[1][2] Ordained on June 6, 2009,[1][2] in August 2009 she began work as a rabbi at Congregation Bayt Shalom, a small majority-white synagogue in Greenville, North Carolina, making her the first African American rabbi to lead a majority-white congregation.

[8] She specialized in grief counseling, and was asked to speak to people in Columbine after the 1999 high school massacre.

[10] Before preparing for the rabbinate, she sought to become a cantor, but heard that Jewish leadership positions were not available to women.

[11] Stanton graduated from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, a Reform Jewish seminary.

[3] The congregation's president said that the fact that Stanton is African-American and a woman had nothing to do with the decision to hire her: "I'm very proud of my community.