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Active and Retired Women Ministers
The Ripleys formerly ministered in the British Columbia Conference in Canada, where
Lynn was chaplain for a K-10 school and Director of Women’s Ministries while David
served as Ministerial Director.
Ms. Ripley has baptized approximately 15 people and is preparing another for that
sacred ceremony. She finds herself rewarded by mentoring women, families, and youth into
active ministry.
Roberts, Sandra
Sandra Roberts has ministered many years in youth and summer-camp ministry,
starting when she was a student. For five years she was copastor/associate pastor of the
Corona, California, SDA church. In 2000 she became associate youth director in the
Southeastern California Conference.
Ms. Roberts was elected Nov. 7, 2004, as executive secretary for the Southeastern
California Conference. She is the first woman to be elected as an officer in any conference of the Pacific Union.
Salcedo-Gonzales, Myriam
Myriam says, “All in all, it took me 22 years to come full circle to my true vocation
and calling.” She is an associate pastor of the White Memorial church in Los Angeles,
California. Since 2000 she has been specifically the Pastor for Nurture and Evangelism.
What has been the route by which Myriam came to this position? When she was
eight years of age, her father became a pastor. The child accompanied her father to visit
and give Bible studies, watched and heard him preach, and even then felt God calling
her to do the same. Besides her parents, another inspirational role model was Ana Rosa
Alvarado, a Bible worker who served as a pastor without having the title.
Being sure what she was going to study, Myriam in 1985 became the first female
student of Antillian College (in Puerto Rico) to graduate with a BA in Theology. Later
she attended a field program that Andrews University offered in Puerto Rico, and graduated in 1988 with the MA in Religion. She also has an MA in Counseling and School
Leadership and Administration.
Pastor Salcedo-Gonzales says her passion is evangelism, or more specifically to
present the amazing grace of Jesus to all who are needing it. She likes preaching, giving
Bible studies, and organizing evangelistic programs such as needs-based seminars,
Servant Evangelism, and Socials-to-Save. She also feels rewarded when she visits church
members. Myriam enjoys speaking at women’s retreats.
At the time of this writing, Myriam has baptized 15 people.
Schoonard, Dúane
After the 1995 General Conference session, President of the North American
Division A.C. McClure called for a NAD President’s Commission on Women in
Ministry. Chaired by Harold Baptiste, division secretary, the commission made comprehensive recommendations to the NAD Year-End Meetings in 1997, among them that a

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