Our Elders
“And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” –Acts 14:23
Upper Row, Left to Right: Michael D., Bill F., Chris H., David R.
Lower Row, Left to Right: Mike R., Chris S., Tim W.
Send Michael an email
Michael and his wife Tammy have been members at Conejo since 1993, after moving from Austin, Texas. Michael is an English professor at Pepperdine University, while Tammy is a freelance editor. They have two sons, Tyler (married to Cubbie and living in Chapel Hill, North Carolina) and Jonathan (a recent Pepperdine graduate with a Psychology major).
Send Bill an email (link will be added soon)
Bill and his family have been members of the Conejo church since 2016. His wife, Melissa, is a school nurse and has served Las Virgenes Unified Schools, Calabasas CA, since 2016. They have three children: Joel (and Claire), Julie, and Sarah. Joel is the youth minister at Pepperdine University Church, Malibu CA; Julie is a tech recruiter in Sacramento CA and Sarah a senior nursing student at Harding University in Arkansas. Bill has been actively involved in church ministry for several years, serving on several committees, life group formation, adult education and children/youth summer camps.
Send Chris H. an email (link will be added soon)
Chris and Rene Heard, along with their five-year-old son Nathan and not-quite-yet-born son Nicholas, moved to the Conejo Valley in 2003 when Chris was hired to teach Old Testament at Pepperdine University. They quickly found their church home at Conejo. Within a few years, Rene joined the church staff, first as a part-time office manager and later migrating into a role managing church media. Chris has been active in public worship and adult education over the years, and was called to the eldership in the spring of 2022. Chris has a special interest in promoting careful, communal biblical interpretation for the well-being of the church.
Send David an email (link will be added soon)
David and his wife Joy have been members at Conejo since 1986. They have two adult sons, Casey and Corey, who were raised at this church, active in the youth group, and now both live on the East Coast. David has spent his career working in education as a teacher, coach, and administrator, and Joy works as a legal assistant. David began his tenure as an elder in the spring of 2022.
Send Mike an email (link will be added soon)
Mike and his wife Darlene have been members of the Conejo church since 1996, when they moved to the area with their two children, Rachel and Michael. Mike was a high school science teacher and coach early in his career and later a Professor in the Secondary Education department at CSUN until retiring in June 2021. Darlene is a Professor of History at Pepperdine University. Mike and Darlene have been blessed with five (soon to be six) precious grandchildren. They have felt a special calling over the years to nurture the spiritual formation of young adults, and Mike has been active in supporting missions.
Send Chris an email
Chris and his family have been members of the Conejo church since 1988. His wife, Sandy, is a gifted teacher who has served in our children’s classrooms, led children’s choruses, and directed musicals. She has also led worship at our women’s retreats. They have three children: Melody, Holly, and Stacy. Chris has been actively involved in worship ministry for several years, serving on related committees, planning services, and leading our worship assemblies. His desire for the Conejo family is that we worship “in spirit and in truth,” praising the Father from our hearts and making our lives themselves an act of worship. Chris has been an elder since fall, 2001.
Send Tim an email
Tim and his wife, Jan, have been members of Conejo Valley since 1989. Tim teaches Old Testament at Pepperdine University, and Jan teaches English at Oak Park High School. Tim and Jan have three children — Megan is an animator in Vancouver, BC;, Daniel is a professional set designer based in New York City; and Conner is pursuing a teaching career in Boston. Tim has served for several years on the Adult Education Committee. Tim joined the staff of elders in the fall of 2005.
