Candidates for Chapter
Meet Chapter Candidates January 14
Cathedral members are encouraged to attend the Meet the Candidates Forum, at 9:15 am, Sunday January 14 in the Guild Room in preparation for the upcoming Annual Meeting on January 21. St. Paul’s members will elect four members to the Chapter during the Annual meeting. Here is information on each of the six candidates.
Russell Okihara
I have been a member of SPC since 1982 when I first moved to San Diego. Prior to my move, I lived in Boston where I received my degree in Dentistry at Tufts University. While in Boston, I attended Trinity Church and fell in love with the ambiance that this historic, lovely, and holy place of worship created. SPC is just that very special place where I feel that the energy of our church and clergy make worshiping a holy experience.
Hawaii is my birthplace and it was when I was 12 that I was confirmed by the Episcopal Church of Hawaii. St Paul’s Kauai to be exact. We were very active members of the church and so I was quite familiar with the efforts involved in maintaining the church.
Currently, I am a Dentist in the Hillcrest area and have been an active and supportive member of the Cathedral for many years. I am currently a Chapter Member for the 2005-2006 interval. I have enjoyed and participated actively with the other members of Chapter and I would like to continue my position on Chapter for the offered term of 3 years.
I would like to continue my vision of supporting the Dean in providing an atmosphere of growth as well as offering support of the numerous programs assisting our community and finding ways in enhancing our house as the “Cathedral for the City.”
Pamela Crooks
Pamela Crooks (Pam) is a writer, publisher and public relations consultant. She just finished a new edition of Discover Balboa Park and is currently developing a second children’s book on the Park. Prior to starting her own business in 1998, Pam worked for 20 years in marketing and management at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center.
Although a relatively new member of St. Paul’s, she’s been inspired by its its music and liturgy since her youngest son sang in the Cathedral Choristers and studied pipe organ under Canon Edgar Billups (retired). Before moving to Hillcrest in 2005, Pam was active at St. Dunstan’s, San Carlos, where she was a lay reader, taught Sunday School, served on the Vestry, the Personnel and Finance Committee, chaired the Outreach Committee, and was Senior Warden in 1996-97. For many years, she also served as a delegate to Convention. At the Diocesan Level, she has been a member and chaired the Hunger and Homelessness Committee, the Jubilee Commission and today serves as co-chair of the Justice and Peace Commission.
St. Paul’s, as “Cathedral for the City,” stands as a beacon of hope and action on justice issues in San Diego and, if elected, Pam would support and grow that tradition. Increasing attendance and membership are other areas of interest. She volunteers regularly at Cathedral Collectibles, and lives nearby with husband Ted. They are the proud parents of three grown sons.
Bart Smoot
A lifelong Episcopalian, I started attending St. Paul’s in 1990. I have been active on and off in the church throughout my life, and at St. Paul’s have been involved in a myriad of ways. This has included serving as the Cathedral Treasurer, on the Executive and Finance Committees, and as a member of Chapter from 1999-2001, until I resigned in order to start medical school. I was also chair of the Investment committee during that time and returned to that position in 2004 until I started my medical residency. I’ve served as president of Integrity from 1998-2000, and was active in that group throughout the 1990’s. I’ve served as Acolyte and Chalice Bearer, as well as a lay-eucharistic minister for most of my time at St. Paul’s (great pastoral care is an essential part of any healthy church community). I was also part of the search committee that called our current Dean and currently serve on a discernment committee for one of our aspirants to priesthood.
Professionally, after many years in business and software engineering, I had a change of career and went to UCSD medical school at the ripe old age of 39. I graduated in 2005, and am currently a second year resident physician in Family Medicine at UCSD. Being asked to run again for Chapter is an honor, as I love St. Paul’s and so much of what it stands for. I have weighed carefully my ability to commit the time necessary to do the job right and feel able at this point to adequately handle this commitment. If elected, I plan to bring my prior experience back to Chapter in any way that I can be helpful.
