Compassion Connect Staff
Milan Homola
Executive Director
Milan and his wife,Tara moved to Portland to attend Multnomah University and have since fallen in love with the Pacific Northwest. They came from the midwest. In the fall of 2005 God put it on Milan's heart to work with Gary Tribbett and Clear Creek Community Church. They had a shared value of seeing the churches work together to serve.
Milan and Tara have made Portland their home and they currently have two beautiful daughters. They enjoy getting outside as much as possible (most people do when they come from the midwest to the pacific nw). They make camping a priority in the summers and love spending time with close friends.
They are blessed with the awesome responsibility to carry out God's calling on their lives at both Clear Creek Community Church and Compassion Connect.
Gary Tribbett
President of the Board
The joy of Gary Tribbett's life comes from his wife of nearly four decades. That joyful partnership in life and ministry has blessed them with two incredible daughters, their amazing husbands and seven awesome grandchildren.
To love and serve Jesus is the passion of Gary's heart. Jesus' plan to bring grace to people from all walks of life motivates his life and career as a pastor of Clear Creek Community Church, where he has served since its foundation in 1994. God's preparation for Gary's ministry includes twenty-five years in electronics, process control technology and management. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biblical Literature and Master of Divinity degree from Multnomah University and has a Doctor of Ministry from Western Seminary.
For Gary, ministry is God at work in the world through the one Church. As Christians work together in harmony, divine strength builds the kingdom of God one soul at a time. As a visionary, this philosophy is foundational for Gary as he looks for every opportunity to advance God's grace in the world.
Dr. Constant Lu
Volunteer Director of Dental
As a dentist since 1995, Constant Lu had participated in short-term healthcare outreaches in places like Mexico and the Philippines. But then, in 2005, when he helped at a local outreach in Gresham, Oregon, he saw the need for local low-cost healthcare, when large numbers of patients needed to be turned away due to overcapacity.
Since then, he has joined with Compassion Connect to help fulfill the mission to bring the love of Jesus Christ to our local communities, by empowering them with tools and resources necessary for effective dental outreaches. His work is supported by his life partner and wife, Erlyn, who is a dentist from the Philippines.
Constant received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Washington in 1990, and his Doctorate in Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) from Creighton University in 1995. Since then, he has established and operated a solo dental practice in Vancouver, Washington. He also plays keyboard and sings for his church worship team, and has been a board member of several non-profit groups. He especially enjoys spending time with his wife and his son, Isaac, traveling and participating in various sports.
Shinji Mae
Executive Assistant
Shinji has lived in Portland metro since 1989. He has graduated from Concordia University, Portland, with degrees in Behavioral Science and Missions along with an exchange studies of Culture and Social Studies at Japan Lutheran College, Tokyo, Japan. After earning the Master of Divinity at Multnomah University, he has worked at numbers of local non-profit organizations. His passion is to serve the people whom Christ has particularly cares in such a way that He uses Compassion Connect to bring His message and compassion to them.
Shinji is married to Vanessa and has a son, Isaac. They enjoy music-full lifestyle. Shinji teaches music at local churches and classes to train new generations of young worship leaders with historical methodology of music varying from classical music to rock music.
Jennifer Nash
ACI Program Director
Originally from Corvallis, Jennifer moved to Los Angeles to study Psychology at Biola University. She received her Master in Social Work from California State University, Long Beach in 2005. She spent the next four years working with a small non-profit organization focused on empowering leaders from at risk neighborhoods to take ownership of the changes they wanted to see in their community. She has experienced first hand how powerfully God can use committed relationships in creating transformation in people’s lives.
Having recently relocated to Portland, Jennifer is happy to be back in the Northwest and relishes being close to family. She is excited to join the Compassion Connect team who has such a clear calling to help churches engage their local communities.
Julia McMahan
Administrative Assistant
Though she was born in Texas, Julia grew up in Oregon, which she now considers home. She loves going to the beautiful beaches, rivers, and lakes near Portland. She began attending Multnomah University in 2007, and is excited to graduate in May of 2011 with a degree in Bible and Theology and a minor in Youth Ministry. Julia and her husband, Justin, live in Northeast Portland and are a part of Mosaic Church. They got married in July of 2010 and are enjoying growing together in marriage. Julia’s passion is to bring healing and justice to abused and hurting children through the love of the connected and unified Church. She is excited to see more churches come together in unity to serve their neighbors.
Joy Kruger
Intern: Donor Relations Specialist
Joy is a California native who transplanted to Oregon for Multnomah University in 2006. There she met her husband, Jared, and they were married in October of 2011. Joy and Jared love the outdoors, reading, and trips to warmer climates. Since graduating with her Masters in Business Administration in 2011, Joy now has time to enjoy Zumba and art. She is excited to see the unified church accomplishing great things through the facilitation of Compassion Connect
Benjamin Downing
Volunteer Art Director
Ben was born in Oregon, raised in Oregon, and lives in Oregon...well maybe he was born in Nevada. Either way he is married and works for Detail Difference. He has served with Compassion Connect for three years as a graphic designer. Though she was born in Texas, Julia grew up in Oregon, which she now considers home. She loves going to the beautiful beaches, rivers, and lakes near Portland. She began attending Multnomah University in 2007, and is excited to graduate in May of 2011 with a degree in Bible and Theology and a minor in Youth Ministry. Julia and her husband, Justin, live in Northeast Portland and are a part of Mosaic Church. They got married in July of 2010 and are enjoying growing together in marriage. Julia’s passion is to bring healing and justice to abused and hurting children through the love of the connected and unified Church. She is excited to see more churches come together in unity to serve their neighbors.
