Josephine Hicks Joins Episcopal Relief & Development as Vice President for Episcopal Church Programs

Monday, January 22, 2018

Episcopal Relief & Development welcomes Josephine Hicks as Vice President for Episcopal Church Programs, effective January 8.

In this new position, Hicks will lead a newly created department, Episcopal Church Programs, with the goal of deepening the organization’s programs and engagement within the Episcopal Church.

“We are excited and honored to have Josephine join our organization in this new capacity,” said Rob Radtke, President of Episcopal Relief & Development. “She knows us well, having served as a member of our Board of Directors and she is widely respected throughout the Episcopal Church. Josephine’s expertise will be invaluable in enhancing relationships with individuals and institutions around the Church, a major priority in our current strategic plan.”

As Vice President for Episcopal Church Programs, Hicks will focus on developing programs and resources to meet the needs of Episcopal dioceses and congregations by overseeing staff working with the US Disaster Program, Engagement and Episcopal Asset Map teams.  

“My hope is that the Episcopal Church Programs team will help Episcopalians better understand and connect with Episcopal Relief & Development and find ways to engage their faith through our work in the US and around the world,” noted Hicks.

Hicks, a trial lawyer, has 30 years of experience litigating disputes for a wide range of clients, including public utilities, manufacturers and other businesses. Most recently, she was a partner with Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, LLP in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is a graduate of the University of the South (Sewanee) and Vanderbilt University Law School. She is also the author of If There’s Anything I Can Do…What You Can Do When Serious Illness Strikes, a book aimed at those who want to help colleagues, friends and loved ones experiencing serious illness or needing care at the end of life.

Prior to joining the organization, Hicks served as Church Attorney for the Episcopal Church and handled investigations and ecclesiastical disciplinary proceedings under the Canons for the Episcopal Church. She has held other leadership positions within the Church, including serving as a member of the Church’s Executive Council and as General Convention Deputy for the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina. She also served as a member of the Joint Nominating Committee which conducted a search for Presiding Bishop, and as the lay representative from the Episcopal Church to the Anglican Consultative Council. Her relationship with the Church and the work of Episcopal Relief & Development are important ways that she lives out her faith.

“A strong relationship with Jesus doesn’t happen only on Sunday mornings or within the church walls,” Hicks said. “In Matthew 25, Jesus called us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and heal the sick. Episcopal Relief & Development provides an opportunity to respond to that call.”

To learn more about Episcopal Relief & Development, visit episcopalrelief.org.

For over 75 years, Episcopal Relief & Development has served as a compassionate response to human suffering in the world. The agency works with more than 3 million people in nearly 40 countries worldwide to overcome poverty, hunger and disease through multi-sector programs, using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework. An independent 501(c)(3) organization, it works closely with Anglican Communion and ecumenical partners to help communities create long-term development strategies and rebuild after disasters.

Photo: Josephine Hicks at the Anglican Women’s Development Center in Yelwoko, Ghana.