Board of Directors 

Randy Christopher, Director e-mail B.A. English, U.C.L.A. M.F.A. Theater Arts, U.C.L.A. M.S. Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling, C.S.U.N.

Randy has been a member of Pasadena Mennonite Church since 1992. He began working with children and adolescents over twenty years ago. He has been a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of California since 2001. This interest led him into the world of education, public and private. A full year as a teacher in an L.A.U.S.D. classroom left him scratching his head over the public school system. In 1997, Randy found himself at Aspen Education Group, a company that owns and operates some 30 private schools and programs around the country.

During his years at Aspen, Randy had the opportunity to learn school administration first hand. He ran a number of the private schools for various lengths of time, and was responsible for overseeing quality assurance standards, including Academic Best Practices, at all Aspen programs. At the Peace & Justice Academy, Randy is charged with keeping the business end of the school running smoothly. But his passion lies in developing a unique school culture where the typical teen cliques and shallow interactions are replaced by mutual respect and compassion.

Kimberly Medendorp, Director e-mail B.A. English from Trinity Christian College MAT with an emphasis in Youth Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary National Board Teaching Credential California Administrator’s Credential

Kimberly has been a resident of Pasadena and part of Pasadena Mennonite Church since 1993. She has been a secondary teacher since 1997. She has taught for LAUSD in East Los Angeles and for Pasadena Unified. In 2004, she received her National Board Teaching Credential. She has been involved in leading the English/Language Arts Department at her school as Department Chair and recently received her administrator’s credential. She has led many teacher trainings and workshops and enjoys mentoring newer teachers.

Kimberly is passionate about creating a school environment where everyone can learn and thrive. She is committed to meeting the needs of students and using the skills she has developed in her teaching throughout the years. Kimberly is a firm believer that truly authentic teaching and interacting with students comes out of knowing herself and teaching out of her relationship with Jesus Christ. Her desire is to be able to integrate her Christian faith, professional experience, and vision for the school.

Joe Bautista, Board Member Bachelors of Science, University of Southern California Master of Arts, Fuller Theological Seminary

Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Joe has spent much of his life moving from city to city to pursue various educational and career-related opportunities. For the last nine years he has lived in the city of Pasadena. He is currently a member of Urban Village, an intentional community focused on the intersection of art, environmental stewardship, social activism, and Christian discipleship. Up until very recently, Joe was a database administrator at Fuller Theological Seminary where he ended his twelve-year streak as an IT geek in order to be able to spend more time at home and with his friends.

Hans Rosenberger, Board Member B.A. Physics, minor German, Goshen College, 1995 M.S. Electrical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, 1999 MBA University of Southern California, 2006

Hans has been a member at Pasadena Mennonite Church since moving to California in 1999 to work at the Jet Propulsion laboratory as an instrumentation engineer.  After completion of his MBA in 2006, he was a founding partner in solar companies in Berlin Germany, and Altadena California since 2008.

Hans lives in Altadena and enjoys time spent with his girlfriend Joy, his bicycles, pets, and garden.  He's also a member of Pasadena Rotary Club where he is active on the committees.  He's honored to be joining the Peace and Justice board as a new board member in 2011.

Katherine Jameson Pitts, Board Chair A.B. Psychology, Reed College, Portland, OR M. Div. Princeton Theological Seminary Ed.S. Counseling and School Psychology, Wichita State University Ordained to Christian Ministry in Mennonite Church, USA, 1998

Katherine was the Transitional Lead Pastor at Pasadena Mennonite Church from 2006 to 2008. She has also served Mennonite congregations in Kansas and Pennsylvania and has a special interest in including children and youth in the full life of the congregation. From 1991 to 1996 Katherine was a school psychologist in the Wichita Public Schools, working with students of all ages from preschool through high school to find appropriate educational interventions and environments for each student.

While in Pennsylvania, Katherine’s own daughters had the opportunity to attend Lancaster Mennonite Middle School and their family experienced first hand the difference a Christ-centered educational environment where community, peace, and service are the highest values can make. Her hope is that other children can have the opportunity to learn in a setting where they are known and loved as God’s children.

David Dufault Hunter, Board Member B.S. Speech, University of Texas, Austin M.A. Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary

Dave Dufault-Hunter is Vice President of Enrollment Management at Azusa Pacific University. Prior to that he served as Admissions Director at Oaks Christian School, a private secondary school in Westlake Village. He is a longtime member of Pasadena Mennonite Church volunteered to help the Peace & Justice Academy in any way he could. So Dave now shares his passion for Christian education and peacemaking, and  18 years of financial aid and enrollment-related expertise with us. Dave’s philosophy is “it’s all about relationships.”

Jon Takasugi, Board Member B.A. University of California, Santa Cruz J.D. University of Southern California School of Law

Judge Jon Takasugi sits on the bench of the Superior Court. Previously, he acted for 18 years as a Los Angeles County Public Defender. Jon is Executive Director of the Pro Bono Bar Review, a free bar review course that helps poor and minority law students pass the state bar examination. And Jon is a member of the South Pasadena Neighbors for Peace and Justice. Jon says the Peace & Justice Academy allows him to teach our youth the principles to which he’s so dedicated.