MEET THE VESTRY
Leslie Seipp
Senior Warden
Leslie has been a parishioner at St. Thomas Episcopal Church since she and her husband Adam moved to College Station in 2005. She has served as a worship service reader, participated in and led formation, served on reception teams, and currently serves as a co-mentor for Education for Ministry (EFM). Her two children attended the St. Thomas Early Learning Center and are active in youth group, choir, and as acolytes. Leslie is a faculty member at Mays Business School. In her spare time, she loves to cook, read, and travel.
Nicholas Cantrell
Junior Warden
Nicholas is currently a local real estate entrepreneur (Realtor®, investor, lender, developer); previously, he has worked in the Texas Legislature as well as served in the US Army for over 12 years between active duty and the reserves. He is a Fightin’ Texas Aggie, Class of 2002, and attended the Bush School of Government and Public Service, where he studied international affairs in the Master’s program. Nicholas is married to Emily Cantrell, a clinical associate professor at Texas A&M, and they have three children: Will (9), Lily (7), and Cate (3). Nicholas’ interests include fishing, hunting, anything outdoors, sports & coaching, brewing beer, music, volunteering, and spending time with family and friends.
Mev Alg
Vestry Member
Mary Evlyn (Mev) was born and raised in College Station. Before returning in 2017, she had the opportunity to live and work at camps year-round in Kerrville, TX and Cook, MN. You betcha she’s open to talk to anybody about the crazy winters, how small town Minnesota is a lot like small town Texas (their camo is just lined), and the wonder of seeing God’s creation nearly untouched in the boundary waters. Upon returning to B/CS she began working for Reynolds & Reynolds and met her husband Brian. They have since been blessed with two kids and a golden retriever named Midas. When time allows Mev is often found crafting (currently wood burning and diamond paintings), making music, and socializing with family and friends. She is so thankful for the many blessings her family, her parents Jeanie and Jamie Bassett, and she have received since joining St Thomas and is excited for the ability to give back to the congregation in a new way.
Pam Dettwiler
Vestry Member
Pam Dettwiler has been a member of St. Thomas since she and her wife, Sara, moved to Bryan in 2020.
Pam is in her second year as a vestry member. She also leads formation, is a small group facilitator for
Agape, works with a breakfast team, is in her second year of EFM (Education for Ministry), serves on the
STELC Board, and recently joined the choir.
Pam grew up in Wisconsin and attended North Central Bible College in Minneapolis where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Bible. After graduation she relocated to north Houston where she served as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, and principal in Title I schools. During this time, Pam attended Sam Houston State University where she earned her master’s degree in Educational Leadership.
After 30 years of service, she retired and relocated to Bryan. In retirement, Pam has taken horseback
riding lessons, learned to play the guitar, and traveled throughout the United States. Pam is committed
to her wife, Sara, her St. Thomas family, her dog (Cooper), and her two cats (Gus and Charlie).
Kelli Hollinger
Vestry Member
Kelli Hollinger moved to the College Station community in 1999 for graduate school. Her entire career has been at Texas A&M University, where a common theme is helping students develop their personal & professional skills and curating memorable programs & events. She is currently Director of Visitor Experience, leading campus tours & recruitment programs, including this week’s Aggieland Saturday.
She joined St. Thomas in 2010, when selecting a church for the baptism of her daughter, Maryanne. Kelli was raised Catholic in south Louisiana, where here uncle was the parish priest. She was reaffirmed in the Episcopal Church in 2011.
Kelli & husband, Craig, enjoy traveling, trying new restaurants and recipes, and supporting Maryanne’s love of theater. Kelli has a beloved hound dog, Boudin, who regularly joins the St. Nick Fun Run, and tolerated cat, Biscuit.
Diane Holt
Vestry Member
Diane is on her second tour with the Saint Thomas Vestry and a member of Saint Thomas for 28 years. Previously, Diane served on Vestry during the building of our Ministry Center when Father Ben Aurand was rector with two years back-t0-back as Senior Warden. Diane and husband Thom have two children, the Reverend Meredith Holt Crigler who is the rector of Trinity Episcopal Church Baytown and CDR. Robert Dean Holt USN who serves in Naples, Italy as the Executive Assistant for Naval Regions Europe, Africa, and SW Asia. In addition to being a Navy Mom, Diane is also a Navy Wife. The Navy brought the family to College Station when Thom was assigned as the Associate Professor of Naval Science at Texas A&M in 1991. Prior to coming to A&M the family moved multiply times with three years in Northern Japan.
Diane was born at Fort Benning Georgia but grew up in New Orleans, LA. with her four siblings. Although baptized into the Episcopal Church, Diane attended many Baptist church fellowships and Roman Catholic Schools as a teenager. Diane’s undergraduate work was in Latin America Studies at Sophie Newcomb College of Tulane University and her Master’s Degree is in Education and Counseling from Tulane University. While still in graduate school Diane met her beau Thom, via a blind date to a Rugby match and Navy-Tulane Football game. Thom was in Navy Flight School at the time, so the courtship was carried on from a distance. They have now been married for over 48 years so here’s to blind dates.
Diane held teaching certificates in three states and worked as faculty and staff at two Community Colleges (Foothill in San Francisco Bay Area and Blinn College locally). Diane also had success in the corporate recruiting world during two tours in Silicon Valley. Finally settling down in College Station allowed Diane to finish out her career in education at Texas A&M. First, working with graduate students in the thesis office and later with the Training and Development Division of the Human Resources Department. There are many others in the Valley that remember Diane for the many years she devoted as a Girl Scout leader.
Retiring in 2016, Diane continues to give back to our community. Diane is active as a leader in service for LIONS Clubs International as a past president of the College Station Noon Lions (one of largest clubs in Texas) and presently the Zone Chair overseeing the six LIONS clubs in the Brazos Valley. Diane also serves as a Habitat for Humanity table captain and is a Brazos Valley Prenatal Clinic “You’re the Tops” honoree.
Roger Smith
Vestry Member
Roger has been a member of St. Thomas for 27 years and an Episcopalian for all of his life. He serves as a chalice bearer and helps with the AV team that streams our worship services. Roger has also helped with the REACH food pantry on the TAMU holidays this year. He is in his third year of the Education for Ministry program through the University of the South.
At the diocesan level, Roger has volunteered at Diocesan Council for the past six years, working with the AV crew to present speakers’ slides and videos.
Roger retired from TAMU in 2018 after 34 years on the faculty of the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology. He and Nancy, his wife, enjoy the Houston Symphony Orchestra, Friends of Chamber Music, MSC OPAS, and various other concerts and shows. They live with their two cats, and when they can, we visit their two very grown children and two grandchildren, who, as Roger says, all live too far away.