Our Team
The Rev. Ryan Fleenor
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Ryan Fleenor became the XII Rector of Saint Luke’s Parish in July 2020. Originally from Durham, North Carolina, Ryan came to Saint Luke’s after ten years as a priest at St. James’ Church, Madison Avenue, in New York City. He studied history at the University of Virginia, taught English literature at a Roman Catholic high school in New Orleans, and prepared for the priesthood at Yale Divinity School and Berkeley Divinity School at Yale.
Ryan is married to Daniel Noble, former federal prosecutor now in private practice in Stamford. Ryan and Dan met in graduate school and were married in 2012. They both love history, travel, music, and staying active.
As Rector (senior pastor and chief of staff), Ryan gets to be involved in nearly every aspect of life at Saint Luke’s, from preaching, teaching, pastoral care and leadership development, to budgets, administration and financial stewardship. As Rector, his focus is on creating a culture in which people of all ages can grow in faith and be equipped as disciples who will know, love, and follow Jesus.
The Rev. Hannah Pommersheim
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The Rev. Hannah Pommersheim joined Saint Luke’s as Associate Rector in June 2022. She came to Connecticut by way of Texas, where she served as a Curate at St. Stephen’s in Houston.
Hannah was raised in South Dakota. She earned her B.A. at Davidson College and her M.Div. at the Sewanee School of Theology. Prior to parish ministry, Hannah worked as a case manager for people experiencing homelessness, as a campus minister, and as the Research Associate for The Roberson Project on Slavery, Race, and Reconciliation at Sewanee. She is an Episcopal Service Corps and AmeriCorps alum. She lives in Darien with her husband and daughter.
The Rev. Susan Wyper
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The Rev. Susan Wyper joined the Saint Luke’s clergy staff as Associate Rector in September 2016, after nine years at St. Matthew’s in Bedford, New York. While serving “across the border,” Susan and her family continued to consider Saint Luke’s their parish home, and she was happy to return to the church that raised her family and supported her call to ministry.
Susan holds degrees from Yale University, Middlebury College, and Berkeley Divinity School at Yale. She and her husband George have lived in Darien since 1987 and have been actively involved in the church and wider community. They have three grown sons, James, Robby, and Silas, and a young dog, Ailsa.
The Rev. Ansley Walker
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Ansley joined Saint Luke’s as Associate Rector in July of 2023. A native Floridian, Ansley attended the University of Florida and received her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. Upon graduation, Ansley served as the Director of Children’s and Youth Ministries for an Episcopal Church in the Florida panhandle. During this time, she worked with youth and young adults in many different capacities including diocesan committees, middle school language arts, high school cheerleading, and children’s dance classes. Eventually Ansley followed her call to ordained ministry to Yale Divinity School and Berkeley Divinity School. She served as a chapel minister for Berkeley and as a seminarian at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Cheshire, Connecticut. She also mentored Yale College students through the Episcopal Church at Yale. Ansley graduated in May 2021 with a Master of Divinity, a diploma in Anglican studies, and a certificate in Educational Leadership and Ministry.
Ordained to the priesthood in November 2021, Ansley is excited to return to Connecticut after serving two years in her home state. She lives in Stamford with her sixteen-year-old West Highland Terrier, Westie. Ansley is eager to continue to serve God’s people and looks forward to her journey at Saint Luke’s!
Erika Caputo
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Erika has taught Godly Play since 2015 and became the Director of Children’s Ministries in 2017. She has taught Pre-K at the Parish School since 2010. Erika received her B.A. in Communication from the University of California at San Diego and completed CDA coursework through Connecticut’s community college system. She worked in the “Corporate World” until her second child was born. Erika and her family have lived in Darien since 2004; in 2005 she first became involved with Saint Luke’s when her daughters attended the Parish School (2005 – 2009).
Kelly Wheeler
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As a parishioner and longtime staff member at Person-to-Person, Kelly Wheeler is well known to many of us at Saint Luke’s. She and her husband, Dave, have raised their three children in this community, and having served on the Vestry and participated in many ministries, Kelly brings a deep knowledge of Saint Luke’s to her role, in addition to her thoughtfulness, warmth, and relevant work experience. As Director of Engagement, Kelly looks after stewardship, newcomers, member engagement, baptisms, weddings, funerals, and parish life.
Elizabeth Hearle
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Elizabeth Hearle graduated from The College of William and Mary with B.A. degrees in Psychology and Elementary Education and from Old Dominion University with an M.A. in Early Childhood Development. She also holds a degree in Administration and Supervision of Early Childhood from Charter Oak University.
She was previously a preschool and kindergarten teacher and has served on the boards of Saint Luke’s Parish School, Tokeneke PTO, Royle PTO, OPUS, Person-to-Person and the Darien Foundation for Technology and Community. She became the Executive Director of The Darien Nature Center in June 2013 and came to Saint Luke’s Parish School as the Director in 2016. Originally from Virginia Beach, VA, Elizabeth has lived in Darien since 2004 and been a member of Saint Luke’s Parish since 2000.
She has three children, all of whom attended SLPS and the Darien Public School System. All three of her children will be at Miami University in Ohio this fall. In her spare time, Elizabeth enjoys reading, gardening and spending time with her family.
