Director of Operations | 203.966.4515
Director of Music Ministry | 2039664515 x113
Edward J. “Ned” Tipton began his musical studies at the age of four, and gave his first recital at the age of six. He soon took up the violin, organ, trumpet, oboe, and flute. His first post as church organist was at the age of fourteen in his native Asheville, North Carolina, where he was a student of Marilyn Keiser and William Dan Hardin. As a winner of a Rotary International Foundation Scholarship for the school year 1979-1980, he continued his piano studies at the Ecole Normale de Musique, Paris. He received his BM in Piano and his MM in Choral Conducting from the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, Oberlin, Ohio. His studies of the organ works of Maurice Duruflé were with the wife of the composer, Marie-Madeline Duruflé-Chevalier. His first post after his studies was at another St. Mark’s Episcopal, in Dalton, GA. For 21 years he served as Canon for Music and Organist-Choirmaster of the American Cathedral in Paris. He was Artistic Director of Les Arts George V, the American Cathedral’s not-for-profit arts association. He co-founded the Paris Choral Society, and under his 16-year tenure as Music Director and Conductor the “PCS” performed an impressive number of the major works for symphonic chorus and orchestra (among which were the Beethoven Missa Solemnis and Ninth Symphony, the Verdi Requiem, and the complete choral works of Maurice Duruflé during the centenary year of the composer’s birth, 2002.). He served as Canon for Music Ministry and Cathedral Arts, at St. John’s Cathedral, Los Angeles, 2010-2017, and Director of Music at Grace Episcopal Church, Asheville, NC, from January of 2018 until his arrival at St. Mark’s, New Canaan. He remains a permanent member of the International Steering Committee of the Association Maurice et Marie-Madeleine Duruflé. A resident of Atlanta from 1986 until late 1989, he was Assistant Administrator and Interim Director of the Robert Shaw Institute at Emory University, and rehearsal assistant for and a member of the Atlanta Symphony Chorus and Chamber Chorus. In June of 2015 he was named one of six Honorary Canons of the Cathedral Center of St. Paul (the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles) by Bishop J. Jon Bruno. Ned maintains an active international career as an organist and conductor.
Director of Special Projects | 203.966.4515 x128
Beth Ralston has more than 25 years of experience in areas of administration, operations, and event planning. She joins us after 13 years at St. Bartholomew’s (St. Bart’s) Church in midtown Manhattan, where she served first as Executive Administrator, and then as Director of Operations. Her greatest talent lies in systems evaluation, negotiation and creative problem solving. Beth has a very “roll up your sleeves” approach to life and work, and looks at challenges as opportunities to grow and strengthen relationships with one another. A graduate of the University of Arizona and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Beth resides in Rye, NY.
Director of Children's Ministry | 203.966.4515 x126
Janet Maynes has been a St. Mark’s member for 25 years, working with the church school for 20 of those years. Prior to moving to New Canaan, she was a church school director and chairperson of the pre-school board at Christ’s Church, Rye. At St. Mark’s, Jan has been involved in a range of activities including search committee, flower guild, weekday classes, and as a founding member of Frances the Pastoral Pup team. A graduate of the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, she was Communications Manager at an international bank before retiring to raise a family with her husband, Richard. She considers it a privilege to participate with families in the faith formation of the children of the parish.
Digital Missioner | 203.966.4515 x111
Rob Schwartz brings a mixture of experience in administration and the creative arts to St. Mark’s. After receiving his BFA in Film and Television from the Savannah College of Art and Design, Rob worked on projects with the Weinstein Company and ESPN. His passion for team building and coordinating projects led him to the field of Facilities Management where he spent 5 years in charge of teams at Middlesex Hospital and a bustling law firm in Hartford. Rob has spent most of his life volunteering at his church in Milford which led him to answer God’s call to the ministry. His desire to work in a church environment is what immediately drew him to St. Mark’s. When he’s not hard at work here, Rob is busy studying online for his Master of Divinity at Lexington Theological Seminary. His goal is to become a pastor and continue doing God’s work however possible.
Church Sexton | 203-966-4515