Meet our Staff
With a wealth of experience, Pastor Joe steps into the role of lead pastor at St. Paul's UMC. His journey has seen him guide several churches in the New Mexico Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC), including FUMC Belen, Hamlin Memorial UMC, Rio Rancho UMC, and FUMC of Truth or Consequences. Before becoming a pastor, Joe's life was deeply intertwined with music, serving as a Music Director at several churches in the Houston area, then moving to New Mexico.
Joe holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Music from Houston Baptist University, a Master of Divinity Degree from the Iliff School of Theology in Denver, and a Doctor of Ministry Degree from the Austin Presbyterian School of Theology.
He is married to Rev. Cazandra Campos-MacDonald, and together they form a family deeply rooted in music. Joe and Cazandra met as music majors at Houston Baptist University, where he was a vocalist, and she played the oboe and French horn. Cazandra furthered her studies with a Master of Divinity degree from the Iliff School of Theology and now serves as a Hospice Chaplain.
Julian is their oldest son, a professional actor and singer. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Northwest Texas A&M. He hopes to sing on Broadway someday.
Caeleb is their youngest son and a Sophomore at the University of New Mexico, majoring in computer animation and film editing. He hopes to work behind the scenes in the film industry.
Pastor Joe is an avid fan of competitive figure skating and trained when he was in college. He still puts on his skates and loves the power and the freedom that ice brings. Pastor Cazandra and Pastor Joe are actively involved in the Bleeding Disorder Community both locally and nationally, as Julian and Caeleb have Hemophilia. Both Cazandra and Joe write for an online hemophilia magazine called Hemophilia News Today. The MacDonald family is not only excited but also deeply committed to calling St. Paul's our church family. We look forward to many years of ministry and fellowship with all of you.
Donna spent her early years on a farm in Wisconsin and attended the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1976 she moved with her family to New Mexico.
Donna attended New Mexico State University, earning a Bachelors Degree in Human Resource Management and Economics in 1990 and an MBA degree in 1992. She worked for several years in Human Resource Management.
While attending Morning Star UMC, Donna responded to God’s call to pastoral ministry in 2003; in 2004 she attended Wesley Theological Seminary, where she received a Masters of Divinity degree in 2007.
Donna served as Senior pastor in churches in the Northwest Texas and Baltimore-Washington Conferences: Cheltenham UMC, First UMC Tulia, and Back River UMC. Donna was ordained a full elder in 2010 as a member of the New Mexico Conference. Donna retired from full-time ministry in 2020 and moved back to Las Cruces. Since her retirement from full-time ministry, she now serves part-time as Associate Pastor for Congregational Care. Her duties include assisting with worship services each week, teaching Bible studies, preaching several times a year, and doing nursing home, hospital, and hospice visits.
Her passions include designing meaningful worship experiences, and teaching Bible studies.
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Mrs. Schutz earned a BA degree in Choral Music Education from Texas Christian University and a Masters of Music in Choral Conducting at New Mexico State University. Mrs. Schutz began her teaching career in New Mexico in 1975. Mrs. Schutz taught elementary, middle school and high school choirs for the Gadsden and Las Cruces Public School Districts. Diane served Westside Baptist Church as their Minister of Music for 15 years. Diane served as a Summer missionary at The Baptist Children’s Home in Round Rock, Texas.
Diane taught for 20 years at Las Cruces High School, where her choirs won National Acclaim for their solo performances at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Carnegie Hall. Mrs. Schutz served three terms as Choral Vice- President for New Mexico Music Educators Association, and has completed three terms as New Mexico American Choral Director’s Association President. She is a member of several professional organizations including NAMFE, NMMEA, NMACDA, Mu Phi Epsilon, Phi Delta Kappa and PEO. She also served as a board member for the Las Cruces Symphony.
Mrs. Schutz was honored in 2002 as the New Mexico Music Educator of the Year, in 2006 as the recipient of the Arts In Education award from the Dona Ana Arts Council and was inducted into the NMMEA Hall of Fame in 2005. She was awarded NMMEA’s Emeritus Educator Award in 2015.
