Executive Board
Who We Are
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Convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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Wife to Larry M. Johnson https://www.facebook.com/larryjynene.johnson
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Mom of 6 (3+3), Mimi to 18 https://www.instagram.com/jyneneann/
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Former professional dancer and choreographer
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Israel travel director for 30 years
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Religious teacher and leader
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Love to sew and DIY
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Home Entertaining
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Oregon raised
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Museum lover
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List maker
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BYU alumni
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Dream to be with my family forever!
Jynene Johnson
President
Pattie Mercado
Vice President
Reverend Pattie Mercado joined the GHBIC when she was called to serve as the Spiritual Director at the Huntington Beach Center for Spiritual Living in February 2019. Pattie and her husband of 34 years have 2 adult children and share a strong commitment to serve their spiritual community together. For the past 20 years Patie has participated as a leader, collaborator, and participant with local and global organizations to bring forward a greater conversation and experience of individual value and collective unity.
Marsha Rechsteiner
Secretary
Marsha has been a member of the Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council since 2014. She has been an active member of the Sts Simon and Jude Catholic Community. She has served there in numerous Leadership roles over the last 25 years. She continues to be very involved in the annual Community Service Day sponsored by GHBIC. She has also served as President of GHBIC 2018-2020
Marsha and her husband Brian (Retired Board of Trustee for the HB City School District for 24 years) were both very active, in the Huntington Beach School Districts, both Elementary and High School. Marsha still works as an Educational Consultant for Chancy and Bruce Educational Resources. Marsha and Brian have been married since 1973. They have 2 married children, Julie and Erik, as well as 2 granddaughters and 1 grandson.
Emrah Erduran
Treasurer
Emrah Erduran is the Community Liaison of Pacifica Institute. He taught Math in Middle schools and High schools and worked as a school administrator. Currently, he is a small business owner. He has been living in Huntington Beach since 2012 with his wife and two kids. He dedicates to serve to the community by volunteering for several organizations. He has served the Silk Road Festival organizing committee, GHBIC’s Community Service Day, and 4th of July Parade committees. He is dedicated to interfaith and intercultural dialog. He organized several luncheons, seminars, talk series and forums. During the month of Ramadan, he has been organizing Iftar dinners with various faith groups. He is a member of Orange County Sherriff’s Department Interfaith Advisory Council and The United Nations Association of Orange County (UNA-OC).
Nathan Biornstad
Member at Large
After completing his undergraduate degree at Portland State University, where he double majored in business management and marketing, the Rev. Nathan Biornstad moved to California and attended Fuller Theological Seminary. With a spiritual background in both the Conversative Baptist and Pentecostal churches, the Rev. Nathan Biornstad sought an ecumenical Christian education at Fuller Theological Seminar, where he studied for his Master’s in Divinity. In 2003, Nathan discovered the Episcopal Church when a friend invited him to a Taizé service at Church of Our Savior in San Gabriel. A couple of years later, Nathan joined Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Covina where he became actively involved. Eventually, Holy Trinity became Nathan’s sponsoring parish for the priesthood. During his ordination process, Nathan was the Youth Director at Church of the Epiphany in Lincoln Heights and Adult Education Coordinator at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Upland. In May 2014, he completed his degree in Anglican Studies at Bloy House, and in January 2016, Nathan was ordained to priesthood. The Rev. Nathan Biornstad bi-vocationally served as an Associate at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Monrovia, California (2014-2018), Church of the Transfiguration in Arcadia (2016-2017), and St. Cross Episcopal Church in Hermosa Beach (2018-2021). Since 2021, the Rev. Nathan Biornstad has served on the board of HFS Adoption and Foster Care. The Rev. Nathan Biornstad became the Rector of St. Wilfrid’s Episcopal Church in Huntington Beach in 2021, and joined the interfaith council in the same year.
Jenna Sagan
Member at Large
Cantor Jenna Sagan joined the Congregation B’nai Tzedek community as the Cantorial Soloist in July of 2014, and began serving her community as senior clergy in July, 2023. Jenna grew up in Huntington Beach, where she attended the Academy of Performing Arts at Huntington Beach High School. Following High School, she graduated from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television, and in addition to her cantorial certification, she holds her dual Judaic and General Studies teaching credential from Hebrew Union College’s Jewish Institute of Religion. When not leading services, teaching music in the religious school, and serving her community in pastoral care, she uses her theatrical talents as a fully credentialed K-12 teacher in the greater Orange County area. Jenna is honored to be a part of the GHBIC community.
Kelly Frankiewicz
Member at Large
Kelly Frankiewicz, a cradle Episcopalian, was raised world wide as the daughter of a US Airforce Officer. Her BA in Art is from Oberlin College, Ohio where she met and married her petroleum engineer husband in 1967. They have 2 daughters, 2 Sons in Law, and 5 amazing grandchildren. Kelly taught upper division Mathematics at Mater Dei HS, Santa Ana, CA, 87-95. Led and lectured for Bible Study Fellowship International (BSF) 9 years, then entered Seminary, receiving the Master of Divinity degree from Fuller Theological, Pasadena in 2010 with classes at Dallas Theological, Houston, and Talbot School of Theology, La Mirada. Throughout the past 15 years she has served under 5 Methodist Pastors, preaching as needed 5-6 times a year. Since 2016 she has developed her repertoire of acrylic on canvas paintings, often showing at the HB Art Center and other CA galleries. Since 2017, Kelly has volunteered with the American Red Cross as a Shelter Supervisor, Disaster Spiritual Care provider, and a Blood Drive Ambassador. Kelly has been active in the GHBIC since 2009.
Kelly is currently serving at Leisure World, Community United Methodist Church Seal Beach.
Christina Hernandez
Member at Large
Christy Hernandez is the Executive Director of Dance 4 Joy Ministries, a non-profit dance ministry & studio in Costa Mesa and Irvine CA that serves in communities, churches, and schools in the US and abroad training up the next generation to proclaim the Gospel in the art of dance. She is a professional tap dancer, master teacher, choreographer and producer in Southern California, holding a BA in Creative Arts and Dance from San Jose State University (SJSU) and a teaching credential in Elementary Education from California State University Fullerton. Christy has also been the Director/Instructor of Tap Dance at the Academy of the Performing Arts @ Huntington Beach High School for the last seventeen years, an invited facilitator of dance at the Dancer In Me Sacred Arts and Music Training Institute for the last six years, and a resident director of liturgical dance ministry in Orange County CA for the last five years.
Maneck Bhujwala
Past President
Maneck Bhujwala was born in Bombay, India and came to the United States in 1965 as a graduate student. He has Master’s degrees in Engineering, Business Administration, and Interfaith Action. He worked as engineer and manager for many high-tech companies in California, including on a NASA project. He co-founded two Zarathushti (Zoroastrian) organizations, and served on their Boards. Currently he is Overseas Director of the World Zoroastrian Organization U.K., and serves as a volunteer priest. He has been with the Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council (GHBIC) since 2005 and served on its executive
committee. He currently also serves on the Boards of Orange County Interfaith Network, and North American Interfaith Network, on the Administrative Committee of the Center for Religion, Loma Linda University, and on the Advisory Council of The Guibord Center, Los Angeles. He also gives talks at schools, colleges, churches, interfaith organizations, radio and TV, and Parliament of World Religions.
