Staff
Currently Hiring:
Director of Lifespan Faith Engagement: Click HERE to view more
Rev. Omega Burckhardt, Senior Minister
Rev. Dr. Omega Burckhardt’s ministry is informed and nurtured by deep spirituality found in social justice, covenantal collaborative practice, and community-building. Her ministry has centered on prison and immigration reform, food scarcity, and climate initiatives, and belief in the collective power of intentional gathering and mutual support infuses her vocational directives.
Before coming to Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church in Pasadena, Rev. Omega served at First Unitarian Universalist Church in San Diego at both Hillcrest and Chula Vista campuses. Rev. Omega was born in St. Louis, Missouri, but lived for periods of her youth in southern Mexico. She later lived in Chile, Spain, and Brazil for a short stint. She holds an M.A. and Phd in Latin American Literature with a focus on the poetry written in exile during the dictatorships of the 1970s and 1980s. She taught Spanish and Hispanic Literature and Culture at Marquette University for 10 years, where she also directed an international program for language and culture acquisition through videoconferencing. As a bilingual minister, Rev. Omega weaves Spanish and poetry into her worship services. An avowed Religious Naturalist, Rev. Omega received her Masters of Divinity from Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago, Illinois.
Rev. Omega believes that a sense of wonder and joy in faith formation are necessary, even while recognizing the complexities of an increasingly complicated world. She fosters a space where each individual–from the youngest to those most gifted with years–can find community, connection, and a place to engage their minds, bodies, and spirits.
Rev. Omega can be reached by email: revomega@neighborhooduu.org or by calling (626) 449-3470 ext. 416
Staff Members
Elizabeth Richer Campo, Executive Director
Elizabeth has extensive nonprofit management experience including nearly 15 years with The Pasadena Humane Society and SPCA where she was Senior Vice President. Most recently, she was the Director of Operations for The Gabriella Foundation. She brings a proven track record of success in business management, fiscal oversight, fundraising, and operational planning, in addition to her BA in Religious Studies from CSUN.
You can reach Elizabeth by email: ecampo@neighborhooduu.org or by calling 626-449-3470 ext. 411.
Amy Brunell, Director of Community Engagement
Amy Brunell was raised in a multi religious household and continues to identify as multi religious, with a lifelong curiosity about theology and spiritual traditions. Her family began attending the Unitarian Church of Santa Monica in 1970. Amy also happily attended Camp de Benneville Pines, where she participated in youth, family, and later L.R.Y. camps. After leaving the UU community around 1980, she rejoined the Santa Monica Unitarian Universalist Church with her family in 2005. She is currently a member of Throop Unitarian Universalist Church in Pasadena.
Amy has served as a volunteer Dean at Camp de Benneville Pines. She has also facilitated workshops both in person and online for the U.U. community, including programs exploring the Unitarian Universalist Principles and the Article II Values.
Amy’s professional life has been wonderfully varied. Her experience includes work as a bodyworker, wedding photographer, and Weight Watchers coach. She is now pursuing her calling to ministry. In May, Amy graduated with her Master of Divinity from Starr King School for the Ministry. She completed her ministerial internship at Unity Church Unitarian in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Amy hopes to become an ordained UU minister with a focus on justice practices, family ministry, and music ministry—bringing together her lifelong curiosity about faith, her love of community, and her many years of experience in UU youth, family, and camp life.
You can reach Amy by email: abrunell@neighborhooduu.org.
Xiomara De Paz, Special Events and Facilities Manager
Xiomara brings a wealth of experience in operations, facilities management, and logistics to her role at Neighborhood. With 18 years of experience as an Operations Manager for a security company as well as 17 years as an Interior Designer, she has developed a strong background in overseeing diverse teams, ensuring safety, and managing complex operations.
In her most recent role at Sequoyah High School, she was known for maintaining a secure environment for staff, students and visitors. Her ability to contend with a broad range of personalities in a friendly, professional manner is an invaluable tool in managing the church’s facilities and events.
Xiomara grew up in Pasadena, and holds a Business Office Administration diploma from UEI. She is currently pursuing an Associates of Arts in Business Accounting. She loves spending time with her family and her two dogs, Oreo and Tootsie, as well as hiking, beaching, and watching documentaries.
You can reach Xiomara by email: xdepaz@neighborhooduu.org
Rylie Covone, Communications Specialist
Rylie is a seasoned communications professional with a diverse background in various industries, including real estate, travel, and influencer marketing. A Philadelphia native, she earned a Bachelor of Arts from Temple University before relocating to Los Angeles in 2016. She is known for elevating brand messaging and fostering engagement through dynamic writing, design, and public relations. Rylie is also a working actress, and enjoys fitness, yoga, spending time in nature, and laughing with loved ones.
Rylie’s work is infused with a spirit of compassion and inclusivity for all. She is dedicated to amplifying Neighborhood Church’s mission and strengthening the bonds of community within the congregation.
You can reach Rylie by email: rcovone@neighborhooduu.org.
Sue Iri, Pastoral Care Coordinator
Sue has been a member of Neighborhood Church since 2000 and has been involved in Pastoral Care since 2002. She is an artist who has worked as a fashion illustrator, art director, and graphic designer. Recently, she fell in love with photography and has since created non-representational art using Photoshop and her own photographs. Sue’s religious education and interest in liberal religion began in her small Upstate New York hometown, where her mother played the church organ while Sue and a group of friends sang in the choir.
