[Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs press release] The Rev. Melanie Mullen of Richmond, Virginia, has been named the Episcopal Church director of reconciliation, justice and creation care, a member of the Presiding Bishop’s staff.

In this new full-time position, Mullen will lead the church’s work on domestic poverty and Jubilee Ministries, and shepherd the work of Episcopal Church staff in relation to racial reconciliation and justice, domestic poverty, stewardship of creation, and the United Thank Offering. She will also partner closely with the Advisory Council on Stewardship of Creation to develop and support eco-justice sites and networks.  She will report to the Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers, the presiding bishop’s canon evangelism, reconciliation, and creation.

“The Rev. Mullen brings a unique blend of experiences and gifts to this position,” Spellers said. “She’s a trained community organizer with a heart for building teams and leading communities to make a difference. She has a demonstrated passion for environmental justice and economic justice. She knows parishes, she knows Capitol Hill and she knows the trenches, and she’s ready to work with our already strong team to take the Episcopal Church’s engagement around reconciliation, justice and creation care even deeper.”

The director of reconciliation, justice and creation care is based in Washington, D.C.

“It is an honor to be called to this the new position for the church,” Mullen said.  “The work of reconciliation, justice and creation care is vital to our life together, as we further the vision of equipping the people of God to be Christ’s hands and feet on the earth.”

Mullen begins her new position on March 1 and at that time she will be available at mmullen@episcopalchurch.org.

Mullen currently serves as the downtown missioner at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Richmond. Prior to that, she was the interim missioner for youth ministries for the Episcopal Diocese of Washington; assistant director of community for Camp Richmond Hill; and the director of communications and development for Lutheran Volunteer Corps. During her years in the nation’s capital, she also worked in campaign fundraising and development and raised more than $10 million for leadership PACs, the Congressional Black Caucus, and U.S. congressional and gubernatorial races from Louisiana to Connecticut; and she served as development associate for the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, with a focus on poverty advocacy.

She is a graduate of Virginia Theological Seminary with a Masters of Divinity; and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, with a Bachelors degree in history.