Officers of the Executive Board 

Reverend Doctor Michael L. Ward, President  is an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church (USA).  He graduated from Geneva College, Beaver Falls, PA. His M.Div and D.Min degrees are from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.  Pastoral experience includes Pisgah Presbyterian Church in Versailles, KY and the Walnut Hill Church, an ecumenical church in Lexington, KY.  Michael's experience includes being past board member and president of the Interfaith Alliance of the Bluegrass, and service to the Transylvania Presbytery.  He has served as adjunct faculty at Louisville Theological Seminary and at Lexington Theological Seminary. Michael has served for several years as on the Board of the KCC, and he presently serves as chair of the KCC Development Committee.

Dr. Margaret Ralph, First Vice President
Margaret Nutting Ralph, Ph.D. is a teacher, having taught grade school, high school, college, graduate school, and adult education groups throughout the country.  She worked for the Covington and Lexington Dioceses for thirty years, as a teacher, Adult Ed. Consultant, Director of RCIA and Evangelization, and finally as Secretary of Educational Ministries for 16 years.  Presently she is the director of the MAPS (Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies) program for Catholics at Lexington Theological Seminary.  Dr. Ralph is the author of twelve books on Scripture, including Paulist Press’ bestsellers, And God Said What? and the series, Breaking Open the Lectionary: Lectionary Readings in their Biblical Context for RCIA, Faith Sharing Groups and Lectors (for Cycles A, B, and C of the Lectionary).   Her most recent book is A Walk through the New Testament.  Her work has been translated into Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Albanian, and Korean.     

Mrs. Mary Riley Jones is the Acting State President for Church Women United (and President of its Frankfort chapter), and is the Council's Second Vice President. A former teacher with a BS and graduate studies in education, Mary is also a life-long Catholic and a member of Frankfort's Good Shepherd parish. She is active in religious education and leadership in retreats, youth groups, Disciples in Mission, an ecumenical prayer group, climate action network, a book club and a bridge club. She has three adult children and seven grandchildren.

Mr. Michael Watts, Treasurer  serves as the Treasurer of the Council and chairs the Budget and Finance Committee. From Lawrenceburg, he is an active United Methodist who also serves as the Director of Administrative Services and Conference Treasurer for the United Methodist Annual Conference of Kentucky.

Reverend Kent Gilbert, Secretary

The Rev. Kent Gilbert is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ. He is pastor of Union Church in Berea, KY, a founding congregation of the Kentucky Council of Churches and an intentionally ecumenical Christian community since 1853. Kent has served as pastor since 1997. He has served 14 years on the KCC executive board including previous terms as Secretary and First Vice President and served as the chair of the Executive Director Search Committee in 2009/10.