The construction of the Cathedral Church St. John the Divine, like its European predecessors, inevitably became a community effort and lay members of the community would be integral to its completion. It is noteworthy that the initiative to create a lay organization with the clergy, who wisely saw the need for a lay group dedicated to the support of Cathedral and its activities.

The Laymen’s Club was founded in 1908 and for decades was exclusively for male Episcopalians. The Club expanded its membership in 1975 to include men and women not only from the Cathedral community, but from the Diocese and beyond, including non-Episcopalians. The Laymen's Club has been a major vehicle for individuals, who by their time and treasure, support to the Cathedral and its programs. They serve as guides, ushers and acolytes, and hold positions on various boards and committees. Their membership has a profound desire to see this great institution continue to enrich the cultural life of the City and the nation.

OFFICERS
John Rumely, President
John, a resident of Washington Heights Manhattan, has been a member of the Congregation St. Saviour for over 20 years and has recently been elected as a Vestry member. He is a member of the Cathedral’s Society of Regents and the Ralph Adams Cram Society. When his children were Cathedral School students (and Choristers) his service included as a Cathedral School Trustee, the Head of the Parents’ Association and Head of the Choir Parents Association. He is active as a volunteer with the National Alliance for Mental Illness. Prior to retiring, John pursued a career in municipal finance and legal marketing.

Angelo Santos, Treasurer
Angelo Santos, Treasurer
Angelo, a resident of the Bronx, is a member of the Congregation of St. Saviour where he helps prepare luncheons for the congregation. He also served in the Vestry and helped plan Spirit of Pride celebrations. During his tenure on the Vestry, he collaborated with the Cathedral on a light installation when New York City hosted World Pride and celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Stonewall. Angelo taught mathematics at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, his alma mater, and has worked as an actuary in the insurance industry. Angelo is currently an associate of the Society of Actuaries and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries.

Michael Nixon, Investments
Michael, a resident of the Morningside Heights neighborhood, is a long-standing member of the Congregation of St. Saviour, and is a member of the Vestry. He served the Cathedral as an acolyte and a sub-deacon. A member of the Friends of the Cathedral for over ten years, he currently oversees the club's investment portfolio, and recently served as treasurer. Michael works for a non-profit organization in The Bronx focused on economic development, where he underwrites loans and helps provide access to capital for small businesses.

GOVERNORS
Kelly-Anne (Kelly) Giannone
Kelly is a member of St. John’s in Yonkers, where she serves as a member of the Vestry, Eucharistic Minister, Acolyte Leader and is the Director of the Sunday School programs at St. John’s and Iglesia San Andres. She is currently in discernment to the priesthood. Professionally, she has worked in the higher education industry for over 25 years, most recently as the Associate Registrar at Iona University.

George Kooney
George is a member of Christ Church in Hackensack NJ and has served as treasurer, choir member, Vestry member, lector, and Morning Prayer officiant. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Christ Church Community Development Corporation, and has been a member of the Church Club/Episcopal Connections for 24 years. George has been worshipping at the Cathedral for over 20 years, during which he served on the acolyte team for 12 years. He has been a member of the Friends of the Cathedral since 1994 and has served as Treasurer. He retired in 2020 after 60 years as an accountant.

Linda Lees, PhD
Linda Lees, a resident of Harlem, has been worshiping at the Cathedral since 2009 and served as an usher, acolyte and verger. She served the Congregation of Saint Saviour as a member of the Vestry and has been a a member of the Friends since 2022. She is a producer and director with extensive experience in the arts and culture. She created cultural programs for the TEFAF NY art fair that featured conversations about art and culture broadly.

Agnès Marcaillou
Agnès, has been worshiping at our Cathedral St John the Divine for over two decades as a member of the Congregation Saint Saviour. She has been active in a number of initiatives, including the advancement of women, in particular Anglican women from developing countries. She was appointed by then Bishop Dietsche to serve as a Trustee on the Board of the Global Women Fund of the Episcopalian Diocese of New York. Most recently, she was invited to consider becoming a Holy Cross Monastery Associate and joined their Winter Retreat as an Observer. Agnès is a lawyer and political scientist by education, and a former senior official of the United Nations where she held executive positions during the course of her long and distinguished international diplomatic career.

Meryl Beth Marcus
Meryl is currently a member of Grace Church in Ossining. She began attending services at the Cathedral in the early 1980s, and joined the Saint Saviour congregation almost 20 years ago. At Saint Saviour, she was a member of the Vestry and the Cathedral Choir. She is a Lay Eucharistic Minister and served on the altar as Subdeacon. She has been a member of the Laymen’s Club/FOC for over 10 years, much of that time as a board member. Meryl was an academic administrator at Columbia University and before that, the University of Pennsylvania. A few years ago, she moved to Croton-on-Hudson and now works for a non-profit publisher. Meryl is active with the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater and also volunteers at Caramoor, a music and arts center.

Todd Moffett
Todd is a parishioner and Senior Warden of Christ Episcopal Church, Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. He has been active as a volunteer the Diocese of Pennsylvania, serving on various diocesan committees. Before moving to Pennsylvania, he lived across the street from the Cathedral and was a parishioner at St. Michael’s Church in Manhattan. Starting in 2022, he has been especially active in supporting Ukrainian refugees, including in renovation of a former church rectory as refugee housing. Todd is an attorney.

George Morrison
Geroge has been a member of St John’s Episcopal Church, Getty Square in Yonkers for almost 60 years, serving on the Vestry as well as 20 years as Church Warden. His family’s role with St. John’s dates to the mid-19th Century. George is a licensed lay reader and Eucharistic Minister, as well as a volunteer helping run the monthly Penny Socials, and running the Congregation office one day a week

Tamara Norman
Tamara Norman has been a member of St. Andrews Episcopal Church of New Paltz, New York for more than ten years. Tamara typically spends the weeks in Manhattan when she isn't traveling for work and her weekends in the Hudson Valley, where she has owned a home for more than 20 years. She is currently the U.S. CEO of Ketchum, a global communications and public relations firm. Tamara is active in a number of communication organizations and is an advocate for young and upcoming talent in the industry.

Kyoko Mary Toyama, Ph.D. LMHC
Kyoko, a native of Japan who resides in Manhattan, has been a member of the Congregation of St. Saviour and has been serving on the Altar Guild at the Cathedral for the past 30 years. She currently serves as the president of the board of the Metropolitan Japanese Ministry and the co-convener of the Japanese Convocation under the Episcopal Asia Ministry of the national church. She is also on the Episcopal Asia Supper Table Steering Committee and is a member of the Absalom Jones Celebration Committee. She served as a member of the Commission on Ministry for over a decade and just completed her membership on the Ordination Task Force. She received a Bishop’s Cross in 2022 and was elected to be a lay alternate for the General Convention in 2024. She is a counseling faculty in the City University of New York and a member of the Japanese Mental Health Association.