Joe comes to us from Atlanta where he and Elizabeth have been enjoying retirement for the past two years. He first retired in 2012 after twelve years as Dean of Christ Church Cathedral in Houston. Before returning to Atlanta, he did a brief stint as president of Pathways for Little Feet, a non-profit ministry that promotes adoption through education, advocacy and no-interest loans to middle-income families.

Joe and Elizabeth have three grown sons, seven grandchildren, and their sole current dependent, Bella, a thirteen-pound Havanese dog on whom they pretty much dote. Joe enjoys playing golf (not very well) when he can, and cooking (a bit better). He has recently taken up needlepointing (again) and is working on a Christmas stocking for a granddaughter.

Elizabeth and Joe are excited about being a part of the St. James family and look forward to life and ministry in Baton Rouge.

The Rev. Ralph F. Howe, Jr. returned to St. James in August 2014 to serve as Senior Associate Rector and Day School Chaplain. St. James is the church where Fr. Ralph was reared, the son of the late Anne & Ralph Howe.

Since his ordination, he has served in various capacities in the Diocese of Louisiana and Western Louisiana, including 12 years as rector of Trinity Church, Baton Rouge, and, from 2004-2014 at Episcopal School where he was Senior Chaplain & Chair of the Religion Department.

Fr. Howe received his BS from the University of the South, and his Master of Divinity from the General Theological Seminary in New York.

He and his wife, Suzette, recently welcomed their first grandchild and are delighted to enter this phase of life. He might have a photo or two to share, if you ask, nicely!

Sylvia Rabalais is likely to be one of the first faces you see in the office, or the first voice you hear over the phone (and surely will be if you get the answering machine!). She joined the St. James staff as Administrative Secretary back in the olden days, when we were just moving to computers, and has a handle on everything St. James. If you have a question, want to schedule an appointment with one of the clergy, need to schedule a room for an activity, she is the go-to person. And, if she can't answer it or do it, she knows who can!

Sylvia adopted Baton Rouge as home years ago when she and Craig married and settled here. If it is not a work day, you will often find Sylvia and Craig wandering the open roads in their new Camaro convertible new Jeep, or off to see Hunter, the best grandson in the whole wide world!

Sylvia and Craig also run Made by TOF, creating one-of-a-kind home and beauty items that are also works of art!

Mary Hunt Boutwell joined the staff at St. James in June 2014, jumping right into the deep end!

Mary and Steve Boutwell, along with their daughter Rosemary, have been members of St. James since 2006. Mary served on the Day School Board of Trustees for three years, and also served as Board President. She served as Director of Development of the Day School in 2010. Mary, also, has been active in several of St. James lay ministries including Altar Guild and Gumbo.

Hannah, who joined the staff in August 2016, was born and mostly raised in Baton Rouge. She briefly moved to Spring, Texas with her family during her high school years, but hurried back to Louisiana as fast as she could.

She is a third-generation Episcopalian, and has worked with youth on a parish and diocesan level for five years. She is passionate about all things Louisiana, football, and music. She loves meeting new people and is excited to dive into the community of St. James. and is looking forward to meeting the lovely people of St. James and getting to know the youth!

Hannah is working toward an elementary education degree from LSU, followed by the Masters of Art in Teaching. She most recently worked as a teacher’s assistant at Trinity Episcopal Day School. She has also worked at St. Alban’s for four years where she has done just about “everything but building and grounds.”

Cheryl Olinde posts gifts and payments, coordinates receipts and statements, and while bombarded with constant paperwork, still manages to keep one of the neatest desks you'll ever see. Cheryl recently relinquished her title to Annette for longest commute to the church, but she still arrives with a smile!

Jo has been in Baton Rouge and at St. James for over thirty years, having married a native and cradle Episcopalian, Rodger Green, way back then.

She joined the St. James church staff in February 2011, but had been handling communication and publication work for St. James and other non-profits from her own firm for 20 years.

Jo and Rodger are the parents of two adult children, Rory and Hallie (old-timers will remember them in the choir, or, at the cookie plate!), and just when they thought their child-free home would finally be clean and suitable for adult living, it has apparently been outed as a safe house on the stray dog circuit.

Herndon was dubbed wine czar during his term on the St. James Associate Vestry, and is an avid lover of French organ music, having spent a two-year stay in Paris, France studying with three prominent organists: André Marchal; Maurice Duruflé, and Marie-Claire Alain.

Organist at St. James Episcopal Church, Herndon has also served a three-year term on the board of the St. James Center for Spiritual Formation, and served as a lector.

He holds the Mattax and Herndon Spillman endowed professorships in organ in the LSU College of Music and Dramatic Arts.

When not practicing or teaching, he can generally be found on week days at the Southdown's Spectrum gym pumping iron. His Sunday afternoons are spent sipping martinis by the pool and having lunch with his wife, Susan, and their two adult daughters, Kathryn-Evangeline and Leslie-Claire.

Eric Johnson became the musical director of the Treble Choir beginning in 2015. Mr. Johnson has taught music in grades K-12 in Oklahoma, Iowa and Louisiana. He is also the Music Director of the LSU Boy's Choir. He has formerly assisted worship at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Des Moines, Iowa. Eric was named interim co-choir master, along with Sara Otteman Bray, effective May 21, 2017.

Sara joined the St. James staff in January 2016 as director of our Cherub Choir where she has encouraged and generated enthusiasm for singing among our youngest parishioners. She was named interim co-choir master, along with Eric Johnson, effective May 21, 2017.

Lauren is a native of Baton Rouge. She and her husband, Richard, have been members of St. James since 2006 and were married here in 2007. They have three children: Alexander (15), Mattie (5), and Temple (3). Alexander attends Baton Rouge Magnet High School. Mattie is in first grade at the Day School and Temple is in Pre-K. Mattie and Temple were both baptized at St. James.

Lauren received her bachelor’s degree from LSU in 2005 and her master’s degree from SELU in 2010. She had been a teacher at the Day School for five years before accepting the position as Assistant Head of School in 2014, serving under Linda C. Chauviere until the latter's retirement in July 2015, at which point Lauren (er, Mrs. Ray!) was appointed Head of School.

Lauren has volunteered as a Children’s Church teacher, on the Associate Vestry, and remains active in the Younger Adults group at St. James.

Mary Davis-Palms is the St. James dietician and food service manager. She joined the St. James parish staff in August 2009.

“I took on this new challenge at St. James to enhance what is in place; the goal is to build on the past,” says Mary. She had spent 35 years in the East Baton Rouge Parish School system and was supervisor for 25 schools in the Child Nutrition Program. This is where she met the St. James Head of School Linda Chauviere, former principal at Magnolia Woods.

Mary is a graduate of LSU with a degree in Food Service Management & Hospital Dietetics. She worked for Baton Rouge General before joining the school system. Her husband, Robert, is retired. They have two grown children.