Our Staff & Elders
Meet them on campus every Sunday during service times!
At Christ First Covina, we take pride in our dedicated team of leaders, each bringing their unique passions and expertise to the table. We've compiled some of the most passionate team leaders whose enthusiasm crosses over from ministry to ministry, fostering a collaborative environment that inspires growth and innovation. With diverse backgrounds and a shared commitment to serving our community, our team is equipped to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those we serve. Together, we strive to create a vibrant space where ideas flourish and lives are transformed.
Interim Lead Pastor
John is passionate about presenting God's Word in an accessible, practical, and understandable way that leads others into a deeper walk with God. Prior to serving as Interim Lead Pastor, he served as our Special Projects Pastor for 18 months. John has a Bachelor's degree in Religion from Vanguard University (Formerly Southern California College), as well as a Master's degree in Teaching and a Master's degree in Administration, both From APU. John and his wife, Paula, have been members of our church for many years, and their roots run deep within the Christ First family.
Worship Director
Josh is thrilled to bring his passion for music and ministry to Christ First Covina. He has been involved with various worship ministries for over 10 years and has enjoyed worshipping God through both hymns and contemporary music. He is committed to creating authentic moments that engage and inspire the congregation, but his ultimate goal is to lead them to the feet of God through worship. As long as God's people are worshipping, then he feels like he's done his job.
Family Life Pastor
Nicole is super passionate about discipleship and leading others in their walk with Christ. She also has a love for music and worship and is leading our Kids Choir ministry for our 1st - 8th graders. She has a Master of Divinity from Azusa Pacific Seminary and a Bachelor of Music in Music and Worship from Azusa Pacific University. Nicole and her husband, Josh, and their two daughters, Grace and Abby, love Christ First and are excited to be a part of God's work in His church.
Youth Pastor
Frankie has been serving in CHAOS Youth Ministry as a volunteer small group leader since 2013. Prior to that, he was a student in CHAOS while in high school, so Christ Frist and its Youth Ministry have a special place in his heart. In May of 2022, Frankie took on the role of Youth Pastor and is excited about the future God has for the students of CHAOS. Frankie met his wife, Alex, at Christ First. They were married in September 2020 and live in Covina with their two pups, Krypto and Indy.
Director of Operations
Jyl was days old when she walked (or was carried) onto the Christ First Covina campus for the first time, and she has loved this place ever since. After graduating from Azusa Pacific University with a degree in Business Administration, she joined the church staff as the Business Manager. She married her husband, Doug, in 1999. In 2005, they welcomed Mason, and in 2007 Carson came along, making her a “2sonmom.” The whole family loves serving the Lord at Christ First Covina in any way they can, but Jyl focuses mainly on the areas of business, administration, and Outreach.
Preschool Director
Jennifer has a calling to work with Preschool age children and their families to grow developmentally and spiritually as they navigate the first 5 years of life. She has had the privilege of working in Child Development since 1996 and has seen many generations of families return to our school with fond memories of their education. She has a strong inclication towards administration but also loves a messy paint day in the classroom with the kids. In her spare time, she enjoys a day at the beach, camping, or watching the newest series with her son Canyon.
Richard Crain
Chancel Choir Director
Richard was born in Arkansas (please don’t hold this against me!). His family moved west when he was 6 years old. Raised in the San Gabriel Valley, he attended Pasadena College where he was the Drum Major of the Official Tournament of Roses Band for two consecutive years. He went on to attend East Los Angeles College and Azusa Pacific University’s Masters in Conducting Program.
Feeling a higher-calling, he studied at Berean School of the Bible, now known as Global University in Springfield, Missouri. As a licensed minister, he served as a Worship Arts Director at First Family Church in Whittier developing musical and artistic worship expressions. During his time in ministry, he composed and created musical productions, produced choral recordings and sang with the Bonner Singers – recording in London and singing for the opening of Disneyland Paris, France. During this time he also served as musical conductor of the Southern California Edison Company Chorale, performing various community service performances.
