Bishop John Stowe, Bishop John professed solemn vows in the Order of Friars Minor Conventual in 1992 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1995. Prior to his ordination, he earned a MDiv and a S.T.L. from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley. After ordination Bishop John served at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, a parish on the U.S.- Mexico border that includes the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo of the Tigua tribe of Native Americans. In 2002, Bishop John began serving the Diocese of El Paso as Moderator of the Curia and Vicar General. He later also served as Chancellor of the Diocese and Administrator of Our Lady of the Valley Parish. Bishop John taught in the Tepeyac Institute for lay ministry, in the permanent diaconate formation programs for the Diocese of Las Cruces and El Paso, and was active in community organizing with El Paso Interreligious Sponsoring Organization (EPISO). In the Franciscan Province Bishop John chaired the Peace and Justice Commission and the Finance Commission and served a term as a definitor. In 2010, Bishop John was elected the Province’s Vicar Provincial. He was resigned from the Chancery in El Paso and became Pastor and Rector of the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey, Ohio. He was re-elected vicar at the Chapter of 2014, and was installed as Bishop of Lexington in 2015. 

Deborah Rose was selected to lead FutureChurch as Executive Director in 2013, succeeding Founding Director, Sr. Christine Schenk, CSJ. Rose came to FutureChurch with years of experience working in community and Church-based organizations, having previously served as Executive Director at the New Choices Domestic Violence Prevention Agency and Shelter in Shelby County, Ohio; Program Director for the American Friends Service Committee; and as Vice President and Project Director of St. Catherine of Siena Virtual College with special outreach to Africa, China, India, the Philippines, Thailand and Latin America. Holding a Master’s Degree in Theology from United Theological Seminary and trained as a lay pastoral minister in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, she also brought a strong background in theology, Church history, and Catholic social teaching with her. Under her leadership, FutureChurch successfully advocated for greater and more diverse lay participation in worldwide synods; created engaging online programming spotlighting unheralded biblical, historical, and contemporary women; and founded the award-winning Catholic Women Preach project which brings women’s voices and wisdom to the preaching ministry of the Church. Rose retired in December 2023 and now serves FutureChurch as Executive Director Emerita and collaborates with the staff on special projects.

Kayla August is a student at the Clough School of Theology and Ministry at Boston College, where she is pursuing a Ph.D. in Theology and Education with a focus on preaching, particularly preaching from the lay perspective. Practicing what she preaches, Kayla steps out of the margins to preach as a layperson in a variety of places and communities, such as McGrath’s Institute for Church Life Saturday with the Saints at Notre Dame, FutureChurch’s Catholic Women DO Preach Prayer Service at the Clough School of Theology and Ministry at Boston College, and on an episode of America Magazine’s Podcast Preach. Her interest in formation is rooted in her experiences of living and working in young adult faith formation as a University Ministry Intern at Loyola University of New Orleans as well as her professional work as the Assistant Director of Evangelization in the University of Notre Dame’s Campus Ministry department and as the Rector of Lyons Hall. She hopes, through preaching, to inspire and empower marginalized voices—like her own—in the Catholic faith to play an active role in the Church, because when we are able to hear more voices in the Church, we are able to grow in our understanding of God.