Director of Communications, Susan Sherrill Axelrod

Susan Sherrill Axelrod oversees digital and print communications for the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire and the Episcopal Diocese of Maine. She works with both bishops and diocesan staff on communications strategy, external and internal messaging, branding, and managing the websites and social media campaigns. She also assists congregations with their communications projects and needs.

Susan’s background includes 25 years as an editor and writer for national, regional, and local newspapers and magazines in Maine and New Jersey. She led an award-winning newsroom’s on-the-ground coverage of 9/11, and her portfolio of published work ranges from historic preservation, art, architecture, and design, to addiction recovery, sustainability, food and drink culture, and recipe development. After many years as a summer visitor, she moved to Maine in 2013, joining much of her family. She serves on the board of trustees for Maine Preservation, where she is the gala chair. She tolerates winter but loves summer, when she spends as much time as she can on the water. She and her partner, Jeff Leyden, live in Woolwich with their dog Lucy and cat Ethel.

You can reach Susan by email or at 207-712-1488.

Executive Assistant to the Bishop & Campaign Manager, Shelli Gay

Shelli Gay serves as the executive assistant to the bishop, joining the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire in March 2021. Shelli provides administrative, canonical, and liturgical support for the bishop and assists with various aspects of diocesan governance and administration on behalf of the bishop. Her work includes managing the bishop’s calendar and scheduling and coordinating his weekly Sunday visitations.

With nearly thirty years of experience working on capital campaigns that have combined to raise over $450 million, Shelli is also managing From Deep Roots, New Life, the diocese’s first campaign since 1989. Most recently, Shelli worked in the Advancement Office at St. Paul’s School in Concord where she worked with the chief advancement officer as an executive assistant and donor relations officer. Prior to that, she was the executive assistant to the president at Colby-Sawyer College in New London. In 2022, Shelli served on the Capital Campaign Committee at St. Andrew’s Church in Hopkinton, where she also co-chairs their annual stewardship campaign. Shelli grew up in Henniker and Arundel, England, and now lives in Hopkinton.

You can reach Shelli by email or at 603-224-1914 x112.

Dean of Clergy, the Rev. Louise Howlett

The Rev. Louise Howlett serves half time as dean of clergy, assisting the bishop in caring for clergy spiritual and emotional health, overseeing clergy communications, clergy coaching, the Fresh Start program, and supporting the Clergy Formation Committee with retreats and continuing education for clergy and pastoral leaders. Louise is also a couple and family therapist at Maps Counseling Services in Peterborough and Keene, and a priest associate at All Saints’ Church, Peterborough.

Louise was a school chaplain and teacher for thirty years and then received her M.F.T. in Family Therapy in 2013 from Drexel University College of Health Professions. She also earned her M. Div. from Yale-Berkeley, and her B.A. from Princeton University. Louise lives in Dublin with her husband Lindsay Brown, a history teacher at Dublin School. She loves walking and hiking, reading, yoga, singing, crossword puzzles, and spending time with friends and family.

You can reach Louise by email or at 603-224-1914 x122.

Archivist and Financial Specialist, Lisa Laughy

Lisa splits her time at Diocesan House working as the assistant to the Director of Finance and Benefits, and as Diocesan Archivist/Registrar of the Diocese. While these two areas of work might not seem related on the surface, each provides helpful insights into the function and support of the other.

She and her wife Suzanne live in the south end of Concord in a house that has been in Suzanne’s family for over 100 years. When not organizing archives materials or wrangling accounts payable, Lisa creates watercolor illustrations and wood carvings, and is a juried member of the League of NH Craftsmen.

You can reach Lisa by email or at 603-224-1914 x118.

Canon to the Ordinary, Tina Pickering

As Canon to the Ordinary, Tina serves as senior advisor to the Bishop, transition officer,  and chief of staff. In this role she “shows up, listens, and tries to laugh” as she supports the Bishop, diocesan staff, clergy, lay leaders and congregations follow Jesus and form disciples. Tina joined the staff of the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire in 2014 and has served as Canon to the Ordinary since January 2022.

Prior to her diocesan work, Tina has held positions in non-profit management, charitable giving and advancement, and community building at St. Paul’s School, the New Hampshire Bar Foundation, and the Emmanuel Gospel Center. She has an undergraduate degree in education from Wheelock College and a Master of Arts in Religion from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Tina and her husband Matt live back and forth between their home in downtown Concord, and their land, cabin, and tractor in Belfast, Maine. They have a blended family with six young adult children and a cat named Frankie.

