Doxa Team

Sharon Armbruster (Emeritus Board Member)

Sharon was introduced to Doxa as a sophomore in high school in 1994 as part of The Edge, the youth ministry at University Presbyterian Church. From being empowered by the sheer fact she contributed to building an actual house, to the life long relationship she made with her peers, to being exposed to a culture and people who changed the scope of her world. As a board member she brings a passion for the mission and organizational skills to Doxa. Her career took her into healthcare information technology at Seattle Children’s Hospital, and in her free time she tap dances and places basketball (but not at the same time). Her favorite memory in Tijuana when she led the first ever, all women’s house building trip. A bunch of ladies rocking it with hammers and shared an incredible time together while serving each other and the community of Tijuana.

Cesar Camacho (Education Tutor & House Construction)

My name is Flavio Cesar Camacho Dominguez and I’m 19 years old. I’m from Tijuana and I study mechanical engineering at the Instituto Tecnológico de Tijuana. I started coming to Doxa in 2009 when I was in 4th grade. I would come and do my homework, review new things, and seek help with ideas I didn’t understand. After several more years, I’m now in college and am a tutor to the middle school kids at Doxa. I help them with their homework, things that they don’t understand, and explain new ideas. We also do school review so the students reaffirm what they already know. Even if they don’t have homework, I give them problems and exercises to complete. This leads to all middle school students being extra prepared for when new material is presented by their teachers and little by little they can become the best students in their class.

Angeles Dominguez Perez (Education Administrator & Tutor)

My name is Angeles Dominguez Perez. A large portion of my life has been spent at Unidos por Siempre. Since I was little, my family was in a lower economic class and we came searching for some help. Without thinking we would actually get help, Unidos por Siempre took us in and we quickly became part of the family. During this time we underwent some large changes and grew a lot. It brings great satisfaction to see Unidos por Siempre grow from its humble beginnings as a soup kitchen; realizing this growth in our community to help more people. I’m sure that we can continue to grow! In the moment that I started working with Doxa, things got better at Unidos por Siempre. Most notably, the administration and organization of family information has improved. In addition, the education of the boys and girls is better now that they have more resources and tools to succeed in school. I am delighted to help with these projects.

Sabino Espindola Hernandez (Dance Teacher)

My name is Juan Sabino Espindola Hernandez and I’m 27 years old. I started dancing in a folklore dance group for kids at my elementary school, Primaria Ricardo Flores Magón. This was in 2003. After two years, I joined another dance group called Ballet Folklórico Ixchel and have been with them for 15 years. I have participated in countless events and shows. In 2016, with the motivation of continuing to communicate the beauty of our culture with a new project, I formed Grupo Yelitza with kids from Doxa. This has taught me the value of hard work and the effort that Doxa puts behind the community through cheerful education to kids who need it the most. I was compelled to follow Doxa, serving these kids for their future and helping them to grow culturally through dance.

Maria Figueroa (Unidos por Siempre Founder)

My name is Maria Esther Figueroa Torres and my motivation for doing everything I do is my family, love of kids, and becoming a better person every day. My love for this project started when I was a single mother of three children and experiencing many shortcomings in my life. I had a job, but couldn’t spend very much time with my kids because of the long work hours. In order to change I needed to seek support and help. After applying to various government resources with no answer, I came into contact with a children’s home (Casa Hogar de los Niños) and they helped me out with food, clothes, shoes, and other resources. Years later, I decided to move to the other side of Tijuana and start a soup kitchen. I saw the great poverty in the Rojo Gomez area, the difficulties that some people had with their children, and was compelled to action. As time went on, the soup kitchen gradually attracted more people and I saw a different need emerging. There were many street children, parents who searched for help, and others without a permanent home. It was then that we converted the soup kitchen into an orphanage.

Brad Hauge (Board Member)

Brad Hauge spent 18 of the past 20 years doing high school youth ministry at First Presbyterian Church in Spokane, WA. Every one of those years (excepting Covid) included 1-2 trips down to Tijuana to partner with DOXA in home building trips. He still has vivid memories of riding around in the back of a cargo van with some friends after presenting a family with keys to a new home on his first trip in 1995. The memories of rapping Cypress Hill on the roof that year are also just as vivid! Brad currently serves as the Director of Intergenerational Ministry and Mission at FPC and is excited to continue the church’s partnership with DOXA in both new and familiar ways. Live music, time with his wife and two daughters, a great book, and suffering through each Mariners season are the preferred ways Brad spends his time. The M’s should just win more consistently!

