New Community Church Board
The board provides strategic, spiritual, financial and governance oversight and is responsible for the mission and wellbeing of New Community Church. Members meet monthly as a full board and regularly in committees, including finance, ministry, governance/nominating, community engagement, human resources/legal, and compensation/performance review.
Board Member Nomination and Selection Process
Contact: board@anewcommunity.church
We are accepting nominations for new board members who will serve a three-year term beginning September 1, 2024. Please SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATION no later than May 31.
CHRIS DORST
Chris is passionate about Christian education for all ages and is drawn to NCC because of the difference the church is making in the life of the community. He grew up in a Christian family, went to M-A High School, studied history at Stanford, where he later received a business degree, and spent 20+ years working in the consumer tech sector before joining the Stanford Athletic department. Chris has been active with Young Life and Sports Challenge International, and currently volunteers with Generations United in Redwood City. He and Marybeth live in Menlo Park and have three grown daughters and two grandsons. Contact Chris.
KARI HANSON
Kari is thankful to be part of a community that values spiritual growth and space to encounter God. She has enjoyed discipling youth, mentoring leaders, and leading small groups. Kari has a passion for designing and facilitating retreats, which she has co-led at NCC. She has a coaching certificate and MBA from NYU and has worked in promoting entrepreneurship in emerging markets. She currently teaches user-centered design, values and ethics, and unintended consequences through project-based research at Stanford. Kari and Craig live in Menlo Park. She enjoys hiking with friends, spin class, international travel, cuisine, and visiting their two adult children. Contact Kari.
CHARLOTTE HEALOW
Throughout her faith journey, Charlotte feels fortunate to have served as a volunteer for student and children's ministries, as a small group leader in various life stages, and on trips to Mexicali. She grew up in Menlo Park and is a graduate of UC Davis where she studied English, film studies, and communications. She has been working in communications and public relations for nearly 10 years, currently at a San Francisco-based startup. Charlotte is an avid reader and writer, a devoted San Francisco Giants fan, and a pop culture enthusiast. You’ll often see Charlotte and Danny, taking long walks through Menlo Park with their dog, Sperry. Contact Charlotte.
ADAM HOPKINS, FINANCE CHAIR
Adam values being part of a church community that looks for the image of God in each person and where we can grow together in loving God and our neighbors. Originally from Portland, Oregon, he studied economics at Princeton, where he met Heather. They moved to the Bay Area in 2001, where he worked as a private equity investor and later earned an MBA at Stanford University. He currently invests in mid-stage private technology companies as a founding partner at NextEquity Partners. Adam and Heather live in Menlo Park with their two children. He enjoys playing basketball, squash, and pickleball and supporting Heather’s social entrepreneurship. Contact Adam.
TODD JOHNSON
Todd loves authentic community and leaning into spiritual disciplines, as he grows into being a “bridge-dweller,” one who is comfortable on either side of the bridge but flourishes when inhabiting the bridge and inviting those on either side to visit and understand the other. He has been an attorney, entrepreneur, counselor, advisor, director, investor, mentor, and consultant, traveling extensively in the developing world, including Ethiopia, where he and his family continue to support several Christian organizations. Todd moved to Menlo Park in 1999 from Washington, DC, where he grew up. He enjoys triathlons, writing, and visiting other cultures with Lil and their two adult daughters. Contact Todd.
PATTY MARTIN
Patty serves on the NCC spiritual formation team and is thankful to be in a loving community of Christ-followers who want to grow and become more like Jesus. A native Californian, she has been involved in spiritual formation for 25 years as a member of various boards, a trained spiritual director, and a small group leader with the non-profit organization WellSpring in Menlo Park. She also serves on the board of Westmont College. Patty holds graduate degrees in education and counseling psychology. She and Eff live in Atherton and have three grown children. Being “Mimi” to her three grandchildren is the highlight of this season of her life. She also enjoys playing golf, reading, traveling, and walking her dog. Contact Patty.
KEN PEREZ, CHAIR
Ken appreciates knowing and being known by the NCC community. He was born in Mobile, Alabama, raised in Bakersfield, and attended Stanford University and UCLA. After moving to the Bay Area 38 years ago, he has worked in finance, marketing, and business development roles, and currently serves on many nonprofit, ministry, and church boards. Ken and Janet live in Menlo Park and have three adult children. He enjoys weightlifting, cycling, and serving at LifeMoves Haven Family House alongside Janet. He also likes following college football and basketball, snow skiing, travel, and photography. Contact Ken.
DIANA PETERSON
Diana has heard God’s call to join the work of seeking educational, economic, and racial justice. Her career in software product management evolved to working in educational software when she felt God shine a light on how education can change life trajectories. She has volunteered with children, coached with Future Profits, tutored with School on Wheels, and been a Reading Buddy at Beechwood School. A Menlo Park resident, you can often find her working out with her Team Fitness buddies, sewing, hiking or walking with Russ and their two dogs, or spending time with their three adult children, who are triplets. Contact Diana.
GRETCHEN SALYER
Gretchen and her family came to NCC in 2021 and have been blessed by our biblical focus and welcoming community. Raised in the church, she has always had a strong faith with a passion for community and children's ministry. Gretchen grew up on the East coast and studied economics at Harvard before making her way to Silicon Valley to pursue a career in tech. After 12 years at Intuit, she was a full-time mom for three years while serving on the board of several educational non-profits before raising venture capital for her start-up, June Care, where she currently serves as Founder & CEO. Gretchen and Patrick live in Los Altos with their three elementary age children. Contact Gretchen.
LESLYE SMITH
Leslye loves building community and enjoys playing violin with the NCC worship team. Born in California, she spent most of her childhood living in Indonesia and Virginia, where she was blessed to experience first-hand the unifying love of the church all over the world. With degrees in graphic design and illustration from John Brown University, Leslye worked for several small tech startups in Palo Alto as an in-house designer before pivoting to freelance design work as a full-time mom. She and Ben live in San Carlos with their three elementary age children. Leslye enjoys early morning runs, cross-country road trips in the family minivan, and painting in her backyard "studio shed." Contact Leslye.
CHRISTINE TAYLOR, VICE CHAIR
Christine is passionate about introducing people to ongoing community engagement, leading a team at the LifeMoves Navigation Center and trips alongside Hands of Hope serving orphans in Zimbabwe, where she grew up. She is a retired nuclear medicine physician and Fuller Seminary graduate. Christine first met Curt as a foreign exchange high school student. Their marital journey led them into marriage ministry, and they use their experience to support and mentor other married couples. Christine and Curt live in Portola Valley and have two adult daughters. Christine enjoys gardening, hiking, reading, and travel. Contact Christine.
JOSH WOODWARD
Josh is grateful for the hospitality, spiritual formation, and NCKids ministries at NCC. He started following Jesus during high school, where he was introduced to faith through a neighborhood Bible study and the writings of CS Lewis. A native Oklahoman, he and his wife, Kate, met at the University of Oklahoma and both attended the University of Oxford before coming to the Bay Area. They have been active in marriage ministry, make a mean batch of jambalaya, and live in Sunnyvale, where they stay busy with their four young children, including identical twin girls. Josh currently leads the Google Labs team and enjoys reading and swimming. Contact Josh.