STAFF

THE PEOPLE BEHIND THIS PEACE BUILDING OPERATIONS

We are women and men from various backgrounds and stages of life who have agreed to be a part of this peace building team.

Survival and success in the work of peace building is largely based on attitude. Our activities force us to learn that attitude is a choice and that it determines the approach we have towards life, justice, peace, and reconciliation. We are also learning that our attitude at the beginning of a task affects its outcome more than anything else. And so, we’re introducing ourselves from an attitudinal perspective:

________________________________

 

REV. LUIS DANIEL ALBA PANTOJA

Dann’s spiritual journey made him aware that genuine peace is cosmic—that is, harmony with the Creator, harmony with one’s Being, harmony with Others, and harmony with the Creation. He started his theological training at Febias College (B.A., 1979), then went through Asian Studies at the Asian Center, University of the Philippines (M.A., 1982).

Based in Vancouver, he worked as a pastor and a mission director with a Canadian denomination for 20 years. After 911, he went through a theological reconstruction process at the Vancouver School of Theology, University of British Columbia (Th.M., 2002) and there embraced an Anabaptist Peace Theology.  He and his wife, Joji, were sent by Mennonite Church Canada as peace building missionaries to the Philippines in January 2006. Dann’s current passion is to help multiply effective, cross-cultural peace-building leaders in the context of 21st century realities. He does his leadership mentoring while actually doing field work.

Dann is our Founding President and Chief Executive Officer.

Asked what fuels his excitement and positive outlook in life despite the negative stuff happening around him: It’s the positive influence of Jesus—a 1st century Palestinian carpenter who was executed by the imperial power of his time. He said: “Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.” He defied death—the ultimate negative factor in our cosmos.

daniel@peacebuilderscommunity.org

____________________________________

 

JOJI FELICITAS BAUTISTA-PANTOJA

Joji’s initial training was in Food Service Administration from the University of Santo Tomas (B.Sc., 1979). She also studied International Relations at the Asian Center, University of the Philippines. She moved to Canada in 1986 and since then developed a successful career in the investment and financial industry. After 20 years, she decided to return to the Philippines, realizing that a sustainable economic development is crucial to our people’s search for just-peace. She believes that genuine, effective peace advocacy must be economically-sustainable.

Joji is our Executive Vice President for Global Partnership Development.

Asked why she left her career in Vancouver, Canada for Mindanao: I can’t imagine having a summary of my life printed on my tombstone as: “Spent her life managing rich people’s money.”I want to be remembered as: “A person who walked with the people as they find dignity through sustainable economic development.”

joji@peacebuilderscommunity.org

____________________________________

 

BENNETTE GRACE TENECIO

With her master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, Benette has various experiences working with children. She was once a SPED teacher, a freelance psychometrician in a Family Court in Quezon City, and a member of an organization working with children at risk. Bennette has been living and working in Manila for more than 15 years. Now, she has decided to serve in Mindanao where she was born, the place she considers home.  She leads a group of student volunteers called the University Peace and Reconciliation Team.

Bennette is our Chief Operating Officer and Trauma Intervention Consultant.

Asked about her motivation for returning to Mindanao, she said: My heart goes out for the people in Mindanao especially the victims of armed conflicts—children and youth alike. May the Lord extend his arms through me, to let them know that they are not alone in their struggles, that they are loved by the Heavenly Father, the God of peace…

bennette@peacebuilderscommunity.org

___________________________________

 

KRIZ CRUZADO

“Kriz is an excellent research staff,” commends a professor at the University of the Philippines. “I would definitely hire her again.” At the very beginning, we invited Kriz to help us start a new kind of peace advocacy. She immediately grasped that what we’re building — a shalom community that also does what many NGOs do. Kriz’s creativity helped us develop the two-pronged features of our office system–support operations and field operations. We consider her as a fellow-pioneer at PeaceBuilders Community, Inc.

Kriz is our Fair Trade Consultant.

Asked why she joined a small peace-building outfit like us instead of joining a big international NGO: I think working with PeaceBuilders Community is not just about employment. It’s about learning and growing up spiritually, mentally, socially, culturally and emotionally.

kriz@peacebuilderscommunity.org

____________________________________

 

DR. SAMUEL C. EVANS

Dr. Sam was raised in Ozark County in southern Missouri, USA, where he received his calling to become a medical missionary at the age of 14. He was a Clinical Teacher, Collaborating Physician, and Preceptor for the master’s program for the University of Arkansas Medical School (UAMS) Nurse Practitioners, and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the College of Nursing, UAMS, Little Rock, AR. Before coming to the Philippines in January 2001, he had worked more than 16,000 emergency room hours in addition to his 10 years of experience at his primary care clinic in Arkansas.

Dr. Evans serves as our Medical Director.

