Date: October 2, 2025
The Rev. D’ana Downing (She/They/Queen) joins the staff of Virginia Theological Seminary as Program Coordinator for the Saint Nicholas Center for Faith and Justice. Rev. Downing comes most recently from Evanston, IL where she served as Associate Director and Associate Chaplain for Religious & Spiritual Life at Northwestern University.
Rev. Downing brings a wealth of capacities to this new role: program administration, strategic vision, and practical pastoral wisdom. She is a MDiv graduate of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and has additional formation in museum studies and movement chaplaincy. She is ordained as an itinerant elder in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. Taking this position also enables a return home. Rev. Downing is a native Washingtonian. In addition to her role at VTS, she serves as a Chaplain in Residence at The George Washington University.
It is an exciting time for the Saint Nicholas Center for Faith and Justice and for Virginia Theological Seminary. Please introduce yourself to Rev. Downing and welcome her as a new member of our community.
The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D.
Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary and the President of The General Theological Seminary