Sue has a lifelong love of and connection to animals (her own cat is a rescue.) She loves the outdoors, hiking in nearby parks, gardening and pet sitting. The Brandy Lovely Meditation Garden and other campus gardens have been an ongoing project for her at Neighborhood along with several other members. All are welcome to join them!
You can reach Sue by email: sirigrafx@gmail.com.
Stanley Brooks, Custodian
Stanley Brooks was born in San Diego. He has several siblings that he has yet to meet. He enjoyed his childhood and spent his time in school as a teacher’s aide. He graduated high school with honors and decided to continue his lifelong education in a variety of trades. He values integrity and positivity over wealth and he is happy to work in a place where those qualities are prioritized.
Musician Staff
Saunder Choi, Director of Music
Saunder Choi is an award-winning Filipino composer and choral artist based in Los Angeles. His music is often described as fresh, earnest, and vibrant (SF Classical Voice), layered, multi-stylistic, driven by rhythm, advocacy, and storytelling. He is the 2024 recipient of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Raymond BrockPrize for Professional Composers. His music has been commissioned and performed internationally by ensembles including Conspirare, Philippine Madrigal Singers, Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Pacific Chorale, Cantus, the Choral Arts Society of Washington, and others.
As an arranger and orchestrator, he has written for Tony Award-winner Lea Salonga, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Orquestra Filarmónica Portuguesa, San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, and the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles.
Saunder also performs professionally with Pacific Chorale, L.A. Choral Lab, and HEX Vocal Ensemble. His studio singing work includes major film scores such as The Lion King(2019), Turning Red(2022), Nope(2022), Avatar: The Way of Water(2022), Superman(2025), Super Mario Galaxy (2026), and others.
He is a graduate of Berklee College of Music and the USC Thornton School of Music. He views music as advocacy, using his work to center issues of immigration, racial justice, LGBTQ+ narratives, climate justice, and his identity asa Filipino-Chinese artist.
You can reach Saunder by email: schoi@neighborhooduu.org
Wells Leng, Associate Director of Music
Wells Leng is a multi-instrumentalist performer/composer/improviser based in Los Angeles. Having graduated from USC with a BM in Composition and a BA in Piano Performance and CalArts with an MFA in the Performer-Composer program, they have studied composition with Donald Crockett, Brian Head, Andrew Norman, Frank Ticheli, Andrew McIntosh, and Nicholas Deyoe; piano with Antoinette Perry and Vicki Ray; cello with Erika Duke-Kirkpatrick. As both a performer and composer, Wells has collaborated with many other artists all over the world. An active member of the LA taiko and Japanese music community, they have worked closely with prominent artists such as San Jose Taiko, 33 Strings Japanese Ensemble, Yeeman Mui, Shoji Kameda, and Kozue Matsumoto. Wells is also part of the multi-instrumental experimental music trio, House on Fire. Both as a collaborator and soloist, Wells has performed in such venues as Carnegie Hall, REDCAT Theater, Aratani Theatre, among others. They are a prolific choir accompanist, having accompanied countless choirs, including but not limited to, the National Children’s Chorus, San Gabriel Valley Choral Company, Youth Chorus LA, LA Choral Lab, and the Zanaida Stewart Robles Singers. Wells is currently the associate music director and collaborative keyboardist at Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church.
F. Thomas Simpson, Bell Choir Director
F. Thomas Simpson is an award-winning teacher and composer, having appeared as a handbell expert on such programs as “Anderson Cooper,” “Martha Stewart,” and NBC’s “Today.” He has served in various churches and schools across the country, working with all ages as a handbell choir director and a general music specialist. Thomas is the executive director of the Pasadena Arts Foundation, a nonprofit music organization dedicated to providing support for Youth Bands of Los Angeles and the Crown City Ringers. His compositions are published by Hope Publishing Company, Shawnee Press, The American Baptist Sunday School Board, and the Trilson Music Publishing Company. Thomas earned a Bachelor of Music Degree in voice with a minor in piano and organ studies from Westminster Choir College.
Adrian Bañuelos, Bass Section Leader
Adrian Bañuelos has been the Bass Section Leader at Neighborhood Church since September 2018 and has enjoyed every minute of it. He is a first-generation Angelino who simply loves to create and perform. He studied both music and animation in college and obtained a Bachelor of Music degree from Cal State Northridge in 2016. Since then he has worked with the nonprofit organization, EduCare, offering after school music and animation classes at Walnut Park Middle School. He is currently in the process of transferring to Locke High School where he will aid the music staff in building a choir and tutoring music students. His end goal is to make a career out of creating and telling compelling stories through music and art.
Tiffany Lantello, Alto Section Leader
Versatile musician Tiffany Lantello received a Bachelor’s of Music from Cal State Northridge, where she studied film scoring, jazz arranging, classical trumpet performance, and vocal performance. While earning a Master’s in Fine Arts from California Institute of the Arts, she continued her compositional and performance practice from world-renowned musicians.
There, she expanded her musical palette by studying North Indian Classical music on the sitar. Her study influenced many original compositions for sitar and string quartet, as well as a sitar concerto, called Garland of Melodies.
Her priority in her music-making is to be honest and genuine to her expression, and being a multi-instrumentalist with a passion for various styles of music allows her the breadth to do so. She teaches, orchestrates, arranges, writes, performs, and records her original music and songs as well as working collaboratively with other artists.