Asked about his current journey as a medical missionary in Mindanao: My educational background and experiences prepared me for providing outreach clinics to places where there is no doctor, but more importantly, my vision and passion is to train local healthcare workers in those remote areas.

docsam@peacebuilderscommunity.org

___________________________________

 

ANGIE LEDERACH 

Angie Lederach is overjoyed to be back in the Philippines and to have the opportunity to learn and work with the Filipino peacebuilders who have and continue to inspire her. She is passionate about peacebuilding and is dedicated to building a more just and peaceful world. With a dual degree in Anthropology and Peace Studies from the University of Notre Dame, she brings both academic and practical experience in international peacebuilding.

Angie is our Conflict Transformation Consultant.

Asked what excites her at PBCI: I’m so excited to be part of Peacebuilders Community, Inc. and to have the opportunity to help realize the dream of 80 PAR communities in the Philippines. My dream as an international intern is for the stories and work of PAR communities to reach beyond the Philippines to inspire people in North America to also embrace shalom-salam.

angie@peacebuilderscommunity.org

___________________________________

 

JEFF YODER

Jeff Yoder is a gentle spirit with a very big heart who loves experiencing new cultures, new foods and meeting new friends, which is why he is so excited to be part of PeaceBuilders Community. He brings with him an openness to learn, as well as experience as a Certified Nurses Aide and dedication to community health. In the first week in the Philippines he has already fallen in love with all the Filipino foods (especially halo-halo & balot)!

Jeff serves as our Community Health Care Specialist.

Asked what he expects from his Filipino co-workers:  I’m most excited to learn from my very talented and inspiring Filipino co-workers.

jeff@peacebuilderscommunity.org

 

___________________________________

 

MEI SOLOCASA

Mei is a lively, creative and diligent Registered Nurse whose task is to establish and multiply Peace and Reconciliation Communities in Mindanao. Her PAR Communities will develop healthcare training teams in the context of peace-building that will empower people from the grassroots level to use their own resources in responding to their healthcare needs. She has learned to interact and work confidently with various leaders from different sectors and institutions of Mindanao society.

Mei is our Health Care Training Specialist.

Asked what her dreams are as a peace-building coordinator: My dream is to develop PAR Teams composed of Bangsamoro, Lumad, and Migrant healthcare workers in the conflict areas. These healthcare workers would be trained to be the front-liners in health education and services for their respective communities.

mei@peacebuilderscommunity.org

 

____________________________________

 

REGINA MONDEZ

Reg grew up in a Filipino Mennonite community and has been dreaming of becoming a Christian worker using her training in Development Communications from the University of the Philippines in Los Banos (2010). Her application and training process with PBCI include the blessing of her parents and of her home church through a commissioning service.

Reg is our Development Communications Specialist.

Asked about her vision for Luzon: My vision is to reach out to the bishops, pastors, priests, and other church leaders from different denominations in Luzon. I can see that these spiritual leaders would be a community who will raise awareness and enthusiasm among their people to actively carry the message of peace that transforms lives and society. I envision myself to be the catalyst of peace in the Body of Christ until peace is thoroughly transmitted even to its tiniest veins.

regina@peacebuilderscommunity.org

 

___________________________________

 

ARJAY FREG BALABAG

Arjay started as a barista at the Coffee for Peace when it was still under the management of Peacebuilders Community. He began showing his competency in analyzing data and graphic arts. The people in our Support Operations Team gave him a six-month trial period as a technical assistant and creative assistant. Arjay has won the trust and confidence of PBCI’s field workers and volunteers because of his growing efficiency and work ethic.

Arjay is our Support Operations Assistant – Bookkeeping and Graphic Arts.

Asked how he sees his role at PBCI: I see my role here as an ordinary and quiet person who wants to make an extraordinary impact in the livelihood of my family, the welfare of my community, and the peace of my larger society.

arjay@peacebuilderscommunity.org

 

____________________________________

 

JOY BETIOS

She’s meek and usually quiet. But she’s like a dynamo. We’re amazed with Joy’s sustained energy and patience as she deals with office suppliers, government offices, and business institutions in connection with the day-to-day administrative tasks at PBCI. She also does bookkeeping for us. When on the field, Joy loves to be the team’s background support-in-prayer.

Joy is our Support Operations Assistant – Bookkeeping and Administration.

Asked about the aspects of her job at PBCI that inspire her most: Working at PBCI is a challenging one. Being an ordinary person working in the support operations of the organization inspires me to dream big for I believe that the God whom I’m serving fulfills the dreams and visions of the people. Going to different places that were beyond my experience, interacting with different kinds of people, and learning cross-cultural dynamics motivate me to continue on in reaching for my dreams.

joy@peacebuilderscommunity.org

___________________________________

 

FREDDIE ABELITADO

Everybody calls him Kuya Freddie. He is so resourceful in maintaining office furniture. He can fix electrical and plumbing problems. He’s a master roaster of Arabica coffee beans. He makes our office and coffee shop so neat and tidy. He picks up our mail from the post office. He’s a great team member on the field! He’s our beloved Kuya Freddie!

He’s our Support Operations Assistant – Office Maintenance.

