top of page

Church Leadership

Sojwal-Ajung-1-scaled.jpeg

Rev. Ajung Sojwal

On campus Tuesday-Friday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm and by appointment. Ajung came to the US from India in 1994 with a keen interest in the Episcopal Church.  After her children were old enough, she pursued ordination in 2006.  Since then, she has served in a number of churches in the New York City area, most recently at St. George’s in Hempstead on Long Island.  She has moved here with her husband, Milind (also an Episcopal priest) and Snowy, their Scottish terrier.  Ajung and Milind have two children living in Brooklyn and Los Angeles.  In addition to the church, Ajung and Milind are passionate about books, walking/hiking/biking, and getting out into the community. You can reach Rev. Sojwal at: Contact The Rector

Astesano-Margaret.jpeg

Margaret Astesano, Parish Administrator

A native Californian raised on the Peninsula, Margaret Astesano joined All Saints' Episcopal Church in August 2023 as Parish Administrator. In this role, she oversees the day-to-day operations of the parish office and works closely with the Rector and Music Directors in preparing service bulletins and coordinating worship support. Margaret is also the initial contact for inquiries about All Saints’ campus rental facilities and helps ensure smooth communication and organization across the parish. Before coming to All Saints, she served for 18 years as Executive Administrative Assistant at the Port of Redwood City, where she gained extensive experience in administration and community service. Margaret and her husband of over 30 years live in Sunnyvale, where they enjoy time with family and friends. She values hospitality, connection, and the opportunity to support the mission and ministries of All Saints through her work.

Screenshot 2025-03-16 at 6.23.35 PM (1).jpg

Christopher Pluntke, Music Director

Christopher Pluntke, a native of Germany, studied at the Hochschule für Musik Würzburg and has more than 25 years of experience as a church musician, directing vocal ensembles and period instrument groups, and performing as an organist, pianist, and continuo player. He is the founder and musical director of Ensemble Continuo, a Palo Alto–based chamber choir that brings together singers to explore a wide range of classical repertoire.

Daniel-scaled.jpg

Daniel Koplitz, Associate Music Director

A Wisconsin native, Daniel (they/them) first encountered the Episcopal Church during their undergraduate studies while serving as Choral Scholar at All Saints’ Episcopal Cathedral in Milwaukee. There, they founded the resident vocal early music ensemble Aperi Animam, a non-profit still thriving since 2017. After earning a B.A. in Music from UW–Milwaukee, Daniel served the cathedral as Director of Music and Cantor, having previously served St. Mark’s Episcopal Church and the Master Singers of Milwaukee as Children’s Choirmaster and Assistant Artistic Director, respectively. Daniel is now pursuing a Ph.D. in Music with a minor in Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Stanford University. Their research focuses on Western medieval polyphony, especially early English church music, and queer sound from antiquity to the present day. Since relocating to the Bay Area, Daniel has sung with Cut Circle, Grace Cathedral’s Choir of Men and Boys, and the St. Ann Choir.

IMG_8714-1366x2048.jpg

Jose Herrera, Sexton

IMG_8713.jpg

Nikki Eisen, Assistant Sexton

Vestry Bios

In the Episcopal Church, the Vestry serves as the governing body of the parish, working alongside the rector to provide spiritual and practical leadership. The Vestry is responsible for parish governance, including finances, property, and long-range planning. It also plays a key role in selecting the rector, approving clergy assistants, and reporting to the bishop on the overall health of the parish. Vestry members are elected by the congregation and typically serve three-year terms, offering their gifts of time, wisdom, and care in service to the community.

Ann-Lane.jpg

Ann Lane, Co-Senior Warden

Ann Lane is a lifelong Episcopalian who was baptized at St. John’s in Hampton, Virginia, one of the oldest parishes in the country. Her family later moved to California, where she was confirmed at St. John’s in San Bernardino before heading north for college at UC Davis and San José State. Along the way she spent a year in Scotland on a Rotary Club scholarship, worshiping at St Margaret of Scotland in Gallowgate, Aberdeen. Wherever she lived, Ann found an Episcopal parish that shaped her faith through its welcome and music. She and her husband settled in Palo Alto in 1977, and All Saints has sustained her through life’s joys and sorrows. Over the years she has sung in the choir, led the Book Club, served as delegate to the diocese, and previously served on the vestry. Now retired as a high school librarian, Ann is grateful for the chance to serve once again, and always is sure to welcome everyone to All Saints.

