The Rt. Rev. Dr. Carmen Lansdowne
SHE/HER | Moderator of the United Church of Canada
The Right Rev. Dr. Carmen Lansdowne is the 44th Moderator of The United Church of Canada (UCC). She is the elected national spiritual leader and public representative of the United Church until 2025. As Moderator, Carmen chairs the governance bodies of the UCC. She also sits on the board of the Vancouver Foundation–Canada’s largest community foundation. She has previously held a number of important governance roles with the UCC, including supporting indigenous candidates for ministry.
Prior to serving the national church, Moderator Carmen was the executive director of First United Church Community Ministry Society in Vancouver; she is on a three-year leave of absence while she serves the national church. Moderator Carmen joined First United in February 2017, led an organizational turnaround resulting in increased stability and capacity, and facilitated the redevelopment of their main site.
The Moderator leads with compassion, thoughtfulness, and creativity while maintaining academic interests, church ministry, indigenous ways of being, parenting, and partnering. She holds a PhD from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, and is a member of the Heiltsuk First Nation. She is passionate about creating a life with great stories and amazing adventures with her family.