Chair, Locke Innovative Leader Award
Bishop Kristin Stoneking
Bishop Kristin Stoneking currently serves as the episcopal leader for the Mountain Sky Conference of the United Methodist Church, including the states of Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Utah and an area of eastern Idaho. Elected by the Western Jurisdiction in 2024, Stoneking previously served as an elder in California-Nevada, where she chaired the Conference Council on Finance and Administration, was a member of the Core Team, and served on the 2020 Jurisdictional and General Conference delegation. Within the Western Jurisdiction she served as the chair of the jurisdictional Council on Finance and Administration and on the Leadership Team.
With experience serving local churches in California, Illinois and Kansas, developing church property for innovative and income-producing ministry, and revitalizing campus ministry, Stoneking describes her call as one to service, renewal and transformation. In addition to churches, Stoneking has served as the Executive Director of the United States branch of the Fellowship of Reconciliation in New York, an interfaith peace organization with consultative status at the United Nations. Stoneking is a graduate of Rice University (B.A.) and Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and the Graduate Theological Union (Ph.D.), and is a former Fellow of the Pluralism Project at Harvard University. For the Graduate Theological Union, Stoneking has served on the Board of Trustees, Presidential Search Committee, and co-chaired the Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. A published author on leadership and strategic planning, Stoneking has acted as a consultant with GBHEM and serves on the audit committee for GBGM. Stoneking’s term of office as an elected director of The Fund will expire in 2026.