Katherine Hancock Ragsdale (born c. 1959) is an American Episcopal Priest based in Massachusetts and president and dean of Episcopal Divinity School.[1] Before becoming dean she was director of Political Research Associates from May 2005[2] through June 2009.
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She is an American progressive, and is a priest at St. David's Episcopal Church in Pepperell,[3] part of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. Ragsdale has served for 17 years on the national board of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. She is also on the board of NARAL Pro-Choice America, The White House Project, the Progressive Religious Partnership, as well as the bi-national advisory board of The Center for the Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence. She presented to the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary on behalf of NARAL Pro-Choice America and the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice in 2004.[4] Ragsdale was named president and dean of Episcopal Divinity School[5] effective July 1, 2009. Her appointment was criticized by some religious conservatives, who have been particularly critical of her endorsement of the "blessing" of abortion.[6]
Ragsdale is the editor of Boundary Wars: Intimacy and Distance in Healing Relationships[7] and the author of numerous articles, including The Role of Religious Institutions in Responding to the Domestic Violence Crisis[8] and Hannah, a short story.
On January 1, 2011, Ragsdale, who is openly lesbian, married Rev. Mally Lloyd at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston. Bishop M. Thomas Shaw performed the ceremony.[9]