Meet the members of the Board of Directors who help guide HCMA.
We are always looking for new Board members. If you have a recommendation, please contact the HCMA Office.
Kirk Stevens- Chairman of the Board
- Kirk received his bachelor’s degree from Cal Poly University and his master’s from the University of California, Riverside
- Recently retired, after 25 years from Beckman-Coulter where he was managing software development for various clinical chemistry projects
- He previously worked in the defense industry on projects for NATO as well as for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory on various space exploration projects for 12 years.
- He has been active on the elder board at Granada Heights Friends Church and has now transitioned to co-chairing the missions committee.
- He has been married to his wife, Gretchen, for 42 years and has two married children, Philip and Heather, and four wonderful grandchildren.
Don Jentes- Vice Chair of the Board
- Originally from Ohio, Don graduated from Grace College with a BA in Social Studies in 1964 and then from Grace Theological Seminary in 1968 with a Diploma in Theology
- He previously pastored two churches, one in Garwin, IA and the other in Albuquerque, NM
- He has served at Valley Health System (Now Physicians for Healthy Hospitals), in Hemet, CA as a Staff Chaplain since October 20, 1982.
- He serves as Area Director and Teaching Chaplain for the Inland Empire and has served on the HCMA Board for 13 years.
- Don and his wife, Sylvia, were married for over 40 years, until she passed away 8 years ago.
- Together they had a son, who passed way 2 years ago, and a daughter; along with 3 grandchildren.
David Armstrong- Treasurer of the Board
- David earned his Ph.D. and master’s degree in Sociology and a Master’s of Marriage and Family Therapy degree from the University of Southern California in 1995
- He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona in 1989.
- With his passion for helping people emotionally, physically, and spiritually, he began focusing on their emotional needs as a Marriage and Family Therapist
- He later began to focus on their physical needs as a health economist working as a Director for Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
- He has served the global church by being an usher, going on missions, participating in small groups and service projects.
- David currently lives in Southern California with Pam, his wife of 28 years. He has two daughters, Nicole and Erin.
Johnny Sawada- Secretary of the Board
- Johnny is a Pharmacist; Health Economics and Outcomes Research division of Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceutical, Inc. for 6 years.
- He has served as a licensed pharmacist for 34 years in various roles in healthcare and facilities including in the home
- He has served as an Elder Board Officer at Calvary Church for 6 years
- He has served as a Calvary Christian School Board Member for 7 years
- He volunteered in short term missions through Homes of Hope with YWAM, building homes in Mexico for 7 years
- He has served in his church as a Bible teacher in theology, apologetics, Spiritual Gifts, Baptism classes; Small Group Leader; and Hospital visitations
- Johnny is married to his wife Ruth and together they have three children: Jonathan, Rachel and David.
Linda Burkett
- Linda is a Registered Nurse and Certified Diabetes Educator.
- She is currently working for a medical device company.
- She is involved in her professional nursing association and serves on the research committee
- Linda serves the Lord by teaching Sunday School, and is currently with 4th grade girls.
- She enjoys reading, quilting, gardening, and traveling in her spare time
Irene Brodersen-Durham
- Irene has recently retired from her Chaplain Position at Valleywise Health in Phoenix, AZ., where she was a Chaplain Manager for the Department of Psychiatry.
- She is currently an HCMA Board Certified Teaching Chaplain, serves on the HCMA Training and Certification Committee
- She has been serving as an HCMA Board Member since 2008
- She was a recipient of the HCMA Timothy Malyon Award in 2016.
- Irene and her husband, William (Bill), have a blended family with eight children. They travel between their two homes in Arizona and Georgia, where their family predominantly reside.
Richard Gonzalez
- Richard became a Chaplain with HCMA in 1994 and retired in 2015.
- He did his training at USC Medical Center.
- Following completion of his training, he remained with the USC system of hospitals as a Board-Certified Chaplain (BCC).
- In 2001, he served briefly as a Chaplain at the World Trade Center Disaster with the Salvation Army and at Ground Zero of the disaster area
- In 2004 he was hired as a Chaplain Coordinator and in 2006 he became the Lead Chaplain and Director of Pastoral Care of the Palomar hospital district in San Diego, CA.
- Richard is currently a Teaching Chaplain with HCMA and serves as a member of the Annual Conference Committee.
- In 2019 he was awarded the HCMA Tim Malyan Award
- Prior to answering the call to chaplaincy, Richard was employed by Los Angeles County where he held management level positions for about twenty-nine years of his thirty-three years of service
- Richard has been married to his wife, Linda, for fifty years. Together they have pastored several churches in the Southern CA area. They are the parents of three children: two boys, and one girl who has special needs.
Larry Montgomery
- Larry has a background and education in finance, fund raising and marketing.
- He has served as Director of Membership Development with the Christian Community Credit Union for 19 years and retired as of December 2019.
- Prior to working with CCCU he was the Assistant to the President at Mission Aviation Fellowship for many years and assisted in the development department
- He is active with World for Jesus Church and serves as an ordained minister.
- For 5 years he was the Chairman of the Board for Inland Empire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
- He holds an honorary doctorate degree from Promise Christian University and is currently serving on the Board of Trustees
- Larry is widowed from his wife Charlotte and spends most of his time with his 3 children, 4 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.
Warren Rich
- Chaplain Warren was first introduced to HCMA in 1972, when his father Rev. Lyle Rich became a Certified Chaplain
- Following time in the Navy and schooling, Warren served for 10 years as a youth pastor in two different churches
- He began training as a chaplain under his father and in 1985 became a certified Chaplain with HCMA and worked with his father, until he retired, at St Clare Hospital, in Lakewood, Washington
- Not long after becoming a chaplain, he was invited to join with Lakewood Fire Department responding directly from the hospital to Codes
- In 1998 he developed the role of Lead Crisis Chaplain responding from the main Trauma Hospital and covering all 5 Franciscan Hospital. He continued in that role for the next 17 years, until his retirement in October 2015
- He has served for 9 years as Washington State Area Director and on the HCMA Conference and Ethics Committees.
- Chaplain Warren lives in Shelton, WA with his wife Judy a retired ICU RN.
