Staff

Dail St. Claire is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Episcopal Church Foundation. Appointed President and CEO in December 2024, she brings more than three decades of experience in institutional asset and wealth management, finance, and philanthropy to the Foundation.

Dail St. Claire, a 2x Founder and President of a financial services firm, a private equity fund, and a mutual fund trust company, served as an allocator and advisor to endowments, foundations, and pension funds, overseeing asset allocation, manager selection, lending, and direct investing, including impact investing. She has a successful track record of fostering innovative partnerships and of growing and scaling small and mid-sized nonprofit and for-profit businesses as President, COO, and CIO.

Dail St. Claire co-designed a digital asset banking platform with a sustainable development framework. While managing global equity and liquidity assets for New York City’s $280 billion public pension funds earlier in her career, she also managed the first public pension emerging manager program comprised of diverse-owned managers.

Raising her children at St. Bartholomew’s Church in New York, she helped launch St. Bart’s thriving gift shop and gourmet restaurant through the church's new ventures committee. From 2014 to 2020, Dail St. Claire served as ECF’s Finance Committee Chair and as a board member overseeing ECF’s self-directed endowment fund and ECF Endowment Management. She is a member of the Economic Club of New York and The Common Good.

Dail St. Claire worships at St. James Church in New York City, is an RRCA-certified running and fitness coach, and has run 15 marathons. She holds a BA in cultural anthropology from the University of California, San Diego, and an MA in Public Policy with a concentration in business from the University of Chicago, Harris School.

Juliette Acker is the Director for Endowment Marketing at the Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF). In this role, she leads the program’s strategic marketing and communications efforts. She also helps clients effectively communicate their endowments' impact to donors.

Juliette brings her extensive experience in marketing, business development, and public relations to her role, having worked with high-profile clients such as Waterford Wedgewood, Unilever, and McDonald’s, among others. Her background as a small business coach and her experience in higher education informs her approach to marketing – she focuses on empowering clients through the resources and information she develops, helping them create thriving and sustainable endowments.

Juliette holds a degree from Wellesley College and a master’s in Comparative International Relations from American University. She resides in Phoenix, Arizona.

Kate Adams, Interim Chief of Staff, has been with ECF since 2008. She supports the President, Board, and Staff on all aspects of ECF’s strategy development and implementation and ensures that ECF’s emerging and developing program initiatives are aligned with its overall strategy and programs. In addition, she was the Project Director for ECF's Lilly Endowment Initiative, "From Economic Challenges to Transformational Opportunities."

Prior to ECF, she was Vice President of the Church Pension Group’s Strategy & Service Development group, designing new services across all business units, and was a Vice President of the Commonfund, offering investment management to nonprofit institutions. She has over 40 years of experience in financial and resource development for diverse nonprofit institutions and has an M.B.A. in finance and an M.S.W. from Fordham University. A life-long Episcopalian, she attends St. James Church in Manhattan.

Josh Anderson is a Director in ECF’s Endowment Management program. He is a seasoned professional with a proven track record in non-profit leadership and program development.

At the Episcopal Church Foundation, he has progressively taken on more responsibilities. Currently, as a Director, he guides congregations, dioceses, and other Episcopal organizations in navigating all aspects of endowment management, particularly in endowment giving. His expertise in endowment giving helps clients align their endowment contributions with their long-term goals, ensuring a lasting impact and a broader vision of stewardship.

Prior to joining ECF in 2015, Josh dedicated his time to local non-profits in Lafayette, IN, and New York City, managing after-school youth programs. Josh’s background in education, which he studied at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana, provides the foundation for his work educating lay leaders on matters of endowment management. Currently, Josh resides in Midland, MI, where his wife serves as an Episcopal priest in the Diocese of the Great Lakes.

Kathy Bennett serves as Associate Director of Endowment Management – Risk Management and Operations. In this role, she supports the ECF Endowment Management program’s financial and operational functions and is responsible for sub-accounting services, serving clients with clarity, responsiveness, and integrity.

With more than 30 years of experience in financial services, accounting, and operational leadership across for-profit firms, including local and regional banks, and nonprofits, Kathy brings a strong foundation in financial reporting, compliance, and process improvement. Throughout her career, she has partnered with leadership teams to strengthen financial systems, improve transparency, and build efficient processes that enable organizations to better focus on their mission and the people they serve.

In addition to her professional work, Kathy has been deeply involved in nonprofit and community organizations, particularly in service and giving, education, and advocacy for people with differing abilities. She grew up attending The Episcopal Church and has remained active throughout her life, serving as an altar guild member in Episcopal congregations in Colorado and Kansas.

Kathy holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Pittsburg State University. She lives in Overland Park, KS, with her family.