Martin Hall
Martin joined St. Paul’s in February of 2005. He was Confirmed in the Episcopal Church at St. Paul’s in April of 2006. He currently serves on the Stewardship committee, the Time and Talent Committee, (a founding member of) the Fun Committee, and on a Discernment Committee. Martin is one of the key figures whose work makes the Homecoming Picnic in the fall and the Zydeco Mass such popular and well attended events.
Martin was born in St. Louis, Missouri and has lived in California for the past twenty years. During that time he enjoyed a career as a buyer of men’s fashions for a two major department stores. Traveled Europe for four years as an international travel director. For the past fifteen years have managed catering departments for hotels and resorts. He has served on the board of directors for; St. Louis Effort for AIDS, AIDS Foundation San Diego, Mama’s Kitchen, and NACE (National Association Of Catering Executives).
Martin’s vision for the Cathedral: “If elected to serve on Chapter, I would continue to work on Stewardship, Time and Talent, Fun, and Discernment committees. The two areas that I would like to focus my attention on even further are Outreach and Youth. The cathedral does a very good job of reaching out to the city, and I would spend time and energy assisting in this cause."
"It is vital that we reach out to and further involve our youth in Cathedral Life. I know from my own life experience that exposure to and involvement in Church life in your youth has life long effects. Even when it seems for a time that a person does not have a walk with God, if a foundation is laid in one’s youth, one never walks alone.”
Stephen Bluhm
I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, where I was an active member of St. James Episcopal Church through high school. The church was a very big part of my youth; Junior Choir, Acolytes, church-sponsored Boy Scout Troop and High School Youth Group.
I’m married to Elizabeth, and we have a 10 year old son, David. We’ve attended St. Paul’s since 2003. We also have three adult children who are “out of the nest.”
I am currently on the Board of St. Paul’s Dorcas House Ministry. In February, 2006, I was asked by Dean Richardson to join a committee to research our Cathedral’s creating an Outreach ministry for Dorcas House. After visiting the casa in Tijuana and seeing what this program meant to these children, I knew I wanted to stay engaged.
I currently serve as an investment policy advisor for St. Paul’s Endowment Board. This service goes back to August, 2005, when Rev. David Norgard asked me if I would help. My professional career has consisted of over 25 years in institutional investment finance and treasury management, so I was very pleased to be able to use this experience.
I’ve served as treasurer for “Classics for Kids,” a non-profit organization supporting musical education for elementary school children in San Diego. I’ve been active in managing youth sports. Currently, I’m the treasurer of Point Loma Little League, where my son, David, plays baseball.
I imagine it’s evident that I feel very strongly about supporting the children in our world, and this is what I would love to continue to do as a member of Chapter. My wife Elizabeth, has been active in St. Paul’s Godly Play program, and has been working with members of our clergy and parish to grow the Cathedral’s youth education program. I think our youth programs are the future of our church.
Donna Perdue
Calvin and I first visited the St. Paul ’s campus soon after moving here in 1999, when I started attending the Centering Prayer group on Thursdays. To find a church home after moving here, Calvin and I visited a number of local Protestant churches. We joined St. Paul’s because of the strong commitment to progressive Christianity, well-grounded in tradition.
I am an attorney in the intellectual property group at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP, where I practice biotechnology patent law and life sciences-related law. The best thing in my life is my husband Calvin Johnson, a professor of physics at SDSU. Other interests include music and our zany dogs. Personal heroes include Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Dorothy Day, and Oscar Romero.
Personal history & career: I grew up in Memphis TN, in a liberal family and Presbyterian church environment that encouraged questions and critical thinking. I took a B.S. at Rhodes College, a Ph.D. at Cornell University, and a J.D. at the University of Washington. I have held positions at Oregon State University, the University of Washington, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, visiting positions at universities in Nicaragua and Germany, and have worked at law firms in D.C and San Diego.
Vision for the cathedral: I want to help St Paul’s continue balancing care for the congregation and care for God’s world. We need to keep developing opportunities like the Spiritual Journey series, where people connect at a deep level by sharing their journeys in a sacred space. As the “Cathedral for the City” we also need have very public explorations of how we can practice God’s call to mercy, love and justice in our world. I don't want St. Paul's to be known as the place with all the right answers-- I want us to be known as the place with all the right questions.