Sandy-Wilbourn.jpg

Sandy Wilbourn, Co-Senior Warden

Sandy Wilbourn has been part of All Saints' Episcopal Church Palo Alto since 1997. Over the years, he has served in many ways, from teaching Sunday School when his children were young, to serving on vestry, improving the church grounds, and helping with projects such as remodeling the education building and replacing the church roof. For the last several years, Sandy has co-led All Saints’ involvement with Hotel de Zink alongside Marguerite Fletcher, and more recently he has served on the Rector Search Committee and the Clergy Housing Task Force. Professionally, Sandy has spent nearly 40 years in technology, leading product development at several companies. He currently works at Akamai Technologies, a leading provider of Internet networking services and security products. Both at church and at work, Sandy brings a spirit of collaboration and care for community, always seeking ways to support and strengthen the people around him.

Diane-Frankle.jpg

Diane Frankle, Vestry Secretary

Diane Frankle has been a member of All Saints' Episcopal Church Palo Alto since 1984. Over the years, she has served on the Vestry, as Senior Warden, and currently as a Lay Eucharistic Minister and Lector. She is also active in the church’s Immigration and Refugee Action Group and facilitates A Shared Pilgrimage With Race, an anti-racism program offered through the Diocese. Diane and her husband, Bob Frankle, founded the nonprofit Building Bridges Together, promoting interfaith dialogue. Their programs have brought together parishioners from All Saints and members of Congregation Beth Am, fostering understanding and community connection. Diane also serves as a Trustee on the College of Wooster Board of Trustees and on the San Francisco Advisory Board of Facing History and Ourselves. Before retiring in 2018, Diane practiced corporate law in Silicon Valley. She and Bob enjoy working together to strengthen community, support interfaith understanding, and bring Christ’s message of justice and compassion to the wider world.

Joanne-Westendorf-Photo.jpg

Joanne Westendorf, Treasurer

Joanne Westendorf has been a member of All Saints' since moving to Palo Alto with her family in 1996. She was baptized and confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Gowanda, NY, and later reaffirmed her faith as an Episcopalian at All Saints in 2007. Over the years, Joanne has taught Sunday School, served on Vestry, represented the parish as a Diocesan Delegate for a decade, and has been a dedicated member of the Altar Guild since 2000 and the choir since 2007. In 2024, she took on the role of parish treasurer. Beyond All Saints, Joanne has given generously of her time as a Girl Scout leader for 20 years, in leadership with youth sports and Boy Scouts, and through her professional work. She spent three decades as a biomedical researcher before transitioning to accounting for small businesses.

Michael-Keller.png

Michael Keller

Michael A. Keller is a Vice Provost and University Librarian at Stanford University, where he has led major innovations in digital scholarship, publishing, and access to cultural heritage for over 30 years. In 1995 he founded HighWire Press, one of the first online publishing platforms for scientific journals, and later helped launch the Oxford English Dictionary online. He also guided the development of the International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) and the Mirador viewer, tools now used worldwide for teaching and research. Educated at Hamilton College and the State University of New York at Buffalo, Michael has taught at Cornell and Stanford. He has been had visiting appointments in China and Germany. He has served on boards and councils ranging from the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt to the National Academy of Sciences, and continues to advise international projects, including the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana and the Archivio Apostolico Vaticano. He is in his third term as a Sarum Canon of Salisbury Cathedral. Michael and his wife are long-time supporters of All Saints, where they value its music, welcome, and community.

