Tom Newell
Growing up in a Christian home in New Jersey, Tom came to know Christ at a young age. As a second grader, he lived in the jungle of Peru for a year while his parents served as short term missionaries with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Later, he decided to go to college to study to be a youth pastor because of the positive influence and relationship with his youth pastor growing up.
Tom graduated from Messiah College in 1996 with a degree in Christian Education/Youth Ministry and a minor in recreation. He also earned his Masters of Divinity from Biblical Theological Seminary in 2006. He has worked with students throughout his adult life, first as a volunteer leader with Young Life, then as a college campus minister for the Coalition for Christian Outreach. For over 11 years, Tom was the youth and college pastor at New Covenant Fellowship Church in Mechanicsburg, PA. He loves interacting with students and pointing them to Christ. Tom also has a passion for counseling, discipleship, connecting students to one another, and missions. He has led many youth missions trips within the U.S. as well as foreign trips to England, Jamaica, Belize, and Mexico.
Tom’s family is the greatest joy of his life. He married his college sweetheart, Heather, in 1998. Heather earned a degree in International Business from Messiah College. She has a huge heart for students and enjoys discipling girls and serving alongside Tom in his ministry. Tom and Heather have 3 children: Katelyn (2001), Caleb (2003), and Cayden (2006).
Dianne Tavares
Blessed with Christian parents, Dianne trusted in Christ as Savior at an early age and appreciates in hindsight the many spiritual insights gained from her church’s children’s ministry throughout elementary school. She values the calling to provide deeper opportunities for spiritual growth to the kids at PBC and welcomes the chance to work alongside an incredible team of children’s ministry volunteers.
A native of Sterling since the age of five, Dianne began attending PBC in middle school and later interned with the PBC children’s ministry during college in the summer of 2007. She achieved her B.A. in French with highest distinction from the University of Virginia in 2010, with an extra-curricular emphasis in music—including choir, musical theater, student opera, and piano accompaniment for student vocal performance.
Following graduation, she spent six months ministering to prisoners with Prison
Fellowship International in Dakar, Senegal, where she met her future husband,
Dominique. Holding his B.A. from Liberty University, Dominique teaches French and Bible at Fairfax Christian School where he passionately engages with students about issues of life and faith.
Dianne has over fifteen years of experience leading various ministry opportunities for children at PBC, including Vacation Bible School stations, summer camps, Sunday School classes, Connect Kids stations, children’s choir, and children’s theater opportunities.
She is mom to two precious daughters and one beloved son, all presently in PBC’s children’s ministry. She treasures the opportunity to homeschool her younger two children and to lead a small homeschool co-op at PBC for families in and around Sterling who are seeking to raise their children to know and love God.