David Pulliam
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H. David Pulliam is Director of Music and Organist at St. Luke’s Parish, Darien, CT, and serves as one of four Gold Award Examiners in the United States for the Royal School of Church Music. David is nationally recognized as an organist and trainer of young voices, and is frequently invited as a clinician and guest conductor of intergenerational choir programs across the country. As an organist, he has performed at the national conventions of the Organ Historical Society, the Hymn Society of the United States and Canada, the Music Teachers National Association, the Mid-Winter Conference of the Association of Anglican Musicians, has been broadcast on American Public Media’s Pipe Dreams, recorded on the Raven label with the Winston-Salem Youth Chorus, and performed in such venues as St. Mark’s, Venice, Italy, and Jack Singer Concert Hall, Calgary, Canada, to St. James in the City in Los Angeles and the National Basilica in Washington, DC.
A graduate of the UNC School of the Arts (MMus, BMus), he is on the staff of the RSCM’s Training Course at Newport, RI, and has been on the faculty at the Carolina Course in Raleigh, NC. As the former Diocesan Director of Music for the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts and while Organist/Choirmaster at Christ Church Cathedral, Springfield, David founded and directed The Bishop’s Choir School—the first RSCM Chorister program fully supported and funded by an Episcopal Diocese in the United States. David serves on the Editorial Board of the Association of Anglican Musicians, is a former Sub-Dean of the Springfield, MA, Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, and currently sits on the Board of the Choir School of Hartford.
Amy O’Kane
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Amy O’Kane is a relatively new member of the Saint Luke’s staff, working on communications. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame, Amy began her career in sales and marketing at British Airways, working in Washington DC and New York City before moving to London, where she worked in loyalty marketing and as a brand manager. After earning a Global MBA through Lancaster University in the UK, Amy returned to New York, leaving British Airways as VP Marketing when the first of her three daughters was born. Amy has thoroughly enjoyed balancing motherhood with volunteer positions and freelance marketing and communications projects, and she is thrilled to be part of the Saint Luke’s community.
Cindy Scam
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Cindy came to Saint Luke’s in the early 70’s as a teenager when her father became the Director of Music and Parish Priest. After college she entered banking and was a branch manager for over 10 years. When Cindy and her husband Dave (who is our former Buildings and Grounds Supervisor) had their daughter Meghan in 1990, it brought Cindy back to Saint Luke’s on a part time basis. Her passion for this Parish community is what drives her ministry and has kept her here for 30+ years.
Ron Wilson
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Ron has been with St. Luke’s since 2014. Before joining the staff at Saint Luke’s, he was the Finance Manager at a church in Greenwich, CT for 12 years. Ron attended Hamilton College and Fairfield University for his undergraduate studies, earning a bachelor’s degree from Fairfield University. He also plays guitar and sings in a band and loves all racket sports. Ron lives with his wife (Cathy) and two daughters (Hayley and Leia) in Cos Cob, CT.
Nancy Coughlin
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Nancy Coughlin joined Person-to-Person in June of 2019, bringing expertise and experience in food insecurity, anti-poverty, and women’s and children’s issues. Prior to joining P2P, Nancy served for seven years as the Executive Director at Neighbor to Neighbor, a Greenwich-based organization dedicated to providing food and clothing to low-income families and children. Ms. Coughlin received a BA in psychology from the University of New Hampshire, and a J.D. from the Suffolk University Law School. In 2012, Coughlin was selected as one of 10 inaugural Executive Leadership Group (ELG) members by Fairfield County’s Community Foundation. She has served on the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Greenwich United Way Community Planning Council, Junior League of Greenwich Community Advisory Board, and Needs Clearing House Advisory Board. Nancy is a 20-year Darien resident who has been active in several local organizations including the YWCA Darien/Norwalk, Royle School PTO, and the Methodist Family Center Preschool.
Oak Martin
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Oak Martin will be joining the staff this September as our part-time Associate Organist. Oak graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in Organ Performance from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. This fall, he will begin his studies at the Yale School of Music and Institute of Sacred Music, pursuing his Master of Music degree. Oak has served as Organ Scholar at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church in Whitemarsh, PA; St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Philadelphia; and Peachtree Road United Methodist Church and St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, both in Atlanta.
The Rev. Charles Martin
The Rev. Charles Martin is our Seminarian Intern and is studying at Yale for a one-year Master of Sacred Theology in liturgical studies. Charles comes from Sewanee, Tennessee, where he recently completed his Master of Divinity at the School of Theology at the University of the South. His S.T.M. thesis will explore the baptismal liturgies of the Episcopal Church and their implications for ecumenical relationships. He is an ordained cleric in the Episcopal Church from the Diocese of Colorado, and excited about exploring the relationship between the theological, historical, and practical elements of liturgical studies. Charles is also an avid amateur musician, having sung in church choirs for most of his life.
The Rev. Hartwell Hylton
The Rev. Hartwell Hylton is serving at Saint Luke’s as a non-stipendiary Priest Associate. Hartwell recently retired as Associate Rector at Grace Church in Providence, Rhode Island. Prior to his service at Grace, Hartwell had a distinguished career as a lawyer in New York, London, and Hong Kong as a partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. He is a graduate of the College of William & Mary, the University of Virginia Law School, and Yale Divinity School. A longtime Darien resident, we are thrilled to welcome Hartwell into this new role at Saint Luke’s.
Meet Our Vestry
In Episcopal churches, the Vestry is the elected governing body of the parish. In addition to the Rector, the Vestry is composed of the Senior and Junior Wardens, Treasurer, Clerk, and 9 other members who represent a broad spectrum of the Saint Luke’s community. According to our church canons, the Vestry has responsibility for the “temporal affairs of the parish,” including the stewardship of church money and property, personnel, and program development and oversight.