Presiding Bishop Appoints New Board Chair for Episcopal Relief & Development as Organization Welcomes New Board Members
Press Release
January 3, 2019
The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church, has appointed Teri Lawver as Board Chair for Episcopal Relief & Development. Ms. Lawver replaces Neel Lane who served as chair from 2015 until the end of 2018.
Episcopal Relief & Development welcomes Lawver and also new board member Matt Silva. Lawver was previously on the board of the organization from 2008 to 2013 and has continued to serve on the Advancement Committee.
“I am thrilled to welcome Teri back to the Board of Directors as Board Chair,” said Presiding Bishop Curry. “Teri and Episcopal Relief & Development know each other exceedingly well and I am confident that together with the rest of the board and staff, we will create lasting change.”
Lawver was named Board Chair, effective January 1, 2019 as Lane completed his term on the board.
“Teri brings vast governance experience from the private sector to her new role as Board Chair,” said Lane. “She will become the first woman to chair the board at a time when the organization’s strategic priorities are directed more than ever to improving the lives of women throughout the world—including, most obviously, our work with Anglican partners to eliminate gender-based violence (GBV).”
Lawver is the Global Commercial Strategy Leader, Global Vice President, for the Immunology Therapeutic Area with Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson (J&J). She has more than 20 years of global healthcare and business leadership experience spanning four continents, three healthcare sectors, and dozens of disease areas. A vocal advocate for diversity and inclusion, Teri has a proven track record of building new businesses, delivering sustainable, innovation-based growth and leading high-performance teams. Prior to joining J&J, Teri was an Associate Principal with McKinsey & Company in the firm’s New Jersey, Atlanta and Sao Paolo offices, and was a leader in the firm’s global healthcare practice. She began her career as a Derivative Analyst with Bloomberg Financial Markets, LLP.
Active with community and philanthropic causes, Lawver serves on Board of Trustees for the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and has served on the Board of Trustees for the Seminary of the Southwest. A New Jersey native, Lawver was named to the NJBiz “Best 50 Women in Business” list in 2016.
“I am honored to be asked to serve in this capacity and to rejoin this strong board for an organization that has such commitment to empowering others to live healthier, more fulfilling lives,” said Lawver. “Episcopal Relief & Development’s work is unique. I am humbled to be a part of creating long-term solutions in the lives of the most vulnerable.”
Matt Silva also joined the board effective January 1st. He is the Director of Sales for Labatt Food Service in San Antonio Texas and manages the Labatt sales force responsible for $1.3 Billion in revenue per year in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. Silva volunteered frequently at the Good Samaritan Center while growing up, where he was Director of the Good Sam basketball camp in high school. He served as an acolyte for St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in downtown San Antonio, where he and his wife, Virginia, are now members.
“Teri and Matt’s multifaceted professional experience and passion will make them tremendous assets to the Board of Directors,” said Rob Radtke, President & CEO of Episcopal Relief & Development. “I look forward to working with them to expand our impact in our priority areas of women, children and climate.”
For over 75 years, Episcopal Relief & Development has been working together with supporters and partners for lasting change around the world. Each year the organization facilitates healthier, more fulfilling lives for more than 3 million people struggling with hunger, poverty, disaster and disease. Inspired by Jesus’ words in Matthew 25, Episcopal Relief & Development leverages the expertise and resources of Anglican and other partners to deliver measurable and sustainable change in three signature program areas: Women, Children and Climate.
