Jess Celestial Delegencia is an actor and storyteller, with a passion to learn/teach about social justice/transformation, reflection, and celebration in hard places. Each summer, Jess directs the Global Urban Trek program in his native Manila. By living in the slums and learning from local soldiers and saints, the program confronts American materialism and Christian hypocrisy and leads people to discover the humility, justice, and lifelong transformation found in the spirituality/activism of Jesus. If left to his own devices, Jess would be traveling around the world with his best friend and playmate (aka, wife Jeannie) in search of the perfect white sand beach, learning all kinds of world rhythms and dances, and entertaining his addiction to Thai food and good coffee.
Scott Bessenecker has worked as Director of InterVarsity's Global Projects since 1990. In 2001 Scott developed a series of projects known as the Global Urban Trek giving students an opportunity to live and serve among slum dwellers in the developing world. He is married and has three kids. The Bessenecker family helped lead a group of students to Cairo, Egypt where they lived amongst garbage collectors in the summer of 2002. Scott is the proud owner of the world's largest international cigarette collection owned by an evangelical non-smoker.
Jess Celestial Delegencia and Scott Bessenecker are co-directing JJP.
Sophia Nibungco was born in New Jersey and raised in California by her single immigrant mother. Sophia graduated from U.C. Berkeley with a B.A. in Third World Development Studies and a minor in City and Regional Planning. At the moment, she is interning with InterVarsity, helping plant IVCF at Cal State Hayward, a commuter school in Northern California. Sophia loves that she gets to work alongside her twin sister, Felicia, who is also on staff at U.C. Berkeley. During her study abroad experience in college, Sophia’s heart for justice and poverty was first stirred when she lived, studied, and worked in the Philippines for 7 months. Cooking, dancing, and community building are some of the ways Sophia likes to express herself.
Sophia Nibungco is serving as your friendly JJP registrar.
Leslie Bowling-Dyer serves as Associate Regional Director of Operations for InterVarsity’s Pacific Region. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in African American studies. Leslie served as director of Atlanta ’98 and Atlanta 2000, InterVarsity’s national Black student conferences. Her favorite documentary is Ethnic Notions and John Lewis is one of her political heros. Leslie lives with her husband, Phil Bowling-Dyer, Director of InterVarsity’s Black Campus Ministries and their son Arthur, Director of Family Playtime, in Oakland, California.
Daniela Reynoso is a third generation Chicano woman who grew upseeing the concrete socio-economic and racial disparities in the Central Valley. While studying history and sociology at UC Davis, I became a believer of Christ. My faith became more invested when Iearned that God cared about issues of justice and the plight of my people. I yearn to see society transformed in a way that offers dignity to those ostracized from society and continue to evaluate how my time can best be utilized to further such a goal. In my free time, I like to sing in a local mariachi group and spend quality time with close friends.
Jason Jensen is Susi's husband and Abby and Gabe's dad. He has worked for InterVarsity since 1989, and is the Regional Director for InterVarsity's Pacific Region ( Northern Cal, Hawaii, and Northern Nevada). Jason is trying to figure out what it means to be a white American man in Christian leadership with a call to ethnic justice and reconciliation. He rides a motorcycle and likes to climb mountains with his dog.
Marcus Hung is a graduating senior (majoring in Psychology and minoring in Education) at the University of California, Davis. After graduation in December 2004, Marcus plans on pursuing his goal of teaching high school math. Recently, he traveled to Bangkok, Thailand with InterVarsity’s Global Urban Trek, where he grew in his understanding of Jesus’ heart for justice and the poor. It is quite easy to identify Marcus from the other JJP team members, seeing as how he is the youngest, tallest, and only one not on staff with InterVarsity.
John Fanous was raised in Southern California by parents who emigrated from Egypt . He moved to the bay area to go to college, and has lived here ever since. He and his wife, Beckie, moved to San Francisco in 2001 to start his role as team leader for InterVarsity at San Francisco State University. They just had a baby boy, Nathan. He enjoys playing Frisbee, piano, gazing at stars, and watching "Alias." John graduated with a B.A. in Sociology at U.C. Berkeley and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in global leadership.
Josh Harper recently became director of the Pacific Region's Urban Ministries after spending 6 years as campus staff at U.C. Davis. He currently directs the summer long Oakland Urban Program as well as facilitates smaller scale 2-10 day "urban plunges" for fellowships in the region. Josh's journey brought him from a small mountain town where he grew up to live in the heart of East Oakland. His favorite hobby is having lots of hobbies, some of which include whitewater kayaking, rock climbing, disc golf, and most recently yoga. His wonderful wife Marjie keeps him on track while serving as a social worker in a therapeutic pre-school.
Larry Thiel is a University of the Pacific ( Stockton, CA) professor who teaches undergraduate classes on Jesus, Global Christianity, and Religion and Culture. He will be attending the JJP conference with 30 UOP students who are hoping to understand how Jesus' spirituality connects to issues of poverty and justice. When not teaching class Larry coaches baseball with his 3 children andtries not to get kicked out of games.
