Pastor David Rohde, Head of Staff
Pastor Dave's first day at WPC was November 27, 2017. He describes his job as: to follow Jesus, listen, lead, teach, and equip. One of his favorite Bible passages is 2 Corinthians 5:16-21. Redemption, reconciliation, calling... lots of good stuff, all in one paragraph!
Dave feels that WPC has always been a church that shows Christ's love to the community in tangible ways. From the preschool, to different local and global mission partnerships, to launching a new church and other initiatives, and using our physical space to bring shalom to the Greater Conejo Valley...at its core this church has been about reminding people that they are loved by God and that God is still moving in today's world. He is thrilled to be a part of what God is doing here! Asked to name his three favorite movies, Pastor Dave says: This is impossible. Star Wars (is claiming an entire series cheating?), Shawshank Redemption, and The Jungle Book. He lists his top three books as The Hobbit, Surprised by Hope, and Tipping Point. When he is not at WPC, Dave spends a lot of time with his wife and three kids. They like to go on adventures (day trips and longer!), cook and eat together, watch movies, and occasionally have "PJ days" where they just lounge around the house. He tries to ride his bike a few times a week, enjoys surfing (although he doesn't get in the water as much as he used to), and is a HUGE baseball fan. Contact Pastor Dave at dave@wpcwestlake.org or (818) 889-1491x110. |
Daryl Fisher-Ogden, Parish Associate
Daryl earned the following degrees:
BA UC Berkeley, JD UC Hastings, M Div Fuller Seminary, and PhD Univ of Notre Dame She taught at Fuller Seminary, Pepperdine University, Bethany College, and Abraham Lincoln University. She has served at these churches: Westminster (South Bend, IN), Westminster (Westlake Village), Bel Air, First Pres Las Vegas. Parish Associate at: Emmanuel Pres (Thousand Oaks), Moorpark Pres, Westminster Pres (Westlake Village). |
Faith Schierholt, Director of Youth Ministry and Mission
I recently graduated in June from Fuller with my Master of Divinity degree, and I completed my first unit of CPE in May (Clinical Pastoral Education) at UCLA Santa Monica. I am also a candidate for ministry in the PCUSA (San Fernando Presbytery), and I hope to finish my last three ordination exams by April 2023. I have worked in youth ministry for 12 years, beginning as a junior high small group leader to program assistant. I have been blessed to see God work in and through junior high and high school students. I have a passion for youth ministry because it is the space that I first heard the Gospel and met people who loved God. I firmly believe that our students are the Church of today and tomorrow, and I love partnering alongside them as they grow into their faith and callings.
I am married; I have been married to my best friend and biggest supporter, Klaus, for seven years. We currently live in Burbank with our terrier-husky mix, Dodger. We love to travel, kayak, camp, go to Disneyland, watch movies on Disney+, and explore new food places. When I am not busy with work and family life, I like to exercise, bake, and play music. And to top off all the blessings of this year, we are expecting our first baby in March 2023! We are over the moon excited (and nervous) to be “mom and dad”, and we thank God for our miracle. I am excited to see where God leads us together, and I feel very blessed to be a part of WPC. Looking forward to meeting you all and worshipping alongside you very soon! Please contact her at faith@wpcwestlake.org or 818 889-1491 x121. |
Pieter DeVries, Facilities Manager
Facilities-wise, Pieter feels his job is "to be all things to all people all the time." He has been on the WPC staff since 2005. His favorite day of the week is Saturday, when occasionally there is nothing scheduled here on campus!
Pieter's favorite scripture passages are the 6th through 9th chapters of Genesis. He loves to read, write, watch movies, play with books, and ponder his mortality. His top three books are Das Boot (Buchheim) - everyman and his fate crammed into a submarine; 12 Lessons for Life (Peterson) - he read it 40 years too late; and Goodnight Moon (Brown) - just because! If he could have dinner with anyone, it would be with Jacob Bronowski, author of The Ascent of Man. A little-known fact about Pieter: when he was in the Air Force he was a Space Shuttle, Mission Specialist, finalist. Please contact him at pieter@wpcwestlake.org or 818 889-1491 x112. |
Portia Foden - Director of Children's Ministry and Assistant to Pastor Dave
Portia Foden serves as Pastor Dave's Assistant and helps with worship design, internal and external communications and event planning. In pursuit of her Masters of Divinity, Portia is always seeking ways of deepening her understanding of the Christian faith.
When not working or studying she enjoys all things horses and hopes to someday be able to ride through Ireland on horseback. Contact Portia at Portia@wpcwestlake.org or 818 889-1493 x110 |
Julie-Ann Bruskrud, Westminster Presbyterian Church Preschool & Children Director
Julie-Ann has been a part of WPCP since 2018, starting as a Student Teacher and now teaching in our TK class. Prior to teaching, she was a Media Planner with Rubin Postaer & Associates, and she is currently completing her Masters in Educational Psychology at Cal State Northridge.
