Directors

Our Youth Ministries are lead by a dynamic group of people that brings the Orthodox Church and the Gospel of Jesus Christ alive for our youth and young adults. We invite you to learn more about them.

 

Directors and Heads Of Youth Ministry (Alphabetical by Jurisdiction)

Staff MemberHis Grace Bishop Andrei of Cleveland
Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America
Youth Director
Email: andrei@roea.org
Bishop of Cleveland | Vicar Bishop of The Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America
 
 
 
 
 
Kahlil Samara
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
Department of Youth & Young Adult Ministries - Camping Ministry
Khalil serves as the Director of Camping Ministry for the Antiochian Archdiocese. He holds a B.S. from Boston College, and an M.Div. from Holy Cross School of Theology with a Certificate in Youth Ministry from the Boston Theological Institute. He previously served as the Program Director and Assistant Camp Director at Antiochian Village and Youth Director at St. George Church in Boston. In his current role, he oversees the 11 camp programs in the Antiochian Archdiocese.
 
 
Erin Ghata
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
Department of Youth & Young Adult Ministries - Youth Ministry

 

 

Staff Member
V. Rev. Fr. Philip Tolbert
Director, Bulgarian Orthodox Youth Apostolate
Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada & Australia 
Bulgarian Patriarchate

Email: sttheophan@sbcglobal.net 

The Very Reverend Father Philip Tolbert is an archpriest in the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada & Australia (Bulgarian Patriarchate), and has been the Director of the Bulgarian Orthodox Youth Apostolate since the departments creation in 2006, at that time bringing to it nearly two decades of prior experience in ministry with Orthodox youth, young adults and families in a wide variety of parish, regional conferences and camp settings. 

 

 
 
Eva Konstantakos

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

Email: y2am@goarch.org

Eva Konstantakos serves as the Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries (Y 2 AM) for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and holds the distinction of being the first woman in this role – appointed by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros in 2022. With over 20 years of experience in youth and young adult ministries, including serving as Y 2 AM Director for the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Detroit (2003-2022), she actively contributes to various youth and young adult initiatives at the parish, Metropolis, Archdiocesan, and Pan-Orthodox levels. These included parish youth and young adult ministry development, campus/college ministry, summer camps, youth worker training, youth safety, and curriculum development. Eva also serves on the Executive Committee of the Orthodox Christian Fellowship Board of Directors. An alumna of Ball State University (BA in Communications) and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (M.T.S.), Eva is originally from Anderson, Indiana and currently resides in Windsor, Ontario (Canada) with her husband, Sarantos. Website: y2am.org

 
Danielle Geeza
Orthodox Church in America
Diocese of New York & New Jersey
Chairperson, Department of Youth Ministry
 
Danielle was appointed Youth Department Chairperson of the OCA's Diocese of New York and New Jersey in 2016 after having served the Department in various capacities since 2012. In May 2018 she received her Certificate in Orthodox Youth Ministry from St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Theological Seminary, in addition to completing her Master's Degree in Human Resource Management from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ. Outside of her Diocesan responsibilities, Danielle is co-advisor of Christ the Saviour Orthodox Church's youth group in Paramus, NJ, represents the OCA on The Orthodox Youth Directors in North America, and works full-time at IBM as a Human Resource Manager.
 
V. Rev. Fr. Dr. David G. Subu
Email: frdavid@stmaryorthodox.org

Fr. David Subu has been working with the youth of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America in the OCA since 1998, having served as lead teacher and assistant director for many years at Camp Vatra (Senior Camp, ages 14-17). He completed an M.A. from Western Michigan University in Comparative Religion (1997), an M.Div. from St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (2000), and a D.Min. from St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (2018). He is a full-time parish priest in Falls Church, Virginia, just outside our nation’s capital. 

 
Serbian Orthodox Church in North, South, Central America
Fr. Stefan Djoric 

Fr. Stefan Djoric was born and raised in Serbia. After finishing high school and after many years of playing basketball, he studied at the college of Orthodox Theology in Belgrade. After finishing his studies in Belgrade, he came to St. Vladimir’s Seminary in NY where he finished his M.A. and ThM degrees. Currently, Fr. Stefan is a parish priest at St. Nicholas Church in Monroeville-where he lives with his wife Marina and daughter Saveta. He is also pursuing his PhD at the University of Münster, Germany.

 

 

 

NaStaff Membertalie Kapeluck-Nixon
Chairman Orthodox Youth Directors in North America
Director, UOC of USA Youth & Young Adult Ministries

Email: uocyouth@aol.com

Natalie has served as the Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministry for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA since 2000. Her role as National Youth Director also encompasses supervision and planning of the camping ministry programming. She obtained her B.A. in the arts from Point Park College in Pittsburgh, PA. Ms. Kapeluck-Nixon sits on the Board of Directors for Orthodox Christian Fellowship and currently serves as the Chairman of the Orthodox Youth Directors in North America.

 

Pani Nicole Choma
Intern with the Orthodox Youth Directors in North America

Email: nicole.m.choma@gmail.com

Pani Nicole and her family currently serve St. Mary's Orthodox Church in Endicott, NY in the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese. A graduate of Eastern Connecticut State University and a dedicated former employee of Camp Nazareth. She enjoys web design and uses Canva regularly.  Her role at St. Mary's and for OYDNA is to help facilitate their websites and social media pages to keep all of you up to date and connected!