Beth-El Staff

Teresita Matos-Post, Executive Director

Teresita Matos-Post is a visionary Christian leader with 11 years of experience in the non-profit sector with a passion for ministries of justice and mercy. She comes to Beth-El Farmworker Ministry with five years of experience as the Lead Pastor in cross-cultural appointments with the United Methodists of Greater New Jersey. During her tenure, she homed in reconnecting congregations with their demographically shifting communities. She also collaborated in efforts to help eradicate hunger and poverty and advocated to support the immigrant community in New Jersey.

Previously, Teresita served the Girl Scouts of Citrus Council in Orlando Florida for six years in various roles. Her performance as Marketing Manager helped achieve the development team’s fundraising goals and increase community partnerships.

Teresita is an alumna of the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, where she earned a BA in Public Communications. In 2014, she graduated from Drew Theological School in Madison, NJ with a Masters’ in Divinity.

On her spare time, Teresita is a poet and spoken word artist, she enjoys cooking meals for her family and friends, and going on outdoor adventures with her partner Kenny, her daughters Dyanne (23), Dysere (18), and Alana (6).

 

Reverend Tamara Leonard-Lara 

Pastor of Nuevo Camino at Beth-El, Tamara was born in Saginaw, Michigan. As a member of Beaverton First Presbyterian Church, she sang in the choir and participated in youth activities. She attended Alma College, having received a Religious Leadership Scholarship.  She was a member of the Alma Chapel committee, graduating in 1996 with a BA in Elementary Education and a special emphasis on Spanish. In 1996, she spent a year as a Young Adult Volunteer through the PC (USA) in Uruguay, serving in a home for abandoned and abused children where she received her call to ministry. 

Tamara attended McCormick Theological Seminary (MTS), earning a Schmidt Scholarship for her service to the Church with the Latino community. She took an internship at Carter- Westminster an Assyrian and American Presbyterian congregation, participated in a Borderlinks study program, and spent a year  as a missionary in the state of Tabasco with the Mexican National Presbyterian Church. After earning her MDIV in 2002, she was a Lilly Pastoral Resident at Fourth Presbyterian Church in downtown Chicago and was ordained as a minister of word and sacrament. She served as Associate Pastor of Darnestown Presbyterian Church for 12 years. Tamara is married to Fidel Lara, a Hospice Chaplain.  They are the parents of two children. Tamara enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, and travel to explore new places.