Julie-Ann respects this history and legacy of WPCP, and her commitment to children is clear. Welcome Julie-Ann! Contact Julie-Ann at JulieAnn@wpcwestlake.org or 818 889-1493 x118 |
Terry Monahan, Business Administrator
As business administrator, Terry is involved in most operations of the campus, with an emphasis on finance and efficiency. She was employed at WPC in 2009-2010, and again from 2017 to the present. What Terry most loves about WPC is the heartfelt intention that each ministry brings - even when the chips are down.
As a child, Terry loved singing "Jesus Loves Me" really loudly while riding her tricycle - that phrase still touches her heart and soul. When not at WPC, Terry enjoys reading fiction, paddleboarding/kayaking, and bike riding. She would love to go river cruising in Europe or Windjammer cruising in the Caribbean with various family members. Please contact her at terry@wpcwestlake.org or 818 889-1491 x114. |
Matt Pardee, Junior High Coordinator
As JYF (Junior Youth Fellowship) Coordinator, Matt has the awesome opportunity to walk alongside middle school students and help them to know God. Matt began serving at WPC in 2006 and came on staff in 2016. His favorite Bible verse is 1 Peter 5:7-9, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." Asked what he loves about WPC, Matt replies, "The people!"
When he is not at WPC, Matt enjoys spending time with friends and family, playing tennis, going to the gym, reading, and going to the movies. His top three movies are Gladiator, Top Gun, and Inception. A fun fact about Matt is that he played ice hockey as a child. Please contact him at matt@wpcwestlake.org or 818 889-1491 x116. |
Pavel Petrov, Organist
Organist and pianist Pavel Petrov was born in Pyatigorsk in Southern Russia. He made his solo debut at the Bolshoi Hall of the Moscow State Conservatory at age 14. Since then, he has received critical acclaim for performances and festival participation throughout Russia, Europe, Asia and North America.
He has performed with orchestras around the world and for many dignitaries including Pope John II and Boris Yeltsin. Trained in the rich traditions of Russian piano, Petrov graduated from the Moscow Central Music School for gifted children and earned a Master of Music in piano performance, pedagogy, chamber music and accompaniment from the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory. Pavel also has the Artist Diploma and Master of Music in piano performance from the USC Thornton School of Music, where he is currently a doctoral candidate. Pavel contributes his music excellence at our traditional (10:00) service each Sunday morning and at other services. |
J. R. Robertson, High School Coordinator
J.R. describes his job as sharing Jesus and prayer with high school students. He has been serving with WPC's student ministries since 1988, and came on staff in September of 2016.
One of J.R's favorite Scripture stories is the parable of the lost sheep. It's a reminder that God loves us so much, He comes looking for us when we stray away from him. J.R. loves that WPC has so many opportunities to get involved in the life of the church. In particular, he loves the Student Ministry program that has encouraged his own faith to flourish while ministering to students. Please contact him at jr@wpcwestlake.org or 818 889-1491 x129. |
Ed Smart, Director of Music Ministries
Ed's position is best described as helping WPC worship God, and serving others through music. He has been on staff in Music Ministries since 2011.
One of Ed's favorite Scripture passages is Luke 17:11-18, the story of Jesus cleansing the ten lepers. He hopes to have the faith and gratitude of the one Samaritan leper who came back to thank Jesus for healing him. Ed loves WPC's desire to serve and be involved in the mission field, both locally and internationally. Ed's top three favorite movies are Citizen Kane, The Mission, and North by Northwest. Something you may not know about him is that his first job was as a ball boy for the NBA's Houston Rockets. If Ed could have dinner with anyone (past, present, or future), it would be film composer Ennio Morricone. Please contact him at edsmart@wpcwestlake.org or 818 889-1491 x122. |
Heidi Webb, Administrative Assistant
Heidi has worked as Administrative and Business Support for WPC's Preschool since 2005.
She loves the sense of community and belonging at WPC. Her favorite Bible verse is Philippians 4:8: "Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." When Heidi is not at work, you will find her relaxing with her family, being a spectator at her daughters' volleyball games, or walking with friends at the park. Her favorite movies are Legally Blonde, Man's Favorite Sport, and The Proposal. If she could have dinner with anyone (past, present or future), it would be Thomas Jefferson. She would love to travel to New Zealand and/or Switzerland with her family. Please contact her at heidi@wpcwestlake.org or 818 889-1493. |
Westminster Presbyterian Church
32111 Watergate Road Westlake Village, CA 91361 p: 818-889-1491 f: 818-889-7132 info1@wpcwestlake.org Worship Schedule 10:00am - Sundays |