Leadership

Get to Know Our Faithful Leaders

Our Clergy & Staff

Focused on Faith, Family, and Fellowship

The Reverend Annie Pierpoint Mertz,
Rector

I was born and raised in Oakland, CA in the Episcopal Church. Intending to become a science teacher, I attended UC Davis and studied Environmental Biology, with a minor in American Studies. After working in science education for a couple years, I began to sense I had a call to ordained ministry. I found myself daydreaming about my volunteer work with youth and children at my home congregation in Oakland, rather than a future as a classroom teacher.   I began the journey towards ordination in the Diocese of California, and studied for my M. Div. at Virginia Theological Seminary. I graduated in 2014, and was ordained a priest in December of that year. Since then, I’ve served as a ministry resident at St. Paul’s in Alexandria, VA, and Chaplain at St. Paul’s Episcopal School in Oakland, CA. It would seem that St. Paul has become my patron saint!   I share my home with my husband, Andrew, our son Andrew Jr. (AJ), our newborn son Wesley and our dog Boudreaux.  In our spare time we can be found taking walks, playing boardgames, planning outdoor adventures, and keeping up with a toddler.  

The Reverend Doctor Arthur Holder, Associate Priest

I was born in Atlanta, Georgia and educated at Duke University (AB and PhD) and The General Theological Seminary in New York City (MDiv). After ordination in 1977, I spent nine years in parish ministry in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina before coming to California in 1985 to join the faculty of the Church Divinity School of the Pacific. Since 2002 I have been serving as Dean and Professor of Christian Spirituality at the Graduate Theological Union, an ecumenical and interreligious consortium of theological schools in Berkeley. My special research interest is in medieval spirituality, but as a lover of church history in all times and places I am delighted to be at St. Paul’s with its rich tradition of worship and missionary service in the heart of Benicia.

Lisa Lannoy, Parish Administrator

I am a native Californian and feel fortunate to have lived in Benicia over the last 15 years. My education includes a B.S. in Business Administration from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. I have a diverse business & administrative background which has allowed me to develop a broad range of skills which I find especially useful in my role as Parish Administrator here at St. Paul’s. I joined the team in January of 2024. The clergy, staff and members of the congregation have been so welcoming and helpful. I find that no two days are alike, and I enjoy meeting and working alongside this fun and dedicated group of people. I appreciate St. Paul’s message of diversity & inclusion and their strong commitment to the community. On a personal note, I love spending time with family & friends, enjoy the outdoors and love animals.

Eric Foster,
Communications Director

I am originally from the Chicago suburbs, with stops in New Hampshire, Oakland and Walnut Creek. In 2020, my family and I finally settled down here in beautiful Benicia. I’m joined by my wife Sara, our two daughters, Lulu (7) & Chloe (4) & our cat, Billy Mays. Storytelling and creating digital content have always been passions of mine - I’ve been contracting in the marketing/video industries in various roles for over 20 years, including time as a videographer for the Boys & Girls Club of America and the marketing director for Network Visuals. I’ve also spent time in the intermodal & pharmaceutical industries. These days, I have two of the most rewarding jobs in the world: Taking care of my kids full-time and working here at St. Paul’s (alongside our wonderful clergy, staff and congregation) When I’m not working, you’ll find me in my music room listening to records, painting, drawing or writing. I’m a huge baseball fan, specifically of my beloved Chicago Cubs and writing scouting reports about baseball prospects. It’s a pleasure being part of this fantastic team here at St. Paul’s!

John Partridge
Traditional Music Director

John Partridge began playing piano and composing music as a child. By the time he was in high school he was writing large orchestral and choral works. He graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1976 with an AB degree specializing in composition and conducting. Returning to his hometown of Berkeley, John quickly established himself as - at various times - Associate Conductor with the West Contra Costa Symphony, Music Director of the Berkeley Harmonia Chorus and Orchestra and Choir Director and Organist at a series of churches in the Bay Area.  His interest in Ragtime music – which began in the late 1960’s – led to him becoming a nationally known Ragtime pianist and composer. At the same time, he became involved in the local opera scene conducting his own and others’ works with Goat Hall Productions in San Francisco. In 2005, he moved to Sonoma California where he established the Wine Country Ragtime Festival, served as Music Director for several theater productions with Sonoma Arts Live and conducted the Sonoma Hometown Band while serving as Director of Music Ministries at the First Presbyterian Church of Napa. He and his wife recently relocated to Oakland, California.

Cameron DePalma,
Contemporary Music Director

Cameron graduated with a BA Liberal Studies/Philosophy UOP 1987. He also studied flute and composition at UOP Conservatory and Conservatorio Rossini, Pesaro Italy. He worked in Hollywood at A&M Studios, fronted and recorded with various rock and roll bands in SF, Los Angeles and Portland ,OR while also doing studio and film work. Spent 2011-2018 with MarchFourth, a touring show band and circus, composing music and playing woodwinds. Retired from the road 2019. Currently, he lives in Benicia composing and working in his home recording studio, and performing in several area bands, orchestras, and choirs.

Megan Traquair, Our Bishop 

The Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California The Right Reverend Megan M. Traquair was ordained and consecrated the eighth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California on June 29, 2019 at the Mondavi Center in Davis, CA. Bishop Megan is an active follower of Jesus Christ and was raised in Santa Barbara when it was a sleepy town, graduated from Pomona College in Claremont and received her MDiv at Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, IL. Ordained in 1992 in the Diocese of Los Angeles she has led congregations in Tucson, towns near South Bend and Indianapolis, and Los Angeles. When she was Canon to the Ordinary in the Diocese of Arizona, she ran all aspects of clergy Transition (deployment). Her interests include gardening, genealogy, hiking and history. Her husband Philip is a pediatrician at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. They have been partners and best friends as well as parents. They have two children: Hannah who teaches high school in Tucson, and Benjamin, who is an engineer in Colorado. You may contact Bishop Megan at BishopMegan@norcalepiscopal.org.