Welcoming New Board Chair and Two New Board Members
Episcopal Relief & Development Welcomes New Board Chair and Two New Board Members
Press Release
January 2, 2025
Episcopal Relief & Development is pleased to welcome Matt Silva as its new Board Chair. The organization also welcomes new board members Anita Palacios and the Rev. Canon Ranjit K. Mathews. All three appointments are effective January 1, 2025, and are slotted for three-year terms.
“Matt is a strategic and energetic leader, and I am pleased to appoint him as Board Chair of Episcopal Relief & Development. He will inspire innovation and propel the organization’s mission,” said the Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe, Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church. “I look forward to Matt’s leadership of this transformative ministry.”
Silva, from the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas, began serving as a board member in 2019. He is preceded by Teri Lawver who served faithfully from 2019-2024.
“Serving on the Board of Episcopal Relief & Development has been among the most fulfilling endeavors of my life,” said Teri Lawver. “I’m thrilled to pass the baton to my long-time colleague, Matt Silva. Matt brings business and technology savvy to the Board and will adeptly lead them in creating sustainable and effective strategies that support the organization’s life-changing work.”
Under Silva’s leadership, the Board will advance Episcopal Relief & Development’s strategic plan, Working Together for Lasting Change, to deepen and scale the impact the organization is making in communities affected by injustice, poverty, disaster and climate change by 2030.
“I am deeply honored and excited to step into the role of Board Chair,” said Silva. “For years, Episcopal Relief & Development has championed a locally-led approach to community development. By fostering strong partnerships, leveraging technology and staying true to our Credo, we will amplify our efforts to create lasting, community-led change that is impactful, sustainable and respects the dignity of all people.”
Anita Palacios and the Rev. Canon Ranjit K. Mathews, who joined the Board on January 1, 2025, bring critical expertise, including financial management and a deep understanding of the Anglican Communion. Palacios is from the Episcopal Diocese of Central Ecuador. Mathews is currently Canon to the Ordinary for the Episcopal Church in Connecticut. Palacios and Mathews will help further the strategic plan that aims to ensure diverse and equitable partnerships.
“I am deeply grateful for Teri’s service and confident that Matt is a terrific successor,” said Rob Radtke, President & CEO, Episcopal Relief & Development. “All three–Anita, Ranjit and Matt–bring worldviews that will add tremendous expertise and richness to discussions around our core areas of work and the future of the organization.”
Biographies:
Matt Silva, Board Chair
Matt Silva is an affordable housing advocate, real estate investor and developer in San Antonio, Texas. Before launching his business, Matt built a successful career in sales and software development within the food distribution industry. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in American History from Boston University. Matt serves on the Board of Trustees for San Antonio Academy and as a Class Representative for the Texas Cavaliers Charitable Foundation. A member of the Episcopal Relief & Development Board since 2019, Matt co-chaired the organization’s strategic planning committee. He is a member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in San Antonio, Texas.
Anita Palacios, Board Member
Anita Palacios is a businesswoman with fifteen years of experience working at her family’s construction supply business in Ecuador and has substantial audit and tax accounting experience. She has previously served on the Finance Committee and Standing Committee for the Episcopal Diocese of Central Ecuador. She has a Bachelors in Accounting for Business and Administrative Science from the Escuela Fiscal Virginias Larenas, a degree in Financial and Audit Engineering from the Escuela Politécnica del Ejército and a Masters in Tax Law from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador.
The Rev. Canon Ranjit K. Mathews, Board Member
The Rev. Canon Ranjit K. Mathews serves as the Canon to the Ordinary of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut (ECCT). Prior to his current role, he served for nearly two years as Canon for Mission Advocacy, Racial Justice and Reconciliation for ECCT. Ranjit graduated from The George Washington University with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration, and from Union Theological Seminary with a Master’s in Divinity with a focus on Contextual Theology. He currently serves on the board of the Episcopal Evangelism Society and as the clergy representative to the Anglican Consultative Council from The Episcopal Church.
Episcopal Relief & Development, a 501(c)(3) operating under the General Convention of The Episcopal Church, is governed by a Board of Directors that includes clergy and lay leaders from around the United States. New board members are nominated by the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church and by the Chair of the Board of Episcopal Relief & Development in consultation with the Board’s Governance Committee. The Board votes on new members and elections take effect when ratified by the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church. Additional information about the board can be found here.
For over 80 years, Episcopal Relief & Development has worked with an extensive network of faith and community partners to advance lasting change in communities affected by injustice, poverty, disaster and climate change. Inspired by our faith, we reach over three million people each year by focusing on four interconnected priorities: nurturing the potential of caregivers and young children, reducing violence against women and girls, strengthening communities’ resilience to climate change and facilitating humanitarian response to disasters. Together with our partners, we leverage what’s working well to drive impact, learning and sustainability. Together, we create lasting change. Join us: www.episcopalrelief.org/sign-up
