Meet the Team

Bishop Chip Edgar grew up in Huntsville, AL (Roll Tide!) went to Wheaton College (IL) and began his life in ministry working for the Coalition for Christian Outreach at Grove City College in the fall of 1987. After years in parish ministry, was consecrated Bishop of The Anglican Diocese of South Carolina on Saturday, March 12, 2022. He met his wife, Beth, while he was in the Pittsburgh area (Go Steelers!) and they were married in 1989. Beth and Chip have five grown children, and (as of May 2026) seven grandchildren—though they fully expect that number to double?

Bishop Alex was elected in 2022 as the second bishop of the Gulf Atlantic Diocese of the Anglican Church in North America. Throughout most of his adult life, his ministry has focused on the cost of discipleship, the call to unity, the necessity of being quiet before the Lord, and releasing others into ministry empowered by the Holy Spirit. After three years as a youth minister and two years as a curate, he was called to revitalize a declining congregation near Florida’s flagship state university—a community he served for the twenty years prior to his consecration. He has been married to Jody for 35 years; they have three adult children and six grandchildren.

Rachel George is an attorney and senior corporate executive based in Atlanta, Georgia, with extensive experience in governance, corporate law, risk management, and executive leadership. She also has a longstanding commitment to lay leadership in the Anglican church and most recently served as Senior Warden at her local parish, Church of the Incarnation. Rachel and her husband, Tim, are the parents of three children, including a college student. Rachel is a graduate of Covenant College and Emory University School of Law.

Deborah Tepley serves as the Executive Director of the Anglican Church in North America, where she oversees day-to-day operations and strategic planning for the Province. With over two decades of faith-based and non-profit leadership experience, she specializes in successfully guiding organizations through seasons of growth and transition. She holds an MA from Fuller Theological Seminary and an MBA from Georgetown University, blending her love for the church with business strategy. Deborah resides in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, with her husband, Luke.

James R. Gardner is an attorney living in Savannah, Georgia. He is a lifelong Anglican and an active member of Christ Church Anglican in Savannah. He has served on the Vestry of Christ Church as well as in other lay leadership positions in the Church and as a children’s Sunday School teacher for several years. Jim has been serving for many years as the Chancellor of Christ Church and was one of the attorneys representing the Church during the appellate stages of its litigation with the Episcopal Church after its split from the Episcopal Church in 2007.

Brian serves the Anglican Church in North America as Chair of the Common Life Commission and Lead for the Healthy Leaders Initiative, in addition to being the founding leader for ACF.  Prior to his work in the ACNA, Brian spent nine years as the founder and executive director of the Fuller Center for Spiritual Formation, eleven years as a pastor in Austin, Texas, and nineteen years with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, many years in North Carolina and many years as regional director based in Texas. Brian has been married to his wife, Lisa, since 1985 and they joyfully celebrate their family of three sons, three daughters-in-law and five grandchildren. Brian is an avid Red Sox fan, coffee drinker and music lover.

Chip Welch is the former founding President of The Habersham School in Savannah, GA, a K-12 classical Christian school.  During the formative years of ACNA, Chip served as a Vestryman at Christ Church Anglican in Savannah, where he worked closely with several ACNA leaders to pray for and pursue a provincial Anglican Campus ministry.   Having served as a College Ministry Director at both Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, GA and Millsaps College in Jackson, bringing the Gospel to bear in the lives of college students has always been near to Chip’s sense of call.  Chip is married to Meg, and together they have 4 beautiful children and one pretty awesome Blue Tick Hound.  Chip graduated from Reformed Theological Seminary in 2004 with his Masters in Divinity.