Our Staff
The Rt. Rev. KIRK STEVAN SMITH, Bishop of Arizona
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The Rev. Canon MARK SUTHERLAND, Interim Dean & Canon Pastor
Mark is a native of Christchurch, New Zealand, where all of his family live still. In 1977, at the age of 22, he graduated from the University of Canterbury with an LLB and, shortly thereafter, left on a Kiwi walkabout from which he never returned.
After five years in sales at London's Harrod's department store, Mark was accepted by the Bishop of London for priesthood and completed his ministerial training at Ripon College, Cuddeson, the Church of England's first and oldest theological college at Oxford. Two years later he went as an exchange student to Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, California, where he met his partner, Al. Upon Mark's graduation he and Al returned to England where Mark was awarded the Oxford Certificate of Theology and where Al completed his own seminary training at Cranmer Hall, the theological college for St. John's College, Durham University.
In 1985, on the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, Mark was ordained deacon in St. Paul's Cathedral, London. He was ordained priest one year later and he served his curacy in two parishes of the Diocese of London.
Early on, Mark was drawn to a ministry to those in emotional distress. To better serve in this ministry, he began training in psychoanalytic counseling at the University of London, eventually obtaining an M.A. in Adult and Continuing Education, as well as an M.A. in Psychotherapy from the University of East London.
Licensed as chaplain in 1991 by the Bishop of Southwark, Mark became the Aileen Kerr Fellow in Mental Health and Pastoral Care at the Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospitals, which together with the Institute of Psychiatry, a part of Kings College, University of London, comprise an internationally renowned center of psychiatric excellence and post graduate psychiatric medical and allied professional training.
For 12 of the next 18 years, Mark directed one of the largest departments of spiritual care in the UK. He became a nationally recognized educator, speaker, and writer on the complex interface between emotional disturbance and spiritual health and development.
In 2005, he became an associate priest to the parish of St. Alfege, Greenwich, where he rediscovered his love of journeying with a covenanted Christian community. Here, Mark believes, God planted the seeds for a return to parish ministry. In 2008, Mark resigned as Presiding Chaplain of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, and he and Al followed their family (including their beloved 4 year old granddaughter, Claire) to Phoenix where Mark became Chaplain Resident at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center.
In the Spring of 2010, Mark brought his healing ministry to Trinity Cathedral when he became Associate for Pastoral Counseling, and on Trinity Sunday, 2010, Bishop Kirk Smith appointed him Canon Pastor to the Cathedral. As Canon Pastor Mark is involved with pastoral care and counseling, spiritual direction of individuals and the community, as well as adult formation. Mark is also a member of the Bishop's Commission on Ministry.
Mark perceives his ministry of pastoral care to have a primary focus on healing as an essential part of the lives of both individuals and communities. He distinguishes healing from cure. Cure eradicates the symptom(s) of suffering. By contrast healing concerns the transformation of perspective on one's own suffering bringing the individual concerned into a deeper and more fulfilling relationship with God, self and others.
Mark maintains his blog Relational Realities http://relationalrealities.com/. Email Mark at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Rev. Canon Carmen Guerreo moved to the Phoenix area after retiring from her position as Jubilee Officer for the National Church. She worked out of the Church Center in Manhattan, but traveled around the world on behalf of the Episcopal Church coaching and observing social justice ministries.
Before taking the position for the national church office, she served as one of the Archdeacons in the Diocese of Los Angeles.
During her long career Canon Guerreo, or "La Reverenda" as she is known to the Hispanic congregation at the Cathedral, has written numerous articles, authored chapters of books, had collects composed in her honor, founded the first Anglican seminary in Honduras, served on the Episcopal Church's Executive Council and in the last few years founded and serves as first national president of C.E.L. (The Coalition of Episcopal Latinos).
Email Carmen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Venerable Canon VERONICA RITSON, Archdeacon
Veronica Ritson has been a member of Trinity Cathedral since 1977 and was ordained a Deacon in June 1993. Her servant ministry is in the arena of HIV/AIDS advocacy and support within the Church and the community. At the Cathedral, she is the coordinator for the lay participants of the Cathedral's worship services, which includes working with the Readers, Acolytes, Vergers, and Lay Eucharistic Ministers. As the Archdeacon, she is the overseer of the Deacons within the Diocese, and the Administrator for the Deacons' Formation Academy. In October 2005, Veronica was named a Cathedral Canon by Bishop Smith.
Email Archdeacon Ritson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Rev. JOHN L. MATHER, Deacon (On Sabbatical)
John Mather coordinates outreach and assists with pastoral care at Trinity Cathedral. John's servant ministry is focused on social justice issues affecting health care, border issues and global justice issues.
John is the Founder and Director of Cathedral Health Services whose mission is to help save lives through education, prevention, and detection of life-threatening diseases and by serving the less fortunate and uninsured communities. John is a founding board member and President of The Naco Wellness Initiative, an ecumenical border initiative.
He is also a founding board member and CEO of The Peace and Justice Center focusing on local to global justice issues addressing poverty, health, justice and economic development.
Email Deacon Mather at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Rev. MYRA KINGSLEY, Deacon
Myra was ordained a Deacon in January 2009. Her servant ministry is focused on issues of poverty and health.
She is the chairperson of the Diocesan Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) committee, whose purpose is to educate, advocate, mobilize and support the efforts of churches throughout the Diocese to work toward eradicating extreme poverty.
Myra is a Registered Nurse who is working with others in the Trinity community to develop and implement a Health Ministries program that is responsive to the health needs and concerns of the community.
Canon Musician Erik W. Goldstrom, Organist/Choirmaster
A native of the Chicago area, Erik W. Goldstrom was appointed Canon Musician for Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Phoenix, Arizona, in November of 2009. As the cathedral’s Organist and Choirmaster, he conducts three choirs and oversees Music at Trinity, the musical outreach arm of the cathedral. He has served parishes in California, North Carolina, Illinois, and Indiana, where he was the assistant at Christ Church Cathedral, Indianapolis. An active member of the Association of Anglican Musicians, he currently serves as the book reviewer for the Association’s national publication, Journal.
Dr. Goldstrom holds degrees from Northwestern University (summa cum laude), Southern Methodist University (where he was awarded the Dora Poteet Barclay Award for Outstanding Organ Performance), Perkins School of Theology (summa cum laude), and Stanford University where he received his Ph.D. in musicology. His teachers of organ performance include Ralph Sunden, Richard Enright, Robert T. Anderson, Kimberly Marshall and Robert Bates.
Erik has performed throughout the United States, UK and Europe, most notably at Lincoln Cathedral, St. George's Chapel, Windsor, the Madeleine and the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris. He has also appeared at national conferences sponsored by the American Guild of Organists and the Association of Anglican Musicians. An avid promoter of contemporary music, Erik has both commissioned and premiered works by several notable American composers including Jeffrey Smith, David Jaffe and Frank Ferko. He lives in Phoenix with his partner Michael Garland.
CHERYL HAMATI, Director of Operations
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GARY GORMAN, Office & Communications Manager
Gary is a native of Holbrook, Arizona and a member of the Din'e (Navajo) and Hopi tribes. He has been a part of the Cathedral staff since 1999.
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Cyndi Smith, Cathedral Shoppe Manager
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Tom Weller, Volunteer Membership Secretary
Tom can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.