moments are sitting in the dirt working in my yard.  
 

Taylor Gibby joined the Trinity staff in 2022 as the director of youth ministries. In this role, she coordinates youth Bible studies, develops Sunday school lessons, hosts EYC, and plans youth retreats and other events. Before accepting the call to come to Trinity, Taylor served at Grace Episcopal Church in Anderson as the director of children and youth ministries. 

Taylor graduated from Winthrop University in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a minor in community based learning. When she’s not hanging out with the teens of Trinity, she enjoys taking her dog Birdie on walks, going to Greenville to see family, and spending time with friends.
 

Mary Ellen Haile joined the Trinity staff in 2023 as Director of Pastoral Care Ministries. In this role, she serves as principal point of contact for all pastoral needs in the Cathedral congregation, coordinates with the clergy to organize pastoral care, curates external pastoral care referral lists, develops and supports all lay pastoral care ministries, and develops and supports Diocesan engagement.

Prior to Trinity, Mary Ellen served as a registered nurse at Prisma Health for 37 years and in 2021, started a private practice as a nurse coach helping people reach their health goals. She is continuing this role in her spare time. She also volunteered as Trinity's part-time parish nurse for 10 years.

A graduate of Clemson University (BSN) and USC (Master of Nursing), Mary Ellen grew up at Trinity and attends with her family. She has two adult children, Charlie (and his wife Katherine) and Boykin (and her husband Matt), and two grandchildren. She enjoys walking, reading, traveling, cooking (sometimes), working out, and being with family and friends.
 

Katie Rankin joined the Trinity staff in 2022 as Director of Parish Life. In this role, she creates fellowship opportunities (including special Parish Life events), helps parishioners find ways to be fully engaged in the work of the church, and implements new hospitality procedures to welcome guests on Sunday and throughout the week. 

Before starting her work at Trinity, Katie was a stay-at-home mom for 10 years with her four kids and one very crazy chocolate lab! She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina. Katie and her husband Sean joined Trinity in 2011. In her free time... wait, what’s free time?

Curt Richardson joined the Trinity staff in 2014 as a sexton. In that role, Curt assists with routine care of our facilities, including addressing maintenance and security concerns. The team of sextons is instrumental in set-up and clean-up for our classes and events, and in providing a welcoming environment to our parishioners and visitors.

Prior to coming to Trinity, Curt worked in retail management for 10 years. He enjoys cooking, reading and writing, and loves luxury automobiles. A native of Charleston, Curt also loves to spend time in the Lowcountry with family and friends.

Laura Rosier joined the Trinity staff in 2019 as the associate musician and music administrator. In this role, she serves as support organist, manages day-to-day administrative tasks for the music office, and assists with the chorister program and Trinity Youth Choir.

Prior to joining the Trinity staff, Laura served as director of music at St. Michael and All Angels (Columbia) for many years, and also served as interim director of music at Mt. Hermon Lutheran (West Columbia) and Incarnation Lutheran (Columbia).

She earned degrees in organ performance and German from the University of South Carolina. 

Laura and her husband Lonnie have a son, Walker, who is a USC student and musician at Northeast Methodist Church. Their cats, Milo and Zim, are Facebook famous.

Laura enjoys reading, listening to true crime and spooky-story podcasts, working with plants, traveling with Lonnie, cooking, and hanging out with friends and family. One day, she hopes to complete the Midlands Master Gardener course and see Mount Everest with her own eyes.

The Rev. Jeri-Katherine Warden Sipes joined the Trinity staff in 2025 as director of children and family ministries. In this role, she oversees the formation and fellowship programs for children and parents, including Sunday school classes, liturgy preparation, Vacation Bible School and instructive liturgy services.

Jeri-Katherine earned a bachelor's degree in English from Gardner Webb University and a Master of Divinity from Boston University. She previously served as the associate chaplain and boys cross country coach at Heathwood Hall Episcopal School where she also taught Upper School religion classes, led chapel services across all grade levels and organized domestic and international school mission trips. 

Prior to her time at Heathwood, Jeri-Katherine served as associate minister at Union United Methodist Church in Irmo, SC, overseeing Christian education, evangelism, discipleship, and membership. She has also coached cross country and track for ten years at Dreher High School—her alma mater—where she
grew the program into one of the best in the SCHSL.

A lifelong learner, Jeri-Katherine has completed professional development programs including the Princeton Theological Seminary Youth & Theology Certificate, Gallup Strengths Coaching, and the Nonprofit Management program at Winthrop University. She regularly participates in conferences focused on peace, justice, and mental health and is passionate about advocating for marginalized communities, especially in the areas of racial justice, mental health, and children’s well-being. 

