Yvonne earned a Master of Arts degree at New School University and a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Puerto Rico. Yvonne completed the Women’s Leadership Institute certificate program at the Hartford Seminary and Education for Ministry (EfM) from the School of Theology, The University of the South.
A passionate advocate against domestic violence and sexual assault, Yvonne is a member of the Task Force on Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse in the Episcopal Diocese of New York, where she brings years of experience and a deep commitment to this important social issue. Her work for over 25 years as a financial consultant and extensive technical knowledge of employee benefit plans have also informed her understanding of domestic violence as an economic issue affecting women's financial status and ability to plan for a secure future. Yvonne's commitment to empowerment extends beyond financial literacy, as she educates women on the importance of recognizing and addressing abusive relationships.
Yvonne grew up in the church and began reading in church as a very young girl at her great-grandmother’s annual birthday church service. Yvonne was first elected to the vestry as a teenager and has held various positions in her parish, Holy Trinity in Manhattan, on various boards, including the Church Pension Group and the American College of Financial Services, VP on the Board of Trustees of The Church Club of New York. She served as a Trustee of The Cathedral School of Saint John the Divine and the Board of Directors of the Society of Financial Service Professionals and a member of the board of the Diocesan Episcopal Church Women and the Diocesan Council. Yvonne was elected Lay Representative to the Province II Council in April 2018.
Appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury to the Advisory Council of the Anglican Communion Office at the United Nations, Yvonne has attended UN meetings, eg: the Financing for Development Forum in Doha, Qatar and currently promoting sustainable development, in representing the Africa Development Interchange Network. Yvonne is a member of the Executive Committee of the NGO Committee on the Status of Women. She is active in other NGOs and was the co-chair of the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY. She is active in New York City for CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women) Act working closely with the Commission on Gender to end all forms of discrimination against women.
In the Episcopal Diocese of New York, Yvonne is a member of the Standing Committee, the Task Force Against Human Trafficking, and the Task Force on Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse. As chair of the Diocese’s Companion Diocese Committee and later the Global Mission Commission’s chair, Yvonne fostered international mission outreach connections in congregations. She has traveled internationally, especially in Africa and India, to strengthen bonds among congregations and help develop anti-poverty programs.
Yvonne was awarded the Society of Financial Service Professionals’ Paul S. Mills Scholarship, recognizing her lifelong commitment to education, voluntarism and ethics. The Council of the City of Philadelphia honored and recognized Yvonne with a Citation, dated May 9, 2018, “for her commitment to the advancement of women and girls in the United States and abroad.”
Follow her at: https://yvonneoneal.com/
