Sharon Zaenglein Chipman, M.Div., MA., began her ministry at St. Leo's as pastoral associate in July of 1990. She has served the parish since then in various capacities, both full and part-time, except for a three year break from 1996 to 1999. Presently, Sharon serves as a weekend minister assisting with St. Leo's liturgies as needed.

Though she was born in Dayton, Ohio, Sharon grew up in Macon, Georgia. She comes from a targe Catholic family who all still jive in the deep South. At the age of 20 she entered the Sisters of Mercy and served the church as a Religious Sister for 12 years. During those years she was a high school teacher, coach, and campus minister. During the summers, she gained various ministry experiences in hospital chaplaincy, pastoral ministry with migrant farm workers, prison work, inner-city recreation programs and work with the elderly in residential/hospice settings.

In 1986 Sharon moved to California and studied at the Franciscan School of Theology and the Graduate Theological Union, graduating in 1990 with a Masters of Divinity degree and an MA. in 'Theology. In addition to serving at St. Leo's, Sharon served on the Board of Regents for the Franciscan School of Theology from 1993 to 2003, and as the Board's chair for her final three years.

Her primary "ministry" however, is her family. Sharon and John Chipman were married at St. Leo's in 1992. Sharon became step-mother to John's four children; Lizzie was born in 1993 and Joey in 1995. They have seven grand-children and numerous other "adopted" family.