Pastor Paul Viggiano

Paul Viggiano has been the pastor of the Branch of Hope OPC since 1990. Prior to that, he was a youth pastor for St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. He has also served on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ.

Paul has a Master’s in Apologetics from Biola University, and has been an instructor at various high schools and colleges. He attended Talbot Seminary, King’s College Seminary, Bahnsen Theological Seminary, Westminster Seminary, and Fuller Seminary.

Paul has lived in the South Bay Area his entire life. He and his wife, Jennifer, have four children.

Daniel Parkins

Dan has been a part of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church since June of 2017 and has been serving as the Director of Congregational Care since that July. He became an elder in January of 2018 and has been serving in differing ministerial capacities for over 20 years. He met his wife, Kelly, at college in 1997 and has three wonderful children here, and one in heaven.

Tracy Catron*

Tracy was raised in a Christian family and by the grace of God came to faith at a young age. He has attended Branch of Hope since 1995.  Tracy holds an undergraduate degree in theology from Los Angeles Baptist College, and attended graduate classes at Grace Bible Institute and Fuller Theological Seminary. He also has a master’s degree in Computer Science from Cal State Northridge. Tracy works as a software engineer at Raytheon.

mic Hirtzel*

Mic has attended Branch of Hope since 1999, and has been active in ministry for over 25 years. He graduated from Cal State Dominguez Hills with a degree in Sociology and a minor in Business Administration. He is married and has five children.

Aaron Davies

Aaron became a believer shortly after completing his undergraduate degree in Physics at Caltech. He has attended Branch of Hope since the Bahnsen Conference in 2013, and he served as a deacon for six years before becoming an elder. Aaron works as a software engineer for the medical device industry. He and his wife Delia, also a Caltech graduate, have been married since 2004 and have six children.

mike gregg

Mike has been in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church since 1996 and has been an elder at Branch of Hope since 2008. He appreciates his church family and hopes to continue serving the church for many years to come.

Mike Yu

Mike and his family live in the South Bay and have attended Branch since 2010. In 2014, Mike became the third “Mike” to join the session (fourth, if you include Mic Hirtzel). He would not be opposed to someone giving him a nickname, provided it sounds cool.

Jason Gallagher

Jason has been married to his high school sweetheart Melissa since 2002 and they currently homeschool two daughters and a son. A SoCal native, Jason came to faith at the age of 17. He received two degrees from UC Davis and a Masters in Engineering from Stanford University. Jason has been privileged to work on NASA’s Space Shuttle program, to design the James Webb Space Telescope for Northrop Grumman, to work on military aircraft, subsea vehicles and is currently working on 3D printing and automation technologies for an advanced manufacturing technology company. Jason has been a regular host on Apologetics.com Radio Show since 2017 and is passionate about evangelism. He has spoken to thousands of individuals throughout the streets of the Los Angeles area since 2009 and believes that apologetics and evangelism is for every Christian, not just a select few, and seeks to equip believers to winsomely and confidently communicate biblical truth to those around them.

Eduardo Anorga

Member at Branch for 5 years • Raised Roman Catholic, attended Kings Harbor for 13 years • Married for 41 years, 3 children, 4 grandchildren • He is a family physician and is interested in Apologetics & Discipleship and leads two weekly bible studies. 

MIKE AMIRA

Mike Amira is one of the original members of Branch of Hope since 1973. Mike was one of the five Ruling Elders that hire Pastor Paul in 1990, and is the only one out of the five that is still on the Session at Branch of Hope OPC. He has been married to his wife Michelle since 1981 and lives in Seal Beach.

We have lived in the South Bay all our adult lives. (A couple short moves, but back in California)

I have a passion for people and the care of them. I believe my highest calling is to love God, and serve those that God puts into my life by his providential guidance and appointment. (To love God and my fellow man) I enjoy serving the body at Branch of Hope as your Ruling Elder, and pledge to serve with love and care to the best of my ability.

My thanks for the privilege that is bestowed upon me to serve this body of believers. (I am the first of the four Mike’s on the Elders Board, and my wife Michelle and I are the first Michael and Michelle)

Bob Parucha

Deacon, 6 years • Age: 66  Member at Branch for 13 years • Believer for 19 years • Married for 7 years, 4 adult children • MA in Religious Studies from UCSB • Manager of an apparel manufacturing company for 23 years

Mike Dunaway

john cottrell

PETER MULLIN

Jacob Trimper

BERT SHARPTON

George Tudor

Aaron Rusalin

 Larry Jones

MARK ROBLES

Branch of Hope staff exists to equip followers of Christ to be ambassadors of Christ as we penetrate the South Bay and beyond with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.