Our Vicar

Meet Canon Lee Stafki.

Canon Lee was a Military Honor graduate and 2nd in his class at NMMI and upon his graduation, he was commissioned United States Army. After completing his undergraduate degree, he entered active duty as a Regular Army Officer. Canon Lee spent time assigned to units in Vilseck and Stuttgart Germany, Fort Benning, Fort Hood, Fort Leavenworth, Fort Wainwright, Fort Lewis, and Fort ​​Bragg. He served as an Infantry and Special Operations officer in positions at the Platoon, Company, Battalion, Brigade, and Division echelons. His contingency deployments include operations in the Former Yugoslavia, North Africa, and the Middle East among other locations. Canon Lee’s notable awards and decorations include the Bronze Star with “V” device for valorous actions, the Purple Heart with 1 oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters, as well as the Iraq Campaign Medal with arrowhead and 2 bronze star devices, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Campaign Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Global War On Terrorism Service Medal, United Nations Medal, and NATO Medal. Major Lee was medically retired from the Army in 2007 due to combat-related wounds received during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.
 
Between 2007 and 2018, Canon Lee worked as a Senior Director of Product Management with Raytheon Company and Verizon, and as an Executive Director of Program Management for JP Morgan Chase Bank. In 2015, Canon Lee also began working as a Chaplain for Children’s Hospital in Dallas, Texas until early 2018 when he left the industry market for ministry and took on the role of Board President, Managing Director, and Chaplain for Crossroads of Hope Veterans Community.
 
In addition to Canon Lee’s Associate of Arts earned while at NMMI, Chaplain Lee also holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Psychology from the University of North Texas, and Masters of Military Arts and Science in Strategic Leadership from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, a Masters Certificate in Executive Leadership from Harvard Business School, a Masters of Ministry from the Fuller Theological Seminary, and a Masters in Divinity from Nashotah House Theological Seminary. He has begun his course work on a Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Counseling. Canon Lee also holds a Six Sigma Green Belt and is a certified Project Management Profession (PMP).

 
Canon Lee is married to Chelsey Marie (Vaughan) Stafki and has 3 children, Kaitlyn Nichole, Alexander Lee, and Sean Liam ages 24, 21, and 13.  Chelsey works as a health coach assisting others in learning proper nutrition and implementing healthy lifestyles while she homeschools Sean. She also serves at the Church on the Leadership Team for Strategic Growth and assists with welcoming new members and visitors to our parish community. Kaitlyn and her husband Jordan work in Youth Ministry at a parish church in Arlington, Texas. Alexander spent a short time in the US Army and is now in college working toward his paramedic certification. Sean is, like his father, a martial arts enthusiast and enjoys riding horses with his sister Kaitlyn on the weekends.