Reverend Matt Hardin
Pastor/Head of Staff
The Reverend Matthew Hardin began his ministry at Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church in January of 2021. After graduating from George Mason University in 1999 with a degree in Philosophy, Matt worked for two years in the Internal Affairs Division at the US Customs Service in Washington, D.C. Following his heart and a sense of call, he then attended Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia. He was ordained in the PCUSA in 2004.
Matt’s first call was as a solo pastor of a small church in North Carolina where he served until accepting a call at Tokyo Union Church in Tokyo, Japan in 2009. He most recently served as the Associate Pastor at Westwood Presbyterian Church (in Los Angeles) before joining the Pali Pres family.
Matt is currently pursuing his Doctor of Ministry degree in the field of men’s spirituality, an area of special interest to him since being introduced to the work of Richard Rohr in 2010. Matt serves as the Los Angeles Region Coordinator for Illuman SoCal, a global not for profit organization committed to supporting men who are seeking to deepen their spiritual lives.
His hobbies include traveling, jogging, eating chocolate, and all things baseball. Matt is married to Mary Fish Hardin who is a middle school teacher at Brentwood School. Together they have two amazing boys, Joshua (8 years old) and Luke (6 years old).
The Reverend Dr. Grace Park is a native of Southern California, born at St. John’s in Santa Monica, and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in Political Economics, with studies abroad in both the U.K. and Japan.
After a brief foray into the business world, then teaching severely emotionally disturbed (SED) high risk youth in Pacoima, she graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary with a Masters of Divinity in 1993, focusing on multicultural studies and pastoral counseling. She holds a doctorate of ministry from New York Theological Seminary, and her dissertation focused on clergy self care through interfaith dialogue and community.
Pastor Grace was ordained in the PCUSA in 1996, and has served in many different roles in the church as a children’s pastor, youth pastor, and associate pastor. She has had the blessing of doing urban missions with focus on the homeless as well as short-term missions in both Mexico and in Central America.
When she is not at church, she works as a hospice chaplain with Apguard Hospice, serving those who are making their transition from life to death. She also serves at Cedars Sinai Medical Center each week as a chaplain intern in their Clinical Pastoral Education program. Recently, she sat on the Board of New Theological Seminary of the West and served on the Leadership Council of Angel Interfaith Network. She is also a member of the National Charity League and she and her husband support scholarship efforts for first generation college students.
Grace enjoys water sports, travel, yoga, is an avid reader, a fond patron of the arts, and a devout foodie. She has been married for 30 years to Charles, a physician, and they are the proud parents of four adult children: Elijah, Hannah, Joshua and Jubilee, as well as three rambunctious dogs.
It is her deepest honor to be a part of the Pali Pres family!
Reverend Dr. Grace Park
Associate Pastor
Lucy Garcia
Director of Children and Family Ministries
Lucy Garcia is a Southern California native with international experience.
She was born in San Fernando, raised in Pasadena, moved to Mexico as a teen, then returned to Los Angeles, where she became a Christian at the age of 25. For the entirety of her walk with God, she has served either as a volunteer leader or paid staff member for various non-denominational Christian organizations both in the U.S. and abroad, particularly in Latin America.
As a community organizer, Lucy has worked as Director of Development for the Arthritis Foundation and the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life in various communities throughout Los Angeles. Before becoming a committed Christian in 1997, Lucy worked in the entertainment industry in TV and Film Production, Public Relations, Artist Management, and Record Label Artist Development. She loves listening to music and attending as many concerts as possible.
Lucy’s multicultural experience includes being invited as a keynote speaker for international women’s and missions conferences in Europe, Australia, Asia, Latin America, and major cities in the United States. She is bilingual and multicultural. Most recently, Lucy served as a Director of Charities for the International Women’s Club of Mexico City, where she co-led the English and Tutoring Programs for two displaced young women’s homes; a haven for girls in dire situations. She is passionate about elevating the role of women in the church and raising children in the love of God. Lucy considers being the mother of her two grown children, Carlos and Andrew Mejia, as her greatest accomplishment.
Lynda Park is the Interim Director at Pali Pres Preschool. She is originally from Mexico and was raised and educated right here in the Palisades. She has worked at various preschools in West LA. and has a range of experience as a teacher and administrator. Lynda’s background has provided her with a love for learning about different cultures and religions and has encouraged me to keep an open mind to new things.
Her husband, James, works at UCLA and they have three children, Hailey, who is 17, Ethan who is 3 years old and Jake who is 1 year old. They also have an adorable dog named Bailey. They love sports and are Rams and Dodger fans. They also enjoy going to the movies.
Lynda Park
Preschool Interim Director
Hi, my name is Zeke Rippy. I've been working in preschool settings as a teacher or administrator for over seventeen years and carry my BA in Early Childhood Education from Pacific Oaks College. My wife and I have two children, Lucy and Cole, who are both in their twenties and a puppy named Birdie who has kept us quite busy over the last year! We enjoy our family time together and count each day as a blessing. Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of your family's life during this school year!
Zeke Rippy
Preschool Assistant
Anthony Wamble is a native Pacific Islander, multi-instrumentalist, recording artist, worship leader and teacher. He has a major in Graphic Design with double minors in Music and Psychology.
He has led his marching band drum line to national championship finals, spends some time recording as a studio musician, and performs live with his own music.
He teaches curriculum music to elementary and middle schools in the Los Angeles area teaching instrumentation, theory and preparing them for school musicals and performances. He also teaches curriculum STEM-STEAM-Technology Integration in the top ten L.A. based middle schools. Anthony’s passion for teaching technology and music has led him to open two locations of his learning center ATAM – Academy of Technology Art and Music where he teaches students of all ages and skill ranges.
Anthony Wamble
Contemporary Worship Leader
Pierre Tang
Director of Traditional Music
Dr. Pierre Long-Tao Tang is a conductor/pianist/singer from Hong Kong. As a passionate educator, Tang is a sought-after guest conductor, adjudicator and clinician for instrumental and vocal ensembles internationally. In his recent guest appearance with Diamond Bar High School from California, Tang conducted Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique at the newly renovated David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, New York City with a positive critical review. Currently, Tang serves on faculty at University of San Diego, and formerly at Pepperdine University.
As a pianist and vocal coach, he serves on the roster of staff pianists at the University of California, Los Angeles, and accompanies at University of Southern California, Colburn Community School, The Masters University etc. He is a member of the Greenberg-Zukovsky-Tang trio in Los Angeles, performing alongside the distinguished former members of the LA Philharmonic and LA Chamber Orchestra. Tang is also choral pianist for many choruses in Southern California San Diego Symphony’s recent production of Mahler Symphony No. 2. As a professional choral singer, he sings with the San Diego Symphony, Montreal Symphony and Los Angeles Philharmonic as guest chorister.
Will Saunders
Office & Operations Manager
Farrah Mikail
Church Business Administrator
Natasha Perez
Church Accounts Coordinator
Enrique Portillo
Facilities Manager