Meet our staff
Katerina Gea
Pastor
Rev. Katerina Gea is our lead pastor and is a gardener, aspiring poet, and follower of Jesus. Her ancestors were German-speaking Russian Mennonite refugees and white settlers who became farmers near Fresno, California. She was raised mostly in evangelical and non-denominational churches as a child before attending Wheaton College. While in college during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Katerina reclaimed her Mennonite roots and chose to join the Mennonite faith community because of their countercultural peace witness. Katerina’s understanding and practice of peace since then has been enriched and challenged alongside farmworker struggles, Indigenous movements for sovereignty and ecological repair, climate justice work, interfaith organizing, contemplative prayer, and through planting healing gardens with incarcerated people inside state prisons. She planted and pastored “Wild Church, Fresno” for four years before coming to PMC, which offered a way for those on the margins of institutional church to reconnect with Creator, Christ and Spirit through worshipping outdoors. Katerina serves occasionally as an adjunct professor with Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, where she received her M.Div. in Theology and Peace Studies. Her favorite scripture verses come from the prophet Isaiah, chapter 64:1-4, which her grandmother spoke over her as a child.
Karen Newe
Community Coordinator
Karen Newe is our Community Coordinator. She was grafted-in to the Mennonite Church at the time of the first Gulf War, drawn to its peace witness, and appreciation of community and lay leadership. A longtime member of PMC, she wears many hats in her current role: from worship planning, visualizing the work of other planners through slides, newsletter creator, web designer, to receiving office mail and email and knowing which cupboard in the kitchen the communion supplies are in. Before coming to PMC staff, she worked as a graphic designer. She enjoys printmaking, and is nourished by contemplative prayer. Karen’s family background blended Catholic grandparents on one side, and Church of the Nazarene on the other. This has given her an appreciation for all things ecumenical, while having been planted with Pasadena Mennonite for over 30 years.
Jason Smith
Children’s and Youth Coordinator
Jason Smith is our Children’s and Youth Coordinator. He was born in the cultural gumbo of New Orleans, LA to a Black Baptist pastor father and Quaker-raised mother. Along with being a husband and father, Jason is an experienced youth minister, preacher, and artist with a deep commitment to creative spiritual education. A licensed Baptist minister and convert to Mennonite Church USA, Jason has designed innovative curricula for youth and adults, blending faith and creativity. He has preached, taught or created artwork across various denominational settings, including Baptist, Catholic, Mennonite, and Pentecostal congregations, and served in roles ranging from youth leader to pastoral search committee member. With professional experience in accounting, hospitality, and art, Jason brings diverse management skills and a collaborative spirit to ministry. As an artist, He has created murals, written poems, and produced podcasts that explore the intersection of spirituality and creativity. Jason has volunteered in mission work, led Bible studies in youth detention centers, and worked with a housing justice nonprofit. He is passionate about supporting young people in their spiritual journeys through Christocentric discipleship, inclusive ministry and Gospel inspired social justice and peacemaking. Jason centers his ministry around Christ’s directive that “The last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Leadership Team
Dave Lehman
Moderator/Chair
Allie Bowne, At Large
Annika Buxman, At Large
Lila Hunt, At Large
Trenton Hartzler, At Large
Lauren Murtidjaja, At Large
Evelyn Lamar Stewart, Treasurer
Lisa Thornton, Secretary
Prayer Team
Use our contact page to send a message to our prayer team, and it will be forwarded.
Commissions
Worship
Personnel Committee
Melba Moore
Chair
Ty Buxman
Chair
Justice and Service
Children
Melanie Baker
Chair
Laurie
Kietzman-Greer
Chair
Youth
Pasadena Mennonite Church 