Tami Holland (Board Member)

Joni Jen (Board Member)

Joni Jen is a mother, childhood educator and entrepreneur. Living and working in the Bay Area for over 30 years, she is the founder and CEO of Olive Children Foundation — a non-profit organization that strives to prepare the children of today to be the leaders of tomorrow. She holds a strong belief that leadership skills are developed through a combination of quality, hands-on education, and hands-on community service. This belief led her to DOXA, with which OCF has been involved in since 2014. Since then, over 250 people from around the Bay Area have participated in the program, building over 30+ homes in Tijuana. Through Doxa, Joni is able to bring together two separate communities, bridging the gap through service. Her favorite memory of Tijuana involves completing a build with a group of teenagers and families. She will remember the moment they handed the key over to the family forever.

Alex Knopes (Executive Director)

Alex has enjoyed the privilege of being involved with Doxa in varying capacities since the early 2000s (starting as a high school student). Through Doxa, Alex discovered a love and call to the people of Tijuana. He has seen, experienced, and believes in the transformative power of serving through Christ, especially when carried out across cultures. He likes to explore what could be and steward along current structures and people into new growth; all in partnership with the Holy Spirit. His favorite memory in Tijuana was a midnight New Year’s celebration with tacos de cabeza (cow head)! Quite a surprising sight!

Elizabeth Martinez Salgado (Director of Operations)

My name is Elizabeth, but everyone calls me Ely. I’m originally from Morelia, but have lived in Tijuana for almost my entire life. For 12 years I volunteered with World Vision and learned a great deal from that experience. I’ve currently been working 6 years with Doxa and originally came to know Doxa through my son Angel. He was in 2nd grade and needed some more structure around his school work, so I went to inquire about helpful resources. One of my strengths is organization and administration. I’m a fast learner and believe that everyone goes to school to get straight A’s. If we’re not shooting for the best, then why are we here?!?! One of my favorite aspects of Doxa is the strong relationship to kids and how their faces light up when they do something they previously thought impossible. I strive to be a great mother to my 4 kids, providing the encouragement and love that they need to succeed in their own lives.

Patrick McCallister (Board Member)

Patrick McCallister is the Financial Center Operations Strategy Executive within Preferred Banking Controls, Operations and Supervision at Bank of America. In this role, Patrick is accountable for strategy development, partner integration, process simplification and risk reduction. Patrick joined Bank of America in 1991, as manager of Consumer Lending through its acquisition of ABQ Bank in his hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico. He has held leadership roles throughout the nationwide footprint, including accountability for centralized underwriting and fulfillment for home equity, mortgage and vehicle loan products. He holds certifications in process improvement and statistical process management and has extensive experience in consumer credit risk and regulatory relations. Patrick is active in the community with a strong affinity for programs that fight injustice. He volunteers both in his local community and with international missions focused on fighting the injustice of poverty, food insecurity and access to community and educational resources.

Lindsay Murphy (Board Member)

Lindsay first began going on house building trips to West Tijuana when she was an intern at Mercer Island Presbyterian Church right after college. She was profoundly affected by the welcome, grace and communal support she saw among the families and community in Pedregal. She also appreciated the opportunity that housebuilding trips provided the high school students and adults from Mercer Island to expand both their worldview and their ideas about what it means to belong to God’s family. Lindsay is excited and humbled to be joining the Doxa board and expects to learn a lot from this experience and help wherever she can. Her favorite memory in Tijuana was the impromptu dance party she got to take part in at Unidos por Siempre, as Maria and the children showed off all their fabulous dance moves!

James B. Notkin (Emeritus Board Member)

Becca Philipsen (Board Member)

Becca was introduced to Doxa as a Junior in high school in 1991 as part of The Edge, the youth ministry at University Presbyterian Church. Joining this house-building trip during her last two years of high school had a massive impact on her spiritual life. Sitting on a railing at Hogar de Los Niños during sunset with three friends was one of the formative moments in her life. This moment was so defining in her life, one that is a deep-core memory. During this sunset, sitting with friends, God made Himself clear and near to her and she knew that He would never leave nor forsake her. These mission experiences blew her world open, cultivated lifelong friendships, and enabled her to see with different eyes things that are important and things that aren’t. After graduating with a Molecular and Cellular Biology degree from the University of Washington in 1996, Becca married her college sweetheart and moved to spend 4 years living abroad in Germany. Returning to the US and starting a family, Becca felt prompted to return to Tijuana in 2013 through Doxa’s connection with Sammamish Presbyterian Church. This time she served as a youth leader rather than a student. God used that 2013 trip to direct her future vocational career in ministry. Becca has participated in a handful of housebuilding trips, always preferring to be hands-on at the build site, connecting with students, using her hands, sweating, laughing, and getting to know the family that she is serving and building alongside. As a board member, Becca brings empathy, connection, hospitality, and enthusiasm to this team. She continues to return to Tijuana because God has been so gracious in leading and guiding her. Plus, the people are fantastic, full of life, and have taught her so much about true joy and laughter.