Mrs. Schutz served as a Student Teacher Supervisor for New Mexico State University, Organist and Children’s Choral Director for St. Paul’s United Methodist Church and Director of “Good Time Singers” a Senior Adult Community Choir in Las Cruces. She continues to mentor new teachers for Las Cruces Public Schools. Diane is a member of the Mesilla Valley Concert Band, and serves as accompanist for schools in Las Cruces and El Paso. Diane has served as Choral Director for the Las Cruces Symphony for three concerts and 3 Broadway musicals. In September 2015 she directed combined community choirs for a tribute to Tony Award Winner and friend, Mark Medoff. She has served as an adjudicator and clinician in New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, Nebraska, Colorado and California. Mother of five children and proud grandparent of eleven, Diane is married to John Schutz, Retired Fine Arts Consultant for Las Cruces Public Schools and Associate Director of “Mesilla Valley Concert Band.”
Diane has served Saint Paul’s since 2006 as accompanist and is very humbled to now serve as The Director of Music Ministry.
Pianist
Ashtora
575-526-6689
I grew up playing piano and organ in Carlsbad, New Mexico, and after many years living across the Southwest, I’ve returned home to Las Cruces. My journey has included teaching music to hundreds of elementary students, working with refugees from Kosovo and South Sudan, and mentoring youth from foster care systems.
Later in life, I earned a degree in Communication and Peace & Conflict from the University of Utah and became a certified Dialogue Facilitator.
After experiencing both personal loss and a life-changing brain injury that affected my musicianship, I spent over a decade rebuilding my ability to play. Today, I am grateful to once again serve as a pianist, thanks to the support of this wonderful community.
I also serve on the board of Mesilla Valley Jazz and Blues and assist with local community initiatives. I enjoy life in Las Cruces with my partner, Rick, surrounded by my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Sheryl Barham is a teacher with 15 years of experience. She works part-time as a reading specialist for the local elementary charter school. She has a degree in Elementary Education and a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction. She is married to Sean and is the mother of two little girls. As a family, they enjoy reading together, watching movies, hiking, birding, camping, traveling, playing board games, and baking. Sheryl loves Mexican food, especially queso, yoga and Zumba, reading suspense novels, spending time with her family, and coffee… lots of coffee. Sheryl and her family have attended St. Paul’s since 2012. Sheryl joined the staff as Director of Children’s Ministry in 2017. Her teaching experience has helped her to understand the organization, planning, and management of resources and volunteers that make her suited for this position. She loves working with children and engaging them in hands-on ministry and creative bible teaching to help develop the next generation of disciples. She looks forward to continuing to grow the children’s ministries of St. Paul’s.
Thomas “Tommy” Esparza III, native of Deming, has been an educator for over 35 years. A graduate of New Mexico State University, he is currently teaching at New America School where he teaches Physical Education, Health, and Drivers Education. In his free time, he coaches volleyball, basketball, and track and field, along with sponsoring Student Council and working with Scouts. Tommy has been the Youth Director at St. Paul’s for the past five years. He is the super proud father of Thomas Esparza IV who was raised in his faith at St. Paul’s UMC.
My name is Cindy Lopez, I am a Las Cruces native born and raised. I have traveled all over the United States and always return home. I accepted the position here at St. Paul's in December of 2023. I am blessed and excited to be here! I have my wonderful husband Robert, 1 son, 2 daughters, 2 grandsons, and 6 granddaughters who I absolutely LOVE. I also have 5 fur babies! I really enjoy my position here at St. Paul’s as it has enriched my life. I continue to learn how to be a better human every day.
Natalie is an enthusiastic and dedicated administrative professional who has been part of the St Paul’s team for over a year. She brings a bright, outgoing spirit to her role and is passionate about helping others and supporting the church’s mission. Known for her reliability and motivation, Natalie goes above and beyond to ensure that everything runs smoothly—always eager to learn and take on new challenges.
Despite her young age, Natalie’s strong work ethic and devotion shine through in everything she does. She finds joy in connecting with the congregation, assisting staff, and making a positive difference in the community every day.
