The Right Reverend V. Gene Robinson, the first openly gay person to be ordained a bishop in the Episcopal Church of the United States, was consecrated in November 2003 and became the ninth Bishop of New Hampshire on March 7, 2004.

Bishop Robinson formerly served as Canon to the Ordinary (Assistant to the Bishop) for nearly 18 years. In June 2003 , he made Anglican Church history by being elected Bishop Coadjutor (a bishop who will succeed the current bishop upon his retirement.) Since 1983, he has served as Executive Secretary of the Episcopal Province of New England. He has served on the Board of Trustees of the General Theological Seminary since 2001.

Much of Reverend Gene Robinson’s ministry has focused on helping congregations and clergy in conflict and in studying congregational dynamics, conflict, and mediation. He developed and led the “Being Well in Christ” conference approach to clergy wellness in some 20 dioceses and initiated “Fresh Start,” a two-year mentoring program for all clergy in new positions. He is the co-author of the mentoring curriculum used in 44 dioceses.

The Rt. Rev. Robinson is the co-author of three AIDS educational curricula for youth and adults, and has done AIDS work in the United States and in Africa.

Within the diocese and province, he has facilitated anti-racism training. A leader in the diocese’s partnership with the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund for affordable housing, he is on the board of the New Hampshire Endowment for Health, a foundation working for access to health care for the uninsured. From 1978-1985, Gene was Youth Ministries Coordinator for Province I in New England, serving for two years on the National Youth Ministries Development Team and helping originate the national Episcopal Youth Event. “Most of what I have learned about being a Christian I’ve learned from young people.” He is one of the founders of Concord Outright, a support group for gay/lesbian/questioning teens.

Upon moving to New Hampshire in 1975, Gene co-owned and directed an accredited girls’ summer camp and horse farm. As founding director of Sign of the Dove Retreat Center in Temple, New Hampshire, he facilitated spiritual direction and designed programs for a variety of groups. He also managed the diocesan Living into Our Baptism program of spiritual growth and development.

A 1969 graduate of the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee, he has a B.A. in American Studies/History. In 1973, he completed the M. Div. at General Theological Seminary in New York; after ordination he served as Curate at Christ Church, Ridgewood, New Jersey.