Our Leaders and Staff

Presbytery Leaders

Elder Jim Ballengee (Arch Street) – Moderator

Elder Jim Ballengee grew up as a member of Ardmore Presbyterian Church and joined Arch Street Presbyterian Church in the first class of Elders in 2009 as the church began to revitalize. [read more…]

Reverend Sarah Cooper Searight – Vice-Moderator

Rev. Sarah Cooper Searight currently serves as Associate Pastor for Outreach Ministry, Congregational Care and Worship at Swarthmore Presbyterian where she has been on staff now for eight years. [read more …

Presbytery Leadership Collegium:

Class of 2024: 

  • Elder Jim Ballengee (Arch Street) – Moderator
  • Rev. Sarah Cooper Searight (Swarthmore) – Vice Moderator
  • Rev. Anna Grant Borden (Mt. Airy) – At Large Member
  • Elder Megan Acedo (Beacon) – Committee on Representation
  • Rev. Carla Jones Brown (Arch Street) – Committee on Personnel
  • Rev. Kari Olson (East Falls) – Commission on Ministry
  • Elder Vjay Aggarwal (Wayne) – Commission on Financial Management

Class of 2025:

  • Rev. Alex Evangelista (Church on the Mall) – At Large Member
  • Rev. Debbie Heffernan (Honorably Retired) – Committee on Nominations

Class of 2026: 

  • Elder June Higgins (Oxford) – At Large Member
  • Rev. Isaac Baah (United Ghanaian) – Commission on Resources and Creative Ministries
  • Rev. Dr. Adam Hearlson (Overbrook) – Commission on Preparation for Ministry and Membership
  • Rev. Wonjae Choi (Gwynedd Square) – Commission on Financial Management

Presbytery Staff:

  • Rev. Ruth Faith Santana-Grace – Executive Presbyter
  • Rev. Kevin L. Porter – Stated Clerk
  • Mr. Jim Wagner – Director of Business Administration
  • Rev. Brenton Thompson – Director of Congregational Resourcing
  • Rev. Sarah Colwill – Program Director, Cultivating Enough in the Care of Clergy

Presbytery Staff

Email: rfsantana-grace@presbyphl.org

Extension: 303

Ruth Faith Santana-Grace, Executive Presbyter

Rev. Ruth Faith Santana-Grace (she/her/hers) is Co-Moderator of the 225th General Assembly, the highest elected office in the PC (U.S.A.), representing over 1 million members. [read more…]

Email: statedclerk@presbyphl.org

Extension: 307

Kevin Porter, Stated Clerk

Rev. Kevin L. Porter is a native of Philadelphia, introduced and nurtured in faith through the Sunday School of the Mt. Airy Presbyterian Church, where he was confirmed and encouraged to pursue higher education [read more…]

Email: bthompson@presbyphl.org

Extension:313

Brenton Thompson, Director of Congregational Resourcing

Rev. Brenton Thompson comes to the leadership staff of the Presbytery of Philadelphia with a breadth and depth of experience in the church [read more…]

Email: jwagner@presbyphl.org

Extension:317

Jim Wagner, Director of Business Administration

Jim is a member at Old Pine Street Presbyterian Church in Center City.  Prior to joining the Presbytery of Philadelphia staff as Director of Business Administration in August 2020, [read more…]

Email: scolwill@presbyphl.org

Extension:315

Sarah Colwill, Director of Lilly Initiatives

Rev. Sarah A. Colwill oversees our two Lilly Endowment funded ministry initiatives. [read more…]

Todd Stavrakos, Public Witness and Response Coordinator

Rev. Todd Stavrakos serves as the Public Witness and Response Coordinator for the Presbytery. This part-time contract position is being funded by Reserves for New Initiatives. [read more…]

Administrative & Program Staff

Luis Mercado, Property Manager and Computer Consultant

Email: lmercado@presbyphl.org

Extension: 321

Rev. Cassie Heintz, Administrative Assistant to the Executive Presbyter

Email: cheintz@presbyphl.org

Extension: 309

Betsi Moise, Social Media, Website & Publications Manager

Email: enews@presbyphl.org

Extension: 329

Zac Alan, Administrative Assistant for Communications.

Email: zalan@presbyphl.org 

Extension. 332

Rev. Dr. Janel Dixon, Program Associate for Cultivating Enough in the Care of Clergy

Email: jdixon@presbyphl.org

Extension 333

Rev. Dr. Kimberly Wagner, Preacher-in-Residence