Our Team

Staff

Bryce Hales — Pastor

Bryce has been the pastor at Trinity since the fall of 2022 and serves as the moderator of Trinity's Session. He grew up in Laguna Beach and has spent most of his life on the coast of California. He graduated from Westmont College, received his M.Div. from The University of Glasgow in Scotland, and is currently completing doctoral studies at Covenant Theological Seminary. He’s been a pastor since 2006 and has served in college ministry and church planting contexts in California, Utah and Colorado. Bryce and his wife, Ashley, have three boys, Ezra, Porter and Camden, and a daughter, Harriet. He loves to meet with people over a craft brew and is on a mission to find the best guacamole in San Luis Obispo.

Emily Slater — Children’s Ministry Director

Emily grew up on the Oregon Coast but has called the Central California Coast her home for the last 20-plus years. She came to Trinity with a friend and never left. She helped kick-start the children's ministry in a tiny room at the Odd Fellows Hall and now shepherds a dynamic group of volunteers who all have a heart for Trinity's kids. Emily and her husband, Tom, have two kids, Owen and Charlotte. She has turned them all into Dodger fans.

Alayna Dewlen — Ministry Assistant

Alayna lives in the great Pacific Northwest where she has been working as a virtual assistant since 2012. She loves using her administrative gifts to serve and support others. Alayna and her husband, Jamison have 3 children, Josiah, Judah and Adeline. As a homeschool family, their lives are filled with many fun and interesting activities.

Bret Rooks — Worship Director

After growing up in Fresno, Bret started attending Trinity around the time of his graduation from Cal Poly in 1999. In addition to serving as an elder, he is also Trinity's music team leader. Bret loves spending time with his wife, Andrea, and their two daughters, Natalie and Naomi. He works as a structural engineer, and in his free time, he enjoys reading and spending time with friends, playing board games, grilling, and sharing his appreciation for wine. After a transitional period to help onboard our new elders, Bret will begin a sabbatical from service on the Session beginning in September.


Elders

  • Mike Heying

    Mike came from the Midwest to California with his wife Amanda about 20 years ago. Soon after, they moved to SLO, and soon after that, they began attending Trinity. Mike is a faculty member at Cal Poly, which has allowed him to brew beer for recreation and for research. He and Amanda have three boys: Collin, Anderson, and Elliot.

  • Rick Ulsh

    Having attended Cal Poly back in the late 70’s, Rick and Kathy left their business in Modesto and retired in Los Osos 7 years ago. They discovered Trinity shortly after settling in. Kathy serves on the board of the local Newcomers club and enjoys a variety of activities with groups who hold similar interests. Rick enjoys hiking, reading, chess, and a budding photography hobby. Rick and Kathy have 3 daughters who live with their families (including 8 grandchildren) in Texas and Idaho.

  • Bryce Hales

    Bryce has been the pastor at Trinity since the fall of 2022 and serves as the moderator of Trinity's Session. He grew up in Laguna Beach and has spent most of his life on the coast of California. He graduated from Westmont College, received his M.Div. from The University of Glasgow in Scotland, and is currently completing doctoral studies at Covenant Theological Seminary. He’s been a pastor since 2006 and has served in college ministry and church planting contexts in California, Utah and Colorado. Bryce and his wife, Ashley, have three boys, Ezra, Porter and Camden, and a daughter, Harriet. He loves to meet with people over a craft brew and is on a mission to find the best guacamole in San Luis Obispo.

Paul Gibson | Finance & Stewardship

Paul and Janet moved to SLO in 2021 from Lakewood, Colorado. They have 4 adult kids, 3 of whom are married with 6 grands. They have been attending Trinity since early 2023. After a 33 year career in business, in his ‘second half’, he serves on several boards in Christian Education and supporting orphan children in Uganda, East Africa. Paul is serving Trinity in the areas of finance and stewardship.


Session Advisors

Cal Stevens | Witness

Cal is a southern California native who, after some years in Colorado, Arizona, and northern California, settled in 2014 on the Central Coast. Now retired, his multiple careers include Christian ministry, Organizational Development practitioner/consultant, and teaching business at Cal Poly. Cal is leading Trinity to grow in our public witness to our community and beyond.

Allen Pritzlaff | Discipleship

Alan is a native of Los Angeles, and retired from being a missionary to Central Asia. He and his wife Rosalie moved to SLO and started attending Trinity in 2016. They have two adult children. His hobbies are gardening, writing, walking/hiking, and travel. He brings a wealth of ministry experience to our church, and is providing leadership in the area of discipleship.

Andrea Rooks | Community Groups

Andrea Rooks has lived in San Luis Obispo since 1996, when she moved from Northern California to study journalism at Cal Poly. She's been a member of Trinity since 2000 and is a community group leader and liturgy leader. In her new role as a Session Advisor, Andrea is serving at our Community Group Director.

Chris Zurbach

Chris grew up in Southern California and made her way up to SLO to study English at Cal Poly. Chris has been a member at Trinity since 2017 and loves enjoying the beauty of the Central Coast. You’ll find her spending lots of time with family and using any excuse to host a party or get together with friends. She brings many years of executive leadership and an MBA to her role as a Session Advisor at Trinity.

The Mercy Team

The Mercy Team provides tangible care for church members and our neighbors in SLO. They’re the hands and feet of Trinity’s generosity as they work to support local organizations and care.

If you have a need for prayer, meals, errands, basic necessities, or fellowship, please let us know.

Gail Westberg

Gail and her husband Dennis have been married for over 50 years and have been members of Trinity since 1997. A retired creative manager for a marketing company, she is enjoying the gift of time to spend with her family and 5 grandkids, gardening, reading, and hiking the local trails. Gail has chaired the Mercy Team for many years.


Lillian Bucton 

Lillian, member of Trinity since 2011, served in Children’s Sunday School and the Prayer Team. Having worked as a licensed clinical social worker for 35 years in the Bay Area and SLO county, Lillian now volunteers with a local nonprofit serving victims of human trafficking. She enjoys long walks, traveling, and seeing friends and family, especially her adult daughter who works abroad.

Jim Hawthorne

Jim, a retired physician, and his wife, Dotty, an artist, are long-time residents of SLO who took a break and followed family to Portland for 5 years. When they were all able to return to SLO in 2021, they joined Trinity. Jim enjoys puttering, tutoring, and being a docent at Mission San Luis Obispo. They are happy whenever they can share time with any of their 3 children's families and the 8 grandkids.


Rosalie Pritzlaff

Rosalie is a native of San Jose, and retired from being a missionary to Central Asia and an English as a second language teacher for immigrants at Cuesta College. She and her husband Alan lived in Atascadero before moving to SLO and starting to attend Trinity in 2016. They have two adult children. Her hobbies are reading, crocheting, walking, and traveling.


Colleen Wall

Colleen is from the central valley of California and has been in SLO since 2005. She is a choral music and piano teacher. After many years in public schools, she founded Coastline Arts, a community music program, based in Los Osos since 2016. When she is not at a piano, she enjoys reading, movies, traveling, and gardening.

Mailing address:
Trinity Presbyterian Church
P.O. Box 944
San Luis Obispo, CA 93406

Service location:
1301 Osos Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401