Meet Our Staff

Rev. Erik Swanson, Pastor

Rev. Erik Swanson
Pastor

Pastor Erik came to the Westhope community in 2006 bringing a fresh vision of a contemplative, healing way of being community together. Over the years the congregation has steadily and organically grown and deepened. The community has become an intentionally contemplative, inclusive, and spiritually vibrant ministry that is a place of calm and communion in the heart of the ultra fast-paced Silicon Valley.

Rev. Swanson has become a sought-after teacher, spiritual director, speaker, and retreat leader. He graduated from San Francisco Theological Seminary with a Masters of Divinity and a concentration in Spiritual Formation. He earned his degree in the art of Spiritual Direction from the Spiritual Life Center in Bloomfield, CT.  He also spent a year studying sacred community in the ecumenical Taizé monastery in Taizé, France. 

Erik loves fly-fishing, gardening, woodworking, spending time with his family, and most activities that are out in nature.

Grace Flier
Office Administrator

Grace is second year graduate student at Santa Clara University working towards her dual MFT/LPCC degree. With a past career as a professional violinist, Grace still enjoys playing with chamber groups. Hailing from Buffalo, NY and moving to San Jose, CA, Grace and her husband Ian have not missed the snow that Buffalo is known for. Instead, they enjoy making homemade pizzas, Lego date nights, and playing with their two cats, Simba and Loki. Grace would love to see more friendly faces in the office, so come by and say hello!

Raiña Parks
Director of Music Ministries

Raiña earned her MM in Vocal Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. When she’s not busy being a mother to her sons VJ and Joshie, and wife to her husband Jo, she’s either singing or working in engineering. Raiña shares her gifts with the Westhope community in so many ways. In addition to being the music director, Raiña leads the congregation in song on Sundays and serves as an Elder on the worship committee and the leadership team at Westhope.

Martan Mann
Worship Accompanist

Martan has a Master’s Degree in Music from San Jose State University and is a long-time jazz player and piano teacher in the Bay Area and Hawaii. He has been pianist for Westhope for almost 7 years (and enjoys every minute). Martan has authored three books on jazz improvisation and currently produces an online course in jazz piano, JazzSkills for Piano.