Meet our Interim Leadership Team!

David has been an FDC Mission Co-worker with Frontera de Cristo since 2017. A native of Valledupar, Colombia, David completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Biblical Studies in Bogotá in 2002. He was one of the first five seminarians to attend the newly-established Mennonite Biblical Seminary of Colombia where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Theology in 2002. Early in his pastoral career, David and his wife, Marina, an educator, began putting their faith into action. As mission workers of the Mennonite Brethren Church, they served a resource-poor neighborhood of Bogotá where they established a Mennonite congregation and children’s school. “It is so important to us that we are not just listening to the word of God -- we are acting on it.”

David and Marina migrated to Nogales, Sonora on the US/Mexico border in 2015 when they wereinvited to be Mennonite mission workers in Mexico. In 2016, when Frontera de Cristo hired Marina to lead the FDC Children’s Enrichment Program, they moved to Agua Prieta-Sonora. FDC also needed administrative support, a perfect match for David’s skills in business, finance, management and accounting. As FDC Administrator, David also supports FDC programs and trains its partners to develop their own program management skills. “Right now, I’m completely immersed in using the administrative talents that God gave me,” he says. “I use my talents with gratitude.”

Lisa Showalter serves on the Shalom Leadership Team as the worship point person, where she continues to merge her passion for worship with her dedication to social justice. A graduate of Goshen College with a degree in music, Lisa has a background as a private piano instructor and as the Minister of Worship and Music at North Main St. Mennonite Church in Indiana. In 2015, Lisa relocated to Tucson, where she was deeply inspired by the work of social justice within the Shalom community. In 2020 she began serving as the Local Program Coordinator of the Tucson Mennonite Voluntary Service Unit. She has found a powerful intersection between worship and social justice, believing that worship not only nourishes and encourages, but also challenges us to take hope into the world and our work toward bringing God's kin-dom to earth.

Outside of her work, Lisa enjoys reading, writing, cooking adventurously, knitting recklessly, traveling extensively, and sharing laughter with everyone she meets. She lives with her husband, Brian, their two spirited sons, an unruly pup, and a sassy cat.

Cheryl and her spouse, Nelson, have called Tucson home for the past seven years and deeply appreciate the beauty, resilience, and creatures of the Sonoran Desert. At Shalom Mennonite Fellowship, Cheryl has found abundant opportunities to engage in peace and justice work while embracing the challenging call of Jesus within the Anabaptist tradition. She is deeply honored to serve on the Interim Leadership Team, focusing on pastoral care and worship. Cheryl holds a B.A. in Religious Studies with a minor in Peace Studies from Elizabethtown College and earned her Master of Divinity from Lancaster Theological Seminary. She has received chaplaincy training, served as a spiritual director, and taught spiritual direction in two training programs. Cheryl has had the privilege of walking alongside many on their spiritual journeys, supporting them in deepening their faith formation practices. She also served on a pastoral team for twelve years.

Her training and calling have centered on spiritual direction, pastoral care, worship, and retreat leadership. Passionate about supporting each person on their unique faith journey, she offers compassionate pastoral care and spiritual companionship. Cheryl joyfully anticipates sharing her gifts and contributing to Shalom’s vibrant faith community.

Simba Rusita is honored to be part of the Shalom LeadershipTeam at Shalom Mennonite Church. His  journey has taken him across three continents—Europe, Africa, and North America—where he has worked in faith-based leadership, administration, and community service. His mission has always been to serve and uplift others. He has served in roles that bridge cultural and language gaps, helping communities navigate new beginnings. As a dedicated interpreter and advocate for refugees, Simba understands the importance of creating a welcoming space for all. His goal is to support our church in fostering connection, faith, and service.

Shalom Church is special to him because it is a “true reflection of the Kingdom of God—a multicultural, beloved community that welcomes all, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, social status or religion.” Here, he have found a place where faith meets action, and where love and inclusion are at the heart of everything we do. As a student of life, He is committed to learning, growing, and meditating on God’s Word. His hope is to bring wisdom, experience, and a servant’s heart to his role as interim leader.

Becca Anderson is a Tucson native who has grown to love the desert as an adult. Her background is in education, having taught in the public schools ages preschool to 5th grade for more than 10 years. Becca is joining the Shalom Leadership Team with a focus on youth and children, also assisting with preaching and pastoral care. Becca graduated from Northern Arizona University with an education degree then pursued a Master’s degree in education from University of Arizona, thinking she would spend her life in the classroom. When Becca became a parent, she began examining the theology of her faith and choosing to let go of what was not life giving. This led Becca to seminary at Palmer Theological Seminary where she got a Master’s in Practical Theology.

In 2020, Becca and her family found Shalom and quickly knew she had found her faith home in the Mennonite Church. She appreciates being in community with like-minded people whose faith motivates their actions working for justice. It is refreshing to hear current events and even politics (gasp!) addressed in our faith community. The intercultural community of Shalom has taught Becca to learn from others, be brave in trying new things, and that God is so much bigger than she ever imagined. Becca enjoys reading books and articles, knitting socks, practicing Spanish, and being outside. She lives with her spouse, Ryan, and their two daughters.