AFN Staff
Executive Director
Rev. Katie Sexton has served as Executive Director of Arizona Faith Network since 2019. Rev. Sexton comes to AFN with years of nonprofit experience specializing in ministry, leadership, interfaith work, and community organizing. She has a proven track record of building impactful communities that work to transform our world for the common good.
Before being hired as the permanent Executive Director of AFN, Rev. Sexton served as the Senior Pastor for Coolwater Christian Church in Scottsdale, Arizona. Before that, she worked in higher education for over a decade, managing key departments, establishing organizational processes, and cultivating community relationships.
Rev. Sexton has her M.S. in Nonprofit Management (2019), a Master of Divinity from Lexington Theological Seminary, and an M.A. in Christian Studies from Grand Canyon University. She is ordained with the Disciples of Christ church, and is a certified Community Organizer. She previously served as a member of AFN’s Board of Directors and has volunteered her service on multiple committees.
In addition to her role at AFN, Rev. Sexton currently serves as the Board President of the Justa Center, President of the Alumni Council of Lexington Theological Seminary, and sits on the Board of Directors for Bread for the World. She is also pursuing her Doctorate of Ministry at Lexington Theological Seminary; she anticipates graduating in June 2025.
Interfaith Manager
Vasu Bandhu is serving as Interfaith Manager for the Arizona Faith Network; as member on the International Youth Committee of Religions for Peace; as a Global Council Trustee from North America for the United Religions Initiative; and as Chair for the North American Interfaith Network. He has served the interfaith movement since age 18. After several years of collaborating with diverse religions, he joined the Dhammapada Sangha (a new independent Buddhist community).
Southern Arizona Community Organizer
Rev. ellie hutchison serves as the Southern Arizona Faith-rooted Community Organizer with Arizona Faith Network and is ordained by The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries. They currently serve as a Minister for Pastoral Care in a Southern Arizona United Church of Christ church. Additionally, they conduct religious services inside Perryville and Florence Prisons. They bring a wealth of experience as an educator, community co-creator/organizer, poet & writer, and liberation theologian. ellie spent 15+ years as a creative writing and poetry teacher throughout the Philadelphia and Phoenix communities and utilizes embodiment practices to engage in difficult conversations.
Voting Rights Organizer
Medina Moore comes to AFN with social justice, faith-based initiative, voter rights and education, events planning, logistical administration, and criminal justice reform experience. As a family member of a formerly incarcerated individual, she has a heart for impacted families and individuals. Forging a strong belief in equality for all, her passion has been to educate her generation, Millennials, as well as younger generations about the importance of voting and knowing the laws within their state. Excited to take on the role as the Voting Rights Organizer she will be collaborating with faith-based leaders to build our faith communities in voter rights education and civic engagement. Medina was licensed to preach, as an Evangelist, in Phoenix, Arizona in 2018 through JGM Enternational Ministries and is currently serving in small groups at her local church. She owns a cosmetic line with her daughter, Me Ar Beauty www.mearbeauty.com. Expertly creating cosmetics for all skins type with focus on black and indigenous individuals and melanated skin tones as she saw the disparity in products in-store and online. She loves to share the gospel to others and most importantly the Love of God.
Community Resilience Program Manager
Before joining AFN, Arene Rushdan worked as an assistant nursing director. Before retiring from Riverside County, she worked in the inpatient mental health facility as a utilization review nurse and case manager. Arene is the youngest of 16 children and has always had a passion for serving others and education. She hold a masters degree in nursing education from California State University Dominguez Hills. Arene’s Faith background is Seventh Day Adventist/Christianity.
She first served as the cooling center organizer in 2021 and finds great joy serving others.
Administrator
David Topping joined the staff of AFN in January, 2018 as Administrator of Communications, Database Improvement, and IT Support. He had previously provided technical support to AFN during his 10 years of service as the Computer Systems Manager of the Desert Southwest Conference of the United Methodist Church, where AFN's office is hosted. David has served as a church music director since the 1970s and is married to a United Methodist clergy member. He sings professionally with the GRAMMY-winning Phoenix Chorale and operates a web-hosting and consulting business for nonprofits and musical artists.
Financial Operations Coordinator
Kim Velarde joined the staff of AFN in November, 2024 as Financial Operations Coordinator. Since 2012, Kim has worked for over 70 charter schools as well as two non-profits by providing financial coordination, grant writing, and data management services. As a graduate of ASU, she was previously an electrical engineer at Intel and Motorola who left the industry to stay home and raise her children.
Kim was raised in the United Methodist Church but is exploring her faith and leans more toward Unitarianism. Kim values being helpful and truly making a difference, and is "that nerd" who enjoys creating a good spreadsheet.