Clergy & Staff

The Rev. Julia G. Rusling

Rector

Born and raised in Rochester, New York, Mother Julia+ recently moved to Bucktown with her husband, Dan Lee, college aged son, Andrew, and Popeye (best dog ever!). Dan and Julia met at Yale Divinity School, joyously celebrated their twenty-fifth anniversary this past year, and are both delighted to be in New Orleans. Dan works as Section Chief for Nuclear Medicine at Ochsner, and, when he has a bit of free time, loves woodworking and cooking (he is an amazing chef!).

Julia+ has served parishes throughout the east coast, including in Rochester, Atlanta, and most recently as interim Rector at St. George’s Episcopal Church in NOLA. A trained spiritual director and yoga instructor, Julia also developed a ministry, Anam Cara, through which she offered spiritual direction, yoga, and retreats, all shaped around the particular needs of individuals and communities. Racial healing is also an important component of her ministry, and she has worked with the Absalom Jones Episcopal Center for Racial Healing, in Atlanta, where she served on the Bishop’s Advisory Board, worked to develop contemplative days for racial healing, and served on the faculty of justice pilgrimages developed for clergy throughout the national church.

In addition to pastoral work, Julia takes great joy in swimming, laughing with friends, getting on the yoga mat, savoring her husband’s great cooking (especially because she herself is domestically challenged), going for long walks along the Lake (Popeye loves this too), and reading (possibly way too much reading….).

St. Augustine's Staff

Dody Piper

Director of Music Ministry

Dody Piper is a local New Orleanian who graduated Salutatorian from Ursuline Academy and Summa Cum Laude from Loyola University New Orleans with a degree in Vocal Performance. She is currently the Manager of Visitor Services and Accessibility at the National WWII Museum. She started at the Museum as a Victory Belle and performed around the world with them for seven years. She currently performs and the lead female vocalist with the Victory Swing Orchestra.

She has been awarded Gambit’s 40 under 40, an honorable mention in the Metropolitan Opera Competition, and has been nominated for two Big Easy Awards. She has performed with the New Orleans Opera Association in the Magic Flute and their Opera on Tap Program. Dody was the Cantor at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Prompt Succor for 10 years. She is now thrilled to be a part of the St. Augustine’s Community and hopes to spread love and joy through the Music Ministry.

Dody and Cole have been married almost 7 years and are parents to 1-year-old, and holy noise maker, Forrest.

Max DoVale

Accompanist

Max DoVale is a New Orleans based pianist, composer, and educator. Growing up in California, Max played in jazz groups around the Los Angeles area, playing in country clubs and restaurants, as well as writing and arranging music for local jazz ensembles. He moved to New Orleans in 2017 and received his Bachelor's of Music in Composition from Loyola University New Orleans. He now serves as a piano accompanist on staff for vocalists in Loyola's Jazz and Musical Theatre department.

Max enjoys writing music for orchestra, jazz ensembles, choirs, and other ensembles, as well as scoring films and other forms of media. Max has been a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church as their tenor chorister the last three years.

Joline LaCoste

Preschool Director

Joline LaCoste’s journey as Director started as a parent here at the Pre-School many years ago. She has served in every capacity of the pre-school. This is her 16th year as Director.

Greg Williams

Financial Administrator

I was born and raised in New Orleans was baptized at First Baptist Church New Orleans. My first exposure to the Episcopal Church was through St. Martin’s Episcopal School. My sister and I attended from Pre-K through graduation and, in addition to receiving a strong education, I believe God planted a seed that would grow and blossom in time.

I graduated from Emory University in Atlanta with a degree in Classics. My undergraduate experience gave me a good knowledge of the Greco-Roman world, Latin and Greek as well as a desire to teach. I completed my master’s degree at Tulane, also in the Classics.

I taught high school history and Latin for eight years, first at Catholic High in Baton Rouge and then at my alma mater, St. Martin’s in Metairie. While working at St. Martin’s I was received into the Episcopal Church.

In 2015 I accepted an appointment as the Abbot Melancon Professor of the Ancient World at Saint Joseph Abbey Seminary College on the Northshore. I worked with young men discerning a call to the Catholic priesthood there for seven years, teaching Latin, Greek and ancient history.

I began attending St. Paul’s Episcopal in Lakeview regularly about ten years ago and have been able to serve at the altar, as a reader, as a Christian education leader and now, on the Vestry. My wife Macey and I were married at St. Paul’s in 2021.

The Episcopal Church in general and our home parish specifically have been a great blessing in my life. I have found a faith community with deep roots in Christ’s Gospel as well as Church tradition, a respect for life in all its forms and clear focus on righting wrongs and working towards a better world together. I’m grateful to the Vestry and people of St. Augustine’s and to Mother Julia for the chance to be able to join the staff and contribute to the life of the parish. Maybe one day I’ll go back into professor mode and give a talk on St. Augustine, an interesting character whose biography shows the transition from Greco-Roman norms into the world of the Early Church!

In my spare time I enjoy reading, lifting weights, cooking and flying. I’ve been a licensed pilot for about fifteen years. We live in Mid-City just off Moss Street with George the cat. If you’re ever in the neighborhood in the early evening you will probably see Macey and me walking along Bayou Saint John with our evening cocktails in hand.

Kate Smith

Communications Director

Kate Smith was born and raised in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. Along with her husband, Jeremiah, and their two children, she began attending St. Augustine’s in 2017, and the entire family quickly found a home. She became very involved in various ministries of the church, including serving on the Vestry, and continues to find St. Augustine’s to be a blessing and a joy in new ways all the time.

In her role as communications director, Kate delights in giving back to a community she loves. She creates weekly bulletins and newsletters, maintains the church’s calendar, and keeps up with this website – so let her know about any typos you see: communications@staugustinesmet.com.