Mike Alford is a third-year seminarian and candidate for Holy Orders enrolled in the M.Div program at Virginia Theological Seminary. His home parish is Calvary Episcopal in Indian Rocks Beach. Mike is married and has three children who are all currently attending college. He is a "seasoned" seminarian who spent 34 years practicing law prior to entering the discernment process for the priesthood. His professional career focused on the financial services industry and included 26 years as deputy general counsel with Raymond James Financial and general counsel for BankUnited. Mike also worked for a time as chief risk officer and legal counsel for Habitat for Humanity.

Mike has been active in the Episcopal Church for more than 20 years and has taken on a number of lay leader roles. He has served as lay Eucharistic minister, lector, youth mission trip leader, chair of finance and endowment committees, and on vestry as senior warden. At the Diocesan level he has served on both Diocesan Council and Standing Committee, and as a delegate to Diocesan Convention. Since 2007, Mike has been involved in affordable housing projects and clean water initiatives in Nicaragua, Guatemala and Malawi, traveling to those countries to lead teams on behalf of various faith-based organizations. He has a passion for service and community outreach.