Our Leadership
Rev. Dr. Jack Cabaness
PASTOR
Pastor Jack grew up in El Paso, Texas and has zig zagged east and west ever since. Before moving to California, he served churches in Missouri, Vermont, Colorado, and New York. He has been Covenant’s solo pastor since October 2022.
Pastor Jack strives to craft sermons that resonate with both head and heart, and he works with the congregational leadership to facilitate opportunities for serving, learning, and fellowshipping together.
Jack has a B.A. in History from Dartmouth College; a Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Christian Education from Union Presbyterian Seminary; and a Doctor of Ministry in preaching from McCormick Theological Seminary. He has published a collection of sermons titled Risking a New Beginning.
He enjoys reading, hiking, and daily honing his skills at Wordle. He and his wife Emma have two children, ages 8 and 9, and one corgi. You might find all five of them on the hiking trails!
Donald E. Dillard
Director of Music
Donald was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and received his early music training at the Settlement Music School with concert pianist, Charles Engel.
He was awarded a full scholarship to West Chester University, West Chester, PA, where he was a piano and voice major. His graduate studies were done at Westminster Choir College of Rider University, Princeton, NJ where he served as teaching assistant in the Theory Department.
​
Donald is an active composer of over 150 works for orchestra, chorus, instruments, piano, organ and voice, including three fully scored cantatas and two oratorios for soloists, chorus and orchestra, as well as concertos for violin and orchestra, cello and orchestra, and organ and orchestra, three song cycles for solo voice and orchestra, three symphonic poems, and other orchestral works.
​
His music has been performed throughout the United States, South America, Japan, and in Europe. His piano solo works have been performed internationally by the late concert pianist Richard Fields. Orchestral works have been performed by the Detroit Symphony, Grand Rapids Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Delaware County Symphony and the Orchestra Society of Philadelphia.
Sandy Gifford
Office Manager
Sandy was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. She started her professional career as a high school English teacher but soon became an office manager at a county court house in Missouri, continuing later as an administrative manager for law firms in Washington, D.C., and most recently in San Francisco and Mountain View.
Her favorite activities are yoga, reading, walking, and enjoying music and live theater. She and her husband, John, live in the old Wagon Wheel neighborhood of Mountain View.
Kathy Kerns
Financial Secretary
Kathy Kerns has been the financial secretary since 2008. Her day job is as head of the Education Library at Stanford University. She has been a librarian in universities since 1971.
Kathy came to Covenant in 1988 just a month after coming to Stanford. Having spent most of her time before that in rural New York State, she was looking for a small, friendly church, preferably Presbyterian. Her hobbies include knitting, reading, and singing in the choir. Over the years she has also served as a both deacon and elder at Covenant.
Beverley Dere
Co-Treasurer
Beverley was baptized and grew up at Covenant. She is thankful to be part of Covenant’s family again, after returning to the area to take care of her parents. She enjoys working with Ellen as Co-Treasurer, serving on numerous committees, and playing in the bell choir. In addition to caring for her mother, Beverley tends to their garden and knits for charity.
Ellen Wunder
Co-Treasurer
Ellen has been a member of Covenant since 1977. She's served multiple times as a Deacon and an Elder, and has been a part of the bell choir for many years. She began her work as Co-treasurer, along with Beverley, in 2016. Outside of church activities, Ellen keeps busy fostering kittens, enjoying her own cats and her backyard chickens, gardening, and working on knitting and sewing crafts.