Serving Our Parish
Clergy
The Rev. Monica Whitaker
Rector
Rev. Monica, a cradle Episcopalian, was baptized, along with her two sisters, by their father, who dedicated over 30 years to the priesthood in the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan. Valuing the ministry of all the baptized, she passionately encourages seekers and believers of all ages to explore their spiritual gifts in service to God’s mission in both the church and the world. Rev. Monica is deeply committed to addressing the issue of affordable workforce housing and actively supports the LGBTQIA2S+ community.
Her commitment to justice is evident in her service on the Anti-Racism Committee for the Diocese of Arizona and her ongoing collaboration with Becoming Beloved Community. Rev. Monica currently holds a significant role on the diocesan Council for Native American Ministry and contributes to the Listening & Healing Pilgrimage, playing a vital role in the Church's journey toward reconciliation and healing from the intergenerational trauma of the Indian Boarding School Era.
Rev. Monica's academic journey includes earning a BA in Music from Kalamazoo College in Michigan, a Master of Arts in theatre management, and a Master of Music in vocal performance, both from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. In 2014, she obtained a Master of Divinity from Church Divinity School of the Pacific after dedicating 25 years to marketing in various industries, including professional theatre, home furnishings, and civil engineering.
Post-ordination, Rev. Monica served as the Associate Rector for Transfiguration Episcopal Church in San Mateo, CA, and as the Rector of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Sedona, AZ. Her diverse professional background and commitment to faith have enriched her pastoral work.
In 2016, Rev. Monica had the honor of baptizing her grandson, Ben, in what is now the Chapel. Her daughter, Isabella, and son-in-law, Kyle, reside in Gilbert with their son, Benjamin, and their pets Monkey and Jack. Meanwhile, her sisters, Maria and Martha, live in Albuquerque and Tucson.
As a fourth-generation Chinese American, Rev. Monica actively engages with her multiracial heritage and ministry through regular gatherings with Episcopal Asiamerica Ministries and AAPI Leaders. In addition to communal worship and private devotional prayer, she finds spiritual connection with God through activities like hiking, music, swimming, and listening to audiobooks. Rev. Monica feels blessed to share her home with two feline companions, Mario and Felipe.
Mike Halle
Deacon for Health Advocacy
Mike serves as Deacon at Saint Matthew’s. Mike is President and CEO of HHI Professionals, a healthcare information systems company that contracts with major health plans.
Mike’s business keeps him on the road most of the time, but you can occasionally find him at our early morning service. Mike’s diaconal ministry centers on assisting individuals with monumental healthcare bills in navigating insurance claim disputes with their personal health plans.
In his spare time (not that there is much of that) Mike travels the world or trims his Bonsai trees.
Office and facilities
Debby Tartell
Office Administrator
Debby is our Office Administrator and handles a lot of the behind the scenes work that keeps things running smoothly. Debby earned a BS in Advertising from The University of Texas in Austin. Prior to working at Saint Matthew’s, Debby mostly worked in hospitality including several years in Yellowstone National Park. When not at work, Debby enjoys traveling, live music, working out and spending time with friends and her 3, now adult aged, sons and grandchildren.
Janet Lyons
parish administrator
Janet is our Parish Administrator. She grew up in Albuquerque, NM and attended New Mexico State University for her undergraduate degrees. Janet has lived in Arizona since 1992 while attending graduate school in Economics at ASU.
Janet enjoys painting and has painted the backdrops for Saint Matthew's Vacation Bible School for a number of years. But her real love is watercolor painting.
She is married to Mike and has two sons, Sam & Ben, and a daughter, Gillian.
John Lackie
Sexton
John keeps Saint Matthew’s looking fine as our Facilities Manager. He was born and raised in Adrian, Michigan.
He is a life-long Episcopalian and served as an acolyte, chalice bearer, Sunday school teacher and youth leader. John has lived in Arizona since 1981 and is married to his middle school sweetheart, Wendy.
Youth and children’s Ministries
Kadi strong
youth director
Kadi has been working with youth and children at Saint Matthew's for 18 years. She has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Texas in Austin which is where she met Brad, her husband of 26 years. They have three amazing boys who have grown up at Saint Matthew's. Having grown up in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Kadi considers herself a southern girl at heart. She loves being on the water in any capacity whether it be on a boat fishing, scuba diving, kayaking, or simply lounging on the beach.