Serving as Receptionist and Program Assistant at the Episcopal Church Foundation since early 2020, Mark comes from a diverse non-profit background including community organizing, electoral campaigns as well as arts education. Notable previous positions include Operations Director for the MIX International Film festival and Executive Director of Washington Heights Art & Comics.

Craig serves as Vice President of Finance and Chief Operating Officer for ECF. Prior to joining ECF Craig served as comptroller at The General Theological Seminary.

Previously he spent over 10 years on Wall Street as a managing director in corporate finance, specializing in technology-related mergers & acquisitions. Earlier Craig served as a director of financial and business planning for a satellite communications company and a computer hardware company. Craig received his B.A. from Haverford College and his MBA from Yale University. Craig resides in New York City.

Christine Eagan is the Assistant Director in ECF’s Endowment Management. Before coming to ECF in 2020, Christine applied her expertise in data analysis and process improvement as a quality system auditor while consulting for Hudson River Healthcare. This community health center provides essential primary, preventative, and behavioral health services.

Christine thrives on using her skills to give back to her community. Her commitment to helping others remains evident at ECF, where Christine actively engages with the individuals, churches, and organizations we serve, ensuring they receive the essential account administration support they need.

She holds a BS in Accounting from Widener University. Christine has served in various roles in in her parishes including financial secretary and co-director of Christian Education. She currently resides in Middletown, Delaware.

Isaiah Fish joins the Episcopal Church Foundation as Executive Assistant to the President and CEO, where he will also support Michael Strauss in his work leading Endowment Management. Isaiah brings 8 years of professional experience at Park Avenue United Methodist Church in New York, where he provided comprehensive executive support to senior leadership, managed donor relationships and financial operations, and coordinated board and trustee meetings, including preparing materials for the Park Avenue Trust. His background encompasses strategic planning, calendar and correspondence management, CRM implementation, and direct exposure to endowment and grant administration.

Isaiah holds a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Science in Social Justice from Trevecca Nazarene University.

Cathy currently serves both Communications and Development as the Assistant Director of Institutional Advancement since 2023. She previously served as Communications Associate at ECF. She originally joined ECF’s Development Team in April 2018 as a Development Associate before moving into a broader role.

Cathy works on communication projects, Vital Practices, and other creative and administrative aspects of the Communications area. She previously worked for The Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals, Hudson Guild, and New Visions for Public Schools. Cathy has a BA from Columbia University and an executive MPA from the Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College.

Yvonne serves as the Senior Director of Stewardship, Foundation and Institutional Giving at ECF, formerly was the Director of Development. For more than 20 years, Yvonne’s expertise has helped families, congregations and faith-based organizations harvest more than $50 million for their mission, stewardship and legacy goals.

Yvonne regards her work as an expression of God’s ministry call for her life. She holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Harvard University, the Master of Divinity with honors from Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP), and Certified Estate and Trust Specialist coursework with the Institute of Business and Finance.

Yvonne comes to ECF from 14 years of service with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) as Philanthropic Advisor with LTSP and Regional Gift Planner with the ELCA Foundation.

Kendall Martin serves as Senior Director of Communications and Grant Writing. In this role, she strengthens the Foundation’s communications infrastructure, expands institutional and philanthropic visibility, and integrates storytelling with mission-driven and faith-based fundraising and leadership development.

Before joining the Episcopal Church Foundation, Kendall spent nearly a decade on the Presiding Bishop's staff at Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM), where she led strategic communications and grant writing initiatives in support of EMM's mission of welcome. As a grant writer, she partnered with development colleagues to craft successful proposals and donor campaigns that secured critical funding for refugee resettlement programs. She also directed media relations, digital strategy, and partner training, and produced and co-hosted Hometown — EMM's signature podcast with over 45,000 listeners.

During her career, Kendall served as Communications Officer for the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, where she provided editorial leadership and helped develop digital strategies for one of The Episcopal Church’s largest dioceses. Prior to working for The Episcopal Church, Kendall managed production and marketing for a B2B publishing company.

Kendall holds an M.A. in Strategic Communications from the University of Iowa, a B.A. in English from James Madison University, and a Certificate in Grant Writing and Management from the University of Richmond. Kendall resides with her family in Richmond, Virginia.

Jamie Martin-Currie joins the Episcopal Church Foundation as Interim Director of the Fellowship Partners Program, starting June 1, 2026, bringing 25 years of extensive experience in Episcopal education and lay leadership. Jamie will run the Fellowship Partners Program, developing marketing and fundraising strategies to strengthen and expand its reach.

