Clergy & Staff
The Reverend Michael B. Foley
The Reverend Michael B. Foley is a native of Southern California. Michael+ has a calming and caring spirit. He comes to us after seven years as the rector of Church of the Redeemer in Pittsburgh, PA.
Michael+ is deeply spiritual and active in social justice, community outreach, and interfaith ministries and chairs Pittsburgh’s diocesan Commission on Race and Reconciliation. He welcomes children to actively participate in ministry and worship.
Prior to becoming a priest, Michael+ was a school psychologist in the Montebello Unified School District. He also loves to cook and garden!
Margie Wakeman Wells
Church Office Volunteer
Margie is a member of the Holy Nativity vestry and is a volunteer in the church office. She assists the interim rector, the Reverend Judy Baldwin, with directing the activities and administration of the church.
Margie holds a BA from the University of California Santa Barbara and is a long-time teacher. Currently she does online consulting work for College of Court Reporting in Indiana and travels giving lectures to court reporting associations on “All Things English.” She has written and published several books through Margie Holds Court Publishing. Check out her website: margieholdscourt.com.
Margie has two grown sons and lives with her husband, Bill, in Culver City, California.
Dr. Brad Elliott Stone
Adult Christian Education Director
Dr. Brad Elliott Stone holds a Ph.D. from the University of Memphis; was a William J. Fulbright scholar, Spain; and speaks five languages. He is a Professor and Graduate Director of Philosophy at Loyola Marymount University.
Brad heads the FEAST program (Faith Enrichment and Spiritual Training) at Holy Nativity. As the head of this Christian education program for adults, Brad has instituted the “Six for Supper” program; teaches Bible study, having just completed a survey of the Bible called Bible 101; and heads up the God Talk Book Club, where we have read Teresa of Avila’s Interior Castles among other selections.
Brad has been certified by The Right Reverend J. Jon Bruno to preach and does so several times a year.
Dr. Rose Chen
Accompanist and Choir Leader
Pianist Rose Chen came to the U.S. in 1997 after winning numerous piano awards and making her solo debut at the National Concert Hall in her native Taiwan. In 2010 she received her Doctorate of Musical Arts at the prestigious USC Thornton School of Music. Rose’s music journey has also taken her to concert stages in Canada, Austria, Brazil, France, Israel, Hong Kong, and China.
In addition to her lifelong interest in western classical music, Rose shows her eclectic taste in music by partaking in projects including composing/recording music for a short film called Tasting Wednesday, the world premier of Suite Adeline for solo piano by techno pioneer Bruce Haack, and making new choral arrangements of Taiwanese folk and popular songs.
Rose is currently a music faculty at Cypress College and the music director of Los Angeles Taiwan Center Chorus. rosechen.com
Azita Banu
Garden Manager
Azita joined Holy Nativity as its Garden Manager in March, and has immediately made an impact with her energy and enthusiasm. She is also the Garden Educator at the Community Healing Garden in Watts, and the Nursery Manager at Homegrown Gardens in Venice. She has a B.A. from Humboldt State University. Azita is passionate about seed saving and storage and is Chair of the Seed Library of Los Angeles.
Barbara Kaye
Office Administrator
Barbara is the office administrator with Holy Nativity. She enjoys assisting our rector, the Vestry, the staff, and the congregation and community members.
Barbara has a background in the fields of education, finance, and marketing research. She holds an AA degree from Los Angeles Pierce College. In addition, she is a California Notary Public and a licensed California real estate salesperson.
Barbara is a Los Angeles, California native. She presently resides in the Park La Brea area of Los Angeles and enjoys attending movies and musical theater, gardening her prized hibiscus plants, and spending time with her family.Roxanne Hill
Lay Associate for Pastoral Care and Liturgical Assistant
Roxanne K. T Hill has been a parishioner at Holy Nativity since 2009 where she serves as Liturgical Assistant and Lay Associate for Pastoral Care. She graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and a double minor in French and Psychology. She later earned a Master of Arts degree in Religion, at the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest.
Roxanne’s passion for social justice has led her to activism in animal rights, HIV/AIDS, environmentalism, and criminal justice. She serves as chaplain to women and men in the Los Angeles County jail system. As a board member of the Global Girl Project, she has worked to help empower young girls from developing nations around the world, become effective and strong leaders in their communities.
She is also a certified physical fitness trainer who loves spending time in nature. Some of her other interests include dance, meditation, yoga and international travel. Roxanne speaks Spanish, French and rudimentary Farsi.