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The Reverend Patricia (Patty) Phaneuf Alexander began her ministry as St. Dunstan’s fifth Rector in September 2019. A native of Massachusetts, Patty earned her BA (magna cum laude) in English Language and Literature from Yale University, where she also completed the Teacher Preparation Program. She began her professional career as a middle- and elementary-school teacher at the Greenwich Country Day School in Connecticut, during which time she earned her MA from the Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College.

It was while living in Greenwich that Patty first visited the Episcopal Church, at the invitation of a colleague who encouraged her to “come and see.” Raised Roman Catholic but having attended an Episcopal high school, she immediately felt at home in the liturgy and soon was received into the Episcopal Church. As Patty began to discern a call to the priesthood, she worked as Director of Christian Education at St. James’ Church in Manhattan before entering the Virginia Theological Seminary, where she earned her Master of Divinity (cum laude). During seminary, Patty was honored to serve for a year as Personal Research Assistant to the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Palace in London – which goes to show that God is full of surprises!

Ordained in 2001, Patty ministered for ten years as a parish priest in the Diocese of New York before coming to Washington to serve first as Head Chaplain at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Potomac and now at St. Dunstan’s. Patty also is a member of the Commission on Ministry in the Diocese of Washington. Having served in parishes of varying sizes, Patty feels particularly called to pastor smaller congregations and feels blessed to be walking with the people of St. Dunstan’s at this time.

Patty is married to the Reverend J. Randolph (Randy) Alexander, Rector of Immanuel Church on-the-Hill in Alexandria, Virginia. Patty and Randy are the proud parents of three amazing sons and two incredibly spoiled rescue dogs. When not ministering to her family or parish, Patty enjoys pursuing her passion for Art History and traveling with her family.

“Deacon Mary” joined St. Dunstan’s in January 2021, shortly after her ordination to the vocational diaconate* at the Washington National Cathedral. She is a lifelong Episcopalian who has lived in Washington, DC, for over three decades. For many years, she designed programs on the arts and cultures of countries from Morocco to Kyrgyzstan for the Middle East Institute and the Smithsonian Institution. She then worked in international development on Middle East
health and environment projects.

In 1999, Mary became the first executive director of Charlie’s Place, a day program for unhoused English- and Spanish-speaking adults at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in the District. Five years later, she set up shop as a communications and public-programs consultant. One day, she invited her priest from Washington’s Church of the Epiphany to an exhibit, which she had cocurated, on Iraqi art and poetry. Over coffee afterward, she made an offhand remark about her high-school dream of becoming a deacon. Before she knew it, she was part of the diocese’s third class of deacons.

Mary and eight others trained for three years locally (right here at St. Dunstan’s) and online through the Church Divinity School of the Pacific. As an undergraduate, Mary majored in Arabic and Middle East studies and minored in botany at the University of Pennsylvania. After graduation, she went to Syria as a Fulbright Scholar to continue studying Arabic literature at the University of Damascus. While working full-time, she earned a Master of Public Health degree from The George Washington University by concentrating on environmental health, particularly Palestinian women’s use of water on the West Bank. Mary now serves on the diocese’s
Creation Care Committee and the deacons’ council.

Elisabeth is originally from Paris, France. In 2003, she joined her husband in the US. They now have 4 children from elementary school to college age. She is an artist (when time allows) and loves horses, gardening, and walking with friends. Qigong is part of her daily self-care routine, and she is happy to share it every week.

Elisabeth is humbled to be at the service of St. Dunstan Episcopal Church and is grateful for this very warm community and for the opportunities to make a difference.

Diane brings a wealth of musical experience to St. Dunstan’s, having sung as a professional soprano both in Europe and the USA. She has also taught voice as an Adjunct Professor at American University and worked as a Teaching Artist with the Children’s Chorus of Washington.

As a Church musician all her life, Diane started singing in the choir at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in her hometown of Sheffield, UK, and then as a student at St. Peter’s Parish Church in Huddersfield. Her graduate studies took her to London, where she sang as a member of the professional choir at St. Marylebone Church until moving to the United States in 2003, where she sang at Washington National Cathedral for 12 years.

The combination of all her musical experiences led her to St. Dunstan’s, where she is enjoying singing as Cantor and Directing the Children’s Community Chorus.

Yimeng is currently studying under the instruction of Rita Sloan as a second-year graduate student majoring in collaborative piano at the University of Maryland. Yimeng holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Nebraska Omaha (which is yet another St. Dunstan's-Nebraska connection!). She has won various concerto competitions in college, including the Puerto Rico International Collaborative Piano Competition Competition, Charleston International Classical Music Competition, and UNO Piano Day Competition.

Melissa and her family come to St. Dunstan's from New Orleans in the Diocese of Louisiana. After growing up in Florida and receiving her BA in Religion and Economics at Furman University in Greenville, SC, Melissa moved to Chicago, IL. While in Chicago, Melissa received her MDiv from the Catholic Theological Union. She ministered as a Pastoral Associate in a Catholic parish before moving to New Orleans, where she became a hospital chaplain and...Episcopalian! After many years of hospital chaplaincy, Melissa is excited to pursue another aspect of her vocation, the call to priesthood. She is currently a VTS student doing an extra year of seminary called "Anglican Studies" for priesthood candidates who did not go to an Episcopal seminary. Melissa met her wife, Megan, in New Orleans, where Megan was a 3rd and 4th grade teacher. After getting married in 2022, they welcomed their daughter, Lina, in 2023. Walter and Sammy are their beloved dogs. In addition to being a church nerd, Melissa loves to read and write (especially poetry!) and has recently learned to crochet. She is grateful to God for the many Holy Spirit-filled connections that led her to St. Dunstan's for this year!