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Outside of work, Natalie enjoys spending time at the beach, watching sunsets, and sharing life’s moments with her partner as they prepare to welcome their baby girl. Her warmth, dedication, and love for people make her a valued member of the St Paul’s family
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Fatima Ruiz is a proud Las Cruces, New Mexico native, born and raised with a deep-rooted love for her community and the people within it. She is a dedicated professional, a devoted fiancée, and a loving mother to her two young sons, David “Zeke” and Dominix, who inspire her daily to lead with purpose, compassion, and integrity.
With a strong passion for service, Fatima has built meaningful experience working with Las Cruces Public Schools, where she has supported students, families, and educators—especially those in at-risk communities. Her work reflects a genuine commitment to uplifting others, creating opportunities, and helping young people realize their full potential. She is driven by a desire to make a lasting difference through both her professional efforts and personal outreach.
As a Digital Marketing Specialist, Fatima combines creativity with strategy to effectively communicate messages, build engagement, and strengthen community connections. She brings a thoughtful, people-centered approach to digital outreach—leveraging social media, branding, and content creation to tell meaningful stories and amplify impactful work.
Beyond her career, Fatima’s life is grounded in her faith, which serves as her guiding foundation. She finds joy in spending time with her family, caring for animals, and actively contributing to her community. Her values of love, service, and faith are woven into everything she does.
“Let all that you do be done in love.” — 1 Corinthians 16:14
Fatima continues to strive toward personal and professional growth, always seeking new ways to serve, connect, and inspire those around her.
My name is Kendra Robb, I accepted the position of Director at the Child Development Center here at St. Paul's in August of 2020. I am blessed and excited to be here! I have 3 daughters who have absolutely enriched my life: Trinity age 12, Serenity age 11, and DJ age 8. I have been passionate about working with children since I was a young girl. I feel blessed to play such an important role in educating and caring for young children. I have worked with children of all ages over the past 20 years, and I have grown in my profession from teaching Sunday School, to getting my degree, and then being the Lead Teacher in Infant, Toddler, and Preschool classrooms. I believe in going above and beyond for families and meeting their individual needs. I believe that each child is an individual and as an educator I value and develop each child's strengths, interests, skills, abilities, and knowledge to extend their learning. I believe that children learn through play, and curriculum should be play based to allow for authentic observations and growth in children. I love this work and plan to continue my own personal growth and strive to be the best in every role throughout the field of Early Childhood Education.
Hello, my name is Nicole Herrera. I am a wife, a mother of three, and a woman whose life has been deeply rooted in caring for others. My journey has been shaped by love, family, and a lifelong commitment to children and the community around me.
I have three beautiful children who are each at very different stages in life. My daughter is 20 years old and has followed a path close to my heart, working at the CDC for the past two years. My oldest son is on the edge of a new chapter, about to graduate high school and begin his journey at New Mexico State University in the fall. And then there’s our youngest, our little one, who is just five years old and getting ready to start kindergarten. Yes, we started all over again however, it has also brought so much joy and perspective into my life.
I have dedicated 25 years of my life to the early childhood field. I spent many of those years in the classroom, where I gained invaluable experience working closely with children and their families. Those years helped shape who I am today, teaching me patience, compassion, and the importance of building strong foundations early in life.
In 2016, I stepped into an administrative role at St. Paul’s CDC, where I have now been for nearly 12 years. This place has truly become a part of me. Watching the CDC grow and evolve over the years has been incredibly rewarding, seeing how far we’ve come fills me with pride and reminds me of the hard work, dedication, and love that has been poured into it. It has become more than just a workplace; it’s a community and a second family.
The relationships I have built with the children and families here are something I cherish deeply. Being part of their lives, even in small ways, has been one of the greatest blessings of my career. I truly cannot imagine my life without being a part of my CDC family.
Outside of work, my world revolves around my family. I love spending time with both my immediate and extended family, creating memories that I hold close to my heart. My husband and I enjoy dancing, gardening, and simply being outdoors, especially with our youngest son who loves to play in the mud. It’s in those simple, everyday moments that I find the most happiness.
When I reflect on my life, I feel nothing but gratitude. I am blessed to do what I love, surrounded by people who mean so much to me. My journey continues to grow and evolve, but one thing remains constant, my passion for children, my dedication to my work, and my love for my family.