A member of ECF’s Fellows Advisory Committee, she most recently served as Head of School at St. Andrew’s Episcopal in Houston Heights, where she led a Montessori preschool and managed fundraising, human resources, and community partnerships. Her consulting work includes the NAES/VTS Wisdom Circle, Episcopal Relief & Development’s One Thousand Days of Love Campaign, and nationwide Review & Restart assessments. As a head of school, she has also participated on an accreditation team for the Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools.

Jamie served the Episcopal Diocese of Texas from 2011 to 2020, supporting more than 155 Christian formation leaders and coaching clergy and vestries across the diocese. She is a past President of Forma (2016–2018), and earlier in her career, she launched a family service at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston, which grew to an average Sunday attendance of 400, and founded a summer camp at St. Bartholomew’s Church in New York that expanded from 20 to 200 campers.

Jamie holds an M.S. in Education from Bank Street College of Education and graduated from the Education for Ministry Program at the University of the South School of Theology

Susan McDowell, CPA, is an experienced client service and investment professional with a proven track record in driving strategic growth, innovation, and impact across leading global financial institutions and nonprofit organizations. She serves as Managing Director - Endowment Management Client Service & Marketing.

Throughout her career, Susan has worked with executive leaders, corporate sustainability teams, and investment professionals to create solutions that link finance to mission-driven results. She has held senior positions at organizations like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, and CIBC World Markets, where she led sustainable finance initiatives.

Susan is dedicated to helping Episcopal organizations manage their resources effectively to achieve mission-driven results. Renowned for her visionary approach, she is skilled at designing and implementing transformative initiatives in investment management, capital markets, and sustainability. Her expertise includes portfolio construction, manager selection, asset allocation, and integrating catalytic capital to foster positive change for institutional clients, including foundations, endowments, and family offices.

Recognized for her innovative climate research collaboration with the Aspen Institute, Susan is an active member of Grace Church in Madison, NJ. She also serves as a board advisor to Theia Analytics and resides in New Jersey with her family.

Susan earned a BS in Accounting, magna cum laude, from Seton Hall University. She is registered with FINRA as a holder of Series 7 and 63 licenses for investment professionals.

Michael H. Strauss, Executive Senior Investment Advisor, partners closely with Dail St. Claire, President and CEO, to lead Endowment Management. Michael recently served as a Managing Director and Senior Investment Strategist at Bank of America Private Bank. He was responsible for developing and executing clients’ investment objectives, including strategic and tactical asset allocation, manager selection, and portfolio construction. Michael focused on both the short-and long-term needs of endowments, foundations, charitable trusts, and pension plans, helping them gain clarity about the financial implications of their missions and investment strategies. He worked closely with the CIO office to address top-down macroeconomic, asset allocation, and portfolio strategy issues for clients.

Prior to his position at Bank of America, Michael held a variety of senior investment management roles at Commonfund for almost 20 years. During the bulk of his tenure, he served as the Executive Vice President, Head of Asset Allocation, as well as Chief Investment Strategist & Chief Economist. He also spent several years as the Chief Operating Officer of the firm’s asset management division and served as an advisor to the private capital group. Michael was instrumental in developing the OCIO and Treasury businesses at Commonfund.

Earlier in his career, Michael was a top-ranked chief economist and financial market strategist at Sanwa Securities, Yamaichi International (America) Inc., and UBS.

Michael maintains a strong client following in the endowment, foundation, and overall investment sectors worldwide, with his most recent focus on raising and managing client assets. He has been a faculty member and speaker at several conferences over his four-decade career, including serving as a keynote presenter for the Treasury Institute for Higher Education (TIHE) and the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) Conferences. He has also been widely quoted in the press and appeared on financial television programs.

Michael holds a B.S. degree with distinction from Cornell University and an M.B.A. with distinction from New York University.

Michael’s community service has included volunteering for the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County, Operation Hope, and Habitat for Humanity. He lives with his family in Connecticut and Florida.

Aline Sun serves as a Director for Endowment Management focusing on investment decisions. She has a keen eye for numbers and a strong understanding of multi-asset investing. Her expertise lies in identifying appropriate investment solutions to empower Episcopal organizations to achieve their long-term financial goals. Aline's dedication extends beyond technical expertise. She fosters close relationships with Episcopal organizations, taking the time to understand their unique needs and aspirations. This collaborative approach ensures that her investment solutions are not just data-driven, but also tailored to each organization's specific context and values.

Prior to joining ECF, Aline honed her skills in the world of finance, holding roles as an Investment Strategist at Allianz Global Investors and a Quantitative Equity Analyst at Citigroup's research division. Her academic background, encompassing both statistics at Columbia University and math at the State University of New York at Albany, provided a solid foundation for her analytical approach to investing.

Elizabeth Tobier is ECF’s Assistant Controller. She holds a B.S. in accounting from SUNY Empire State College and is currently enrolled at the Canadian College of Homeopathic Medicine.