Clergy
The Rev. Zac Koons
Rector
Fr. Zac accepted the call to be the Rector of St. Mark’s in July 2018. He was previously the Associate Rector at St. Richard’s in Round Rock. He attended Wheaton College and Duke Divinity School. Zac was born in Indiana, grew up in Arkansas, and is still surprised that he’s ended up in Texas—and still more that he loves it. On a day off, Zac likes to ride his bike. To blow off steam, Zac plays soccer and guitar. He’s a passionate supporter of Duke basketball, Arsenal Football Club, and tacos. He’s married to Anna, who works in global health, and they have a son, Laurie, and two crazy dogs, Watson and Hugo.
The Rev. Mary Keenan
Associate Rector
Mary joined us in July 2019 from St. Matthew's, Austin, where she served as part-time assisting clergy. She knows Austin well. For many years, she was an active member of St. David’s, and it was there where she discovered a community that helped her discern a call to ordained ministry. With an MDiv from Yale Divinity School already under her belt, she completed a year of Anglican Studies at Seminary of the Southwest and began her ordained ministry in 2018. Mary is married to Edmund Fitton-Brown. Between them they have five children; Olivia, Freddie and Theo who live in England and Asher and Maggie who live in Austin.
The Rev. Kelly Jennings
Assistant Rector for Children’s Ministry
The Rev. Kelly Jennings joined St. Mark’s at the beginning of January, 2024. Serving as Interim Assistant Rector of Children’s Ministry, Rev. Kelly is the program leader for all children’s ministry related programs and events. She was most recently on staff at St. Richard’s Episcopal Church in Round Rock, Texas, and is married to The Rev. Dr. Nathan Jennings, our Theologian in Residence. They have two children: Vitaly and Maria. have a son, Laurie, and two crazy dogs, Watson and Hugo.
The Rev. Dr. Nathan Jennings
Theologian in Residence
The Rev. Dr. Nathan G. Jennings is a native of Austin. He returned to his hometown when he joined the faculty of Seminary of the Southwest in 2005, where he currently serves as the J. Milton Richardson Associate Professor of Liturgics and Anglican Studies and Director of Community Worship. He serves St. Mark’s as Theologian-in-Residence. He’s written two books, Theology as Ascetic Act: Disciplining Christian Discourse (2010) and Liturgy and Theology, Economy and Reality (2017). BA, The University of Texas at Austin, MDiv, Yale Divinity School, MA and PhD, The University of Virginia.
Staff
Mark Reed
Director of Music and Organist
Mark Reed is our Director of Music, Organist, and leads the Adult Choir and Choristers. Mark has a BA in Music Theory from Stetson University in DeLand, FL, and an MA in Organ Performance from Indiana University. After completing his master’s, Mark continued his studies in Organ, Sacred Music, and Music Theory at IU, while serving as Dr. Marilyn Keiser’s assistant at Trinity Episcopal Church. Mark was born in South Carolina, raised in Florida, and has served parishes in Indiana and Pennsylvania. He is married to a Texas native and has enjoyed serving at St. Mark’s Church since 2010. Contact Mark at mark@stmarksaustin.org.
Casey Bushman
Youth and Family Minister
Casey grew up in Texas and has been involved in diverse Christian ministries in Illinois and Connecticut. He is married to Sarah, a native Arkansan, and they have three young daughters. Casey has received degrees from Ouachita Baptist University (B.A.) and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (M.Div.). He has long been passionate about the local church's role in the formation of children and youth. Casey enjoys listening to podcasts, talking about scripture, being outdoors, and playing backyard Wiffle ball with his daughters. Contact Casey at casey@stmarksaustin.org.
Daniel Oljaca
Director of Operations
Daniel earned a BA at Columbia College Chicago, majoring in Film and minoring in Art History. He worked at The Art Institute of Chicago, obtained certification in Non-profit Management for the Arts from SAIC, and has worked in film, theater, and multi-media art. Daniel has a passion for the hospitality industry, gaining over 20 years of industry experience. He moved to Austin in 2023 with his husband, Timothy, a seminarian at the Seminary of the Southwest.
Contact Daniel at office@stmarksaustin.org.
Kelly Vande Streek
Director of Finance
Kelly brings over 20 years of experience to the St. Mark's Church and Day School community. Following her eldest daughter's enrollment in the day school, Kelly became a board member and finance manager for the school and later for the church. Kelly graduated from Cal State Fullerton and has worked as a bank manager and controller for a longstanding family-owned Austin company. Kelly's family has deep roots at St. Mark's. This rich family history reflects Kelly's strong connection to St. Mark's and her dedication to its continued success.
Rachel Joiner
Seminarian
Rachel entered the Seminary of the Southwest as a postulant from the Diocese of West Texas in 2021. Previously, Rachel worked in education as a teacher, coach, and administrator. She received her undergraduate degree from Tennessee Tech University, and a graduate degree from the University of the Cumberlands. Born in Middle Tennessee, Rachel grew up in the Appalachian region of East Tennessee and came to Central Texas in 2013. She is married to David, who works in residential home design, and they have two sons, Gregory, and Lincoln. Gregory is twenty-five, and Lincoln is sixteen. When not studying, Rachel loves to watch sports, read, and spend time with her family. She also enjoys exploring spaces and places to engage with new people, experiences, and ideas.
Part-Time Staff
Irma Glover
Sexton
Myra Alvarez
Nursery
Kat Landgrebe
Program Assistant, Children and Youth Ministries
Ella Cacali
Nursery Assistant
