Sullivan was
ordained in the
Church of England as a
deacon in 1995 and as a
priest in 1996. Her clerical career began with a
curacy at St Anne's Church in Earlham near
Norwich. She was made
Sub-Dean of
Wells Cathedral in 2003. In 2013, Sullivan was elected as one of eight senior women clergy, called "regional representatives", to attend meetings of the
House of Bishops, one of the three chambers of the
General Synod of the Church of England, the church's
legislature. As regional representative for the south-west of England (comprising the dioceses of
Truro,
Salisbury, Bath & Wells,
Gloucester,
Bristol and
Exeter), she attended meetings of the house in a speaking, but non-voting, capacity until such time as six
women sit as full members of the house. On 4 April 2016, it was announced that Sullivan was to become
Dean of Southwell. She was installed during a service at
Southwell Minster on 17 September 2016. She stepped down as dean in 2024, with a farewell service held at Southwell Cathedral on 29 September. ==References==