OUR STAFF
Trinity Staff Mission Statement
Working together, in a caring community,
we are passionately dedicated to encouraging and nurturing the people and ministries of Trinity Church.
We share the Gospel News – Love in Action – with all of God’s people.
Glenn Childes
On a Tuesday in 2007, Glenn Childes came to Trinity as an employee of a sub-contractor to clean the stained glass in the church. Trinity's former Rector, Bill Whisenhunt saw his competency and attention to detail. He asked Glenn to meet him for lunch on Wednesday and by Saturday, Glenn became our new sexton.
​
Glenn graduated from Asheville High where he played football with Trinitarian Jeff Covington. In his spare time, he likes to play with his son, Josiah, go fishing, camping and he enjoys cycling. His real passion is scrabble. Although a very good player, his most formidable foe has been Mrs. Ernestine Tuton. Of the fifty or so games he has played with her, he says he has only won five. Glenn keeps the physical plant and grounds clean, neat and maintained. Any questions about our physical plant should be directed to Glenn.
Jeff Cook
Jeff, when in Asheville, has been a volunteer at Trinity for over seven years and has recently retired from active commitments within Cambridge University (England) where he remains a Member of the University as a college By-Fellow (Law). He holds a B.A. from St. Olaf College; a J.D. (Honors) from Hamline University and an LL.M. from Cambridge University, England. For decades he was a member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Minneapolis before transferring his membership to Trinity. He also remains a regular evensong worshiper and contributor at St. John’s College Chapel when in Cambridge .
Debbie Cox
Debbie Cox is a graduate of The University of North Carolina-Asheville in Early Childhood Education with a minor in Psychology. She taught school for five in Atlanta, GA and Charlotte, NC and was a stay at home mom for several years. Since 2000 Debbie has been the Youth Director at Trinity church and is responsible for all ministries with youth from sixth to twelfth grade, and their families. She serves on the Camp Henry Committee and the Youth Roundtable for the Diocese of Western North Carolina.
​
She was married at Trinity in 1990 to her husband, Eric Cox and her two children were baptized at Trinity; Alex and Megan. If you have any questions about youth ministries at Trinity please feel free to contact Debbie. She would be glad to hear from you.
Jan Hildebrand is a native Ashevillian and has been a member of the church since the mid-eighties. In 2020 she joined the staff as Assistant Finance Director navigating a new job during the pandemic and from home. Upon the retirement of Dillon Manly, she assumed the role of Director of Finance. Most of her career had been in public school and nonprofit finance. She resides in the Chunn’s Cove area with her husband Pete, a long-time Trinitarian having grown up in this church. In her spare time, she enjoys sewing, reading, and spending time with family and friends.
Rebecca Jenkins
Rebecca Jenkins joined Trinity Episcopal Church as the Rector’s Assistant and Program Coordinator​ in February 2025. Originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, she is a graduate of Davidson College, where she earned a degree in biology. Rebecca’s journey has taken her through Boston and Atlanta, and she is delighted to now call Asheville home.
​
Outside of church life, Rebecca enjoys exploring the mountains with her​ ​partner, Mitchell, and their dog, Nugget​.
Robyn McNeal
Robyn recently retired from First Presbyterian Church where she served as the Administrator. Her duties there included overseeing the property, human resources and finance.
Other previous employment includes 10 years as the Business Manager at Central United Methodist Church of Asheville and 25 years in the Public Accounting world. Her main career focus has been accounting for non profit organizations.
​
Robyn serves on the Board of Youth Mission Co, served as the Treasurer for Ten Thousand Villages Asheville for thirteen years and has done years of volunteer work with the Asheville Symphony.
She enjoys her“semi-retirement” and assisting the staff of Trinity Episcopal.
Nanette Popa
Nanette joined the Trinity staff in February 2023 as Curriculum Coordinator and Assistant for Children and Youth Ministries. She stepped into the role of Director of Children and Family Ministries in July 2025.
​
She brings eight years of experience teaching middle and high school Social Studies and Religion in Austin, Texas, and Fort Myers, Florida. Nanette is a proud alumna of Asheville High School and a former camper and counselor at Camp Henry. She holds a B.A. in Religious Studies from UNC Greensboro and a Master’s in Educational Technology from the University of Florida.
​
​Nanette is passionate about nurturing the spiritual lives of children and families, and brings deep love and experience with the Godly Play approach to faith formation. She is a Godly Play certified practitioner and is excited to walk alongside the families of Trinity and the wider congregation as we grow together in faith, wonder, and community. Please reach out with any questions you might have, or if you are interested in volunteering with us!
​
Nanette lives in Asheville with her husband, Dustin, their two daughters, Eliza and Cecilia, and their sweet dog, Daisy.
Dr. Kevin Seal
Kevin began his tenure at Trinity in August of 2024. He is a versatile musician, with an extensive performing resume as a conductor, keyboardist, and singer. Kevin has earned a B.M. in Church Music from St. Olaf College, an M.M. in Organ Performance from the University of Minnesota, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Conducting, from the University of Arizona. Kevin grew up in the Pacific Northwest. He has served churches and institutions in Oregon, Minnesota, Arizona, and Ohio. Recent appointments include Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Cincinnati, and the University of St.Thomas in Saint Paul, MN.
Kevin maintains a busy schedule as a conductor and keyboardist, playing solo recitals as well as collaborating with orchestras, wind ensembles, choirs, and chamber musicians. He has recently conducted works such as Mendelssohn’s Psalm 42 and Mozart’s Requiem. He has sung in many professional ensembles, including the award-winning early music ensemble Cantores in Ecclesia, the Saint Olaf Choir, and most recently with the Grammy-nominated ensemble True Concord Voices and Orchestra, also serving as interim assistant director. He has also performed on piano, organ, and harpsichord with a wide variety of community and professional ensembles, including the Tucson Symphony Orchestra.
Most recently, Kevin has worked to build a traditional music program as Director of Worship and Music at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he has curated the acclaimed Music in Kenwood concert series and organized community musical events such as a yearly Handel’s Messiah sing-along.
Kevin is passionate about music's transformative power to evangelize, build community, and deepen the faith of the entire congregation, whether one participates directly in a musical ensemble or joins in the communal song of the congregation.
Kevin lives with his wife, Elizabeth, a theatre and music teacher and soprano, and their two dogs, Zander and Eddie. When he is not making music, he loves cooking, amateur astronomy, and the great outdoors. An avid hiker/backpacker and mountain biker, he spends much of his free time exploring the beautiful wilderness of the Blue Ridge mountains.
Kevin Wilson was born in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, and grew up across the mountains in Johnson City, Tennessee. He attended Carson-Newman University, where he majored in religion and political science. He received M.Div. and an S.T.M from Yale Divinity School, and then completed a Ph.D. in Old Testament at the Johns Hopkins University. He taught at various colleges and seminaries for 20 years, including Virginia Theological Seminary and the Sewanee School of Theology. He also taught biblical studies in Lithuania at LCC International University as a missionary of the Episcopal Church. For the last 10 years he has been working as a web developer and graphic designer in marketing roles.
Kevin is an avid astronomer and banjo player, and can frequently be found acting in community theaters. He has two grown children, Duncan (27) and Jax (23), who live in Maryland and Massachusetts, respectively.