Rev. Dr. Christy Newton
Executive Director
Rev. Dr. Christy Newton is the Executive Director at DSF, an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and has served Disciples of Christ and United Church of Christ congregations in Arkansas and California for over 25 years. Most recently, from 2013-2023, she served as Senior Pastor of First Christian Church (DOC) of Vallejo, CA. Since 2011, she has also taught Social Ethics and the Practice of Ministry online for Lexington Theological Seminary. Her teaching credits also include work at Pacific School of Religion, San Francisco Theological Seminary, the Graduate Theological Union, Church Divinity School of the Pacific, Chapman University, and Yagumo Juko in Nagoya, Japan. She regularly leads retreats and teaches a variety of courses in the areas of social ethics, leadership formation, spirituality, globalization, and culture. She is energized by practical and public theologies that insist on hospitality, justice, and compassion, and she is relentlessly inspired to help individuals and communities find ways to sustain their prophetic voices in a difficult and polarized world. Dr. Newton earned her M.Div. in 2000 from Pacific School of Religion and her Ph.D. in 2011 from the Graduate Theological Union.
Rev. Siobhan Lopez
Program Coordinator
Rev. Siobhan Lopez works as the Program Coordinator at DSF. She completed her Master of Divinity degree from Claremont School of Theology in 2016. She serves Iglesia Cristina Del Este De Whittier (DOC)/East Whittier Christian Church (DOC) as Co-Pastor for their English Ministry along with her husband, Rev. Gabriel Lopez. She is also an active member of the Pacific Southwest Region in ministries such as Disciples Women and the Youth Immersion Ministry, as well as the General church with La Obra Hispana and General Youth Ministry. Siobhan also holds a deep passion for those individuals and groups who are “in the shadows of the open table. People who are often overlooked or forgotten,” and works in partnerships to extend the table.
Jess Kim
Managing Director
Jess Kim is the Managing Director at DSF. She is a graduate of Chapman University (BA in English/journalism) and Claremont School of Theology (M.Div.). She has served on the boards of the Pacific Southwest Region and NAPAD and has been active in youth/young adult ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
Erin Zavala
Development and Communications Manager
Erin Zavala works as the Development and Communications Manager for DSF. She has spent most of her professional career working in marketing and media. She is a longtime member of First Christian Church of North Hollywood where she has served in many positions including Board Vice President, Christian Education Council member, Media Services Council Member, and Christian Nursery School Council Member, to list a few. She also worked for several years as the congregational liaison to the North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry, where she held a seat on the board. Erin lives in Valencia with her two children, Lucy and Noah
