Vestry Nominees

Doug McGill

Doug was raised in a Christian home and made a profession of faith at age five. Growing up in a charismatic evangelical nondenominational church, he learned to rely on the leading of the Holy Spirit and trust in the Lord’s guidance. After a period of prayerful reflection, Doug felt called to the ministry of healing.

His academic and vocational training has focused on healthcare quality policy and management. Deeply committed to bringing justice and mercy to the voiceless, Doug is guided by scriptures such as Isaiah 42:3 and Micah 6:8, which emphasize justice, kindness, and humility before God.

Doug’s volunteer work has spanned sexual assault prevention, survivor support, international children’s health, and global aid. At Church of the Ascension, he serves on the prayer ministry team and has previously been a member of the choir. Doug views his role on the Vestry as a privilege, committed to helping guide the stewardship of the church’s mission to spread Christ’s love.

Doug is married to Lara, and together they have a young daughter, Talullah.

Karen Scandrett

The Scandrett family (Joel, Karen and three daughters) moved to Pittsburgh in 2012, from the western suburbs of Chicago. They worshiped at Ascension their first Sunday in Pittsburgh, and never went elsewhere. At that time, the girls were ages 9, 6, and 2, and without an extended family nearby, the Ascension community has been a bedrock for them. Karen has been a volunteer in the nursery, godly play, and Sunday school, and is involved as a chalice bearer, lay reader, and altar prayer minister.  Joel and Karen began hosting a small group in 2014 and it is still going strong.  She’s also been involved informally in women’s ministry events.

Karen was transplanted into the Anglican Church after growing up in the Christian Reformed Church and growing in discipleship through InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.  She discovered the prayerbook in her late 20s and was finding her way to the Anglican Communion just before she and Joel began dating.  After they married, they worshiped with a vibrant Episcopal church in Boston, where she was confirmed. She loves the historic grounding of Anglican liturgy, praying common prayers with people all over the world, and the cycle of the church year.

In her “ordinary time,” Karen is a geriatric medicine physician at UPMC and see patients at Shadyside Senior Care Clinic and in the hospital. She is the director of the UPMC geriatric medicine fellowship program, and teaches principles and practice to medical students who are just starting their hospital rotations. In her free time, she loves to read (historical fiction, memoir/biography, and Alexander McCall Smith), crochet (a COVID hobby!), and mend things.  Most of all, she loves hanging out with family and friends around the dinner table.  

One of Karen’s favorite things about Ascension is our ministries to the margins – Wings, Kairos Prison MInistry, Refugee Ministry, Christian Immigration Legal Aid. We are a “come as you are” kind of people, and we care for one another. It feels safe here to open our hearts and to be known as Christ’s own forever. Karen is delighted to be asked to serve on the vestry.

Jim Wilson

Jim grew up in Western Pennsylvania (Franklin PA) and attended college and law school in PA (Indiana University of PA / Temple Univ School of Law).  He retired in August of 2024 after a 40 year career as a federal prosecutor.  During that time, which started in the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice, he handled matters that took him from Guadalajara to Baghdad.  He handled prosecution of international drug trafficking organizations, murderers and kidnappers but spent most of his career handling white collar criminal matters.  It was while living in Washington DC that he met and married the lovely and compelling Christina Carlucci. 

Christina and Jim moved to Pittsburgh in 1990 and began attending Ascension.  Over the years three more were added to their band (Benjamin, Emily and Sam) and for most of the last 20 years Jim has been known either as Christina Carlucci’s husband or Benjamin Carlucci’s dad (both designations he wears proudly).  Sadly, Christina suffered a catastrophic health emergency in 2019 and did not survive. 

JIm became a member at Ascension in approximately 1982 and over the many years has served as a member of something called the Parish Council, the Vestry, the Board of Trustees for the Diocese and as Chair of the Search Committee that brought Jonathan Millard to Ascension.  From time to time he also taught Sunday School for a variety of age groups from primary schoolers to adults.  He has accumulated approximately 39 hours of seminary credits, mostly from Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge.  He has also functioned for many years as a volunteer assistant to the ministry of the Coalition for Christian Outreach to law, medical and dental students.  He was a founding board member of the missions organization Anglican Frontier Missions and served on that board for more than 20 years – it is the only mission entity in the world wide Anglican Communion that has as its sole focus the unreached peoples of the world.  

Jim is happy to step out of moth balls and once again assume a position on the vestry.  He is excited by what has been going on at Ascension in recent years, by the arrival of Father Peter and particularly by the continued steady growth that sees the regular arrival of new young families (it is great to have so many people that he has no idea who they are).  Also, the development of the ministries to internationals and refugees are reasons for celebration.  He is also especially gratified when the new Ascent (parish newsletter) arrives each month and he can read the latest column from James Scannell.