the Rev. Rita Powell
Chaplain
Rita Powell is the Episcopal Chaplain at Harvard, where she leads a diverse community committed to exploring the future of religion and Christianity through innovative engagement with land, ritual, liturgy, art, music, poetry, and the church's legacy of slavery. She has lived and worked in South Dakota, with the Taizé community in France, and at Trinity Church in Copley Square, Boston. She recently earned her MFA in poetry. She is also an avid KPop fan, yoga teacher, and distance runner.
Send Rita an email here.
GIANLUCA AVANZATO
Kellogg Fellow
Gianluca Avanzato (he/him) is a writer, artist, and poet from Upstate New York. Gianluca studied interreligious dialogue at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, Italy, and is currently a Master of Divinity candidate (2024) at Harvard Divinity School, where he is exploring mysticism and writing as a spiritual practice. He is the producer and host of the podcast, Interfaith Passages, and leads Sacred Writing Circles and other queer-affirming, spiritually-oriented gatherings. Gianluca is the author of an independently published poetry collection, City of the Hills, and several poems, short stories, and articles. He is currently writing an Italian-American epic poem.
Send Gianluca an email here.
Nicholas Southwick
Liturgy and Music Fellow
Nicholas Southwick is a flutist, curator, and instructor with a particular interest in interdisciplinary dialogues between music and theology. He performs as the core flutist of Juventas New Music Ensemble, holds an Artist Fellowship with Music for Food for his work with Duo Gwynne, and serves as Affiliated Faculty at Emerson College. As a recitalist and chamber musician, he has been invited to perform at Bay Chamber Concerts in Maine, Bloomsbury Festival in London, Busch Hall at Harvard University, King’s Chapel in Boston, Salem Classical, Clare Chapel at the University of Cambridge, and Trentino Music Festival, Italy. Nicholas completed his postgraduate training at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Outside of his busy performance schedule, he loves to share the joy of music with his private flute students in Boston and the North Shore.
Send Nicholas an email here.
Maia Peele
Harvard & Legacy of Slavery Field Education Intern
Maia Peele is a Master of Divinity candidate at Harvard Divinity School. She is from the vibrant city of Philadelphia, a place steeped in history and diversity that has greatly influenced her academic pursuits and personal passions. She is passionate about understanding the Black body's experiences in diverse spaces, seeking to shed light on the multifaceted issues of race, identity, and culture that permeate our society. Maia is interested in the intersection of chaplaincy and museums. In this intriguing intersection, she explores the role of spiritual guidance, empathy, and cultural preservation within the context of museums. She is committed to understanding practices of racial justice and healing.
Send Maia an email here.
The Board of Trustees
The Board of the Episcopal Chaplaincy is made up of alumni and friends of the Chaplaincy. They manage its financial affairs and help direct its mission. Our current board members are:
Mr. Robert Bitting, President
Ms. Alice Kenney, Vice-President
Ms. Jane White, Treasurer
Ms. Mary Beth Clack, Clerk
Dr. P. MacKenzie Bok
Prof. Kathleen Coleman
Mr. Gifford Combs
The Very Rev. Amy McCreath
The Rt. Rev. Alan M. Gates (ex officio)
