Church Staff

Pastor
Rev. Mariellen Yoshino

email: myoshino@almadenhillsumc.org
Mariellen comes from a multi-generational family of pastors and missionaries who served in Japan, the US west coast, and south Alabama. Before becoming a pastor, Mariellen served as a missionary with the Appalachia Service Project, the UMC Board of Global Ministries, and as a Youth Ministries Director and a Deaf Ministries Coordinator with a church in Kansas.

Mariellen graduated from and counts as precious these alma maters: Andalusia High School (in Alabama), Davidson College (in North Carolina), Saint Paul School of Theology (in Kansas), and University of San Francisco (in California!).

Mariellen has pastored rural churches in Kansas and then, after 1990, she has pastored urban churches and been a District Superintendent in our Northern California-Nevada Annual Conference. She says, "It is an honor to be a part of this Almaden Hills United Methodist Church family! What a blessing it is to serve 'for such a time as this' in our country, with our city, and amidst our neighborhood."

Director of Music
John Hess

John has been the Director of Music at Almaden Hills since 1993. He has spent 20 years conducting choirs in various churches, and enjoys the warmth and community of Almaden Hills. He has also spent 8 years conducting symphony orchestras and currently sees about 800 children per week as a music teacher at several local schools. His music has been published by Fred Bock Music and Concordia.

Joint Youth Director
Lisa Jacobs

email: lisa3cyouth@gmail.com
Lisa graduated with a degree in Religious Studies (emphasis, Urban Ministry) from Westmont College in 2002 and joined our staff that year as Joint Youth Director. When asked if she'd like to pastor adults someday, she replies that she cannot imagine working with anyone other than teenagers, wherever God leads her. She believes that young people are very important to the congregation, and it is her desire to foster relevant, affirming programs that point teenagers toward God.

Parish Nurse
Garnet Martinez

email: garnetz@aol.com
Garnet graduated from San Jose State University in 1984 with a bachelors degree in Nursing. She presently works full time at Kaiser Santa Clara as an RN Care Coordinator for California Children's Services. Garnet and her family have been attending Almaden Hills for over 30 years, and has served on Health Ministries for the past 8 years. She is eager to work with church members concerning their health issues, as well as develop classes for life planning. She is dedicated to sharing God's word by helping to meet the physical, as well as spiritual needs of the congregation.