As a UK-registered and based charity that partners with churches across the world, USPG values diverse global voices to accompany, advise and inform our service across the Anglican Communion. That’s where our Communion-Wide Advisory Group (or CWAG) come in. The aims are to:
- Provide advice and guidance to the USPG Trustees and leadership;
- Engage critically and constructively with USPG’s vision, mission, strategy and policy;
and - Act as ambassadors for USPG within their regions and churches.
CWAG members are selected from across the Anglican Communion, taking into consideration regional balances and are appointed with the endorsement and support of their respective provinces.
Esmeralda Janis Pato (Essie), is based in Johannesburg, South Africa, with her husband The Rt Revd Luke Pato, former Bishop of Namibia. She has spent much of her life working in financial institutions in South Africa, where she was also actively involved in youth and outreach ministries. Essie is dedicated to supporting homes for abandoned and vulnerable children in townships and informal settlements, collecting clothing and non-perishable food, and providing counselling to caregivers.
In Namibia, she utilised her administrative and organisational skills in the Diocese of Namibia, collaborating with the Diocesan Finance Officer to prepare budgets for over 75 parishes and review income and expenditure statements annually. Essie also created a manual on parish administration, which she used to train council members across diverse rural and urban settings in Namibia.
The Revd Wadie Far is the Revd Canon Pastor to the Arabic-speaking congregation at St George’s Cathedral and Vicar of St Paul’s Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Jerusalem. He previously served as the vicar of the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Salt at the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and as the chaplain for the Holy Land Institute for the Deaf (HLID).
The Revd Sonja Hunter is an ordained priest in the Diocese of Polynesia, Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia and is proudly Samoan. She was ordained to the church in 2016 after serving as a lay minister for four years. She is a priest at the All Saints Anglican Church in Apia. Sonja trained at the Rhema Bible Training School, South Pacific. She serves on the Anglican Church Body ‘Te Kotahitanga’ responsible for the oversight of theological education and ministry training. She is also involved in the Samoa Council of Christian Churches’ work, and especially on efforts on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls. She holds an MBA and has extensive experience in the leisure and travel industry where she has served as the CEO of the Samoa Tourism Authority for over 12 years.
As the Chief Pastor for one of the largest dioceses in England, Bishop David supports the mission and ministry of around 250 parishes, approximately 200 schools, and a wide variety of chaplaincies. He is passionate about leading churches in the Diocese of Manchester as they grow, nurture, and serve their communities. As a member of the House of Lords, he seeks to hold the government to account, speaking particularly on housing and homelessness, on international trade, and on matters that relate to Manchester and the North-West. Within the national church, Bishop David has chaired the endowment fund (of the Church Commissioners), which invests over £10 billion globally to support the work of the church, including the poorest communities across the UK. A member of the Third Order of the Society of St Francis and Honorary Professor of Anglican Studies at Bishop Grosseteste University, Lincoln, Bishop David also has a wealth of experience in working with the media. He is also the Chair of Trustees at USPG.
The Revd Lopa Mudra Mistry is an ordained minister in the Diocese of Calcutta, Church of North India (CNI). She holds a Bachelor of Divinity from Serampore College and currently serves as Presbyter-in-Charge at St Saviour’s Church. With nine years of experience as a Presbyter, she is also a Board Member of the Synodical Board of Social Service (SBSS), the development and justice board of CNI. In 2015, she represented the Synod of CNI at the Council of World Mission’s Training in Mission program. Reverend Mistry is interested in in Feminist and Liberation theologies and has explored the experiences of Adivasis of the Sundarbans as an expression for Indigenous feminist theology. In her free time, she volunteers at the Cathedral Friendship Centre.
Archbishop Cyril Kobina Ben-Smith is the Primate of the Church of the Province of West Africa which currently has 17 dioceses stretching over Ghana, Sierra Leone, the Gambia, Guinea, Liberia and Cameroon. Archbishop Ben-Smith was ordained as a priest in August 1989 in Ghana and was consecrated as suffragan Bishop of Kumasi in May 2011. On 30 November 2014, he was consecrated as the first bishop of the Diocese of Asante Mampong.