Kadi works with our youth leaders building relationships with youth in 6th-12th grades at youth group, confirmation, annual mission trips or pilgrimages, and by grabbing coffee or lunch with youth. She can often be found on Sundays in the center of a group of teens!
Amy Trias
family AND CHILDREN’S minister
Amy directs Saint Matthew's Family and Children’s Ministry. Amy is a native of Arizona and grew up in Tempe. She earned Bachelor and Master degrees of Social Work from Arizona State University and studied abroad in Mexico for a year.
Amy has been married for 23 years to Jess, they have a son and daughter in college. Amy has worked as a hospital social worker and was a stay at home mom for several years. She enjoys doing projects around the house, gardening, sewing and practicing Spanish.
Amy’s role is to coordinate a variety of fun and educational programs for children at St. Matthew’s, with the goal of building positive relationships between children and families, all while experiencing Christ’s love.
Music Ministries
Rachel Salemi
Director of Music
Rachel earned her undergraduate degree in Choral Music Education from The University of Arizona and Master of Music in Music Therapy from Colorado State University.
She has sung with numerous chamber and community choirs; this is her 14th year directing church music. Rachel and her husband Charlie have two children, Clara and William.
Rachel recognizes that singing and making music is good for you, physically and spiritually, and feels blessed to work with the people of Saint Matthew’s to create profound, spirit-filled music that glorifies God and inspires praise on every tongue.
Gayle Riggert-Harris
Gayle joined Saint Matthew’s in the winter of 2024. She has undergraduate and graduate degrees in Piano Performance and Organ from Arizona State University and has played professionally across the Valley for three decades. Gayle is an accomplished accompanist and leader with a background in both education and religious settings. In her free time, she enjoys reading and spending time with her husband.
Steve Gripp
Contemporary Music Leader
Steve Gripp joined us as the leader of State of Grace in November, 2023. From an early age Steve has always been interested in music, spending countless hours jamming out to any music he could get his hands on. He began playing guitar when he was twelve and began performing publicly once he turned sixteen and could drive himself to gigs in his hometown of Minneapolis. He attended McNally Smith College of Music where he focused on jazz, music theory and built his own repertoire. Steve spent years performing alongside top-level bands and acoustic duos and was the former music director at Peace Lutheran Church. In 2021 he packed up his snow shovel and moved to sunny Arizona! Steve is a multi-talented instructor, guitarist and vocalist that frequently performs all over the Phoenix and Tucson area. He spends his free time listening to records and shoveling sunshine.
Worship Coordinators
Darlene Abel
Liturgy Coordinator
Darlene is a second-generation Arizonan. She received both her undergraduate and Master’s degrees from NAU in Flagstaff and taught mostly Social Studies to 8th graders for 20 some years. She is literally married to the bass player, Steve Abel, from the State of Grace band (if you’re old, you will understand that!) They have four grown kids and eleven grandkids which keep them both busy when they aren’t at church.
Darlene serves as Liturgy Coordinator and acts as Head Verger at Saint Matthew’s. Darlene helps design, organize and implement the services, assigns and trains the readers, LEMs and acolytes, and generally helps out to make our services run smoothly. It is her great joy to serve Christ through this church!
Natalie Vandeveire
Director of Communications and Digital Worship
Natalie, a proud cradle Episcopalian hailing from the sunny desert of Chandler, Arizona, adds a spark of warmth and dedication to the Saint Matthew's community. Her journey with the church began in 2001, side by side with her parents, the dynamic duo, Steve and Darlene. Fast forward to today, she navigates the pews with her loving husband, Nick, and their three spirited sons – Ryan, Carson, and Aidan.
Armed with a B.S. in public relations from the enchanting Northern Arizona University, Natalie has wielded her skills in the thrilling battlegrounds of the marketing agency world. Yet, her most cherished role is perhaps the one she plays as a stay-at-home mom, orchestrating the beautiful chaos of family life.
Away from the hustle of church livestreams and updates, Natalie is a portrait of sophistication. Whether lost in the enchanting realms of a captivating book or sipping on a cup of coffee, she finds solace in the simple pleasures that make life extraordinary.
What truly sets Natalie on fire is her passion for bringing the divine into the digital age. With contagious enthusiasm, she works tirelessly to bridge the gap between the sacred and the everyday. Imagine the holy words resonating not just within the hallowed walls of the church, but echoing through the very heart of your living room. Natalie dreams of making the Word of God a permanent resident in the homes of the faithful, weaving a tapestry of spirituality that lasts for years to come.