The Nominating Committee Report

The Nominating Committee respectfully reports to the congregation of Saint Ambrose Episcopal Church the nomination of the following individuals for election to the Vestry, Class of 2028. Each nominee has been prayerfully discerned and confirmed to be fully qualified and eligible to serve, in accordance with the Canons of the Diocese of North Carolina. The Committee presents these candidates with confidence in their readiness to share in the governance, stewardship, and spiritual leadership of the parish during the coming term.

Barbara Ann Joseph-Douglas

Candidate for Vestry Class 2028

Barbara-Anne Joseph-Douglas was born on the twin-island nation of Trinidad, a land celebrated for its vibrant and diverse cultural heritage. Rooted in a strong faith tradition, she was raised in the Anglican Church, following the spiritual leadership of her father, the Rev. Augustine Joseph. Rev. Joseph served faithfully in the Dioceses of South Carolina and East Carolina, including as Chaplain at Voorhees College in Denmark, South Carolina (1987–1991), and as Rector of St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church in Fayetteville, North Carolina (1991–2012).

Professionally, Barbara-Anne has dedicated herself to education and healthcare. She began her career as a middle school teacher in rural North Carolina, guiding students through their pivotal adolescent years. For the past 19 years, she has served as a Registered Dental Hygienist and currently practices in a private dental office in Cary, NC. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from East Carolina University. Barbara-Anne lives in Clayton, NC with her husband, Andre Douglas, who serves on the Digital Ministry at Saint Ambrose, and their son, Gabriel, who is an acolyte. Barbara-Anne is known for her careful attention to detail and quiet diligence. She is seeking to serve on the Vestry as a way to offer her gifts in service to the life and mission of Saint Ambrose. With deep respect for the church’s history and a commitment to its growth and vitality, she looks forward to working alongside her fellow Vestry members to help sustain and strengthen the church’s ministry in the congregation and broader community.

Vanessa F. Harris

Candidate for Vestry Class 2028

Vanessa F. Harris was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA but has lived in North Carolina with her husband and son for 35+ years.

Vanessa is director of visual communications at Meredith College. In this position, Vanessa provides art direction and design leadership to the College’s in-house design team. She is responsible for developing and maintaining the graphic standards for the College’s identity and designs key recruitment and signature publications for Meredith. Before joining Meredith in 2006, Harris was director of graphic and print production for the International Society of Automation. She has also worked for UNC TV, Home Mechanix and Games magazines and is a published children’s book illustrator. Harris earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration from Parsons School of Design.

Vanessa has been a confirmed and baptized member of St. Ambrose Episcopal church for 20+ years. She has been a member and now co-chair of the Usher ministry for most of those years. She states, “After prayer, contemplation and talking to other Vestry members I believe that now is the time for me to serve St. Ambrose beyond being a member and co-chair of the usher ministry. I don’t take this commitment lightly as I was on the Vestry once before and wasn’t able to fulfill my tenure. But seeing the work and current vestry members serve the church I would like to be a part of this ministry. St. Ambrose clergy and congregation inform the foundation of her faith formation.”

Mellisa Smith

Candidate for Vestry Class 2028

Mellisa Smith has been a member of St. Ambrose for about 15 years, and during that time she served in several ministries, including Hospitality, the acolyte ministry, and more recently the EYC Youth Advisory Board.

Education is very important to her, and she has been an educator for the past 30 years. In that time, she served as a Sunday School teacher, a Girl Scout troop leader, and a middle and high school teacher. Currently, Mellisa is a Data Coach for Wake County Public Schools, where she supports the assessment and data literacy needs of K–12 schools. Having lived in three different countries and several states across the U.S., Mellisa tends to bring a global lens to how to approach work and relationships. Her most important full-time job, though, is being a mom to her daughter, Maya and making sure she is spiritually and academically prepared for her next phase as a high school senior.

Mellisa wishes to serve on the vestry because she feels called to support a church that has “become my spiritual family.” Being asked to stand is an honor, and she sees this role as a continuation of a legacy of vestry service modeled by her mother and grandmother. Serving on the vestry will allow her to deepen her faith, better understand how St. Ambrose operates, and use her gifts in service to God and this community.

Mellisa states, “I am grateful for the opportunity to give back and help support the mission and future of our church.”

Ronald D. “Ron” Williams II

Candidate for Vestry Class 2028

Ronald D. “Ron” Williams II is a loving husband and father of two children.

Professionally, Ron serves as a Special Deputy Attorney General and Section Head of the North Carolina Department of Justice in Raleigh. He manages a staff of six while representing the North Carolina Department of Revenue in contested tax matters. Ron has successfully litigated matters in North Carolina Appellate Courts and Federal Bankruptcy Courts across the country. He previously served as the Assistant General Counsel for Tax Administration for the North Carolina Department of Revenue. In that role, he advised Tax Administration and the Department on a variety of areas related to State and Local Taxation.

Ron earned his B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and his J.D., cum laude, from North Carolina Central University School of Law.

Ron states that, “ Since becoming a member of St. Ambrose, it has been my goal to assist our church in any capacity where there is a need. Having served on a number of boards. I view an opportunity to serve on the vestry as a chance to bring my talents and knowledge to my church home. Church should be a place where you find community, grow in spirit and deepen our faith. My family has experienced all three of these gifts at St. Ambrose. I would love the opportunity to give back by serving on the vestry. “