College and Young Adult Commission

Hayley Cobb is a cradle Episcopalian and southwest Missouri native. A longtime member of Christ Episcopal Church in Springfield, Missouri, Hayley has been helping lead the church’s youth program since 2022. She also serves as an LEM, acolyte, and is a member of the parish Youth & Children’s Commission. Hayley is in her second year on Diocesan Council and recently served on the Bishop Search Committee for the 9th Bishop of West Missouri.

Professionally, Hayley is the Communications Director for Leadership Springfield, a nonprofit that offers community leadership programs to professionals and students, including Rosie, a free advocacy network for women in the region. She graduated from Drury University in 2021 with a degree in strategic communication and marketing. In her free time, she loves exploring the Ozarks and many trails in Springfield with her dog, Harper!

The Rev. Caroline Howard is the Missioner for Creation Care in The Episcopal Diocese of Kansas and Vicar at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Galena, Kansas. She is a graduate of the University of Kansas where she served as a Peer Minister at the Canterbury House Lawrence and later as a Campus Ministry Intern, before being on the Bishop’s Committee for the house. She graduated from Seminary of the Southwest in May 2023, and was ordained to the priesthood in January 2024. In her free time, Caroline gets joy from hiking with her dog, Heidi.

The Rev. Karen Schlabach is currently the Youth, Young Adult & Campus Missioner, and has been involved as an adult with the diocesan youth program since 2005 and campus ministry program since 2007. Karen was an active youth in Kansas from 1989-1995, and as a college student, participated in Campus Ministry at K-State in 1995-96. Karen was the Youth Minister at St. Michael and All Angels from 2008-2012, and prior to that worked as an Academic Advisor at UTA and UMKC and Associate Registrar at UMKC. Karen has a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations, Master’s Degree in Higher Education Administration, is an EFM graduate, and received a Certificate of Presbyterial Studies from the Bishop Kemper School for Ministry. She was ordained to the priesthood in January 2022. In her free time she enjoys reading novels, Lego video games on her Switch, and being ordered around by her personal trainer. She lives in Merriam, KS, with her husband Mike and dog Cherry.

Clare is a member of the laity and currently a youth and college minister at Grace & Holy Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Kansas City, Missouri. Clare is a seminarian graduate from University of Dubuque Theological Seminary and is working on her Anglican Studies certificate from Bishop Kemper School for Ministry. She hopes of one day becoming an Episcopal priest. Clare comes from an interfaith family and found a spiritual home in the Episcopal Church when she was nine years old.

The Rev. David Wilcox serves as the Rector for St. Mary Magdalene in Belton, Missouri. Before finding his way to the Episcopal Church in 2015, David spent time in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. He is passionate about the Gospel, formation, history, coffee and little known (and less cared about) information. David and his husband Zach live in Belton with their energetic (and not at all spoiled) dogs Ollie and Pixie.