Class of 2026 Vestry Members

The mission of the Vestry is to work with the Rector to advance our mission.

Its primary responsibilities are to collaborate with the Rector to discern God’s will, provide the resources required to advance the mission and vision, act as wise stewards of the church’s finances, and protect the integrity of the physical plant. Through prayer and discernment, our current Vestry has approved, by acclamation, three new vestry candidates, John Burton, Courtney Clent, and Tony Parker, as our 2026 Class of the Vestry. Please see below for their biographies to learn more about them.

Our vestry members serve for three years:

2026-2028

John Burton

Courtney Clent

Tony Parker

2025-2027

Dorsey Blair

Shyam Kumar

Heather Tomberlin

2024-2026

Derek Agomate

Jeannie Encarnacion

Ernesto Trevino

And with the new class, we must say goodbye to our outgoing members, Ana Davila, Von Long, and Chuba Oyeka. We are very grateful for their service and look forward to working with them in other ministries.

In Christ,

Alex

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Class of 2026 Vestry Members

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John Burton

John and his wife moved to Houston in 2021 and began attending COTHA in early 2022. They are raising three daughters and welcomed their third child, the first one born in Texas, in 2023. Since joining the church, John has been actively involved in the Young Dads Bible Study, volunteered with the Maintenance Gang, and participated in Alpha. He has spoken during all three services about the annual giving pledge, and he proudly holds the title of three-time celebrity live auction winner of the coveted VIP parking space at the Annual Mission Dinner and Auction.

John brings more than 15 years of experience in healthcare operations and business strategy and has volunteered with and served on the leadership boards of the Lung Association and Blood Cancer United.

Outside of work and church, John enjoys spending time with his daughters, often chasing them on scooters, skateboards, and rollerblades. He works out early most mornings with friends through F3, which focuses on fitness, fellowship, and faith, and participates annually in the Big Climb, a 50-story stair challenge. John is honored to be considered and looks forward to serving the COTHA community through the Vestry.

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Courtney Clent

Courtney has been part of the COTHA family since 2019 and was confirmed in 2023. She and her family regularly attend the family service, where their faith and sense of community continue to grow.

Courtney has been married to her husband, Adam, for 10 years, and together they are raising two daughters, Aubrey and Charlotte. She has spent 15 years working in oil and gas equipment manufacturing and is committed to balancing the demands of her career with being fully present for her family.

In her free time, Courtney enjoys staying involved with her daughters’ activities and coaching their sideline and recreational competition cheer teams. Through coaching, she encourages teamwork, confidence, and joy, values that also shape her approach to church and community life.

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Tony Parker

Tony was raised in Baton Rouge and baptized and confirmed at St. James Episcopal Church. He served as an acolyte throughout his youth, then left for college, and has maintained a lifelong connection to the Episcopal Church. At COTHA, Tony is a longtime member of the Men’s Bible study and is actively involved with the Maintenance Gang.

Tony attended Louisiana Tech University, graduated from Louisiana State University, and completed additional post-graduate coursework at the University of Houston. His career was spent in the petrochemical industry, including the last 15 years in Houston with Air Liquide, where he worked as a real-time pipeline and energy controller.

Tony retired from Air Liquide in June after 42 years of service. He has been married to his wife, Angela, for 24 years. They have one daughter together, Julianna, and Tony also has a daughter, Kayla, from a previous marriage. He is grateful for the opportunity to continue serving COTHA in this season of his life.