Presiding Bishop and Primate Michael Curry announced that Tara Elgin Holley has been named Director of Development for The Episcopal Church.

As Director, Holley will lead the Development Office on all projects, including cultivating major prospects including the rebuilding of churches and institutions of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti, securing the ministry of Navajoland, and the completion of construction for a new Archives for The Episcopal Church.

“I am particularly thrilled to be a part of and supportive of the new vision that Presiding Bishop Curry has shared,” Holley said.  “There are so many opportunities for The Episcopal Church to do important work throughout the Church.”

Currently Holley is the Vice President for Institutional Advancement at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas, a post she has held since 2009. 

Prior to that she was the Senior Campaign Counsel for Custom Development Solutions, Inc.; Director of Corporate/Foundation Relations at George Washington University Washington, DC; and Director of Development/Public Relations for the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin, Texas.

Among her other numerous activities, she was a fundraising consultant for the Appleseed Foundation, Washington, DC and is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning and serves on the planning committee for the Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes (CEEP).

She holds a Certified Fundraising Executive Certification (CFRE) and authored My Mother’s Keeper, published by William Morrow. The book received numerous mental health awards and national recognition.

She holds a Master of Music in Musicology (Ethnomusicology) and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music, both from the University of Texas, Austin.

Holley begins her work on January 1, 2016. Holley will be based in New York City, NY. She can be reached at tholley@episcopalchurch.org