August 16, 2011

The Rev. L. Ann Hallisey has been named the new dean of students at Church Divinity School of the Pacific, the Episcopal Church-affiliated seminary in Berkeley, California.

CDSP's president and dean, the Very Rev. Dr. W. Mark Richardson, announced Hallisey's appointment Aug. 15, the day she began work.

Hallisey returns to serve the seminary where she earned a Doctor of Ministry degree.

In her 28 years of ordained ministry, Hallisey has served as rector and interim in congregations and has developed an independent practice as an organizational consultant, according to a CDSP press release. She is a spiritual director and retreat leader, and a licensed marriage and family therapist. She is currently working toward certification as a master practitioner in Appreciative Inquiry, described as "the art and practice of asking questions that strengthen a system's capacity to apprehend, anticipate, and heighten positive potential."

"These skills and experiences will be great strengths for her ministry at CDSP," Richardson said in the release.

He said the dean of students "plays a critical role in the life of CDSP, building relationships among students at various stages of their academic work, offering chaplaincy support to students and their families, leading in all aspects of formation in preparation for ministry and supporting communications between students and other aspects of institutional life."

Hallisey, of Davis, California, is married to Diocese of Northern California Bishop Barry Beisner. A Los Angeles native, she received a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of California at Santa Barbara, a Master of Science degree in clinical counseling from California State University at Hayward and a Master of Divinity from Yale University, along with the Doctor of Ministry from CDSP.

She has been a priest of the Diocese of Northern California for 28 years; 22 of those years have been in parish ministry, including nine years as rector of Church of the Ascension in Vallejo, Calif. Most recently she has been the interim associate rector at St. John's Episcopal Church in Oakland and Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Berkeley. She also taught in the CDSP's field education program in the late 1990s.

Hallisey succeeds former Dean of Students the Rev. Jan Wood, who left CDSP in July after six years to accept a call to be priest-in-charge of Grace Episcopal Church in Sandusky, Ohio.

Founded in 1893, CDSP offers post-graduate courses and degree programs for students pursuing a variety of lay and ordained careers.

Episcopal News Service