Board of Directors

Rena Marquez

Board Chair

Rena Marquez is a member of the Yakama Nation and has lived on the Yakama Reservation her entire life. She has six children ages 3-15 and enjoys being a mother the most. She graduated in 2014 from Heritage University with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration while working full time and supporting her family. She is excited to be the Board Chair for Mending Wings and looks forward to serving the teens and community. 

Jordan Meninick

Treasurer

Jordan Meninick is a proud, enrolled member of the Yakama Nation. Jordan and his wife, Crystal, have 4 amazing kids ranging from the ages of 4-15 years old. Jordan was born in Yakima, WA. and raised on his tribal lands. His mother, Darcy Stahi, raised him in his childhood years and his paternal grandparents, Atwai Ernest and Fidelia “Tom-Sis-Nye” Andy, raised him during his teenage years.

Jordan was introduced to the Native American Youth Outreach (NAYO) program (now called Mending Wings) during his freshman year of high school in 2000. The following summer, Jordan participated in his first mission trip to Showlow, Arizona. Then, he participated in his second mission trip to Vancouver, BC in 2001. He also served on the Native American Student Council for the Presbyterian Church USA. While on this council he helped to plan a conference for Native American youth in the PCUSA.

Jordan continued his journey with NAYO until 2008 when his family started. As his family started to grow he focused on his career with the Yakama Nation Legends Casino for 10 years. He now works for the Yakama Nation Behavioral Health Services as a Victim’s Advocate in the Victims Resource Program.

Phil Ball

Board Member

Phil Ball was born and raised in Spokane, WA, attending Cheney High School and then attended Gonzaga University for three years before transferring to Christian Heritage College in El Cajon, CA to pursue God’s call on his life to serve in youth ministry. He graduated in 1999 and returned to Spokane. He worked with at-risk youth at Excelsior Youth Center for five years, including several native youth. He also served as a volunteer youth pastor at New Creation Fellowship, a church plant from the church of his youth, Trinity Baptist.

He and his wife, Anna, moved to Vancouver, WA in 2004 so Phil could attend Western Seminary. He was hired that same year as a youth intern at Laurelwood Baptist Church. In 2007, he became the youth pastor, serving for ten years before stepping down in 2017. Later that year, Phil joined the National Network of Youth Ministries as the NW Coordinator of Engagement and Training. Phil, in his work with NNYM, seeks to build youth leader networks to connect and equip youth leaders, so that every student has the opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel. In that endeavor, the voice of our Native brothers and sisters is crucial. Phil and Anna have four children, Naomi, Jada, Caleb, and Shiloh. Phil first connected with Mending Wings at a youth ministry conference in 2013. This started him on a journey of learning and in the summer 2021, he, his wife and his two oldest children attended their first SLAM Trip – hopefully the first of many.

Brandon Filbert

Board Member

Brandon was born in 1964 in Corvallis, Oregon. His parents are from the Midwest, being of German (from Russia), Texan, English, and Sicilian backgrounds. Other than four years in Virginia, he grew up in Corvallis, attending the Methodist Church there. He has always been drawn to books, music, nature, fishing, walking on the beach, canoeing—quiet things, mostly. Brandon met his wife while on a semester abroad in London during college, and about the same time he became a member of the Episcopal Church. They were married in Salem, Oregon the week after he graduated. He started law school but then left in order to discern a call to the priesthood. When his community discerned there to be a call, he moved to New York City for four years while attending seminary and did an internship. Their first child was born there, moving back to Oregon just after his birth, where Brandon served a congregation in Forest Grove, their second son being born there. In 2007 he was called back to Salem to serve the parish they had left to go to NYC. It was a few years after this (2009) that Brandon was introduced to Mending Wings through a parishioner (Zachary Harmon, who had been an intern with MW). This relationship has been one of the most important parts of his adult life and a great blessing to his congregation.

JR Lily

Board Member

JR Lilly was born in Fort Defiance, AZ, and is a member of the Diné (Navajo) Nation. As part of a new generation that straddles a cultural chasm, he leads efforts to further the conversation around defining the role of our generation for both Native and Non-Native communities. Born and raised amongst a rich culture of generosity, he learned the beauty that comes from centuries of resilience. With the help of his community he survived poverty, domestic violence, and other harsh realities during his childhood. It is this life experience that has created his passion and desire to do as others have done for him. 

As a storyteller, cultural consultant, and community advocate, JR regularly shares from the Indigenous perspectives about spirituality, community engagement, and justice. With nonprofit boards, governing agencies, and community groups he works hard to help create a preferred future for Native American families. 

Moses Lugemye

Board Member

Moses Lugemye was born in Uganda, East Africa. He immigrated to the United States as a sophomore in high school in 1996 and graduated with a BA in Worship from Grand Canyon University in Arizona. Moses and his wife, Erica, have a music ministry which exists to put the name of Jesus on the lips of nations. They love to create songs that blend sounds and languages, connecting people to Jesus and to each other and allowing diverse people to express their worship together. They also have a passion to see each culture’s unique reflection of the Father brought to the table in worship as each expression reflects Him uniquely and opens our eyes to how truly beautiful He is. They travel and minister together, along with their three children. Moses and Erica have ministered in nations in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. They are currently the worship pastors at Heights Church in Yakima.

Mattie Tomeo-Palmanteer

Board Member

Mattie Tomeo-Palmanteer is an advocate for racial equality and social justice. Mattie has a social work BSW Degree and is a current student studying for a Master of Public Administration with a Health Administration focus at Portland State University. She brings to the table critical problem-solving skills, culturally responsive strength-based practices, health promotion and disease prevention experience and excellent communication skills.

Mattie formerly worked for the NW Portland Area Indian Health Board (a tribal non-profit that serves 43 Tribes in OR, WA, and ID) as a Cancer Prevention Coordinator and Asthma Management Coordinator. While working as the Asthma Management Project Coordinator, her team partnered with the Yakama Indian Health Clinics pharmacist, to Reduce childhood asthma morbidity in tribal communities and to reduced emergency room visits, and hospitalizations for asthma management. She is trained in QPR and ASSIST Suicide Prevention, HIV Prevention, and Traditional Tobacco vs Commercial Tobacco Education. She also worked for Nine years with the Native American Rehabilitation Association advocating for wrap around mental health services and as an advocate for elders in need of specialty medical care and as Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor with the Yakama Nation.