Archbishop Melissa Skelton, now retired Bishop Provisional in the Diocese of Olympia, served in the Anglican Church of Canada as the Archbishop of the Anglican Diocese of New Westminster and the Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of British Columbia and Yukon. She was the first woman to be elected a Metropolitan and Archbishop in Anglican Church of Canada.

Prior to being elected bishop in Canada, Archbishop Skelton served as rector of St. Paul’s, Seattle, and as Canon for Congregational Development and Leadership in the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia (Western Washington). In this diocesan role she created The College for Congregational Development, a comprehensive training program in congregational development for clergy and laity. This training program is now hosted in 14 Episcopal dioceses and in Canada as the School for Parish Development.

Archbishop Skelton holds an M. Div. from Virginia Theological Seminary, an M.A. in English from the University of South Carolina an MBA from the University of Chicago and an honorary doctorate from Virginia Theological Seminary. She has worked in numerous for-profit companies, non-profit organizations and church-related institutions.

She is married to The Rev. Eric Stroo, a deacon in the Episcopal Church, and is grandmother to five grandchildren. She is an avid reader of poetry and a novice letterpress printer.