Karen Masulis
Volunteer Prayer Coordinator
Karen is a nurse who does an exceptional job of praying for people and ministries. She has served as the prayer coordinator for Compassion Connect for one year. She helps us make sure we seek the Lord and invites others to participate with us in prayer. Her passion is to see churches come together in unity through prayer and service to see their communities transformed.
Karen and her husband, Paul, have been married for 30 years and have one grown son. They are Growth Group leaders at Good Shepherd Community Church. They enjoy hiking in the national forest and traveling together to explore God's beautiful creation. Karen is a nurse who does an exceptional job of praying for people and ministries. She has served as the prayer coordinator for Compassion Connect for one year. She helps us make sure we seek the Lord and invites others to participate with us in prayer. Her passion is to see churches come together in unity through prayer and service to see their communities transformed.
Stephanie Kensinger
Volunteer Abolition Now Director
Stephanie is a passionate leader from Good Shepherd Community Church in Oregon. The issue of human trafficking in Portland was brought to her attention in 2010. Since then, she has felt called to raise awareness and collaborate with organizations and churches in order to set God's beloved free. She enjoys nothing more than playing soccer, going on "adventure walks" and attending Timbers games with her amazing family.
Kate Wilkins, Linda Tribbett, Marie Sanford
Volunteer Adorned in Grace Directors
Kate Wilkins, Linda Tribbett and Marie Sanford are the "Energizer Bunnies" of the Adorned in Grace ministry. Linda happened into the connection between wedding dresses and anti-human trafficking when she and her husband, Gary, brought a beautiful young woman out of a life of exploitation and into their home, eventually helping her with her own wedding celebration. After the wedding, Linda found that the Lord continued to bring dozens of donated dresses into her life, at which point Marie came alongside to help market those dresses to socially conscious brides-to-be who wanted to help needy women while finding beautiful gowns. Kate came along just as the ministry was on the way out of its first home, and helped establish it in its present Southwest Portland location. All three of these women have grown children and supportive husbands, who understand when and why they pour their hearts into Adorned in Grace after their day jobs. Linda, Marie, and Kate are excited to see how the Lord expands the prevention-side of the ministry through the Design Studio space where mentors and at-risk girls will together re-fashion wedding dresses into original creations.
Compassion Connect Board of Directors
Jim Savino
Board Member
Jim and his wife Lynne moved back to Portland 2 years ago after having lived overseas in the Netherlands for the past 11 years. They have been blessed with twin daughters, Alex and Katie, age 17, and can’t believe that the girls are almost finished with the high school years. Time with family is Jim’s main priority, which has been an interesting challenge having worked in the corporate world for the past 27 years.
God is working in his life, and brought him to Compassion Connect to serve the ministry in any way possible. Putting everything in God’s hands, focusing on the eternal, while living in the temporal is where Jim is heading, which promises to be a lifelong journey.
Donna Thatcher
Board Member
Donna and husband Jim have three grown sons, and seven grandchildren. We have attended Cedar Mill Bible church for the past 31 years. Our passion has been to help young adults to become involved and committed christians. My desire to use my medical background to reach out to the uninsured and vulnerable population in my community led me to get involved with Compassion Connect. I have served as part of the leadership team in the Beaverton Compassion Clinic. During the planning for the Beaverton Compassion Clinic our leadership team developed close bonds between the participating churches in our community. I would like to see my home church start a free community clinic staffed with volunteers from the Beaverton area churches
Chuck Bomar
Board Member
Chuck Bomar has been in local church ministry for over 15 years. He moved to Portland, Oregon in 2008 to plant and pastor Colossae Church. He is also founder of CollegeLeader.org and has authored five books and numerous other resources to equip church leaders to further the gospel. This mission takes him all over the country training leaders and speaking at conferences across the country. He and his wife Barbara have two beautiful girls, Karis and Hope. You can check out Chucks new book Worlds Apart: Understanding the mindset and values of 18-25 yr olds. here
Lindsay Coppinger
Board Member
My husband Roy and I, both officers in the Air Force, have three grown children all living in the Portland area. I’ve been an active member of Cedar Mill Bible Church where missions has been my primary focus for over 30 years. After being a volunteer for the Westside Compassion Clinic, I was challenged to take on a leadership position for the new Compassion Beaverton Clinic last year. I was honored to be asked to serve on the Compassion Connection board, and my enthusiasm grows out of the importance they place on Christ, unity of the local church, and outreach to those most in need within the community. Through what appears to be harsh negative economic factors, The Lord, in His sovereign timing, has developed opportunities of serving our community in His name. Serving with Compassion Connect has been inspirational as I’ve seen first hand the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on unifying the participating churches and the giftedness and enthusiasm of their volunteers
Dr. Roger Trautmann
Board Member
Dr. Trautmann is the director of internships and Dean of Students at Multnomah Biblical Seminary in Portland, OR. He is married and has three adult children and a whole group of grandkids. He spent many years as a pastor in both California and Washington. Along the way he got involved with a ministry that develops pastors in Africa, and he has since gone every year for 13 years to teach the bible with African pastors. He is a life-long learner and strong discipler of the next generation.
Dr. Bob Sayson
Board Member
Dr. Sayson is the director of Good News Community Health Center, a local free medical clinic in Gresham, OR that is Christ centered. He has a family and is a grandfather. He first served at Compassion Rockwood in 2006 and brought a heart of prayer and outreach to the team. He has since motivated hundreds to step out and serve God outside the boundaries of the status quo.