Father John Kerns, Parish Priest Archbishop Vlazny assigned Fr. John Kerns to serve as the first parish priest of St. Juan Diego. Fr. Kerns was ordained in 1985 and has served in various parishes and as the Director of Vocations for the Archdiocese. Most recently he served eight years as the pastor of Portland’s All Saints Parish and School.
	Deacon John Riherd Deacon Riherd was ordained a Permanent Deacon for the Diocese of Spokane in 1999. Deacon John is on leave to the Archdiocese of Portland and was assigned by Archbishop Vlazny to St. Juan Diego Parish in October of 2003. While in Spokane he served as a board member on the Washington State Catholic Conference, was President of the Bishop’s Finance Council, and Chairman of the Diocesan Deposit and Loan Committee. He has a Master of Arts in Religious Studies and has served as a volunteer Chaplain for Hospice for many years. He is a practicing attorney and also is a principal in a consulting business. Deacon John and his wife have two grown children and two grandsons.
	Kathy Yee, Pastoral & Admin. Associate Fr. Kerns hired Kathy Yee as the Pastoral and Administrative Associate. She holds a master’s degree in theological studies and has had extensive pastoral experience as a youth and campus minister at St. Anthony in Forest Grove and most recently teaching middle school religion at St. Cecilia Catholic School in Beaverton. She also has administrative and organizational skills that will help greatly in getting the parish up and running.
	Patty Duggan, Liturgical Music Coordinator Fr. Kerns hired Patty Duggan as the Liturgical Music Coordinator. Patty holds a Bachelors Degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Portland. She has worked in Liturgical Music as a Pastoral Musician for over twenty years. In her previous position as Liturgical Music Coordinator in San Diego, Patty directed a traditional choir, a youth group, 2 hand bell choirs and supervised 2 additional music groups, for a parish of 5,000 families that held 8 services each weekend. She has been involved with St. Juan Diego Parish since its formation and is excited to provide leadership for a growing parish with such musical talent.
	Mary Stevanus, Bookkeeper Mary Stevanus, a parishioner of St Juan Diego Parish, was hired by Fr. Kerns in January 2005 to be a part-time bookkeeper for the parish. Mary is semi-retired, having an extensive background in both public and private accounting. Most recently she was part-time accountant for St. Luke Productions. She retired in 2001 from full-time employment as Accounting Manager for the Hillsboro Argus. Mary volunteers in the parish ministries of Hospitality, RCIA and Liturgy Planning. This spring, Mary completed training as a director of Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life (SEEL), an Ignatian Spirituality for lay people.