Meet Your 2020 Desert Southwest Conference Delegates
General Conference & Jurisdictional Conference Delegates

Rev. Dan Hurlbert
Clergy First Elect and pastor of Prescott UMC in Prescott, AZ
About Dan
Rev. Dan Hurlbert in an elder in the Desert Southwest Conference. Dan was born in Phoenix, Arizona. His great, great, grandfather brought the family to the Phoenix area in the
Dan became active in connectional ministries as a youth first attending Annual Conference in 1979. Dan has served churches in rural and urban areas and been a campus minister. He spent twelve years on the board of ordained ministry, the last five as chairperson. He believes his legislative expertise to be in the area of higher education and ministry with particular knowledge of the candidacy and ordination processes.

Paul Gomez
Lay First Elect and Manager, Hispanic/Latino Seeker Communications at UMCOM
About Paul
A Las Vegas native, Paul is a reserve delegate representing the Desert Southwest Conference. Paul has been active in ministry in the UMC for 10 years as a PK. He’s an Arizona State Sun Devil and is a member of Red Mountain UMC in Mesa, AZ. Paul has served on the executive committee of the General Commission on Communication and the GCFA Committee on Personnel, Policies

Rev. Anthony Tang
Clergy First Reserve and pastor of Desert Mission UMC in Scottsdale, AZ
About Anthony
Rev. Anthony Tang’s grandfather arrived in Arizona in 1919. Born and raised in the Valley of the Sun, he attended both University of Arizona for undergrad and Arizona State University for a 2003 Executive MBA. His MDiv degree was earned in 1997 from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.
Anthony is blessed to have served on the General Commission on Archives and History and to currently serve on the General Council on Finance and Administration which has helped refine his global perspective of the church’s ministry. He is also a member of the WJ Committee on Appeals, a part of our legal structure, and has been elected second (i.e., first reserve) to General Conference in 2012, 2016, and 2020. He is thankful to be pastor of Desert Mission UMC of Scottsdale.

Julie O'Neal
Lay Second Elect and Member at Dayspring UMC
About Julie
As a 5th generation United Methodist in Arizona, Julie has a wide range of experience in the church and has held various leadership positions throughout the denomination for over 25 years. She graduated from Arizona State University and was honored as a Crusade Scholar at Saint Paul School of Theology where she received a Masters of Theological Studies. She has worked at and with several general agencies of The UMC and also serves as a representative from the Council of Bishops on the National Council of Churches Justice and Peace Table. She is a member of Dayspring UMC in Tempe, AZ.
Jurisdictional Conference Delegates

Trinity Donovan
3rd Lay elect East District Co Lay Leader

Rev. Beth Rambikur
Director of Connectional Ministries

Carla Whitmire
4th Lay Elect East & West District Administrative Assistant

Rev. Dee Dee Azhikakath
Board of Ordained Ministry and Conference Candidacy Registrar
Glenda Hill
5th Lay Elect Active Church Member!

Rev. Mary Klaehn
Chaplain at Tucson Medical Center
Jessica Brown
1st Lay Alternate

Matthew Harris
2nd Lay Alternate

Marjorie Hrabe
3rd Lay Alternate

Rev. Javier Olivares
Pastor at Nuevo Pacto UMF and 1st Clergy Alternate

Rev. Gary Kennedy
Pastor at Willowbrook UMC, Sun City and 2nd Clergy Alternate

Rev. Timote Piukala
Pastor at Tongan UMC, Mesa and 3rd Clergy Alternate