When Anita Lisk began working for the Diocese of Virginia in 2019, a message in Scrabble tiles caught her eye: “I dreamed I was tap dancing in roller skates.”
“I often felt like that my first few months and years in the job!” she said, recalling the whirlwind responsibilities over six years as executive assistant to the bishops.
Lisk is preparing to retire at the end of June as new executive assistants Lesley Birdie and Kristen Hester begin on June 2.
The increased administrative staff represents critical support for the diocesan mission to love Jesus, embody justice, and be disciples.
“We are grateful to Anita who modeled Jesus’ love for us in the way she supported bishops, diocesan staff, clergy, and lay leaders across our diocese,” said Mark Eastham, secretary and chief of staff for the diocese. “Her contributions inspire the new team that we are excited to introduce.”
Keeping the Bishops on Point
The leadership of the bishops in the Diocese of Virginia depends on the executive assistant’s support. Lisk works closely with the Canon to the Ordinary and the Chief of Staff to ensure strong collaboration and communication with all key stakeholders. She ensures that the bishops are always prepared holistically to carry out the diocesan mission.
“Through her positive, compassionate manner, Anita has provided our bishops with daily support in myriad areas,” Eastham said. “Her deep knowledge of and appreciation for the Episcopal Church combined with her own deep faith have made her uniquely qualified to work with our Bishops in support of our diocese.”
Lisk came into this role with almost 20 years’ experience as a parish administrator for St. James’s Episcopal Church in Richmond, one of the largest congregations in the diocese, and where her family worships. The job offer was “a Holy Spirit moment for me, and I’ve been honored to bring any gifts and talents I may have to the diocese,” she said.
First up, she “found out quickly that there was still a lot to learn about how things work on the diocesan level,” she recalled. “And then COVID hit, and we had to come up with a new way of doing many things.”
Lisk lists among her “other duties as assigned”: creating the Visitation Schedule for the bishops’ annual or bi-annual visits to the churches in the diocese (and all the logistics involved), scheduling appointments, keeping confidences, filing paperwork, working with clergy on clergy and lay licensing or transfers of canonical residency, remarriage petitions, and Letters of Good Standing.
“I also do my best to serve as a resource for those calling the diocese with questions, to be an accessible, friendly, and welcoming voice when someone calls or comes to see one of the bishops,” she added.
Looking back, Lisk is grateful for the many unsung opportunities that her role has given her for service.
“I’ve loved my interactions with the clergy of the diocese, particularly at annual conventions and the clergy conference,” she said. “And I find it rewarding to collaborate with my colleagues on staff to do all the behind the scenes work that needs to happen to make those events successful.”
Meet the Two New Executive Assistants
Lesley Birdie takes Lisk’s place as executive assistant to the bishops. She comes to the diocese with 13 years’ experience supporting five attorneys in the law firm Jackson Lewis P.C., including the managing principal. Birdie has also worked in the travel industry and with elementary school children.
“Like Anita, Lesley will work to develop a strong support system for our bishops through attending proactively to daily logistics as well as long-term needs while also staying flexible,” Eastham said.
“I am accustomed to working in a fast paced environment, often with minimal supervision, using critical thinking skills, juggling multiple tasks, communicating with clients, and reporting directly to firm leadership. I believe that the same skills will be applicable in my new position,” Birdie said.
Birdie grew up in Scotland and holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Edinburgh University. In boarding school on Sundays, she alternated between attending Presbyterian and Episcopal churches. “In an effort to teach us uniquely Scottish words, one Sunday we learned the word ‘lippen’ or trust,” she said. “We were encouraged to put our ‘lippen’ in the Lord. To this day, I repeat this to myself.”
Birdie recently moved from Northern Virginia to Richmond with her husband. Their three grown children live in New York City, Montana, and Japan. “I am starting a whole new chapter in life and feel very blessed to be joining the staff of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia,” she added.
Kristen Hester will serve as executive assistant to new Assistant Bishop Mark Bourlakas. In 2017, she became his executive assistant in the Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia.
“I deeply value and trust her thorough organization, creativity, and good humor,” said Bourlakas, who will be based in Northern Virginia. “I am excited that she will continue with me in this new ministry and know that she will quickly become a valued member of Virginia’s diocesan family.”
When asked how she sees herself supporting the mission of the diocese (love Jesus, embody justice, and be disciples), Hester replied, “I endeavor to be a good person who treats people with care. I enjoy seeing the work that parishes do to spread the love of Jesus, and being able to support those parishes is an honor, even if that support is as small as scheduling their visitation with the bishop or walking a lay leader through a parish form.”
Hester is a mother of four who “make me so proud,” she said. “My oldest just finished their second year at UVA, my 16-year-old twins are finishing up their sophomore year in high school, and my 5-year-old just graduated from preschool. I am a huge fan of sports, especially hockey and basketball. I enjoy reading, baking, and running in my spare time.”
Hester is excited to take on her new role and see it evolve. “That is part of the excitement,” she said. “I am looking forward to being a ‘new kid’ alongside Lesley, with the hope that she and I can take Anita’s expert guidance and run with it.”
Lisk will help the new executive assistants get acclimated to the diocese before she retires. You can contact any of the executive assistants to the bishops on the staff page.
“My husband and I plan to travel more often,” Lisk said. “My daughter lives in Savannah, so it will be nice to have more time to visit her. And I plan to turn off my morning alarm!”