May 14, 2009
Iris de León-Hartshorn slated for Pacific Northwest conference executive minister role
Iris de León-Hartshorn, of Lancaster, Pa., will complete her role with Executive Leadership effective Aug. 14.
NEWTON, Kan., and PORTLAND, Ore. — Together with Pacific Northwest Mennonite Conference (PNMC), Mennonite Church USA Executive Leadership announces that effective September 2009, director of Intercultural Relations for Executive Leadership Iris de León-Hartshorn will be executive conference minister for PNMC.
de León-Hartshorn, of Lancaster, Pa., will complete her role with Executive Leadership effective Aug. 14. She has served in this role since January 2007. Prior to joining Executive Leadership, de León-Hartshorn served as Peace and Justice Ministries director for Mennonite Central Committee, U.S., where she was responsible for the oversight of the Peace and Justice program of MCC U.S. for 11 years.
“Throughout the search process, members of the PNMC Search Committee and Board of Directors were especially impressed with Iris’s leadership, executive and administrative skills, her passion for diversity and healthy organizations, her outgoing and fun-loving personality, her love for the church, and her ability to get diverse people and groups working together,” wrote PNMC moderator Dave Hockman-Wert in a letter sent to conference pastors, congregational leaders, district pastors, delegates and others Wednesday.
“I am looking forward to my new position,” de León-Hartshorn said Wednesday. “There were serendipitous moments throughout the process — God was definitely leading. I am both excited and at peace with my decision. I will miss my wonderful colleagues at Executive Leadership and am thankful for the opportunity I was given to work with all the various Racial/Ethnic people throughout the church.”
Prior to working for MCC, de León-Hartshorn spent 10 years at Houston (Texas) Mennonite Church, where she was ordained by Western District and South Central conferences and served in various roles, including Hospice Chaplain and one year as co-pastor. Her credentials currently are held by Eastern District Conference.
de León-Hartshorn has a master’s degree in conflict transformation and peacebuilding from Eastern Mennonite Seminary. Her research focused on using Appreciative Inquiry for organizational change. She also has served as an adjunct instructor for Eastern Mennonite University, teaching courses on “Leaders for Healthy Organizations.”
In her role as director of Intercultural Relations, de León-Hartshorn is called to: serve as an advocate for Racial/Ethnic people in all parts of Mennonite Church USA; work for equitable access to church resources for Racial/Ethnic people; work for the inclusion of Racial/Ethnic people in leadership positions and offer their gifts throughout the broader church; and, alongside the executive director, help lead churchwide efforts to become an anti-racist church. In addition to these roles, de León-Hartshorn continues to serve as a strong advocate for women in leadership roles.
“Iris has served all parts of the church so well in her role as an advocate for Racial/Ethnic people in Mennonite Church USA, and we will miss her tremendously. At the same time, we look forward to working with her in her conference minster’s role, and I’m confident that, with Iris’ help, we are prepared to break new ground in conference and churchwide collaboration,” said Ron Byler, associate executive director for Mennonite Church USA.
Iris and her husband, Leo Hartshorn, along with their grandson plan to move to the Portland area in late August. She will also participate in PNMC’s Annual Conference Meetings June 18 to 20 at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho. Photo available.