The Rev. Kevin L. Strickland was elected Bishop of the Southeastern Synod on June 2, 2019. Prior to the election, he served in the ELCA Churchwide office since August of 2014 as the Assistant to the Presiding Bishop, Executive for Worship of the ELCA. Born and raised in Lexington, SC, Bishop Strickland is an honors graduate of Newberry College (Newberry, SC) with a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Philosophy and a minor in History. He also obtained a Master of Divinity from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary (Columbia, SC). In December of 2019, Newberry College awarded him a Doctorate of Divinity. In August of 2021, he began work on a Doctorate of Ministry degree (class of 2024) in Church Leadership and Community Witness from Candler School of Theology at Emory University. Bp. Strickland also holds a certificate in Executive religious fundraising.