The Rev. Dr. Stephen Paul Bouman is the of Executive Director for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission unit.

He previously served as bishop of the ELCA Metropolitan New York Synod from September 1996 through January 2008.  The Metropolitan New York Synod, or district, embraces the five boroughs of New York City, Long Island, and several counties north and west.  It includes 236 member congregations. Pastor Bouman served as Assistant to the Bishop from 1992 until his election as bishop in 1996.  His responsibilities in this capacity included regional care of congregations in the Bronx, Manhattan, Westchester and northern counties of the Hudson Valley.  In addition, he bore primary responsibility for evangelism and social ministry, as well as worship and communications.  He also served as Chair of the ELCA Board of Higher Education and Schools.  He currently serves on the board of Interfaith Refugee and Immigration Ministries in Chicago, Illinois.

Pastor Bouman received his Master of Sacred Theology from New York Theological Seminary in 1978 and his Doctor of Ministry degree in 1980 and an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church in 2001.

Pastor Bouman is married to the former Janet Luce, and they have three grown children and three grandchildren. They reside in Chicago.