No organization can run, much less flourish, without staff: the people who keep the place going. We are truly blessed with a wonderful support team. Most of these folks are exciting recent additions to the team and few others have been here for years. They all have stories about the road that led them to us.
Elizabeth Starling
Executive Director, Church Operations
Elizabeth has served as the Executive Director for Church Operations since August 2021, overseeing the parish facilities, coordinating the work of St. Mary’s Sextons, and working with the Parish Treasurer and Finance Committee to oversee parish finances. Elizabeth first joined St. Mary’s since in March of 2017 as Administrative Assistant and later as the Church Office Administrator. Elizabeth is a graduate of Sweet Briar College and received her Masters in History and Museum Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. During her time at St. Mary’s, she has had the privilege of researching St. Mary’s fascinating history—be sure to check out the exhibition in the Dover Lounge! In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two beautiful daughters.
Get in Touch: estarling@stmarysgoochland.org
Lauren Clay
Office Administrator
Lauren joined St. Mary’s staff on September 20, 2021 as the welcoming face when you stop by the office and the friendly voice who answers the phone. Lauren is excited to be a part of such a wonderful and vibrant community that is St. Mary’s. She has worked for various churches and denominations for more than 14 years. Her role as the Office Administrator at St. Mary’s includes answering phones, preparing the worship bulletins, and assisting parishioners, staff, and clergy in their various needs. A native of Richmond and graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, Lauren has three school-aged children and two kitty cats. In her spare time, you can find her performing in various professional choral ensembles in the region, watching British comedies, and listening to podcasts.
Get in Touch: lclay@stmarysgoochland.org
Amelia McDaniel
Lay Associate for Christian Formation
Amelia McDaniel has served as a Christian Education Director and teacher to several congregations and an Episcopal Day School over the past 20 years. She began her career in Richmond at St. James’s. Her travels have taken her to Raleigh, Alexandria, Nashville and Baton Rouge. Amelia joined the staff in March 2016 and during these several years, she has been working with families to build a nurturing place for children to grow and learn about our faith. In addition, she helps facilitate adult formation opportunities. Amelia grew up in Middle Tennessee and graduated from Sweet Briar College. She will be married to Steve Metzger in 2023 and together they share six children and one badly behaved Labrador named Ruth.
Get in Touch: amcdaniel@stmarysgoochland.org
Ryan Tibbetts
Director of Music
Ryan joined the St. Mary’s staff in September 2017. He did his graduate work in choral conducting at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and the University of Delaware, and his undergraduate study at Princeton University. Ryan has been involved in church music since high school, and over the past two decades has sung, played organ and piano, and conducted choirs in a variety of churches.
Before moving to Richmond from Philadelphia in 2015, Ryan served as Organist and Choir Director at Summit Presbyterian Church, Assistant Conductor of Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia, an adjunct faculty member at The College of New Jersey, Music Director of the Newark Symphony Chorus, and maintained an active schedule as a professional singer. Since moving to Richmond, he has been the Artistic Director of both the Central Virginia Masterworks Chorale and the Richmond Concert Chorale and served for a year as Interim Organist and Choirmaster at St. Thomas Episcopal Church. A native of Wilmington, Delaware, Ryan lives in Richmond with his wife Kate, a chemistry professor at VCU, and their cat, Rocky.
Get in Touch: rtibbetts@stmarysgoochland.org
Jere Mahaffey
Interim Director of Communications
Jere joined the St. Mary’s staff in January 2023. He is a nonprofit strategist with over a decade of experience in strategic planning, partnership building, and communications. He came to St. Mary’s after ten years with the Philadelphia Youth Network, the last seven years of which he served in senior executive leadership as the Director, Executive Strategy and Board Liaison. In 2018, Jere was appointed by the Pennsylvania Governor as an inaugural member to the Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs. He has served on numerous volunteer organizations and Boards – all with a focus on providing greater access to education, housing, or healthcare to those living in poverty. Jere is passionate about mission-driven work that builds and lifts community.
Jere attended Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama where he studied Religion and Congregational Studies. He then went on to receive his Masters in Theological Studies with a concentration in public policy from Eastern University’s Palmer Theological Seminary in the Greater Philadelphia Metropolitan Area. Jere lives in Church Hill with his husband, Jesse, and their energetic Dalmatian, Watson.
Get in Touch: jmahaffey@stmarysgoochland.org
Paul Pace
Parish Sexton
Paul will has served as Parish Sexton for more than three decades. He was born in Goochland County in Hadensville, the 11th of 12 children. After three years in the army, he returned to his birthplace. He found us in 1992 and has been an important part of our parish family ever since. When we asked Paul if we could take his picture for this site, he said, “Do I have to stand or can I keep working?” The man is unstoppable. When asked what he likes about St. Mary’s, he doesn’t miss a beat. “Everything. These are some of the best people I’ve met in my whole life.” He and his wife Polly are members of Divine Baptist Church in Louisa, Virginia, where Paul served as pastor for many years.
Tyrell Wilkins
Assistant Sexton
Tyrell joined St. Mary’s as Assistant Sexton in April 2019. Before joining St. Mary’s, he served for many years as Sexton for Leigh Street Baptist Church, now Church Hill Presbyterian Church. Tyrell built his career as a Sexton after gaining early inspiration and experience in his childhood assisting his grandfather, who served as a Sexton for nearly 50 years. Tyrell enjoys the calling of a Sexton, to look after and protect sacred items and spaces. Having been raised in church all his life, Tyrell felt an early calling to serve in this ministry.
Tyrell is the third of four children, and you may see his twin, Tyronn, assisting at St. Mary’s from time to time as well! He lives in Chesterfield County and has many hobbies, including landscaping, repair work, watching great television, and volunteering.