Asked about how he views his fellow workers at PBCI:  Very much like my family. God blessed me to be a regular employee here. I go home to my family, wife and children. I go to work with my family, the people here at the office, who treats me as an equal.

freddie@peacebuilderscommunity.org

 

 

____________________________________________________________

——————————————-

OUR VOLUNTEER REPRESENTATIVES IN CANADA

 

DARNELL BARKMAN

Darnell was our intern whose primary task was to complete his academic papers on Peace Theology.  Most of his materials were gathered from his field experiences including fact finding missions, emergency medical and relief operations, and conflict transformation processes.  He’s a wonderful, relational, culturally-flexible person.  He’s a budding peace-building leader.

He’s our Canadian Volunteer Coordinator

Asked what is his prayer for Christians in the middle of this war-torn global reality: My prayer is that the members of the Church of Jesus Christ will be full of scripture and committed to acting out the commands of Jesus.  I pray that we will live lives of active, indiscriminate love for all people of all ethnicity, religion and age. All of the laws, all of the prophets and all of the New Testament hang on the command to love God and to love all people.

darnell@peacebuilderscommunity.org

_________________________________

 

CHRISTINA BARTEL BARKMAN

Christina started as an intern doing Peace Education.  When our leadership team read her reports and reflections about her experiences in the field, we appointed her as our Acting Communications Coordinator.  She has learned to articulate the historical context and the socio-political dynamics of the conflict in Mindanao.  Her writing is well-received by key leaders among the peace-building advocates in our network.  Christina has been doing a great job!

She’s now our Global Communications Coordinator

Asked how she sees her role at PeaceBuilders Community:  PBCI is not just a Mindanao peace movement, but a global one.  I want to help bring international awareness to the Mindanao conflict and support the people affected by the war through advocacy on a global scale.

christina@peacebuilderscommunity.org

 

_____________________________________

 

MEGAN ENNS

While Megan was in Mindanao, she worked with PBCI’s Field Operations as a Research and Development Assistant.  She wrote a report on PBCI’s best practices in their Ranao PAR Zone and produced a booklet. We like Megan’s positive attitude as she immersed herself in various cultural settings in Mindanao.

She’s our Canadian Volunteer – Research and Development.

Asked about how she viewed her work at PBCI: I felt properly oriented to PBCI theology and mission, and had an understanding how that theology is implemented in their operations. The placement served as an internship for my Bachelor of Arts in International Development and Peace and Conflict Transformation Studies. I hope to take awareness of PBCI work to Canada to share with my different communities.

megan@peacebuilderscommunity.org

 

____________________________________

 

MATT TIESSEN

Matt was in Mindanao for a year and thrived in our traffic system. He learned to work with Filipino mechanics in local repair shops. Matt was our Transporter. Repeat: Matt was our Transporter. If you saw the movie with the same title, just subtract the violent actions, and you’ve seen Matt. He transported our team to places that most professional drivers in the Philippines would not even dare to go, negotiating the difficult, critical, off-road areas in rural Mindanao.

Matt served as our Canadian Intern – Transportation and Communications.

Asked how he saw his role as a technical support person at PBCI: It is very important to keep our vehicle fit for service so that we don’t get stranded in a critical area.  Along with maintaining the vehicle, it is important for me to be a smart, safe, and efficient driver, getting my passengers safely and efficiently to our destination.

matt@peacebuilderscommunity.org

 

____________________________________

 

KEITH GRUBAUGH

Keith is from LaGrange, Indiana, USA and studied accounting at Trinity Western University in British Columbia, Canada.  We invited Keith to help enhance the business and financial systems of PBCI as it expands to be a national ministry.  We also encouraged and guided him to learn about Philippine national business and financial systems that are relevant and appropriate to our own economic and cultural contexts.

Keith was our Business and Accounting Specialist and Fair Trade Consultant.

Asked how he felt about his role at PBCI:  I feel truly privileged to be a part of the PBCI team and am excited to play my small role in securing the financial foundation for an organization that will help direct the Filipino culture towards a peaceful future.  (Is that ok, or were you looking for something else? I’m very excited to be here and feel truly blessed to be a part of this amazing organization.)

keith@peacebuilderscommunity.org

_____________________________________

 

JENNA GRUBAUGH

After participating in our Peace and Reconciliation Field Exposure Program, Jenna expressed her interest in spending more time in the Philippines and wondered if there would be a possibility for her to serve as an intern with PeaceBuilders Community.  Jenna’s educational background is in Peace and Justice Studies and Theater.

Jenna served as our Theatre Arts Specialist and Fair Trade Consultant.

When asked about the significance of Theatre Arts in advancing Peace and Reconciliation in Mindanao, she answered: In pursuing peace and reconciliation in Mindanao, theater arts can play an important role by breaking down the false barriers that divide us. Because theatre is an art form that can be accessed by anyone — no matter how much education they have, what religious beliefs they hold, or what language they speak — it can be a powerful way to communicate Christ’s gospel of love, acceptance, and true shalom. I’m excited for the potential outcome of collaborating with the people of Mindanao through the medium of theatre!

jenna@peacebuilderscommunity.org