About us

Office of Government Relations

Mission

The Office of Government Relations (OGR) represents the policy priorities of The Episcopal Church to the U.S. government in Washington, D.C. and helps to shape the discussion of political issues throughout the Church. OGR aims to influence policy and legislation on critical issues, highlighting the voices and experiences of Episcopalians and Anglicans globally. All policy positions are based on General Convention and Executive Council resolutions.

Engage with Our Office

Our advocacy becomes stronger with your help. From quick Action Alerts to volunteer opportunities, you can help grow our reach with advocacy and civic engagement efforts across the U.S. Learn more.

Policy Areas

Creation Care: As we are called by God to care for creation, The Episcopal Church supports policies that protect the natural resources that sustain all life on Earth. We advocate for policies that mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, promote sustainable energy and the safe and just use of natural resources, and support communities impacted by a lack of environmental stewardship.

Racial Reconciliation: Racial reconciliation is a core component of our work, guiding and informing advocacy engagement. The Office challenges long-established policies that perpetuate systemic racism and injustice and strives to change legislation that continues to harm communities of color. The Episcopal Church aims to bring a perspective of transformation to public policy in order to heal communities that have been the most marginalized and discriminated against.

Ending Poverty: We advocate for policies that will eliminate poverty and help people live with dignity, both in the U.S. and internationally. We advocate for federal programs that provide development assistance and humanitarian relief, including education and healthcare initiatives, as well as support for social safety net programs, care for veterans, and other U.S.-focused anti-poverty initiatives.

Migration, Refugees & Immigration: As a Church, we are committed to advocating for policies that respect the dignity and worth of every human being- including protecting asylum, advocating for Dreamers & TPS holders, advocating for alternatives to detention, and urging long-term protections through comprehensive immigration reform. We work to protect the human rights and safety of refugees by supporting the refugee resettlement work of Episcopal Migration Ministries and advocating for robust refugee resettlement policies.

Human Rights & Peacebuilding: The Church supports legislation and policies that protect human rights and prevent atrocities, promote gender justice, and build peace. We partner with non-U.S. Episcopal diocese and provinces throughout the Anglican Communion to work towards justice. 

We are one of a group of offices that make up the Ministry Beyond the Episcopal Church team. Through collaboration with the other three offices, building on knowledge, relationships, and skill sets, our advocacy grows richer and more effective.

The Episcopal Public Policy Network

Additionally, the Office of Government Relations works to educate, equip, and engage Episcopalians through the Episcopal Public Policy Network. As a Church, we raise our voices to ensure that U.S. government policies are in line with our values as Episcopalians and Christians. 

We engage in advocacy because federal government legislation and policies affect Episcopalians, our brother and sister Anglicans around the world, and the most vulnerable among us. Together, we can help our nation’s legislation and policies to become more just.

We invite you to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @TheEPPN.

EDUCATE

Explore EPPN resources to better understand current public policy issues. Learn more about official church policies that support our advocacy positions.

EQUIP

Build relationships with elected and government officials with guidance from the EPPN. Learn how to have the greatest impact on issues that matter to you.

ENGAGE

Sign-up for strategically-timed action alerts on critical legislation and policy initiatives at the federal level. Alerts provide instructions for contacting government officials, as well as sample letters or call scripts.

Staff Bios

REBECCA LINDER BLACHLY
Director

Prior to taking on this role in September 2016, Ms. Blachly was the Senior Policy Advisor for Africa in the Office of Religion and Global Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. Her previous positions include Acting Chief of the Strategic Communication Division at U.S. Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany, Special Assistant to the Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, and Research Associate in the Post-Conflict Reconstruction Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. She has conducted fieldwork and research throughout Africa and the Middle East and she has published on civil-military relations and information sharing in complex environments. Ms. Blachly received her B.A. in philosophy from Williams College and her M.Div. from Harvard University, and she is a Term Member at the Council on Foreign Relations. She is a member at Church of the Ascension and Saint Agnes in Washington, D.C.

PATRICIA KISARE
Legislative Representative for International Policy

Ms. Kisare serves in this role for both the Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Washington Office. In this capacity, she is responsible for policy advocacy on a variety of international issues, including food and hunger, global health, trade, human trafficking, and gender-based violence. Prior to her current position, Ms. Kisare worked for Mennonite Central Committee U.S. and the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. Ms. Kisare holds a BA in International Studies from Millersville University and a Master’s in International Affairs from Penn State University.

LINDSEY DELKS
Policy Advisor

Mr. Delks is a proud alumnus of Kennesaw State University where he majored in Political Science and minored in African and African Diaspora studies. Prior to this position he served as policy intern with the ACLU of GA where he dedicated his time to community building and advocacy in his home state. Mr. Delks’ dedication to this work is evident as he works to advocate the domestic policy positions of The Episcopal Church aligning passion with expertise to make meaningful impacts.

TROY COLLAZO
Policy Advisor

Mr. Collazo is responsible for advocating for The Episcopal Church’s positions regarding immigration and refugee policy. Prior to his current role, he served the Church through the Episcopal Service Corp in New York City and served on the first cohort of the Eco-Justice Fellowship, an Episcopal program focused on Creation Care. He holds a B.A in Law & National Security from Regent University and a master’s in public policy from Pepperdine University.

ALAN YARBOROUGH
Church Relations Officer

Mr. Yarborough is primarily responsible for the maintenance and growth of the Episcopal Public Policy Network and the resources aimed at educating, equipping, and engaging the church in policy advocacy. Prior to this, he lived and worked in Haiti with the Young Adult Service Corps, spending two years in Cange working in economic development and communication and one year in Cap-Haitien with the St. Barnabas Agriculture Center as a project manager for their revitalization program. He holds a BS in economics from Clemson University in South Carolina and a master’s degree in conflict analysis and resolution from the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University.

SUSIE FARIA
Policy Analyst

Ms. Faria is a life-long Episcopalian and clergy kid from Massachusetts and was previously an intern before beginning this role at OGR. Prior to joining this office, she obtained her B.A. in Global Studies with minors in International Relations and Arts and Communications, while traveling the world with Long Island University Global, studying in Central America, Europe, and Australia. Her experiences abroad developed and curated her passion for the environment, history, international relations, and interreligious relations. In 2021, she attended the UN Conference of Parties (COP26) as a part of the Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s virtual delegation.

DESTINEE BATES
Policy and Advocacy Intern

Ms. Bates grew up in The Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina. She received her undergraduate education from the illustrious North Carolina A&T State University. Aggie Pride! Her studies instilled in her the importance of putting culture and values at the center of policy and organizing work. She is currently a second-year Master of Divinity student at The Union Theological Seminary.

SUZIE MACDONALD-BOLANOS
Policy and Advocacy Intern

Ms. MacDonald-Bolanos is a proud alumna of Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts where she majored in Government and was appointed to several municipal government commissions. Prior to this position, she served as a Research Fellow with RIHousing where she dedicated her time to researching housing policy reform within Rhode Island. She is currently a member at St. Martin’s in Providence, Rhode Island.

Job Opportunities

Please visit our Advocacy Internships Page to learn more about our year-round internships.