Clergy & Staff

The Reverend Noah H. Evans, our Rector and pastor, has been with St. Paul's since March 2017. Ordained in 2004, previously, Noah served as the Rector of Grace Episcopal Church, Medford, Massachusetts and as the Associate Rector of St. Anne's in the Fields Episcopal Church in Lincoln Massachusetts. He is a graduate of Washington University in Saint Louis and The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church. Noah lives in Mt. Lebanon, with his wife, the Reverend Sara Irwin, an Episcopal Priest, who serves as the Pastor of St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Carnegie. Their daughter Adah was born in 2009 and their son Isaiah was born in 2007. They have a Golden Retriever (Blue) and three chickens (Noise, Snow Flurry and Buckbeak). Noah loves cooking, smoking meat, local foods, current events and politics, the intersection of church and society, movies and television and teaching the bible. He was the co-founder of Life Together: the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts Young Adult Internship Program and has served on the boards of a number social-justice non-profits. In 2016, Noah received the first Wallace H. Kountze Community Service Award by the Mystic Valley NAACP for his work on multicultural issues. He is excited about the inter-generational energy at St. Paul's and helping to lead the congregation to more boldly serve the wider community and the world. His blog can be found at http://getoutoftheark.blogspot.com/ or you can find him on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/nhevans827.

Laura is our newest clergy at St. Paul's. She just completed her Master of Arts in Ministry from General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church in New York City. She was ordained a transitional Deacon in June in New Jersey, and we anticipate her being ordained to the Priesthood at St. Paul’s in December.

Laura grew up in Massachusetts and is a graduate of Emory University where she completed a BA in Women’s Studies and Religious Studies in 2013. She earned her Master of Divinity at Princeton Theological Seminary where she met her husband, Luke Zerra, who is currently completing a PhD in Theology and Ethics. After her M.Div., Laura worked as a chaplain at a trauma hospital in Trenton, New Jersey. In the hospital setting, she learned how critical spiritual care can be for people in the transitions that often accompany a visit to the hospital. Laura is also a certified Kripalu yoga instructor and has taught classes in both yoga studios and churches.

The Reverend Garrett Yates has been with St. Paul’s since May 2015. Ordained in 2016, this is Garrett’s first call. He is a graduate of Samford University in Birmingham, AL where he earned a B.A. in Classics and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Garrett is married to Katie Yates, and they are the proud parents of their dog, Hank. Garrett loves running (most of the time), watching sports, playing guitar, and talking theology. Garrett loves the Episcopal church because it is a broad tent - a place where contemplation and justice meet, and he loves thinking about how the church can become more missional.

Douglas Starr, D.M.A., is Director of Music and Arts at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, where he conducts the Chancel Choir, early service Contemporary Ensemble and oversees the Friends of Music Guild Concert Series. He is an organ recitalist, a bass soloist, a voice teacher and an active composer of sacred and secular choral music published with Beckenhorst, Lawson-Gould, and G.I.A. Along with his wife Annette, many of his compositions can be found on their website, TierneyStarrmusic.com.

Having served in Episcopal Church Music since 1974, twenty nine of those years have been with Saint Paul's: Mt. Vernon, Ohio (74-78); Louisville, KY (87-92); and here in Pittsburgh since 1993. "Perhaps this poetically represents the fact that St. Paul is my favorite apostle," he notes, "but more to the fact that these parishes are blessed with rich musical traditions and I have had the honor to serve in those parish traditions."

He adds, on a personal note, “My life is just one big unfolding of 19th century and early 20th century American gospel hymnody that no church really sings any longer. Oh well, the seeds were planted, the plant is grown and metaphorically speaking (of course) global warming has provided enough CO2 for a plant's long life. And thank you Charles Ives for assimilating these great hymn tunes in your masterworks.”