Richard is married to his extraordinary wife, Ronalyn, and together they have two sons and two, loving daughters-in-law. His favorite pastime is spending time with his two, beautiful granddaughters.
Ty Tallakson
Elder Chairman
Ty Tallakson was born in California. He has been married 41 years to Sharon. They have two adult sons. One is married and the other plans to marry this summer.
Ty's college education was at Occidental College and Cal State University L.A. He has worked almost full time for the last 46 years. His work experience is in banking, food service
and the last 26 years in transportation brokerage. He was baptised as an infant and confirmed in the Lutheran church at the age of 12 years. He rededicated his life to Jesus Christ in
1981. He has served on various ministry teams since his rededication. He has been attending Christ First Covina since 2000. His wife has been at Christ First since 1972. The two of them have
been in our Chancel Choir since 2020. Ty would love to get to know you if you have not met him yet.
James Wotring
Elder Secretary
Born and raised in West Covina, James has been married to his wife, Angelina, for eight years, and together they are raising their daughter, Victoria. His faith journey began in high school and led him to Christ First in 2015, where he met Angelina through a small group Bible study. James has served faithfully since 2018 in the church’s tech ministry and now also welcomes guests at the front door, ensuring everyone feels seen and at home. Professionally, he has a diverse background in customer service, operations, and project management, and has worked as a Realtor® for the past ten years. Honored to serve as an elder, James brings a heart for hospitality, clear communication, and a passion for unifying the church’s vision and helping first-time visitors become lifelong members.
Steve Miller
Elder
Steve was born at Inter-Community Hospital and has lived in Covina most of his life. He graduated from Charter Oak High School in 1982 and earned a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Cal Poly Pomona in 1988. After a brief time working as a programmer, he toured with the Continental Singers as a lighting and sound technician, traveling the world and serving churches while witnessing many come to Christ. What began as a temporary part-time job in Media Services at Inter-Community Medical Center turned into a 35-year career, where he now serves as Director of Digital Productions for Emanate Health—at the same hospital where he was born. Christ First Covina has been central to Steve’s life since childhood; he made his decision for Christ at age 10 and has served in many roles, including Tech Team Leader for over 35 years. Steve and his wife, Nadine, were married at Christ First in 1995 and recently celebrated their 30th anniversary. Together with their son, Sam, their family continues to faithfully serve the church.
Richard Allen
Elder
Dick Allen was born and raised in California and grew up at Christ First, where he was baptized in the early 1960s. He and his wife have been members of the church for over 25 years and will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in December 2025.
Dick spent his career as a meat cutter and has served Christ First in many roles, including feeding the homeless, leading XYZ ministry lunches, serving on the host team, overseeing the kitchen, and most recently helping lead visits to homebound members. He and his wife have two children, five granddaughters, and one great-grandchild.
Having also served on the Elder Board at InterCommunity Church in Covina for about ten years, Dick is grateful for the opportunity to continue growing in his faith and serving God and the church family wherever the Lord leads.
Carlos Rodriguez
Elder
Carlos Rodriguez and his wife, Edda, have 3 kids and 2 grandkids. They have been in the SoCal area since 1979. Carlos has been a part of the Latino/Spanish church for the last 15 to 20 years. He has served the Lord in different capacities at Christ First and he has been an Elder of Christ First for over 4 years.
John Jauregui
Elder
John has been married to his wife, Olga, for over 40 years. Together, they have four adult children: Matthew, Emily, Gabriela, and Nicolas.
At the age of 21, John was invited to a Christian church and made the life-changing decision to accept Christ. He has been a dedicated member of Christ First Church for over 20 years and has lived in La Puente for more than 30 years.
For 33 years, John worked as a mechanic at a local bus company. Outside of his professional life, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, and being actively involved in his church community. He also loves playing pickleball in his leisure time.