Province V of the Episcopal Church employs several dedicated professionals to do the work of the church.
PictureThe Rev. Heather Barta, Provincial Coordinator
The Rev. Heather Barta has served as the Coordinator of Province V since May 2017.  Previously she served as Interim Episcopal Chaplain at Northwestern University, and at a variety of parishes as Rector, Interim, or Transition Minister.  She’s a trained and certified coach as part of Province V’s Leadership Coaching Project.  She lives in Holly, Michigan with her husband and 2 dogs.  For fun, she reads, walks her dogs, travels, and plays tabletop games.
 PictureSteve Welch, Provincial Communications
Steve Welch has been Province V's Communi-cations Coordinator since 2024. Welch is also Executive Director of Invite Welcome Connect, a ministry that empowers congregations and dioceses for evangelism, hospitality, and belonging. He has previously served as Canon for Communications for the Diocese of New Jersey, and as a publisher of textbooks and online continuing education course programs. He serves on the Board of Directors of American Mensa. Welch is a graduate of the New Jersey School for Ministry and lives in New Jersey with his wife, the Rev. Gerry Welch, deacon.
 PictureEric Richey, Campus Ministry Developer
Eric Richey will begin work as Province V’s Campus Ministry Developer in January, 2025. He has spent nearly two decades sharing in Christ’s ministry alongside high school and college students, most recently serving for over 9 years with CCO Campus Ministry. Since 2021, the primary focus of his work with the CCO has involved training, coaching, and encouraging congregations as they sought to lovingly welcome and disciple college students in their unique ministry contexts. Eric lives with his wife, Alicia, and their 6 children, in a racially, socioeconomically, and ideologically diverse urban neighborhood in Cincinnati, OH. In recent years, they have been blessed to find a spiritual home in the Episcopal Church and they actively participate in the life of the community at Church of the Advent.