A graduate of The Ohio State University with degrees in vocal performance and theory/composition, Douglas also currently teaches part-time at Penn State University and has taught at Westminster College, Kenyon College and Central Michigan University and served as director of choral activities at Bellarmine College in Louisville, Kentucky. He was a University Fellow while at Ohio State, a Mellon Fellow at Vanderbilt University in 1983 and an American Council on Education Fellow in 1988.

Christin Cooper joined St. Paul’s as Assistant Music Director for Children in September 2017. She directs the Canterbury Choir, Youth Praise Band, and Handbell Ensemble in addition to providing music for children’s programming. Christin loves serving the community of St. Paul’s by helping children and youth express their faith through music.

As a classical pianist, Christin accompanies students and ensembles in the Mary Pappert School of Music at Duquesne University. She is also one half of the piano duo (co) ordinal. She holds an M. M. in Piano Performance from the University of Delaware and a B. M. in Music Education from Bucknell University.

Christin is engaged to Seth Chizeck, who can occasionally be found playing percussion with the Praise Band. A September 2019 wedding is planned in her hometown of Lancaster, PA. In her spare time Christin enjoys reading, yoga, traveling, exploring Pittsburgh, attempting to learn German, and going to concerts.

Kristen’s background is in nursing. She earned her BSN from Lycoming College in 1999, and earned her MSN and certification as a pediatric nurse practitioner in primary care in 2003. Kristen worked at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh from 1999 to 2012, caring primarily for pediatric cancer patients. Since that time, she has worked for Ohio University’s online RN-to-BSN Program as an adjunct faculty member as well as a teaching assistant. She loved taking care of children and their families at the bedside, and now enjoys using her own experiences to better prepare a new generation of professional nurses.

Kristen and her husband, Doug, have been married since 2003 and joined St. Paul’s as members in 2009. They have two sons, Dylan, who is 11, and Noah, who is 7, both of whom epitomize what it means to be “active” members of the church. Kristen’s family also has a dog, Chloe, who acts as a furry companion and best friend for all of them.

Kristen taught the kindergarten Sunday School class for two years, and also worked alongside Lisa Brown as the Assistant Director of Children’s Ministry. Kristen loves working with the children of St. Paul’s, and she enjoys building relationships with them, between them, and among their families.

Paul has been Director of Youth Ministries since May 2011. He has been a member of St. Paul’s since moving to Pittsburgh, from Virginia, in 2006. Paul graduated from Virginia Tech a long time ago, with a degree in History and Geography, and continues to be passionate about history through reading, teaching, living history and reenactments. Paul has always enjoyed working with young people as a high school teacher, football coach and youth director.

Paul enjoys being a member of St. Paul’s; he ushers, LEMs, served on Vestry, plays bass in our Contemporary Worship band and helps with the worship sound needs. His duties as Youth Director encompass all things youth; Acolytes, EYC and Mission Trip.

Paul is married to the amazing Kary Barker (she bakes the best chocolate chip cookies!), and they have 4 children; Lacey and Jaymi, 2 twenty-somethings, and 2 teenagers, Harriss and Julia. They live in Allison Park.

Erin is passionate about going into the world and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ! She is grateful to have been called to tell the world about the great work God is doing through St. Paul's. It has served as a place of healing and refreshment, and a source of strength from which to keep working to make the world a better place. Just as her favorite hymn asks, "how can I keep from singing?" she can't help but joyfully amplify the voice of the people of St. Paul's in the community!

Erin and her son, Max, were looking for a spiritual home when Max attended Vacation Bible School at St. Paul’s in 2013. That year, the focus of VBS was outreach projects, and Max was thrilled to being helping others. Having witnessed St. Paul’s efforts to put their faith into action, Erin and Max were excited to become part of the community at St. Paul’s.

Since then, Erin has jumped at the opportunity to serve St. Paul's in different types of ministry. She served as a member of the vestry, and parish representative for Episcopal Relief and Development. Now, she is a Lay Eucharistic Minister, and a Stephen Minister, and works on behalf of the Diocesan Social Justice Committee with the national anti-hunger organization, Bread for the World. In 2015 and 2016, she was chosen to be one of the Episcopal Church's delegates to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. (Max is also enthusiastic about participating in ministry at St. Paul's, and serves as an acolyte.)

