The Reverend Dr. Cathy S. Gilliard is a native of North Carolina where she was originally ordained as an American Baptist minister.  After joining the pastoral staff at Christ Church United Methodist (Manhattan) she transferred her ordination to the New York Annual Conference and later became a full Methodist elder.  She served Christ Church for nearly 8 years before starting her new appointment at Park Avenue Methodist on July 1, 2011.   
Prior to joining the staff at Christ Church, Cathy served at White Rock Baptist Church, Durham, North Carolina, and was earlier employed at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business as Director of Alumni Global Outreach. She received her undergraduate degree in Political Science from North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, North Carolina; the Master of Education at Rutgers State University, New Brunswick, New Jersey; the Master of Divinity at Duke Divinity School, Durham, North Carolina; and the Doctor of Ministry degree at United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio. She currently serves on the Board of Directors at the Methodist Home for Nursing and Rehabilitation, Riverdale, NY; The American Baptist Extension Corporation, Valley Forge, PA, and the National Alumni Council at Duke Divinity School, Durham, NC. She is excited about the Park Avenue family and looks forward to our shared life of faith.