Clergy and Leaders
Br. Alex-Basil Swain, OSBCn
Br. Alex joined Saint Andrew’s in 2025 after graduating from Virginia Theological Seminary in May. He serves as the part-time Vicar here, and serves as the part-time Assistant for Intergenerational Ministry at St. Philip’s in the Hills, Episcopal Church. He is currently ordained a Deacon and will be ordained a Priest on August 23, 2025.
Br. Alex was born in Arizona, but moved to Michigan in early childhood. He graduated from Hope College with a B.S. in Biology in 2016 and earned an M.S. in Integrative Systems Biology from the University of Pittsburgh in 2019.
During his time in Pittsburgh, he stumbled into the Episcopal Church and was deeply moved by their liturgy, worship, and inclusiveness. After several years there, he decided to explore the Episcopal Service Corps to do a year of intensive religious service to “discern discernment.”
Br. Alex came to Tucson in 2019 as a member of the first cohort of the Beloved in the Desert group under the Episcopal Service Corps. During that year he participated in worship at Saint Philip’s, lived at the Vicarage at St. Andrew’s and prayed the Daily Offices in the Sanctuary with the cohort, and worked as a volunteer at the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. At the end of his year, he was hired at the CFB supporting their Volunteer Services team and worked there for another 2 years while serving in Churches.
While in Tucson, he encountered the Canon Orders of St. Benedict, a community of people who have a particular focus on Benedictine spirituality and disciplined prayer life. He took his first set of vows in August of 2024, and took the name Basil. OSBCn stands for the Canon Orders of St. Benedict.
He attended Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia in 2022 and while in Va, met his now husband, also named Alex! When not working, Br. Alex and his husband, Alex Martinez, enjoy cooking tasty and new types of food from around the world, going on walks, spending time with friends, and listening to music.
Rev. Mary Robinson White
Mary is a native Tucsonan. She graduated from Tucson High School and the University of Arizona with a B.A. in Elementary Education. She taught school in AZ and CA as a primary teacher and credentialed Reading Specialist. During that time, she earned a Master of Religion Education degree from the University of San Diego. Later, she attended Church Divinity School of the Pacific and was ordained to the diaconate in 1994 and to the priesthood in 1995 for the Diocese of California. Since ordination she has served in parishes in AZ, CA, NY, and VT. During those years she earned a Diploma in Congregational Development from Seabury-Western. She takes pleasure in helping to develop healthy, lively churches whose people love each other because God first loved us and then share that incredible love with their everyday communities.
She and her husband John have three adult children. They spend a great deal of their time fixing up the Jefferson Park house where Mary grew up. She says, “It is an amazing blessing to be back home in Arizona and to have time with family and friends. If caliche did not exist, I think I would have died and gone to heaven.”
Now to the question that everyone asks, “What do I call you?” Mary says, “If you feel you want to give me a title, Rev. Mary works. I know it is grammatically incorrect, but it works. Please do not call me “Mother Mary.” I grew up Roman Catholic and that will always mean the Blessed Mother to me.”
The Rev. Dr. Lisa Graumlich
Deacon Lisa is a climate scientist whose ministry bridges the worlds of science and faith. She has devoted her career to investigating and sharing insights into impacts of climate change, especially on those most vulnerable and least responsible for global warming. She often speaks to world policy makers, urging them to act. She has represented the Episcopal Church and the scientific community at the annual United Nations Climate Change Conferences (COP27, COP28, COP29).
Lisa is deeply honored to serve as deacon at St Andrew’s. In her ordination vows, she promised to “serve all people, particularly the poor, the weak, the sick, and the lonely…. And to interpret to the Church the needs, concerns, and hopes of the world.” She is quite sure that she has found a wonderful home for her evolving ministry given St. Andrew’s commitment to serving the needs and opp
Bishop’s Committee
Catherine Penn Williams - Sr. Warden
Kate Jewett-Williams - Jr. Warden
Nanalee Raphael
Neil Dolan
Lucia Vindiola
Deborah Tigue
Tim O’Connor
Anna Marie Gittings