Jeri-Katherine resides in Columbia with her husband, Hiram, and their three sons. They share their home with a dog and chickens. In her free time, Jeri-Katherine enjoys reading, running, and beekeeping.
 

Tony Smoak is currently serving in his third stint as a sexton for the Cathedral. He first came to Trinity in 1986, and left briefly in 1999. He joined the staff again from 2000-2009. He returned in 2011 and is thankful to have spent more than 35 years combined at Trinity.  

As a sexton, Tony assists with routine care of our facilities, including addressing maintenance and security concerns. The team of sextons is instrumental in set-up and clean-up for our classes and events, and in providing a welcoming environment to our parishioners and visitors.
 

David Strasburger joined the Trinity staff in 2022 as interim co-director of kitchen ministries. In this role, he oversees the planning and preparation of meals for parish events and community outreach. Before coming to Trinity, David owned and managed several local restaurants, two of which featured the famous "Strasburger" on the menu.

David also runs a Roofmax business, and he has worked in construction and renovation, and in sales. But his true passion and hobby is helping people when they are in need. 

David has two adult children, five grandchildren, and no spare time.

Paul Thomas joined Trinity's staff in August 2024 as director of music and organist. In this role, he leads the Cathedral parish in offering praise to God through music by directing the renowned choirs of girls, boys, and adults in rehearsals, services, concerts, and tours. Before coming to Trinity, Paul served in similar roles at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Chattanooga, TN; the Cathedral of St. Luke & St. Paul in Charleston, SC; and the Episcopal Church at Yale. He holds degrees in organ performance from Furman University and Yale University, and the Certificate in Church Music Studies from the Yale Institute of Sacred Music. Paul and his wife Meredith are both natives of North Carolina, and they met as music students at Furman (in rehearsal - where else?). They have two young children and a rowdy golden retriever named Rowan. In addition to spending time with family, Paul enjoys playing the occasional round of golf and watching Liverpool FC. 

Edgar White joined the Trinity staff in 2003 as a sexton. In that role, Edgar assists with routine care of our facilities, including addressing maintenance and security concerns. The team of sextons is instrumental in set-up and clean-up for our classes and events, and in providing a welcoming environment to our parishioners and visitors.

Nadia Wilkerson joined the Trinity staff in 2025 as the associate for database technologies & the Trinity Foundation. In this role, she manages the Realm membership platform, supports stewardship functions within the finance office, and provides administrative assistance to the Trinity Foundation.

Prior to joining Trinity, Nadia spent over 25 years in corporate environments, including Hewlett-Packard, Xilinx, NetApp, Forescout, and Redis. She has worn many hats - handling C-suite executive support, planning and managing global events, overseeing corporate facilities, and leading strategic projects across departments. 

Outside of work, Nadia’s most cherished role is being a mom. She and her husband, Jacob, have raised three adult children and are now enjoying the adventure of raising their youngest. She loves to cook, tend to her garden with her dog and chickens, create art, capture life’s special moments through photography, and travel.

Bridget Winston joined the Trinity staff in 2023 as director of communications. In this role, she oversees print and digital marketing of the Cathedral's activities, including the website, social media, the weekly Tidings newsletter, and media outreach.

Prior to Trinity, Bridget worked as director of communications at the SC Office of Rural Health, and as director of development for Senior Resources. She began her career as a newspaper journalist. She is a native of New Jersey and suburban Chicago, and a graduate of the University of Notre Dame.

Bridget and her husband Chris live in Lexington and have two teenage sons, Charlie and Jackson. She is a runner, reader, and avid spectator at her sons' swim meets and musical performances. 
 

Käthe Wright Kaufman joined the Trinity staff in 2025 as the associate director of music and organist. In this role she is the principal accompanist of Trinity’s choirs, playing the organ for the majority of choral services. She also assists in the training of choristers and the operation of the music department.

Käthe previously served as associate director of music and worship arts at Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. She received both a bachelor's degree and master's degree from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, where she studied under William Porter, Edoardo Bellotti and David Higgs. During her undergraduate years, Käthe worked as a VanDelinder Fellow at Christ Church, Rochester, and later as the organ scholar at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Buffalo.

Between her undergraduate and graduate studies, Käthe spent a year in Truro, UK, where she served as organ scholar at Truro Cathedral. While pursuing her master's degree, she worked as organ scholar at St. Paul’s, Rochester. Käthe then returned to England as organ scholar at Peterborough Cathedral.

Käthe is an associate of the American Guild of Organists and a published composer with Selah. While not practicing the organ, she enjoys going on walks, lifting weights, and spending time with her cat Gemma.