Rev. Canon Cornelia Eaton served many roles in the Episcopal Church as a laity before being ordained to the priesthood on February 7, 2015. She is currently the canon to the ordinary. Cornelia is dedicated to serving the beloved people of God and encouraging the laity to have active roles in the life of the Church, believing that we all live into our baptismal covenant. She enjoys sharing God’s love, hope, and grace with all of God’s people through the Holy Scriptures and Navajo spirituality of Hozhó—Peace and Beauty Way. She is a storyteller and a writer of poetry with a particular focus on the Navajo way of life known as Iina Biké Hozhó–being in harmony with divine creation through spirituality, culture, tradition, and relationship. She deeply loves and appreciates the outdoors and enjoys mountain biking, fly-fishing, camping, hiking, and tending to her family sheep camp.

Rev. Michael Sells earned his Master of Divinity at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific and his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Arizona State University. Before seminary, he worked as an associate in cash funding and processing at GE Capital while also volunteering as a paralegal. Before that, he tried one semester in law school. He has worked as an appraiser for the Navajo Nation. He was commissioned as an Army Officer through the Officer Candidate School into the Air Defense Artillery branch. After college, he worked for various title companies and served in the Army Reserve. He is from the Many Hogans clan and born for the Salt Water Clan. His maternal grandfather is from the Red Checks people, and his paternal grandfather was from the Bitter Water Clan. He was born in Oakland, California, and loves to travel but sometimes needs to remember which airport he is in.

Rev. Leon Sampson graduated from Virginia Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity in 2019 and was ordained to the priesthood in July 2019. Before Seminary, he was a Chef at a local Bakery in Bluff, Utah, and Electrician before that. Leon is a Curate Priest at Good Shepherd Mission, mentored under the Vicar Rev. Cathlena Plummer. Since arriving in the Southeast Region of Navajoland from the Utah Region of Navajoland, Leon has been engaging the congregations to live into their baptismal covenant and has been fully submerged in witnessing the needs of the local community by taking part in or creating various outreach programs, including the Feeding Program and AA. He enjoys listening and sharing stories, also cooking, and baking while sharing his fare with friends.

Paula’s education includes attending a Business College in Albuquerque, NM; local community college in Window Rock, AZ; Deacons Formation Academy, Phoenix, AZ; Vancouver School of Theology, B.C.; Bishop Kemper School of Ministry, Topeka KS. Ordained to Holy Orders in June 2021, she is serving as a priest in Montezuma Creek, UT. Using the skills learned from various training and classes throughout her life has supported Paula’s ministry with the Episcopal Church of Navajoland as assigned. Rev. Paula started a craft group with local elders in the community where they join in fellowship and create stunning traditional rug weavings and other crafts. Paula finds her community nourishing and fulfilling. She greets the people with clanship and loves to listen to their stories which are rich in history.