Our STAFF
Meet the people who serve and lead our parish community.
rev. Tammy smith
The Very Rev. Tammy Baker serves as Rector of St. John's. Raised in Southern California, she studied Religious Studies at Westmont College and earned a Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary. After more than two decades of ministry in Bolivia as an educator, church leader, and pastor, she was ordained to the priesthood in 2015 as the first woman priest in the Anglican Province of South America. Tammy returned to California in 2020 and joined the St. John's ministry team soon after. She also serves as Dean of the Alta California Deanery and is passionate about helping people experience the fullness of God's love through Jesus Christ. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors under the trees of Northern California.
Rector
Rev. annie ryder
The Rev. Anne (“Annie”) Ryder joined St. John's in 2024 after moving to Chico from New Hampshire, where she found a community that felt like home. Ordained to the priesthood in 1996, she has served congregations in California, Colorado, and Massachusetts. Following her retirement from full-time parish ministry in 2016, Annie remained active in ministry through volunteer work and mission trips to Ghana. She enjoys spending time with her family, including her two granddaughters, and with her poodle, Rory.
Associate Priest
Director of Musicdr. jeffery cooper
Dr. Jeffrey Cooper serves as Director of Music at St. John's. Originally from San Jose, he studied organ performance and choral conducting at CSU Chico and continued his musical training at the University of Notre Dame and the University of Houston. In addition to his work at St. John's, he serves as artistic director of Butte Baroque.
Parish Administrator