church staff
Dean Mayeda
Senior Pastor
deanmayeda@novachurch.org
Dean and his wife Janet have lived in the South Bay for over 50 years and they have two adult children, Matt and Charissa. In his role as Lead Pastor, Dean oversees the staff and gives vision and direction to the Nova Community Church family. In his free time Dean enjoys being outdoors, the Los Angeles Dodgers, trout fishing in the Eastern Sierras, surf fishing at the local beaches, stand-up paddle boarding and exploring the Hawaiian Islands.
Adam Duchin
Associate Pastor
adamduchin@novachurch.org
Adam is married to Shantel and they have three uniquely wonderful children, Sadie, Dillon, and Logan. Adam joined the staff at Nova in 2018 as Associate Pastor, and is primarily responsible for adult discipleship and worship ministries. His desire is to come alongside others on their spiritual journey and help them grow as they become disciple-making disciples. He loves music, Dr Pepper, and his family, although not in that order!
Garrett Koch
Director of Local Missions
garrettkoch@novachurch.org
Garrett is married to the wonderful Lexi and they have been living in the Los Angeles area since 2015. Garrett has been on staff with Nova Community Church since 2016, first as a Pastoral Intern, then as Administration, then as Director of Local Missions. His desire is that the ministry of Nova will actively seek to meet the real and tangible needs of those who are hurting and broken, and in doing so they will experience the transformative and saving love of Christ. Garrett enjoys rooting on the San Francisco Giants (sorry LA people), fishing, and all things sports.
Ron Graff
Associate Pastor (Active Retired)
ronmilliegraff@gmail.com
Ron and his wife Millie live near Los Angeles International Airport; Ron since 1980 and Millie her entire life. He has been in the pastoral ministry since 1967 serving in various parts of the country. Though retired, he actively serves as an associate pastor at Nova in a variety of ministries particularly in the areas of pastoral care and prayer ministry. He also served for 33 years as a Police chaplain. He and his wife Millie enjoy family gatherings, grandchildren and are avid sports fans.
Jackie Austel
Executive Assistant
jackieaustel@novachurch.org
Jackie and her husband Leland have two adult children, Alaina and Tiana. You can find Jackie in the church office on Wednesdays and Thursdays providing administrative support to the Nova family. She loves international travel, sewing, great conversations over coffee and relaxing breakfasts at the beach with Leland and her giant Great Pyrenees dog, Mochi.
Christian Lissner
Pastoral Resident
christianlissner@novachurch.org
Christian and his wife Kathleen are native to the South Bay and have one child, Levi. Christian joined the staff at Nova in 2024 as a Pastoral Resident. He oversees the youth ministry, assists the worship ministry, and also serves in other pastoral roles. Christian has a heart for church planting and reaching the younger generations. He loves playing the trumpet and piano, watching live music, and rooting for the LA Clippers, Rams, and Chargers.
