Staff Members

Rose Schiller (Front Office)

I was born in Bogota, Colombia the third of 8 children. Moved to California in 1967. I went to school in the Costa Mesa area, also attended Orange Coast College. Worked for Mitsubishi Electronic in the Quality Control Department 1977-81 left and came back 1983 to 1989- worked in the Payroll Department. I married Andy a wonderful man and have two beautiful children. We moved to the Tustin area and have been blessed to work St. Cecilia since 1992.

Email: rschiller@stceciliak8.org

Jean Williams (Front Office)

Jean was born June 12 in Montana, received her education in Helena and worked several years in banking and insurance. She and her husband have three adult children and four grandchildren. The family moved to Seattle in 1960 and to Orange County in 1965. She began working as secretary at St. Cecilia's in 1977. At that time there were approximately 1800 registered families and the parish boundaries went north/east to the Riverside county line. Many school parents Jean sees today she knew when they were students at our parish school years ago. Both her daughters worked at St. Cecilia. She says her greatest reward has been the kindness and friendship of the wonderful parishioners at St. Cecilia.

Email: jwilliams@stceciliak8.org

Ginny Martin (Director of Faith Formation)

Ginny Martin was born and raised on Long Island, NY. She attended Western State College of Colorado and received her BA in Music Education. Ginny and her husband Paul have been members of the parish since 1992, and their children Anne and Lisa are both graduates of St. Cecilia School. Ginny has been the Director of Religious Education since 2000 and the Director of RCIA since 2002.

Email: gmartin@stceciliak8.org

Mary Alvarado (Principal)

Mrs. Mary Alvarado, a native Californian, was educated in the Catholic school system. She is a graduate of Sacred Heart School in Covina, St. Lucy’s Priory High School in Glendora, and Boston College in Massachusetts. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Special Education from Boston College and a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Cal Poly Pomona. Mrs. Alvarado was a teacher in Catholic schools for eighteen years before taking on administrative positions as Assistant Principal, Associate Principal, and Principal. She has worked in the Diocese of Orange since 1995 and became principal of St. Cecilia School in July 2006.

Email: malvarado@stceciliak8.org

Rebeca Trujillo (Children's Faith Formation)

My name is Rebeca Trujillo I was born in Mexico I’m the second of 6 sisters and one bother. I came to the United States on 1981. I had been very involved in the church since little. When I came to the United States I enter the Youth Group at St. Mary’s in Fullerton I met my husband there, we got marry we have two wonderful daughters. I had been a catechist for 22 years. I love to teach others about our faith. I had been in St. Cecilia since 1999.

Email: rtrujillo@stceciliak8.org

John Erhard (Liturgy & Music)

John Erhard has been involved in liturgical music for 36 years. As a 6th grader, he was organist for Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Santa Ana. He played guitar for liturgies at Mater Dei High School in the 1970s and came to St. Cecilia parish in 1978. John began serving the parish as a liturgical musician in 1983. In 1988, he changed careers and was hired as the Director of Music Ministry and Liturgy for St. Cecilia parish becoming full-time in 1990. John has served on the Catechumenate Advisory Board and the Music Advisory Board for the Diocese of Orange and is currently a team member for the North American Forum on the Catechumenate. He has been a presenter for the National Pastoral Musicians Association and the Diocese of San Bernardino. Recently he has served on retreats for the priests and deacons of the Orange Diocese. John has composed acclamations and responsorial psalms, which are sung at our parish liturgies.

Email: jerhard@stceciliak8.org

Pete Ruiz (Christian Service)

Peter Ruiz, Born in El Paso, Texas I come from a family of four, two brothers and one sister. I went to Catholic grade school and high school in Texas. I got married to Josie in Texas and moved to California in 1960. I also went to college in Los Angeles we have five children and sixteen grandchildren. I work for Thrifty Drugstores for 35 years as an inventory control. I got laid off and went to work for Tustin High School. I have been a member of St. Cecilia Church since 1976. I been with Christian Service since 1996 and teach CCD classes, and Bible Class. At present I am a Chaplain at Western Medical Center. I am proud to be Catholic and a member of St. Cecilia Church.

