Judith Nichols brings a diverse background to her role as Parish Secretary at St. Andrew’s On-the-Sound Episcopal Church. She spent over 30 years working in corporate laboratories as a microbiologist and analytical chemist, including contracts with the U.S. Secret Service and major corporations such as Procter & Gamble.

In recent years, Judith returned to school and earned a Master of Science degree in Gerontology from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, graduating in 2020. Since completing her degree, she has volunteered with and worked for several local nonprofits, including The United Way. In August 2023, she joined the St. Andrew’s staff as part-time Parish Secretary—a role she is delighted to serve in. In 2024, she transitioned to full-time and took on additional responsibilities. In addition to her work at St. Andrew’s, she also serves as an academic coach in reading and math at Sylvan Learning.

Judith has been the lead soprano in the St. Andrew’s choir since 2022 and joined Schola Cantorum, the diocesan choral chamber ensemble, in 2023. In July 2025, she will travel with Schola Cantorum to the UK for a 10-day cathedral choir residency in Edinburgh, Scotland, and Carlisle, England. She also regularly attends the annual choir conference at Trinity Center, hosted by the Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina. Judith has completed the first two years of Education for Ministry, a certificate program in theological education through The School of Theology at the University of the South.

In the summer of 2019, Judith was selected among dozens of candidates to live at Mepkin Abbey, a Trappist monastery in South Carolina as part of a monastic residency program for laypeople. For five weeks she worshiped, worked, and took classes with this monastic community of monks. She will tell you that this was the most significant and spiritually enriching experience of her life!

Outside of church, choir, and work, Judith is an active member of the Cape Fear Aquatics Masters swim team at the YMCA. She also enjoys reading, meditating, and tending to her garden at her home in Sunset Park.