The Reverend Ricardo Sheppard was born in Trinidad and Tobago and immigrated with his parents to the United States in 1975 at the age of 9. His family settled in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother continues to reside. Rev. Sheppard enlisted in the United States Marine Corps directly out of high school and served with distinction until he was honorably discharged in 1993 after serving 9 ½ years. Rev. Sheppard served as the Associate Minister for Youth and Outreach at the Hebron Baptist Church in Brooklyn before becoming a part of the Episcopal Church. He earned his Bachelors of Arts degree with a concentration in Social Science from the College of New Rochelle, a Masters of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Diploma in Anglican Studies from the University of the South, School of Theology in Sewanee, Tennessee. Rev. Sheppard started serving at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church as Deacon-in-Charge, in September of 2016 and upon his ordination to the Priesthood in December of 2016, became the Priest-in- Charge. Rev. Sheppard is enthusiastic and passionate about sharing the love and hope of God to the greatest and the least in the Kingdom. He joined the Episcopal Church of the Atonement as the rector in September 2019.