The Reverend John Hickey, Priest Associate

Rev. John Hickey is a true jack-of-all-trades (and master of none). He holds an M.F.A. in Film, a J.D. in law, and a M.Div. from Seabury-Western, an Episcopal Seminary. All of which means you should probably address him as Sir Hickey. Befitting a born wanderer, Rev. Hickey has sold UFO books in San Francisco, hitchhiked through Ireland, and preached in an elementary school cafeteria on a mountaintop in Hawaii. As a priest, Rev. Hickey has discovered the joys of crafting sermons, leading Bible Study, and getting a free meal at wedding receptions. Unfortunately, he has little experience swinging a thimble, although he does appreciate an old-fashioned evangelical hymn. At St. Mark’s, Rev. Hickey embraces being a retired priest – he still harangues the congregation from the pulpit while never having to attend a vestry meeting.

The Reverend Jana Troutman-Miller, Priest Associate

The Reverend Jana Troutman-Miller

Jana Troutman-Miller serves as priest associate at St. Mark’s offering spiritual direction, retreats, and occasionally preaches or presides at Wednesday Eucharist and other special services. As a spiritual director, she specializes in discerning God’s call for one’s life, stages of spiritual development, and the spiritual journey of grief and death.

Jana, who was ordained in another denomination, and her husband Randy began attending St. Mark’s in 2006, and soon after she began to feel the call to The Episcopal Church and to pursue holy orders as a priest. They were received into The Episcopal Church in 2010, and Jana was ordained to the Episcopal priesthood in 2014, with St. Mark’s as her sponsoring parish. Since that time Jana has served as priest and chaplain at Saint John’s On The Lake, a retirement community in Milwaukee, but still considers St. Mark’s her home, as does Randy who still attends.

In the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee, Jana has served as a member and president of the Commission on Ministry, as the Title IV intake officer and is currently the president of the Standing Committee. She has served for 20 years as a professional health care chaplain in the areas of child, adolescent and adult mental health and addictions, acute care, and long-term care. She is a board-certified chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains and is a former board of directors member for the organization and chair of the Commission on Certification and Professional Ethics Committee. She holds a Master of Arts degree in counseling ministry from Lincoln Christian Seminary, an Anglican Studies Certificate from Bexley Seabury Seminary, and a certificate in Spiritual Direction from The Haden Institute and is now a member of its faculty.

Sara Bitner, Parish Administrator

Sara Bitner, Parish Administrator

Sara has been at St. Mark’s since May 2014. She holds degrees in speech-language pathology from Augustana College and Indiana University, and she worked as a speech-language pathologist in Illinois before moving to Milwaukee. She produces the weekly bulletins and other parish publications, coordinates the church calendar, maintains our web presence and social media, and provides a welcome presence in the office. In addition to her work at St. Mark’s, Sara serves as the Communications Officer for the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee. Sara is also active in the music scene around Milwaukee and sings regularly with the Milwaukee Chamber Choir.

Sara Bitner, Parish Administrator

Nate Irvine, Campus/Young Adult Minister

Nate Irvine is the Campus and Young Adult Minister for the Milwaukee Area as of September 1, 2023. In this half-time position, Nate serves students and young adults at Marquette University, UW-Milwaukee, and St. Mark’s, Milwaukee. Nate and his family have been part of the St. Luke’s, Bay View (Milwaukee) family since the summer of 2021. Originally from Chicago, Nate served in full-time lay ministry with The Salvation Army church for 15 years. For 13 of those years, Nate served in teen and young adult ministry, and then for two years, Nate served as the lead chaplain at The Salvation Army’s Emergency Lodge (shelter) at 7th and Walnut here in Milwaukee.

Nate earned a bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies (minoring in Spanish) from Trinity International University (2006) and a master’s in Christian Ministry from North Park Theological Seminary (2020). He’s been married to his amazing partner, Danielle, for 13 years, and they have a son named Judah. In his spare time, he loves listening to and playing music, doing sporty and outdoorsy things, and watching a good show or movie.

2024 Vestry

Vestry

Vince Katter, Senior Warden
Anne Burris, Junior Warden
Jason Shimko, Treasurer
Meg Boyd, Vestry Member
Bobby Gilbert, Vestry Member
Matt Norby, Vestry Member

John Johnson, Clerk/Vestry Member
Judith Miller, Vestry Member
Jim Rice, Vestry Member
Kathie Eilers, Vestry Member
Daniella Goldfarb, Vestry Member
James Steiner, Vestry Member