Meet Our Team
Rev. Nicole Iaquinto
Pastor
Pastor Nicole (she/her) graduated from the M.Div. program at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School in 2015 and was ordained in the American Baptist tradition in 2018. In addition to her theological degree, Nicole holds a BA in Social Relations and Policy and M.Ed in Education and Public Policy. After graduating from seminary, she served several churches in the Rochester, NY area and started her ministry with CDCC in January 2022. Pastor Nicole is also an actor, a farmer in training, herb school student, and Community Herbalist at Forest Floor Herbals. Outside of the sanctuary you can find her hiking, growing things, and hanging out with her 2 cats, Buffy and Van Helsing.
Riley Todd
Pianist
Riley (she/they) has been plunking out notes on a piano ever since they were a baby (and has even improved a little bit since then). All of Riley's music teachers have been involved with church music in one form or another and their most recent instructor was the former pianist for CDCC, Jessica Miriles. Riley lives in the mountains of Santa Barbara with their grandma. They're going to college in pursuit of becoming a RN. They spend as much time as they can reading science-fiction or listening to folk music (their ultimate dream is to be a gardener on Mars). Riley is always eager to make a joyful noise unto the Lord.
Michele Tappeinier
Director of Goleta Valley Nursery School
Michele’s (she/her) passion for teaching began many years ago while she was a young girl providing child care at her family’s church. In 1984, Michele began working at a local preschool and by 1986 she was a pre-kindergarten teacher for a private school in town. Over the next 20 years, Michele worked with children in various capacities, including working in an infant care center with high risk infants and running a children’s center at the YMCA. In 2006, she joined Goleta Valley Nursery School (GVNS) as a teacher and was the Assistant Director for several years. In 2013 she became the Director.