You can reach Tina by email or at 603-224-1914 x125.

Digital Communications Specialist, Amy Redfern

Amy Redfern serves both the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire and the Episcopal Diocese of Maine as Digital Communications Specialist. Branding, design, creative strategy, writing, and digital media are all within her purview through newsletters, social media, and any other communications-related need. Prior to joining the communications office, Amy owned a sustainability-focused resale and vintage retail store. She also had a long career as creative director for her own branding and marketing consultancy, working with clients across industries including beauty, fashion, food, blockchain, finance, and technology. She earned her BA in English Literature and Biology from Mount Holyoke College and a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Non-Fiction and Poetry from the University of Arizona. Before welcoming children to their family, Amy and her husband, Shawn Griffith, a licensed captain, worked as professional luxury yacht crew and completed a partial circumnavigation from the Eastern seaboard through the Caribbean and across the Pacific Ocean to Tahiti.

After returning to the U.S. from living in Italy, Amy and Shawn added two children and two dogs to their crew and settled into life on Southport Island, Maine. When Amy’s not working, you can find her at the beach.

You can reach Amy by email or at 917-373-5733.

Canon for Formation and Vocation, the Rev. Kelly Sundberg Seaman

The Rev. Kelly Sundberg Seaman serves as Dean of Formation, working full time to equip and encourage all the baptized with discernment and formation resources in partnership with the Commission on Ministry. She continues to serve as Dean of the School for Ministry, directing the local formation of candidates for the priesthood and fostering a culture of learning, lay leadership, and life in community within the diocese. Kelly will also lead the ECNH’s Safe Church program.

Kelly is a graduate of Davidson College (NC), the University of Virginia, and the Church Divinity School of the Pacific, and trained as a hospital chaplain at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Prior to her ordination to the priesthood, Kelly worked as a writer and editor, including in the news office of Dartmouth College. She and her husband David Seaman, an academic librarian, are the parents of three young adult children.

You can reach Kelly by email or at 603-224-1914 x126.

Youth Formation and Safe Church Coordinator, George Swenson

A recent Episcopal Church of New Hampshire School for Ministry graduate and candidate for ordination, George Swenson serves the diocese as Youth Formation and Safe Church Coordinator—a quarter-time role. The remainder of his full-time work is at Church of the Good Shepherd in Nashua, where he is a lay associate.

A Granite State native, George was sponsored for postulancy by Grace Church in East Concord and further serves the diocese as a member of the Human Resources Committee. He is also a longtime volunteer with the New Hampshire Teen Institute Summer Leadership Program.

George graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with a bachelor's degree in business administration and worked for several years in the insurance industry before joining the diocese. He lives in Concord with his husband, Tom Swenson, and a menagerie of animals, including dogs, cats, hamsters, and chickens.

You can reach George by email.

Director of Finance and Benefits, Lauren Tennett

Lauren assists congregations with their accounting systems, payroll and taxes, internal controls, and any other finance-related needs. She loves working with congregations to help design systems and procedures that meet their needs or teach them how to get more out of their existing systems. She joined the Diocese in June of 2021. Congregations interested in assistance may call 603-224-1914, extension 130.

Lauren has over 15 years of experience in both corporate and public accounting. She graduated from Stetson University in DeLand, Florida with a Master of Accountancy. She began her career as a corporate auditor for a multinational manufacturing corporation, performing financial and internal control audits for divisions across North America and in Europe. She eventually made the shift to public accounting to stay closer to home and raise a family. While in public accounting, Lauren has worked with individuals and businesses in a wide variety of industries, in the fields of financial accounting, tax, and business consulting.

She also enjoys volunteering her professional skills to help nonprofit organizations run more effectively. She is currently a member of the Diocesan Finance Committee, serves on the Board of Directors for Crispin’s House, Coalition for Youth and also serves as a volunteer for the Maple Avenue Elementary School PFT and the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains Council.

Lauren lives in Goffstown with her husband and two daughters. In her free time, she enjoys reading, music, gardening, and camping.

You can reach Lauren by email or at 603-224-1914 x121.

Operations and Event Administrator, Kathy Traynor

Kathy joined the staff at Diocesan House as in August 2021 and is now operations and event administrator. In this role, she organizes events including the annual diocesan convention, manages the database, and provides general office support for the Bishop's staff.

She and her husband Keith live in Pittsfield. When they are not home, they are likely out playing with their grandson and his family, hiking, mountain biking, or just enjoying the outdoors.

You can reach Kathy by email or at 603-224-1914 x111.