Board of Directors
Kathy Gaulton - Founder & CEO

Kathy began Heavenly Treasures through a life changing process, which began in 1996, after serving with her church on a short-term missions team to Tanzania.  She had been in retail merchandising for over 35 years & felt God calling her to use her gifts & abilities to help the poor & oppressed.  This calling led to a plan to transition into full-time ministry.  In 1998 Heavenly Treasures was developed & Kathy continued to work full-time until 2001 when she was able to leave corporate America to serve as a career missionary. Her vision for a Livelihood Project ministry matured & developed while on staff with Empowering Lives International  (ELI) for 2-years.  God is working in mighty ways as He continues guiding & directing Kathy as she leads Heavenly Treasures. Heavenly Treasures will celebrate its 12 year anniversary in October of 2010. Kathy and her husband have 3 children, a son in law, a daughter in law, and a wonderful granddaughter and grandson.

 

Bennie Ingraham

Bennie has a heart for the world’s poor and for the empowerment of women in society, all under the theme of God’s justice for all people. After returning from her first mission trip, she began to see the world through God’s eyes and wanted others to experience the same—that is when she felt the call to full time ministry. Bennie has been the Mission Director at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church for the past 11 years. Prior to working at Menlo Park Pres, she had an extensive retail background; from store management to buying for a major department store.  She could never figure out how God would bring her heart for ministry and her retail experience together—until she learned about Heavenly Treasures.

Bennie helped develop a relationship between Heavenly Treasures and MPPC by first, connecting HT to several MPPC supported micro enterprise development projects in Ethiopia and then by encouraging MPPC to host three, going on four this year, “Christmas with a Mission” gift fairs. Bennie has had the opportunity to visit various HT projects in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Guatemala and loves partnering with HT to make a difference in the lives of the gifted artisans. She has served on the Board of Directors since 2006.



Joyce Miyabe

Joyce developed a relationship with Heavenly Treasures when the organization first moved to Glendora. She began volunteering by tagging and helping with inventory as she works minutes down the road at Citrus College. She also serves on the board of the Citrus College Foundation and is happy to be able to introduce her colleagues to the work of Heavenly Treasures. Joyce’s heart has become increasingly tender for the people of Heavenly Treasures, who labor for hours to make beautifully handcrafted items in hopes of selling them to support themselves and their families.  It’s exciting for her to know that Heavenly Treasures provides the tools to learn financial sustenance but they are also hearing about the sustaining joy in Jesus Christ. Joyce has joined the Board of Directors in June of 2009. Joyce has two sons and is a member of Mission Valley Free Methodist Church in San Gabriel, CA.



Matt Ortiz

Matt has a heart for seeing the chains of those in poverty broken through micro-enterprise development, resulting in them seeing and believing the love of Jesus. Matt and his wife, Anika, were missionaries in Kenya from 2000-2003 and experienced first-hand, the reality of the physical and spiritual needs of the people and the freedom that they experience when those needs are fulfilled side by side. During his time in Kenya, Matt worked with Kathy Gaulton to help develop many of the projects that Heavenly Treasures now works with in Africa. After returning to the States, he completed his MBA at Azusa Pacific University in 2003 and has since started his own business. Matt has continued to support Heavenly Treasures and loves to be part of the work God is doing through this ministry. He has served on the Board of Directors since 2004. Matt and his wife Anika have two young children and are members of Baseline Community Church in Claremont, CA.



Melanie Neilson

Melanie has a passion to mobilize God’s people to do practical ministry outside of the walls of the church and has served as the City and World Missions Director for Cucamonga Christian Fellowship in Rancho Cucamonga, CA since 1999. Melanie began partnership with Heavenly Treasures in 2000 and has been on four mission trips with HT. Over the years, her heart for the people and the projects continues to grow and has served on the Board of Directors since 2007. She is currently a student at Fuller Theological Seminary obtaining a Master of Arts degree in Intercultural Studies with an emphasis on Leadership and International Development. Melanie and her husband Ron have four children, a daughter-in-law and a handsome grandson. 



Paul Tamura

Paul’s involvement with Heavenly Treasures began in 2007, when he and his family went to Kenya, as part of a short-term team made up of 4 families.  Paul was humbled and moved, as he witnessed and experienced God’s love through the people of Kenya; it was a life-changing experience for his whole family. Through a growing relationship with HT, Paul has been extremely impressed with the people and the culture of the organization.  Paul is a Customer Service Manager at UpNet Technologies, a technology services company.  Prior to joining UpNet in 2005, Paul held technical management positions at various companies ranging from General Electric to an Internet startup. Paul joined the Board of Directors in June of 2009 and hopes to use his gifts and experience to support the ministry of Heavenly Treasures. Paul and his wife Lori have two children, and are members of Westlight Community Church is Los Angeles, CA.