Meet our staff

Who are the people behind the activities, bulletins, fellowship, missions, sermons, services? They are the silent heros that make it all happen, find out more about Salem Lutheran Church staff.

Cheryl Speer - Associate Minister of Music & Director of Children's Choirs

Diane Haig - Coordinator of Parish Ministries 

I moved to California in 1964 from Oshkosh, WI. I graduated from Madison Business College and moved with a friend to Hollywood. I worked 14 years for a group of OB-GYN doctors in Los Angeles. My husband, Dennis, is an advertising copywriter. We have two grown sons - Andrew and Erik. Both our sons graduated from Salem Lutheran School. Andrew is a Chiropractor and his wife, Nancy, a third grade teacher. They live in Union City, CA (near Oakland). They just made us proud grandparents - Noah Andrew was born on April 19 and what a precious gift he is to us all! Erik lives at home while he continues his studies at UCLA in Architect/Interior Design. He works in his chosen field four days a week.

I have worked at Salem as Coordinator of Parish Ministries for almost ten years. I love Parish Ministry for its variety and for all the people I connect with daily. It is a joy to visit and share Communion with the homebound. Salem along with four other Lutheran Churches formed Lutheran Health Ministries of the Foothills, Inc. and have had a Parish Nurse for over two years. What a blessing for each congregation! How wonderful to have shared ministry and fellowship with the other Lutheran congregations!

Salem has been home to our family for 25 years. I enjoy music (have sung in the choir 25 years), movies, theatre, reading, and walking. It is a blessing to serve and share in a Christian community.

Ghada Huleis - Principal of Salem Lutheran School

I was born and raised in Jerusalem. Both of my parents were Lutheran educators, and I always admired their genuine commitment to the church and to their students. Following in their footsteps, and along with my passion for education, I first became a teacher and taught children at various grade levels from kindergarten to sixth grade. I have been serving as the principal of Salem Lutheran School for the past eleven years. 

I received both my Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies and my Master’s degree in Educational Administration at California State University, Northridge. I have served at Salem Lutheran as both a teacher and a principal since 1988.

My husband and I have been living in our Sun Valley home for 31 years. son, Sam, is an active member of the U.S. Air Force and he lives with his family in San Antonio, Texas. Our daughter, Rana, is also a teacher, and lives with her family in Las Vegas. I enjoy cooking, reading, traveling, and spending time with my four grandchildren, Lauren, Amanda, George, and Alyssa.

Jay Brunot - Organist and Accompanist

Laurel Mack - Church Office Administrator & Bookeeper

Marshall Bowen - Minister of Music

I was baptized at Salem, Glendale in the early 1950's while my mother and father were active members.  My family moved to Thousand Oaks, where my mother, Betty Shirey Bowen was one of the founding faculty at California Lutheran University.  My father, Carroll Bowen, was active in advertising and city politics.

 I graduated with a Bachelor or Arts degree from CLU and a Master of Music Degree from the University of Southern California.  I have been a church musician since the late 1970's serving churches in Simi Valley, West Covina, North Hollywood and now Salem in Glendale.  Throughout this time I have been active in the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians and spent seven years in leadership roles for the Western Region, chairing regional conferences on two occasions.

All during this time I have also pursued a career as a musician in the film industry.  I have been at the Disney Music Library for over 20 years working as an arranger, orchestrator, music copyist and librarian on numerous projects.

Matt Braaten - Director of Youth Ministries and School Chaplain

I was born and raised in Minnesota. In high school I served on the LYO (Lutheran Youth Organization) as synod president and on national LYO committees. I graduated from St. Olaf College where I earned a BA in English and Theatre Arts.

For two years I was in Japan as an English teacher and have been living in the Los Angeles area since 2000 having first served as youth director and coordinator of outreach at Our Saviour’s Lutheran in Long Beach before coming to Salem in 2005. I love music, theatre, film, writing and sports, especially playing touch football on Super Bowl Sunday with the youth.  I also love my wife, Mary Ellen; she is a Marriage and Family Therapist as well as former actor and second grade teacher. She comes from the great state of Wisconsin.