Erin is an attorney, who has worked in the criminal justice system, and represented people seeking protective orders against abusive partners. She also served as an advocate for survivors of violence at the Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh and PAAR. She lives in Mt. Lebanon with Max; her husband, Jesse; and a whole bunch of very, very cuddly cats.

Bill Higgins has worked part time for Saint Pauls since 2005 as the evening Sexton. In 2015 he became full time and took on the roll of head Sexton. He is a military Veteran who served four years in the U.S. Navy as a hospital corpsman. In 1987 he became a Letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service. In 2009 he was able to combine his 4 years as a veteran and 22 years as a letter carrier and retire from the government.

http://www.stpaulsnurseryschool.com/

Eileen was named the Director of St. Paul’s Episcopal Nursery School in May 2017 after serving as Interim Director for the 2016-17 school year. She began working at the nursery school in 1989 as a classroom teacher. Eileen is co-founder of Jeremiah’s Place, Pittsburgh’s first and only crisis nursery that opened in 2014 in the Lincoln-Larimer neighborhood of Pittsburgh. She has spent most of her professional and volunteer time as an early childhood educator and advocate.

Eileen previously worked for The Homeless Children’s Education Fund, was a Together Time instructor for a pilot program through the Fred Rogers Company, an instructor for Friends of Child Find Inc. and the first Coordinator for Mt. Lebanon’s Teen Center. She and her husband Dave were foster parents with The Children’s Home of Pittsburgh and cared for twelve children over a ten-year period.

Eileen and Dave joined St. Paul’s Church as newlyweds in 1986 and initially spent time volunteering with the youth group. They have been involved in a variety of ministries over the years. The Sharbaugh’s are recent “empty nesters” and parents of four young adult children; Hannah, Sarah (married to Billy) Nathan and Rachel who all of their children attended the nursery school in the 1990’s and grew up at St. Paul’s Church. In addition to her role as co-founder Eileen is also a board member for Jeremiah’s Place. She has previously served on the Vestry and been a board member for other community organizations such as Outreach Teen & Family Services, Century United Soccer Club and Sheldon Calvary Camp.

Monica is a lifelong resident of the South Hills. She received her Master's Degree in Business Education from Robert Morris University. Previously, she served as a business professor in many places. Monica attends worship at St. Alphonsus in McDonald, Pennsylvania.

Francesca (Frankie) Kavalir has been involved with St. Paul’s since the days of singing with Miss Margaret in nursery school. As a St. Paul’s youth, Frankie was confirmed into the Episcopal Church, played in the youth Praise Band, counseled children at Vacation Bible School, served as an acolyte, and participated in EYC fellowship, service, and fundraising activities.

Frankie served as a young adult chaperone during this past summer’s mission trip to Bluefield, West Virginia, and she found it to be one of the most enriching spiritual experiences of her life. Currently, Frankie studies chemistry at CCAC and lives in Mt. Lebanon. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music, singing, playing guitar, reading, writing, running, hiking, and breakdancing. Frankie also does radio astronomy research for the Pulsar Search Collaboratory.

At St. Paul's, Frankie will be helping with the 7th Grade Confirmation Class, mentoring Jr. EYC, and serving as chaperone for youth overnights.

Frankie’s faith has been tremendously influential in her life, and she hopes to help others on their spiritual journeys. She looks forward to furthering exposure to faith and building a community for the youth of St. Paul’s!

Ariel is a graduate of Malone University in Canton, Ohio, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts. In the last several years she has worked at various non-profits, and just recently moved back to Pittsburgh after spending a year in Memphis, Tennessee.

Ariel resides in Mt. Lebanon with her husband John, who serves college students at Duquesne University. She enjoys traveling, photography, books, history, and really good cups of coffee.