Email: info@stceciliak8.org

Kim Scott (Confirmation Director)

Kim was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA until her family relocated to Irvine, CA when she was 13. She is a graduate of St. Pius V grade school and Cornelia Connelly High School. Kim has been an active member of St. Cecilia’s parish for 20 years. She has been involved in youth ministry, religious education, Eucharistic ministry, choir and the women’s ministry. After 25 years in human resources and leadership development and after staying home as a mommy for a year, Kim joined the parish staff as Director of Confirmation in May 2006. With a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Kim brings much knowledge of human behavior and development to her role. She enjoys sharing her love for our faith with our young people. Kim and her husband, Gary have a young daughter, Kiara.

Email: kscott@stceciliak8.org

Sr. Uyen To, LHC (Vietnamese Religious Education)

I was born in Vietnam. I came to the United States and lived in Los Angeles with my older sister and brother in 1989. I entered the Congregation of the Lovers of the Holy Cross of Los Angeles in August 2001. I made my first profession on July 2, 2005. I received my first ministry at St. Polycarp Church in Stanton, I served as a Confirmation 2 Catechist and then as a Director of the Vietnamese Bilingual Religious Education Program for two years. I thank God for His precious gift and blessings for allowing me to serve at St. Cecilia Church during the Holy Year of St. Paul, a chosen parish for pilgrimage. Please keep me in your prayers that I will be faithful to my vocation.

Sister Teresa Torres MC

Sister Teresa Torres was born in Michoacan, Mexico. She entered the Congregation of the Poor Clare Missionary Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in 1957, after her training as a teacher she served until 1970, working in schools in several cities, Puebla, Monterrey, Sonora and Mexico City. She was transferred to Costa Rica where she worked in several communities imparting religious education for 3 years. Later was moved to Spain and Rome where she studied Theology of Religious Life, she was in Rome for 6 years. Worked in Sierra Leone, West Africa for 9 years. She came to the US in 1995 working in our pre-schools first in Gardena and now in Santa Ana. She enjoys the work at Saint Cecilia's Parish.

Sr. Bertha Rafael MC

Growing up in Orange County has always given me the opportunity to be able to share and learn from other cultures.  I entered the Poor Clare Missionary Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament on March 25, 1988 in Santa Ana, CA.  After my formation years in the novitiate I made my first vows in my home parish, Immaculate Heart of Mary, seven years after I made my final vows in the same parish.  It has always been a joy for me to be able to go back and visit.  During my 8 years of service in California I worked in our preschool, Our Lady of Guadalupe and Our Lady of Lourdes.  I was then transferred to Mexico for one year and then to Rome.  In 1998 after one year of preparation in Rome I arrived in Russia, where I worked for close to ten years.   St. Cecilia has always been close to me and my mission, during those years in Russia I always kept contact with the mission group and with Mrs. Ruth Sallot.  That is why when I was assigned to St. Cecilia's' parish it gave me tremendous joy.  It has been a blessing for me to continue to be a part of this parish, which I love so much.
With love and prayers in our Missionary Lord,

Sr. Bertha Rafael MC

Bill Serafin (Maintenance)

I was born in Santa Ana, one of (5) children. Our family home was in North Tustin. I attended grade schools and Foothill High school in Tustin. In 1981, I came to St. Cecilia as a part-time worker in maintenance. I began working full-time the next year and have continued my employment in that department.

Email: bserafin@stceciliak8.org

Karen Plesetz (Business Manager)

I was born and raised in Farmington Connecticut. There I attended school and married and moved to California in1968. Raised four children, with the youngest being in the military and serving two deployments in the Middle East. I have five grandchildren and another one due in August.

I was hired at St. Cecilia in Dec 1973 by Monsignor Sammon and during the past years have enjoyed all the priests and members of the parish.

Email: kplesetz@stceciliak8.org