Deidre Palmer

Dr Deidre Palmer PhD is an educator, counselor, theologian, and social worker. She was the Moderator of the Synod of South Australia from 2013 to 2016, and is President-Elect (2015-2018), of the Uniting Church in Australia.

Palmer has the following academic degrees:

• Master of Religious Education (Duke University)
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Religious Education and Theology (Boston College)
• Master of Social Work (Flinders University)

Palmer has had teaching roles at:

• Perkins School of Theology of the Southern Methodist University, (Dallas, Texas, USA);
• Uniting College for Leadership and Theology (Parkin-Wesley) in the Adelaide College of Divinity of Flinders University (South Australia).

• ^ Deidre Palmer, Uniting Women 2016 website, accessed 16 July 2015

Palmer’s roles within the UCA have included:

• counselor with the Uniting Communities childhood sexual abuse counseling team
• previously serving on Assembly Committees including the Uniting Education Reference Group, the Board of Coolamon College, the Assembly Commission for Mission, National Mission and Evangelism, and the Assembly Commission for Liturgy
• as of 2015, member of the Assembly Standing Committee, the Formation, Education and Discipleship Working Group, the UCA's National Task Group responding to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, the Church Polity Reference Committee, and the Assembly Business Committee
• Moderator of the Synod of South Australia (2013–2016)

President-Elect

Palmer was elected at the 14th Triennial Assembly on 16 July 2015. She will become President at the 15th Assembly, to be held in 2018.

Palmer will the second woman to be appointed to the role of President, following Dr Jill Tabart (1994-1997).

Palmer is married to Lawrie Palmer and they have two adult daughters. They attend Rosefield Uniting Church in Adelaide.