Meet Our Executive Director — Joe Swimmer

Joe Swimmer was named Executive Director of the Episcopal Parish Network (EPN) in March 2017. Over his tenure, Joe has guided EPN’s strategy by focusing on innovation and strategically expanding the work of the 35-year-old organization.

Shifting from a conference-focused organization to an active network of over 200 Episcopal institutions, EPN today works to strengthen leaders for a changed and changing church. Through peer-to-peer online education, the largest annual conference in the Episcopal Church, thought leadership initiatives, and colleague groups, EPN brings clergy and laity together to imagine the future and to build parish ministry responsive to God’s call in this moment.

For almost a decade prior to joining EPN, Joe served in senior development roles for faith-based and legal services nonprofits in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco, California. He started his career as a corporate attorney in San Francisco and spent 10 years at legal-information-services provider, LexisNexis, as Sr. Director of Emerging Technologies.

Joe graduated with a degree in history and religion, magna cum laude, from Tufts University. He studied for an MA in American Indian history at the University of Tulsa and holds his law degree from Stanford Law School. He is a member of the State Bar of California.

Over his career, Joe has been active in numerous civic and professional organizations. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of The Rensselaerville Institute. Additionally, he served on the vestries of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, both in San Francisco. Previously, Joe served on the Board of Directors, and as Chairman of the Board, for the Academy of Friends and was a member of the Board of Directors of FairVote. Joe also served on the Board of Directors of Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom and the Board of Directors of the National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Bar. He was recently named to the Episcopal Church’s Development Department Advisory Committee.

Joe is a member of the Cherokee Nation and has served his tribe in a variety of advisory and support roles. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his very patient husband, Tarak Patel, and wonder-lab Lila.