OUR CLERGY

The Very Rev. Rob Courtney

The Rev. Gina Jenkins

Rector

Rob is a native of South Louisiana who grew up in Crowley. He attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in the early 1990s with a major in music media before beginning a career in radio. Rob worked as an on-air personality and program director for successful rock stations in both Lafayette and New Orleans before leaving radio in 2002 to become the first Parish Administrator at historic Christ Church Cathedral, New Orleans.

In his time at the Cathedral, Rob completed a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration through the University of Phoenix graduating with honors, and formally discerned a call to ordained ministry with the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana. In 2006, he and his family moved to Sewanee, TN where he attended seminary at the University of the South’s School of Theology. He served as student body president during his final year, graduating with honors to receive his Master of Divinity.

Rob was ordained a priest in June of 2009, and was called as rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Morgan City, LA. During his time there, he led an expansion of the parish’s outreach efforts to homeless and at-risk neighbors in partnership with Episcopal Community Services of Louisiana and other local organizations. The Bishop appointed Rob as Dean of the Southwest Deanery of the diocese during his second year. He also served a term on the Diocesan Executive Board, and the Diocesan Committee on Racial Reconciliation. In 2012 he was awarded a “Citizen of the Year” award by the Tri-City Helping Hearts Foundation.

In December 2012, he was appointed by the bishop as Priest-in-Charge of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church & School in New Orleans, and was elected as Rector by the Vestry in August 2013. Rob has since served as President of the Diocesan Standing Committee, and is the chair of the Gaudet Fund Committee, which administers grants and scholarships benefitting African American students throughout the diocese. Rob also leads bi-annual pilgrimages to the Holy Land for members of churches all around the diocese.

Rob is happily married to Catherine Davis Courtney since May 27, 2000. In addition to being a wonderful wife and mother, Catt amazes her family and clients with her skill and care as a physical therapist with over 25 years of experience. Rob & Catt have three beautiful children (Gifford, Ellie, & Wick), two dogs, a cat, and a rabbit. In his spare time, Rob loves playing guitar, reading, and spending time with his family.

School Chaplain

​Gina was raised on Long Island in New York. She received an Associate's Degree in Preschool Education from the State University of NY at Farmingdale, New York and a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary and Secondary Education from the State University of New York at Cortland, NY. She moved to Savannah, GA where she taught school for 10 years, then opened a day care center in her home for 3 years all while leading the youth program at St. Francis of the Islands Episcopal Church on Wilmington Island, GA
 
In 2002 the Rt. Rev. Henry Louttit, Bishop of Georgia, appointed her to be the Director and Coordinator of Diocesan Youth Programs for the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia. Upon her husband’s graduation from seminary she moved to Slidell, LA with her family in 2011. She volunteered for 4 years as the youth leader at Christ Episcopal Church, Slidell, while working one of those years as parish administrator at St. Michael’s in Mandeville, LA and the other 3 years as religion teacher and lay chaplain at Christ Episcopal School, Covington, LA. During this time she entered the formal discernment process for ordination.
 
In the fall of 2015, she began seminary at the University of the South’s School of Theology. She served as student body president and orientation coordinator. She graduated in 2018 with a Master of Divinity degree. She was ordained to the priesthood in June of 2018 and began working as the School Chaplain and Religious Studies Teacher at St. Paul’s Episcopal School. From 2017 through the present, she has served as the Camp Director of Activities at the SUMMA Theological Debate Camp (for high school age students) at the University of the South in Sewanee, TN
 
Gina has been married to The Rev. Harry Oliver Jenkins for 30 years and together they have two adult children (Ash and Oli), and two dogs (Scooter and Tess). She enjoys kayaking through the bayous of south Louisiana, fostering dogs, and exploring new places with her husband.