It is with great pleasure that the Trustees of Bishop Anderson House announce that The Rev. Thomas (Tommy) S. Rogers, III succeeds The Rev. James (Jay) L. Risk III as our fifth Executive Director.  Tommy has very strong chaplaincy and leadership credentials, and we are delighted to have such an engaging, warm successor leading our organization into the next steps of fulfilling our mission.

Jay will be retiring on June 15, 2015 after a distinguished career in the Diocese of Chicago, serving the past 12 years as Executive Director of Bishop Anderson House.  His legacy includes strong financial growth and stability for our agency, as well as strengthening of the ties between BAH and the RUSH Department of Religion, Health, and Human Values.  Jay’s passion for pastoral care and people is a model for all chaplains and clergy.

The Rev. Rogers comes to Bishop Anderson House directly from his post as the Episcopal Chaplain at The John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.  Tommy’s prior experience as Associate Rector of All Saints’, Frederick, MD will serve Bishop Anderson House well as he works with colleagues from all faith traditions across Northern Illinois.  With a passion for pastoral care, a collaborative spirit and outstanding interpersonal skills, he is the ideal candidate to execute the long-range strategies and goals of Bishop Anderson House.

The Rev. Thomas S. Rogers, III, or Tommy, as he prefers to be called, has served the last four years as The Episcopal Chaplain and Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. (ACPE) Supervisory Candidate at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.  He is a collaborative leader with extensive experience in pastoral care, public speaking, leadership development, and conflict resolution.

Prior to Hopkins, Tommy was the associate rector at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Frederick, Maryland, a resource-sized parish with 1,200 members; 13 paid staff; and a budget over $900,000.

Tommy fell in love with Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) when he graduated from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and completed a year-long residency at Methodist Dallas Medical Center between seminary graduation and his ordination as a transitional deacon in the Episcopal Church. Tommy was grateful that his bishop encouraged him to gain experience in parish ministry before pursuing CPE supervisory training.  After six years in parish ministry, Tommy returned to CPE to pursue certification as an ACPE supervisor, and recently completed his certification as an associate supervisor.

Tommy looks forward to continuing the long and successful partnership between Bishop Anderson House and RUSH University Medical Center, as well as with other hospitals in the Illinois Medical District.  He is eager to collaborate with clergy and congregations in the Diocese of Chicago, Metropolitan Synod, and other faith communities, as well as work closely with Episcopal Charities and Community Services.

Tommy and his husband Jason, a licensed clinical professional counselor, are excited to call Chicago their new home.