St. Peter's Leadership

Clergy

Pr. Ruth Peterson, Priest-In-Charge
In January of 2025, I was so warmly welcomed as St. Peter's new Priest in Charge. My journey to St. Peter’s began with ordination as a Lutheran Pastor in 1991, and since then, I've had the joy of serving wonderful Lutheran congregations in California, Nevada, and here in Hawaii, as well as working as a Chaplain in health care. A Bay Area native, my ministry has led me to serve vibrant communities in Stockton, Reno, and Pearl City, but I've now been blessed to call Oahu home for over 20 years. I'm incredibly excited to serve the Epsicopal Diocese of Hawaii and our St. Peter's ohana with all my heart.

Vestry

Executive Committee (Vestry clerk also part of the executive committee)

Velma Lee, Senior Warden
I've actually enjoyed being on the Vestry and also as the Senior Warden these past eight years! I’m also the Altar Guild Chairperson and in charge of the Soul Food Ministry. I work together with Haroldwyn Chang on the Elders Recognition Sunday when we honor our nonagenarians and centenarians. As a member of St. Peter's all my life, I firmly believe that the good Lord has blessed all of us with certain talents, knowledge, and skills, and it's our responsibility to give back to our community whenever we can.

Terry Dang, Junior Warden
With over 10 years of Jr Warden experience the congregation elected me to serve another year. The position allows me to care for the church facilities while working with the congregation as they are the real Jr Wardens who care for the church.

I retired from the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard with over 40 years of service. I’m on campus all hours of the day so come on by and let’s work on this together!

Nancy Rowe, Treasurer
I am a ten or so year member of St. Peter's. in addition to serving as treasurer, I enjoy being a participant in the knitting group (K2P2) and Jazz Vespers. I am also a member of the altar guild. I attend the 7:30 a.m. service.

Leila Diamond - Clerk (term expires 2026)

Leila Diamond and her husband, Peter, were married at The Cathedral of St. Andrew’s and have a son who is currently in aviation training in San Diego. They were drawn to St. Peter’s by a friend and have attended the 10am service ever since. Both are active in St. Peter’s weekly Zoom Bible Study. She is a former advertising executive and has been active in various community organizations. Leila enjoys Sogetsu ikebana, landscape photography, and adventure travel.

Term expires 2025:

Chucky Nakoa

My legal name is Douglas Charles Nakoa. My family went to Kawaiahaʻo Church for generations. As the older generations passed, my wife and I attended St. Andrew's Cathedral. God was always present. Sandy my wife and I would attend New Hope Church , One Love Church and St. Andrew's Cahtedral. Sandy passed in 2016 and One Hope became my main church in 2010. When COVID hit, I went online, however I felt different.
I saw Manny in the weight room at ʻIolani and we were talking about church. I asked about Pr. Diane Martinson and Manny invited me to come to church at St. Peter's. I believe it was the fall of 2021. I love it here because I went to ʻIolani and teach there as well I am very familiar with the service. My two sons also attended Iolani. The music at St. Peter's is a gift from God.
I enjoy working out, playing music and writing songs. I wrote a song that comes from Galatinas 5:22, the fruits of the spirit "We'll Be As One".

Paula Choy

I have attended St. Peter's church for about 8 years now along with my husband Edmund and daughter Sophie. I participate in taking care of the church garden, help prepare meals for habitat for humanity and volunteer as a eucharistic minister on Sundays. We love attending St. Peter's and enjoy sharing our church home with new followers!

Michele Baldovi - Clerk

Michele grew up at St. Peter’s and is part of the Yap ‘Ohana, one of the founding families of this congregation. She has been a counselor at Likelike Elementary for the past 3.5 years, Dole Middle School for four years, and before that at Niu Valley Middle School for 23 years. She is currently working on her national recertification and serves as free Uber service for her mom, Valerie Baldovi. Michele is a proud and fanatic fan of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, as well as all former players of the Patriots. Michele has served as a former Vestry member and has chair of a past discernment committee for a member of the congregation.

Term expires 2026

Paul “Hal” Halvorson

Hal brings a lot of church experience with him. His father was a Lutheran pastor and his mother was the daughter of a Lutheran pastor. He grew up filling many roles in the church, everything from shoveling snow from the sidewalks before worship and setting up folding chairs for a function to service on church councils and committees. Hal met his wife Lisa, a Priory graduate, in Chicago after college. She soon persuaded him to move to Hawaii where they raised two sons. He and Lisa now have three grandchildren, who keep them very busy! Hal worked in Information Technology for many years for the Judiciary of the State of Hawaii. Now he and Lisa enjoy grandparent duty! Hal serves on the streaming team and as a Eucharistic Minister.

Bryant “Beez” Zane

St. Peter's is Beez's family church. His great-grandparents were the Zanes' who were founding memebers. His grandmother attended regularly into the 1980s. His parents were married at St. Peter's and Beez and his brother were baptized at St. Peter's in 1979 by Fr. Chun. He was later confirmed by Bishop Hart in 1988. Beez began reconnecting with St. Peter's through the live-stream and began attending in person at the start of 2023. He now teaches the Children's Christian Formation program with Chucky Nakoa.

Beez attended ʻIolani School for 13 years and is now a District Court judge. He works down the street from St. Peter’s. Beez has one son, William, who is in the 4th grade.

Term Expires 2027:

Beth Cox
My husband and I have been members of St. Peter’s Church since 2014. I was baptized at St. Clement’s Church in 2011 having been raised in the Jewish faith. I am retired from the Salvation Army Family Treatment Services, Women’s Way (a women and children’s residential substance abuse facility) where I was the Admissions and Assessment Coordinator for 20 years. Except for college and graduate school on the Mainland, I have lived in Hawaii since I was 16 years old.

Suzanne Kagawa
After 27 1/2 years of working for Oceanic Time Warner Cable , functioning as a Bookkeeper/Accountant, I was fortunate to just “retire” in the midst of a corporate restructure. I am a cradle Episcopalian and a recent member of St. Peter’s. I’m happy to work in the background! I am a lost soul who has finally found a wonderful spiritual home. I have found St. Peter’s to be warm, accepting, financially healthy, wonderful music program and last but not least outstanding Priests. I appreciate Pastor Ruth's leadership and meaningful sermons!

Stephanie Wight
Grandmothering, sewing, singing, doing crafty things, and reading make me happy. I enjoy opportunities to integrate these (limited) skills as I strive to live my life as a faithful being and to share our salvation message. I am grateful to have served God and my fellow members of St. Peter's the past few years on the Vestry. It illustrates that anyone, even me, can serve God and this community of believers.