Pete Seiferth
Pete began serving as Executive Director of TRM in 2024. Pete was originally drawn to TRM in 2016 when he met Cherie Gray (TRM’s founder) and was invited to serve on the Board of Directors, eventually becoming the Board President in October of 2019. Pete has previously served as the Interim Senior Pastor and Head of Staff at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, and as Pastor for Discipleship and Multicultural Ministry at Northminster Presbyterian Church in Tucson. He led NPC’s Refugee & Immigrant Ministry seeking to bridge relationships between immigrants and non-immigrants, while equipping the church to walk alongside refugees and asylum seekers. Pete has studied at the University of Arizona (Anthropology & Religious Studies), Austin Seminary (MDiv), and Fuller Seminary (DMin). Pete met his wife Lori while they were both students at the U of A, and they have two sons. Pete was born in Buffalo, NY, and his family migrated to AZ before his eighth grade year. Pete and Lori have sojourned from Tucson, to Phoenix, to the Texas hill country, to the front range of Colorado, and back to Tucson - where it feels like home!
Terry Alexander
Terry was born and raised in Colorado along the front range. After graduating from the University of Northern Colorado, she moved to Arizona. She has been serving in administrative roles in various non-profits in Tucson since 2017.
She had the honor to join the TRM staff in 2024. This has been a “full circle opportunity” to work with the Refugee community. Her and her husband Rick have been volunteering in church settings for over 3 decades, often with a focus on international people groups. This opportunity is one that speaks to her heart to serve our neighbors in this wonderful way.
Terry and Rick have raised three wonderful children (2 sons and a daughter) and have two wonderful daughters-in-law. They now are enjoying the role of grandparenting to 3 beautiful grandkids. Whenever we get the chance, we will find ourselves out in nature or traveling with our family whenever possible.
Marjie Brecht
Marjie attended college in Kutztown, PA. She obtained her BA in Special Education. Marjie, her husband and their four children moved to Arizona in 2001. The kids are now grown and she loves spending time with them as well as her two grandchildren. Marjie and her husband attended info sessions where Cherie Gray would present valuable info about international cultures as well as local opportunities to connect with refugees. Marjie felt so encouraged by hearing Cherie speak that she wanted to know more and she began volunteering in many ways. She values the calling within the hearts of God’s people to get involved. And she loves mentoring the church as they build relationships with refugees.
Jesus Sandoval
Jesus was born and raised in Tucson, AZ. He graduated from Amphitheater High School where he enjoyed being a part of student leadership. While serving as president of 2 clubs, he was introduced to the refugee community and was eager to help raise awareness for their well-being. Jesus has two certificates in Ministry Leadership through Ministry Resources Institute. He has worked alongside several local churches, agencies, and nonprofits to raise awareness for refugees. He has also partnered and volunteered with Tucson Refugee Ministry since 2011.
Rhonda Martin
Rhonda was born in Illinois but has lived in Tucson for 22 years. She graduated from James E. Rogers College of Law at the U of A in 2017. Rhonda has been volunteering for a variety of Tucson ministries for the past two decades, and has been involved with Tucson Refugee Ministries for five years, serving in a variety of ways including being a craft teacher, craft coordinator, and counselor for Kids Kamp for the past 5 years.
Michelle Hillis
Michelle began with TRM in 2021, volunteering as an intern with teen girls while working on her graduate seminary studies. After receiving her Master’s in Christian ministry, she worked in hospice care as a Chaplain and bereavement coordinator. Michelle was delighted to be called on staff with TRM in 2024, where her heart for fostering relationships, mentoring volunteers and serving on global missions aligns with TRM’s vision to cultivate authentic and lasting relationships between the church and our newest neighbors.
Michelle has spent over two decades serving in various church leadership roles including children, youth, and women’s ministries, with a special passion for Christian Spiritual formation and discipleship as well as serving with local and global church missions. Michelle finds her greatest joy in being a pastor’s wife to her husband David Hillis, and mom to their 2 sons, daughter and son-in-law.
Affiliates
Gary Stokes
Gary’s passion is for serving ministries that are centered on Jesus and that reach out to every tongue and tribe and nation. He has degrees from Indiana University in Religious Studies and History, as well as an MBA in International Finance. Gary, his wife Susan, and their daughter Anna, arrived in Tucson in 2001 to restart Vineyard City Church. The church became the most diverse church in town, with folks from all economic, educational, ethnic, and racial backgrounds. During that time, Gary and Susan became leaders for the Vineyard church in Sri Lanka and currently work with six congregations there. Four years ago they helped start Goshen International Church, a diverse congregation aimed to be a community for young African refugees. Gary is now an advisor and mentor for the Tucson Refugee Ministry staff.
Arrive and Thrive
Jeffrey Simons
Jeffrey was raised on the Southern California coast. After receiving his degree from Biola he soon took on a missionary position serving in Mexico.
Jeffrey and his wife Sil returned to the United States in 2020, and shortly found their way to make Tucson home. Jeffrey joined TRM in 2022 at the Program Director for a new start-up program “Arrive and Thrive”. The program has flourished and grown under Jeffrey’s leadership.
Jeffrey and Sil are proud parents of 4 adult children. In his free time, Jeffrey enjoys bicycling, surfing, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
Greta Culler
Greta grew up in Kentucky and after earning her bachelors came to Tucson for graduate school at the University of Arizona in the fall of 2023. While earning her Master’s degree she learned about Tucson Refugee Ministry through a family picnic. She fell in love with the refugee community and began volunteering weekly. Summer of 2024 she was an intern helping out with Kids Camp and the Teen girls’ group.
She Joined the TRM staff fall of 2024 as the Driving Coordinator, shortly after graduated from the University of Arizona with her Masters in Economics. She has always had a heart for service and for helping those who have found themselves in hard situations.
When Greta is not serving our refugee neighbors, she likes to find herself outdoors hiking. Greta also enjoys crafting when given the opportunity.
Dina Lama
