The Rev. Carter N. Paden
The Diocese of East Tennessee

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Carter Paden is a native of Chattanooga and was educated at Vanderbilt University, the University of Wales, and the University of the South. His early career was in business and during that time he also studied at UT Chattanooga in the MBA program. Carter is married to Jennifer Jesson of Shrewsbury, England. She was born and lived in India as the daughter of missionaries. Carter and Jennifer have four children—Joseph and Anna, both recent graduates of Georgetown University, Sarah who is a sophomore at Bard College, and their youngest Carter IV who is a junior at the Baylor School. Since his ordination, Carter has served the Diocese of East Tennessee as a parish priest in Cleveland, Norris, LaFollette, and Chattanooga.

For the past twelve years he has served St. Peter’s Episcopal Church and School during which time the parish has experienced significant growth and change especially in the areas of children, youth, and senior ministries. Carter has also served the Diocese as an ecumenical officer, Trustee of the University of the South, Companion Diocese Committee, on Bishop and Council, on Standing Committee, and twice as Deputy to General Conventions in 1997 and 2000. He currently serves on Bishop and Council and on the Diocesan Stewardship Committee as a trainer and consultant.

Carter has had a longstanding interest in juvenile justice, and he recently helped to found a Victim Offender Reconciliation Program (VORP) in Hamilton County where he serves on the Board and also on the Hamilton County Juvenile Court Commission. His work in Haiti began in 1989 when he met David McNeeley, a medical missionary to Haiti from Norris, Tennessee. Carter continues to serve on the Board of Children’s Medical Missions of Haiti, and he is an Associate of the Sisters of St. Margaret through their house in Port-au-Prince.

Carter and Jennifer reside on Signal Mountain where they enjoy their children, their English springer spaniel named Wooster, and tea. Jennifer has served on the Commission on Ministry for twelve years and enjoys singing, art, hiking, travel, and working as a realtor. Carter enjoys music, movies, literature, the outdoors, and fly fishing.