The Rev. Ann Svennungsen

Denomination: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
Organization: Texas Lutheran University

The Rev. Ann M. Svennungsen served as president of Texas Lutheran University in Seguin, TX. from 2007-2010.

For four years prior to that, she was the president of the Fund for Theological Education in Atlanta, the first woman to lead that organization in its 50-year history. She has a lifetime of commitment to pastoral ministry, having earlier served as senior pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, a 3,700-member congregation in Moorhead, Minnesota. During Rev. Svennungen’s seven years at Trinity, it was the largest ELCA congregation to be led by a woman senior pastor. She has also served pastorates in Iowa City, Iowa, and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Often invited to speak and write, she has given commencement addresses at Concordia College and Luther Seminary, preached at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly, presented a 2004 Earl Lecture at Pacific School of Religion and published several articles and Bible studies.

Rev. Svennungsen was a member of the first Pastors Working Group of the Louisville Institute and currently serves on the Alban Institute Board of Trustees.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Concordia College in Minnesota, graduating summa cum laude. In 1981, she received her Master of Divinity degree from Luther Seminary, where she was a recipient of the Seminary Preaching Award.

Rev. Svennungsen is married to Dr. William Russell and is the mother of three children.