Aubrey Sequeira - Senior Pastor
Aubrey and his wife Nishika were born and raised in Chennai, India. Aubrey was a rock musician before the Lord saved him. After completing his Bachelor's in engineering, Aubrey worked in the IT industry for several years while engaging in bi-vocational ministry and church-planting. In 2010, following the Lord's call to vocational ministry, Aubrey enrolled at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where he completed an M.Div and a Ph.D. in Biblical Theology while serving a local church in various capacities. Aubrey and Nishika love spending time with people, understanding new cultures and trying new ethnic foods. They have been blessed with three delightful little girls.
Curt Romig - Senior Associate Pastor
Curt grew up in Kansas in the U.S.A. From a young age, he became interested in ministry and living overseas and has lived in Peru and China. In 2010, God blessed him with his amazing wife Michelle, and now they have two daughters. From 2012-2017, Curt served as a pastor at a church in Kansas. His favorite parts of ministry are spending time with people, equipping people to use their gifts, and preaching/teaching God's word. He enjoys playing and watching sports of all kinds, singing and playing with his daughters and son, and drinking black coffee with friends.
Wyley Jenkins - Interim Associate Pastor/Church Planter for Ruwais
Pastor Wyley was saved in 1999, married in 2001, and has served in missions and pastoral ministry since 2003. With his wife Georgie, he has worked in church planting in Guatemala. They served indigenous tribes who had not heard the gospel in Colombia and Brazil. They were blessed to be a part of a church plant in South Asia. Wyley served as Pastor in Texas for 4 years, and as Associate Pastor of IBC Madrid, Spain for 2 years. Wyley and Georgie are blessed with 3 wonderful children, Matthew, Nathan and Elizabeth. He is excited to be the church planter for ECC Ruwais.
Ben Zamora - Director of Family Ministries
Ben grew up in California in the U.S.A. At the age of 18, the Lord gave him a heart for missions and serving the local church overseas. He received a BA in Church Leadership & World Missions. Over the years, he has served in various capacities within the local church, but especially in youth ministries and he loves working with students & parents. After moving to Colorado, Ben met Camryn and they married in 2006. They have 4 wonderful children. Ben is an extrovert and a foodie. He loves meeting people, being adventurous, camping, hunting, and anything outdoors, but more than anything, he loves spending time with his family.
Michael Franco Smit - Interim Pastoral Assistant
Michael was born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa. After completing his Bachelor’s in education, he worked as a high school teacher for eight years in both South Africa and the UAE. He recently completed the Pastoral Internship program at UCCD in Dubai. In 2019, the Lord blessed him with a beautiful and godly wife Claudia. Michael enjoys watching rugby, cricket and football, playing Xbox, and studying history. Michael and Claudia love to go on road trips, getting to know new cultures and spending time with friends and family. His favourite part of ministry is discipling men by studying the Scripture one verse at a time.
Shyam Pasula - Telugu Outreach Director
Shyam is from India. He has been involved in overseeing an orphanage as well as training children, youth, and pastors for four years. He has recently completed his Masters in Pastoral Training in a seminary in India. He desires to grow in biblical knowledge and build up his pastoral character during his time here at ECC. After the apprenticeship, he desires to plant a church among the Telugu speaking people in India and to train others for ministry.
Noemi Carpenter - Church Administrator
Noemi grew up in the U.S. in Philadelphia as part of a multi-cultural family. Her mother is Swiss-Chilean and she has four sisters adopted from Colombia. She earned her bachelor's degree in History and Sociology in 2014. Before working at ECC, she worked in a number of schools, teaching English and Math and supporting learners with additional needs. Noemi moved to Abu Dhabi in the summer of 2017 with her husband, Zach and joined the ECC team in June of 2018. In February 2020, she and Zach welcomed a daughter, Elizabeth, to the world. Noemi enjoys journaling, cooking, baking, and doing counted cross-stitch in her spare time.
Arno Milne - Accountant
Arno grew up in South Africa in the city of Pretoria. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in accounting sciences during the ’90s at the University of Pretoria. Before joining the ECC team in February of 2019, he has worked as the main accountant at several businesses in South Africa, the U.K. and the U.A.E. He lived in London for several years where he met his lovely wife Carlien at church. His wife started a new position in Abu Dhabi early 2013 and he joined her in October of that year. They got married in September 2013 and have been blessed with a daughter and son. Arno enjoys a round of golf, reading, watching all sports and traveling in his spare time.
Christie Eckardt - Visual and Social Media
Christie, from the U.S.A., graduated with a degree in Business and HR Management in 1994. She helped build the website for Miami Dade County Building Code Compliance for three years before managing the website department for a design agency in Coral Gables, Florida. She joined the ECC staff in May 2010 and serves as a graphic designer, website and social media manager. She is married and has two children.
Innah Teodoro - Front Desk Administrator
Innah was born and raised in the Philippines but has spent the majority of her teen years living in Abu Dhabi. In 2018, she graduated from Abu Dhabi University with a degree in Mass Communication specializing in Broadcast Journalism. Innah became a member of ECC in 2017 and has since been serving in the Youth Ministry. She enjoys going to the beach, watching movies, and taking photographs.
Vivek John - Pastoral Apprentice
Vivek John was born and raised in Uttar Pradesh, India. God saved him by his grace in 2011. He was living in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh since 2013, where he graduated from Lucknow University with a degree in Bachelor of Commerce, in 2016. He has also finished his M.Div. in 2020. As he has been saved in Christ, he wants to see others be saved. He has a passion for the preaching of the word of God, to see the advancement of the kingdom of God. He has been a part of a local healthy church in Lucknow (India), and he wants to see other numerous healthy, like-minded churches planted in India (specifically in North India). He wants to plant a church, write good resources for the local churches primarily in Hindi. He believes (as he has been taught) that sound biblical preaching, written resources and biblical songs will shape, edify and mature the saints. He enjoys playing ping-pong, watching movies, taking photographs, exploring new places and trying different kinds of foods.
Ankels Sahayaraj - Pastoral Apprentice
Ankels grew up in Kanya Kumari in Tamilnadu in the southern part of India. At age 15 he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour and surrendered his life to God. After his salvation, following the Lord’s call, Ankels surrender his life to ministry and he did Bachelor’s in Theology. After serving the Lord for almost 8 years in different parts of India, Ankels moved to Dubai to work in a corporate company. While in Dubai, Ankels continued serving actively in different ministries including teaching and training people to make disciples in the multicultural church he attended. Ankels loves fellowshipping with people and getting to know them. Through this “Global Apprenticeship Program”, Ankels desires to grow more in the knowledge of God's Word and in sound doctrine and solid theology. Also, he wants to learn more about serving in a multicultural church community and to know the daily operations and activities of the church. After completing this program, his desire is to serve the Lord as a pastor in a church.