Since 1992, I have been a dedicated staff member of the Columbia community, beginning my journey as a teacher at Ladybug Preschool, which later transitioned to the current Circle of Friends Preschool. I have held my administrative position in the church office since 2007, where I continue to serve with passion and commitment.

I am blessed to share life with my wonderful husband, Dallas, whom I have been married to since 1982. Together, we have raised two adult sons and are proud grandparents to a delightful grandson.

In my free time, I enjoy scrapbooking and various crafting activities, as well as spending time outdoors in God’s beautiful creation. I also cherish the moments spent deer hunting with my husband. Columbia truly feels like home to me, and I am grateful to be part of this vibrant community.

I was born in Pennsylvania, and studied liberal arts in Washington, DC before moving to the West Coast to pursue a career in music. After relocating to England and touring the UK and Europe as a singer songwriter, I  moved to Portland with my husband Sebastian, where we found the Father inviting us into faith. I love leading worship and connecting with people of all ages, and have been blown away by the relational strength at the heart of the youth groups at CPC. I am having a blast helping disciple these young believers, and I continue to be richly blessed by the joy and generosity of this community.

I am a classically trained singer and voice teacher who happened into Children’s Ministry many years ago and found a passion for sharing the love of God with kids. My husband, Jeff, and I are the parents of four boys and grandparents to two adorable girls. Our experiences—raising a Millennial son, a son with Down syndrome, losing a son at birth, and bringing up a Gen Z son—have inspired and informed all aspects of my ministry and worldview.

I love music of all kinds (except country) and enjoy helping kids learn to use their singing voices to praise God. In my many years at CPC, I am continually blessed by the generosity and authenticity of the people I serve alongside. In my spare time, I love coffee, books, plants, the NYT crossword puzzle, and pub trivia.

I am the Organist and Choral Accompanist at Columbia Presbyterian Church.  I have the honor of working with Jeff Haagenson and other staff members to prepare both organ and piano music for worship services, and I accompany the illustrious Sanctuary Choir on a regular basis.  I also work full-time as the choral director at Wy'east Middle School and one of the music teachers at Marrion Elementary School.  I completed my Bachelor of Music degree at the Westminster Choir College of Rider University where I was a double major in Sacred Music and Music Education. In my spare time, I accompany ballet classes at Oregon Ballet Theatre, The Portland Ballet, and BodyVox and I take Irish dance classes at Yeates Academy of Irish Dance in Portland, Oregon. One of the things I appreciate most about CPC is the way that our community notices, welcomes, and values every person who steps through our doors.

I came to Columbia in August 2014 after 14 years of serving in ministry support with another church. Originally from the Chicago area, I moved to Vancouver in 1994 and quickly fell in love with the Pacific Northwest. I’m especially grateful that both of my adult children are nearby—my son and daughter-in-law live in Richland, while my daughter is just across the river in Portland.

Being part of the Columbia church family has been an abundant blessing, both as a staff member and as an active participant in church life. I love being part of a church that walks alongside me in my faith journey and encourages me to share my love for Christ with others every day.

I joined the CPC staff in October 2024 as the Bookkeeper. I have been a CPA since 2006 and a bookkeeper for many years before that and I bring over 35 years of experience in finance.

The highlight of my career was serving on a three-person team that produced the financial statements for the University of Oregon. While I have worked in tax accounting, my true passion lies in creating clear financial statements for users and streamlining processes for data entry. In my service to Christ and His Kingdom, I am grateful to be able to use my skills for CPC.

I also serve as treasurer for a branch of the Lions Club, I am a proud little-dog mom, and am a learning musician—I enjoy worship vocals and beginner piano in my spare time. I came to Christ later in life and have been worshipping and striving to serve Him ever since. It is a privilege and an honor to do so at CPC.

I’m thrilled to be part of Columbia Presbyterian as the Director of Operations! Columbia is one of the friendliest, warmest places I have ever worked, and I look forward to supporting its mission. Before coming to Columbia, I spent over 30 years in a variety of leadership roles across Fortune 500 and pre-IPO companies, as well as nonprofits. For the past 20 years, I’ve also taught management courses at Golden Gate and San Jose State Universities.

Giving back is important to me, so I serve on volunteer boards such as the Dean’s Advisory Council for the Orfalea School of Business at Cal Poly, the Bay Area Women’s Sports Initiative (where I’ve served as Treasurer and Secretary), and currently, The Actors Conservatory in Portland, Oregon. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration/Accounting with a minor in Psychology from Cal Poly and an MBA from Yale University.

I married my wonderful (and patient!) husband, Brian for over 30 years. We have an adult daughter who enjoys playing rugby and majoring in business with a minor in data analytics and computer science at James Madison University. Since we’re new to the PNW, we’re enjoying the seasons and all the new places to explore, especially the restaurants—so far, Cecilia is a favorite! We’re also avid sports fans, supporting the Portland Thorns, the U.S. National Teams, Tottingham, and the jinxed San Francisco 49ers.

With roots in Vancouver, WA, and a deep love for ministry, I’m grateful for my long journey with CPC. I first began attending Columbia Presbyterian through an invitation from my best friend in middle school. CPC’s youth ministries blessed me tremendously, and before long, I found myself involved in programs at the church almost every day of the week!

After high school I went on to Whitworth University, where I majored in Theology and earned a Certificate in Ministry, with a goal of becoming a middle school youth director. I was thrilled to live out that dream for over a decade at three different churches—Columbia Presbyterian, Central Kitsap Presbyterian, and First Presbyterian in Colorado Springs. My time in youth ministry was rewarding and has shaped my approach to nurturing faith and community.

In 2018, I returned to Vancouver to be near family and, during the pandemic, unexpectedly found a passion for administrative work at CPC. It’s been a perfect blend of my love for office supplies, graphic design, and ministry! My husband, Ron, and I married in 2014, and we enjoy Saturday drives, spoiling our animals, and teaching first aid and CPR classes together.

Serving at CPC has allowed me to integrate creativity, organization, and ministry in ways I never anticipated, and I’m grateful to be part of such a vibrant and supportive community.

I’ve lived on the West Coast since 1986, first in Los Angeles, then the Bay Area, where I worked in winemaking and ran a small business in Sonoma County. During a family vacation to the Northwest in 2005, we fell in love with the landscape and knew it was where we wanted to be. In 2009, we moved to Vancouver. My wife, Eva, was looking for a preschool for our three-year-old son, Mario, and found Circle of Friends Preschool and CPC. Since then, our lives have revolved around this wonderful church and its amazing people.

I joined the CPC staff in 2014. As Facilities Supervisor, I care for all aspects of building maintenance and help the ministries of CPC run smoothly. I enjoy spending my free time with family, gardening, landscaping, and helping friends.

I have worked for CPC since August 2015 after working for several hotels in housekeeping. I take great pride making sure that CPC is always clean and welcoming. I have a son and daughter and am very committed to my family. I also love to dance and spend time with close friends. I am working with the staff at CPC on continuing to develop my English.

I serve as the Childcare Coordinator here at CPC and am also deeply involved with Circle of Friends Preschool, where my family’s journey with Columbia began. My husband, my college sweetheart, and I first connected with CPC as a Circle of Friends Preschool family in 2020. From our very first visit, we knew this church offered the supportive community we wanted our daughters to grow up in.

I absolutely adore working with the children and their families, and I feel so grateful to be part of such a welcoming and caring congregation. In our free time, my family and I love being outdoors—we enjoy hiking, traveling, and reading together.