He trained at Saint Nicholas Anglican Seminary, before earning an MA in Religion from Asia United Theological College and an MA in Philosophy Research from the University of Wales. He also holds a Doctorate in Philosophy from Manchester University.
Canon Dr Anita brings extensive experience in leadership, governance, and organizational transformation, stemming from her work in health care, as well as senior consulting and executive coaching roles spanning many organizations. Her formal education includes an executive MBA and a doctoral degree. Anita’s interest in guiding individuals and organisations to be the best they can be includes being a Clergy Coach as well as a consultant in diocesan visioning and strategic processes. Her interest in social justice and advocacy is reflected in her work, including serving on the Women’s Inter- Church Council of Canada, working ecumenically to challenge injustice. Anita has a deep knowledge of the Anglican Church having served in many capacities, from parish to nationally and beyond including as the Canadian Lay Delegate to the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC 18). She has been recognised for her work in the Anglican Church of Canada and is an inaugural recipient of the Order of the Diocese of Toronto (ODT).
The Rt Revd Danald Jute was born and raised in Kuching, where he became a Christian aged 12. Later in life, he served as head of the Inter-School Christian Fellowship and Anglican Young People Associations at Kolej Tun Razak. Called to full-time ministry, he trained at the House of Epiphany and the University of Edinburgh where he served the Church in Scotland. He is passionate about church renewal, discipleship and youth ministry.
The Rt Revd Philip Wright, an alumnus of the University of the West Indies with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology and a Diploma in Ministerial Studies, was ordained in 1992 and 1993 as a deacon and priest, respectively. He initially served in pastoral roles across Belize, showing a deep commitment to community engagement and theological education. His interests led him to pursue a Master’s Degree in Theology (Mission Studies) at the University of Birmingham in 1998.
Passionate about ministry training and good governance, Bishop Wright headed the Anglican Theological Institute (ATI) from 2003, helping prepare future church leaders. He actively participated in several national boards, including the National Commission for Good Governance and the National Committee for Families and Children. In 2005, he was elected the 14th Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Belize, later becoming the senior bishop in the Church in the Province of the West Indies. In 2022, he was elected the World Council of Churches Regional President for the Caribbean and Latin America.
The Rt Revd Metlhayotlhe “Metlha” Beleme, became the fifth Bishop of Botswana in July 2013. He is the first Botswana-born bishop. Initially an electrician, he worked at the Jwaneng mine until 1989 before pursuing Anglican ordination. He studied theology at Lelapa la Jesu Seminary and the National University of Lesotho from 1990 to 1992 and was ordained in 1993.
The Revd Sarah Rosser is an ordained priest in the Diocese of Monmouth, Church in Wales. She was ordained to the church in 2022 after finishing her theological degree and training at St Padarn’s Institute in Cardiff. She is a team vicar in the Netherwent Ministry Area, in South Monmouthshire, Wales. Prior to theological training, Sarah completed her law degree and post graduate diploma at university before practising employment law for a number of years. Sarah is very involved with the link between Monmouth Diocese and the Diocese of the Highveld in South Africa. She is passionate about rural ministry, youth ministry and raising awareness of social justice issues and sharing learning, both at home in Wales and in the Highveld. She has recently been appointed as a vocations advisor in her diocese.
Duncan assumed the role of General Secretary at USPG in January 2018. An Anglican priest, published author, teacher, and public speaker, he brings extensive experience from his tenure at St John’s College, Cambridge, where he served as Dean of Chapel and President. Duncan holds degrees in Human Sciences, Theology, and Demography and is a member of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland’s Mission and Theological Advisory Group. In late 2024, Duncan was installed as Canon Theologian of Portsmouth Cathedral.
Peniel previously served as Programme Coordinator for Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation at the World Council of Churches in Geneva, contributing significantly to understanding mission and interfaith dialogues. With experience in Anglican theologies and a background in ordained ministry and academia, including a PhD in Applied Theology, Peniel brings valuable insights to USPG.