New Community Church Staff
Judy Adams
Hospitality & Operations
Judy loves being part of the welcoming community at NCC and enjoys serving God’s kingdom. She moved to the Bay Area after graduating with a degree in communications from Purdue University and has worked in marketing, training, customer service, program management, and human resources. She has also held many volunteer positions while raising her two college-age children. She and Brian live in San Carlos and enjoy taking walks with their dog, Kai. Contact Judy.
Kathryn Carruthers
Children
Kathryn has always had a passion for working with babies and young children. Beyond being a consistent and caring adult in their lives, she hopes to help our youngest friends know that church is a place where they are safe, loved, and listened to. She is also a full-time teacher at Stanford University’s Bing Nursery School. Kathryn graduated from Point Loma Nazarene University with a degree in child development. She lives in Menlo Park. Contact Kathryn.
Jennifer Hirzel
Office Administrator
Jennifer enjoys working behind the scenes at NCC and being able to support the staff and the church community. She considers it a special opportunity to serve the church she and her family call home. Jennifer grew up in Arizona and, in addition to working part-time at NCC, she also works part-time as a nurse at a local clinic. Jennifer and Doug live in Menlo Park with their three children. In her spare time, she enjoys coffee walks with friends. Contact Jennifer.
Emily Johnstone
Children
Emily loves working with children and helping them grow and learn new things. She is a full-time teacher at New Beginnings Preschool and brings energy and fun to our 4th and 5th grade “Crew” at NCC on Sundays. Emily has a bachelors degree in history and is pursuing a masters in education with the goal of becoming a high school teacher. She lives in San Jose, and in her spare time she loves traveling, going out with her dogs, and reading. Contact Emily.
Pat Little
Pastor, Worship & Community Engagement
Pat is passionate about fostering connection through art, using it to help us explore our human experience and enhance our spiritual formation experiences. He has spent two decades leading communities in worship and helping people encounter God through the arts. A Cal Poly grad, he is currently pursuing an MDiv degree at Fuller Seminary. Pat and Casey live in Menlo Park with their toddler son. In his free time, Pat enjoys shooting hoops, hiking, hunting for used records, and eating ice cream. Contact Pat.
Margaret Musick
Children
Margaret and her family have found community and connection based on a common love of Jesus at NCC. She loves sharing that passion through her role in children's ministry. Also a full-time kindergarten teacher in Palo Alto, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Opera Performance/Music Education and a masters in Elementary Education. Margaret and Steven live in Palo Alto with their preschool daughter. In her free time, Margaret enjoys spending time outdoors with her family or singing with a local choir. Contact Margaret.
Rachel Palmbush
Pastor
Growing up as a pastor’s kid, Rachel has been a teacher, leader, and student of God’s word in academic and ministry settings throughout her life. She has degrees from Calvin College and Fuller Seminary, and has experience working with children, students, women’s groups, and small groups. Rachel was born in Michigan, raised in upstate New York, and currently lives in Mountain View with Scott and their four kids. She enjoys creating beauty through scripture art projects, being active outdoors, and having great conversations with others. Contact Rachel.
Amanda Pandjiris
Children
Amanda can’t help but smile when she is around kids! She has over eight years of experience leading children’s ministry, and was an elementary school teacher before that. The questions kids ask and their excitement for life bring her joy. She is passionate about helping kids understand how much they are loved by God. Amanda grew up in Los Altos; she and Tony live in Menlo Park with their two teenage sons and dog, Zorro. In her spare time, Amanda loves to read, cook, and is always up for an adventure. Contact Amanda.
Dave Peterson
Interim Lead Pastor
Dave thrives on creating socially safe communities for people to connect, discover commonality within differences, and experience authentic connection with God. His ministry has focused on spiritual growth through the power of community. Dave grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and before becoming a pastor, he spent 17 years as a retail investment broker. He holds an MDiv from Fuller Seminary. Dave and Kristina live in Menlo Park with their three school-age daughters and their dog, Henry. Contact Dave.
Emily Roberts
Students
Emily loves how involved NCC is in the local community. She experienced God in a powerful way in high school ministry herself, and because of meaningful relationships with her youth leaders, she decided to work with students. Emily graduated from Elon University with a degree in human service and psychology, and is currently pursuing a masters in special education at San Jose State University. She lives in Menlo Park and enjoys traveling and cake decorating. Contact Emily.
Katharine Sherwin
Churchteams & Communications
Katharine enjoys welcoming families with children on Sunday mornings and helping them get checked in. She also leads a serving group at the LifeMoves Opportunity Center and facilitates Myers-Briggs training at the Santa Clara University Miller Center. Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Katharine had a career in sales and management at IBM, as well as a variety of church volunteer and staff roles. She and Elton met in an IBM training class and moved to Menlo Park in 1994. They have two adult daughters. Contact Katharine.
Ever Turcios
Accounting
Ever loves bringing the joy of the Lord to everyone he encounters. He is the senior pastor at Verbo Church in Tracy in addition to helping us manage donations and accounts receivable at New Community. Born in Guatemala, he immigrated to California in 1995 and became a U.S. citizen in 2019. He has served at Verbo Ministries since 1997, been a Board Member since 2010, and is a recognized Minister for Verbo Ministries International. He and Nancy live in Patterson with their two school-age daughters. Contact Ever.