Screenshot-2025-02-05-at-3.59.27 PM.png

Brandon Mcglone

Brandon McGlone has been a member of All Saints' Episcopal Church Palo Alto since 2023 and is deeply committed to its mission of service and worship. He is actively involved in the parish through Hotel de Zink and the Immigration and Refugees Action Group. Brandon’s professional journey includes service in the United States Air Force, followed by work as a pilot at NASA’s Ames Research Center, where he focused on urban air mobility, aerospace simulations, and flight trajectory dynamics. He now serves America’s veterans as a Case Manager with the Department of Veterans Affairs in Menlo Park. Passionate about teamwork, community engagement, and faith in action, Brandon looks forward to contributing to the life of the parish. He brings his dedication, humility, and expertise to help All Saints grow and thrive, and to support parishioners in living out the church’s mission of care, service, and spiritual enrichment.

Jodi-2.jpg

Jodi Scherer

Jodi Scherer has been a devoted member of All Saints' Episcopal Church Palo Alto since 1969. A lifelong resident of Palo Alto, she grew up in the community, attending local schools and forming deep, lasting connections. Over the years, Jodi has served on the Vestry, participated in the Altar Guild, and helped organize the church’s festival events. Professionally, Jodi works in the Registration Services Office at the Palo Alto Unified School District, assisting families with school enrollment with care and efficiency. She is also an active community leader, serving as a Sustaining member of the Junior League of Palo Alto-Mid-Peninsula and on the board of The Green Envelope, contributing to programs that support local families in need. Jodi values connecting people and fostering community, both through her church and civic work, and she continues to bring dedication, warmth, and a spirit of service to everything she undertakes.

082BD415-2AE2-43D3-9CE0-868945CD1D0F_1_201_a.jpeg

Joy Chase

Joy Chase is a returning parishioner. She was a member from 1974 to 1990. Her children, Natala and Sheila, were baptized at All Saints. Their father, William Menezes, served on the Vestry. After reconnecting online, Joy returned in person and is serving on the Vestry. Originally from India, Joy came to the United States sixty years ago as a student. She completed her BA in English Literature at the University of Madras and received an MA from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. A librarian by profession, she spent twenty years as a faculty librarian at Evergreen Valley College. She previously managed the East Palo Alto branch of the San Mateo County Library system. Joy is also a writer and artist, having published Embers, an Anglo-Indian Memoir, and served on the board of the Pacific Art League. She cherishes her family around the world, especially her granddaughter in San Francisco, Faren.

K-Veit-headshot.jpg

Kathy Veit

Kathy Veit was received into the Episcopal Church from the Roman Catholic Church in 2005. She has been a member of All Saints Episcopal Church Palo Alto and of St John the Evangelist in San Francisco, where she also served on the vestry. Her central preoccupation is how to put Christ’s teachings into action in our broken world. At All Saints Episcopal Church Palo Alto, she has been involved with the Youth Family ministry, the Outreach Committee, and the Immigration and Refugee Action Group. She has also served on the El Camino Real Diocesan Partnership Commission and on the board of Cristosal, a Central American human rights organization with strong ties to the Episcopal Church. Professionally, she has worked at Stanford University for more than three decades and is currently is a member of the university principal gifts team. She lives on the Stanford campus with her partner, fellow All Saints Episcopal Church Palo Alto member Heather Hadlock.

20230519_153353-1536x2048.jpg

Phil Palmer

Phil Palmer has been a member of All Saints' Episcopal Church Palo Alto for over thirty years. During that time, he has served the parish in many ways, including as a Lay Assistant and Lector, on the Vestry, and as chair of the committee that developed the 2014 strategic plan. He also led the search that brought Fr. Terry Gleeson to All Saints. Phil has contributed to adult formation through leading Sunday forums and a ten-year Bible study, covering the New Testament twice and the entire Hebrew Scriptures once. In social justice, he currently serves as Chair of the Immigrants and Refugees Action Group and has facilitated A Storied Pilgrimage With Race, an anti-racism program offered through the Diocese. Entering his fourth term on the Vestry, Phil looks forward to working with parishioners and Mother Ajung to discern and carry out God’s vision for All Saints, fostering a welcoming, engaged, and spiritually vibrant community.

bottom of page