STAFF

MICHAEL GLASS

Chancellor

Michael Glass serves as the Chancellor to the President of the House of Deputies and was appointed to that position by President Ayala Harris in 2022.  Previously, he served as Vice Chancellor to the President of the House of Deputies and Chair of the House of Deputies Resolution Review Committee for multiple General Conventions.  He is also serving as a member of the President of the House of Deputies’ Council of Advice, the President’s representative to the Standing Commission on Structure, Governance, Constitution and Canons, and several other interim and church-related bodies.  Mr. Glass also currently serves as Chancellor of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin in 2008 and has successfully litigated the return of over 36 properties to the Diocese.  He also serves as general counsel for three California presbyteries in the Presbyterian Church U.S.A.

Mr. Glass is a partner at Ragghianti Freitas, LLP,  in San Rafael, California. His practice consists of representing individuals, businesses, institutional non-profits, and other organizations in general business, corporate matters, and large commercial real estate projects. He also serves as outside general counsel for several companies and non-profits.

MERRIE BEARD

Director of Operations and Administration

Merrie Beard (she/her/hers) is a life-long resident of Oklahoma.  She came to The Episcopal church as an adult and was baptized, married, and confirmed at her home parish.  In that time, she has served as a Sunday school teacher, a Eucharistic visitor, a volunteer in the church archive, and was active in ECW. Merrie has also served several staff positions at her local Episcopal church, including bookkeeper, communications coordinator, and parish administrator. Merrie worked as the parish administrator, which is both a job and a lay ministry, until 2022, when she accepted an opportunity to work for the churchwide structure as the Director of Operations and Administration to President of the House of Deputies, Julia Ayala Harris. Merrie has also served as the Diocesan President of the Oklahoma Assembly of the Order of the Daughters of the King and is currently her chapter’s president.

 Merrie earned a Master of Human Relations degree and a Master of Library and Information Studies degree, both at the University of Oklahoma. When not working, Merrie can be found reading, attending musical theater performances, or playing board games with her family.

ADIALYN MILIEN

Director of Communications

Adialyn is a dedicated young Episcopalian with roots in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. She serves as the Director of Communications for the President of the House of Deputies and resides in Miami, Florida. Adialyn holds a Mass Media Communications degree from St. Thomas University in Miami and an MBA from the University of Miami.

In the Diocese of Southeast Florida, Adialyn co-coordinates the Young Adult Ministry, serves as a youth leader, and is an active member of the Episcopal Church Women (ECW) and the Social Justice Committee. She also plays a significant role in the Latino/Hispanic ministries of the Episcopal Church, serving as a member of the Council of Advice.

In her free time, Adialyn is passionate about her project, “Social Evangelism: Reaching Souls for God through Social Media.” Through this initiative, she assists her congregations, St. Paul Et-Les-Martyr-D’Haiti (Haitian) and Iglesia Santísima Trinidad (Latino/Hispanic), in utilizing social media to connect with individuals. Adialyn’s faith-driven commitment to serving the people of God is evident in all her endeavors.