Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows to be first black woman to lead an Episcopal diocese

Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows, 50, will be the first black woman to lead a diocese in the Episcopal Church.

The Episcopal Diocese of Indiana­polis elected her on the second ballot during a diocesan convention held at Christ Church Cathedral, Indianapolis, on October 28. She has been director of networking in the Epis­copal Diocese of Chicago. Other black women have served as suffragan bishop, assisting the diocesan bish­op, said Jim Naugh­ton, a spokes­man for the Diocese of Chicago.

She has expertise in historic preservation and a passion for issues of gun violence, social justice, and racial reconciliation, according to the diocese.