Mother Abbott Bailey (she/ella) serves as our Bridge Rector. Ordained in 2005, she has served in both diocesan and parish roles as canon to the ordinary, chief operating officer, rector, associate rector, school chaplain, and co-executive director of an Episcopal Service Corps Program. She has worked extensively with church and nonprofit leadership to help cultivate strong practices of shared leadership, organizational vitality, trust-building, and communication that support healthy and vibrant organizational cultures.
Prior to ordination, Abbott worked in several regional and statewide nonprofit organizations in community health care, health policy, and health philanthropy. She is a certified leadership coach, consultant, retreat/workshop facilitator, Positive Intelligence® Coach, and a Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator with additional training in mediation and leading contemplative prayer groups and retreats.
Abbott delights in meandering walks in the woods with her pup Thunder, deep conversations with friends, and tending her relationship with the earth and more-than-human world.
Father Santiago Rodriguez serves as our Associate Rector. He spends time coordinating worship and pastoral care, supporting the work of our outreach and justice ministries, and serving as the main liaison for La Gracia (our Spanish-speaking community). Prior to joining the staff at Grace, he served as Curate & Community Engagement Director at St. David's Episcopal Church in Austin, TX.
Born in Colombia, Father Santiago did his undergrad in Miami before moving to Canada where he was a member of the Jesuit order for seven years. He was received into the Anglican Church in Canada in 2015, and after returning to the United States, he graduated in 2021 from the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. Father Santiago is a futbol aficionado who is passionate about spirituality in pop culture, and Ignatian spirituality. He loves running, playing DnD, and exploring the outdoors with his wife, son, and their blue heeler, Bleu. Father Santiago is learning to be a better cat dad to Ciel, the family kitten. His pronouns are he / él.
Mother Emma A.W. Brice (pronouns are she/ella) serves as our Assistant Rector and School Chaplain. She focuses her ministry on the formation of children, youth, and families, as well as on fellowship, worship, and pastoral care. She also serves as the chaplain for Grace Episcopal School and teaches religion classes to Kindergarten through Fifth Grade.
Mother Emma grew up in northern Virginia as a life-long Episcopalian. She discovered her love for liturgy and sacred music at a young age by serving as an acolyte and chorister. Mother Emma graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Anthropology from Duke University and a Master of Divinity from Yale University. Prior to seminary, she lived in Muscat, Oman working at an interfaith peace-building center.
Mother Emma loves the outdoors - hiking, backpacking, running, laying on the ground and watching clouds…all of it. She is a huge Taylor Swift fan, an expert jigsaw puzzler, and an aspiring bread baker. Mother Emma and her wife are proud mothers to a smart, curious, playful, and kind one-year-old Portuguese Water Dog named Tetiana, who can often be found begging for treats in the church office.
Kevin Hamilton (he/him) serves as the Director of Operations and Communication. Managing the church office, Kevin oversees administration, business operations, facilities oversight, and communications outside of digital/social media (including bulletins, website, email communications, etc.).
Kevin's formal training was ministerial and he has served for over 25 years in ministry, 21 of those as an ordained bi-vocational minister. Kevin continues to be a church planter on the weekends, but here at Grace his role is non-clergy related and focused solely on operations. Before coming to Grace, Kevin was a Project Manager for CDW-G on the Decennial Census Device as a Service project. Prior roles for other organizations include Director level positions in Internal Communications, Organizational Development, and Operations. Kevin lives in Centreville, Virginia with his husband, Luke Le Nguyen, his mother, Linda Hamilton, and their two cats, Boba and Mocha. Kevin loves to read, nerd out on theology and storytelling podcasts, watch random documentaries, and laugh (often and loudly)!
Dr. Alain Truche brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his role as Music Director at Grace Episcopal Church in Alexandria, VA. With a rich history of musical leadership, Dr. Truche has previously held similar positions in Silver Spring, MD, Winston-Salem, NC, and Scranton, PA.
A distinguished scholar, Dr. Truche earned his Bachelor of Music degree from Central Michigan University, followed by a Master of Music degree from Indiana University, and culminating in a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. His journey as a musician has been shaped by the guidance of esteemed mentors including Dr. Steven Egler, Dr. Marilyn Keiser, and Dr. George Ritchie.
Beyond his dedication to church ministry, Dr. Truche is recognized internationally as an accomplished recitalist. His performances have graced renowned venues across Asia, Europe, and the United States, including the prestigious Eglise Saint-Paul, Strasbourg, and the Abbaye in Marmoutier, both in France, where he showcased his talent on the illustrious 18th-century Silbermann organ.
Notably, Dr. Truche has been a featured artist at esteemed events such as the Northeast Pennsylvania Bach Festival hosted by the Arcadia Chorale. His musical prowess has taken him to Taiwan, where he was invited to perform at Aletheia University and the National Concert Hall in Taipei. In recognition of his virtuosity, Dr. Truche was a finalist at the Arthur Poister Organ competition held in Syracuse, New York, in 2007.
In addition to his performance accolades, Dr. Truche has contributed significantly to the musical community as Dean of the Northeast Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Guild of Organists from 2007 to 2010 and is now involved with the Potomac chapter of the American Guild of Organists.
Dr. Truche enjoys reading, listening to podcasts and biking.
Madeline Manaker (she/her) serves as our assistant to the Finance Director. Madeline spends her time supporting the finance director in daily finance operations, assisting with the budget, and communicating with staff and volunteers of various funds and events.
Madeline completed an undergraduate degree in mathematics at Vanderbilt University and recently graduated from George Mason University with a Master’s degree in music performance.
Outside of her time at Grace Church, Madeline is a musician and teacher and performs around the Washington, D.C. region. She can also be seen around town walking her incredibly fluffy Great Pyrenees mix, Carmen.
Bio coming soon
Bio coming soon