Roy Stephen has been the Director of urbana.org for the past 2 1/2 years. A native of South India, Roy was born to Christian parents from 2 different language groups. He had a personal faith experience with Jesus through the ministry of InterVarsity's sister movement, the Union of Evangelical Students of India while doing his masters in North India. After getting his PhD at Benaras Hindu University, he and his wife Becky (currently Director of InterVarsity Link) moved to the US in 1993, where their smart, affectionate and fun-loving son, Josh was born. Roy's experiences and relationships in North India solidified his passion for evangelism and clarified for him the importance of cross-cultural missions. Roy is a voracious reader who loves to discuss issues ranging from history of religion and spirituality to culture and politics.
Jess Celestial Delegencia is an actor and storyteller, with a passion to learn/teach about social justice/transformation, reflection, and celebration in hard places. Each summer, Jess directs the Global Urban Trek program in his native Manila. By living in the slums and learning from local soldiers and saints, the program confronts American materialism and Christian hypocrisy and leads people to discover the humility, justice, and lifelong transformation found in the spirituality/activism of Jesus. If left to his own devices, Jess would be traveling around the world with his best friend and playmate (aka, wife Jeannie) in search of the perfect white sand beach, learning all kinds of world rhythms and dances, and entertaining his addiction to Thai food and good coffee.
Scott Bessenecker has worked as Director of InterVarsity's Global Projects since 1990. In 2001 Scott developed a series of projects known as the Global Urban Trek giving students an opportunity to live and serve among slum dwellers in the developing world. He is married and has three kids. The Bessenecker family helped lead a group of students to Cairo, Egypt where they lived amongst garbage collectors in the summer of 2002. Scott is the proud owner of the world's largest international cigarette collection owned by an evangelical non-smoker.
Sophia Nibungco
Leslie Bowling-Dyer serves as Associate Regional Director of Operations for InterVarsity’s Pacific Region. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in African American studies. Leslie served as director of Atlanta ’98 and Atlanta 2000, InterVarsity’s national Black student conferences. Her favorite documentary is Ethnic Notions and John Lewis is one of her political heros. Leslie lives with her husband, Phil Bowling-Dyer, Director of InterVarsity’s Black Campus Ministries and their son Arthur, Director of Family Playtime, in Oakland, California. 
Daniela Reynoso is a third generation Chicano woman who grew upseeing the concrete socio-economic and racial disparities in the Central Valley. While studying history and sociology at UC Davis, I became a believer of Christ. My faith became more invested when Iearned that God cared about issues of justice and the plight of my people. I yearn to see society transformed in a way that offers dignity to those ostracized from society and continue to evaluate how my time can best be utilized to further such a goal. In my free time, I like to sing in a local mariachi group and spend quality time with close friends.
Jason Jensen is Susi's husband and Abby and Gabe's dad. He has worked for InterVarsity since 1989, and is the Regional Director for InterVarsity's Pacific Region ( Northern Cal, Hawaii, and Northern Nevada). Jason is trying to figure out what it means to be a white American man in Christian leadership with a call to ethnic justice and reconciliation. He rides a motorcycle and likes to climb mountains with his dog.
Marcus Hung is a graduating senior (majoring in Psychology and minoring in Education) at the University of California, Davis. After graduation in December 2004, Marcus plans on pursuing his goal of teaching high school math. Recently, he traveled to Bangkok, Thailand with InterVarsity’s Global Urban Trek, where he grew in his understanding of Jesus’ heart for justice and the poor. It is quite easy to identify Marcus from the other JJP team members, seeing as how he is the youngest, tallest, and only one not on staff with InterVarsity.
John Fanous was raised in Southern California by parents who emigrated from Egypt . He moved to the bay area to go to college, and has lived here ever since. He and his wife, Beckie, moved to San Francisco in 2001 to start his role as team leader for InterVarsity at San Francisco State University. They just had a baby boy, Nathan. He enjoys playing Frisbee, piano, gazing at stars, and watching "Alias." John graduated with a B.A. in Sociology at U.C. Berkeley and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in global leadership.
Josh Harper recently became director of the Pacific Region's Urban Ministries after spending 6 years as campus staff at U.C. Davis. He currently directs the summer long Oakland Urban Program as well as facilitates smaller scale 2-10 day "urban plunges" for fellowships in the region. Josh's journey brought him from a small mountain town where he grew up to live in the heart of East Oakland. His favorite hobby is having lots of hobbies, some of which include whitewater kayaking, rock climbing, disc golf, and most recently yoga. His wonderful wife Marjie keeps him on track while serving as a social worker in a therapeutic pre-school.
Larry Thiel is a University of the Pacific ( Stockton, CA) professor who teaches undergraduate classes on Jesus, Global Christianity, and Religion and Culture. He will be attending the JJP conference with 30 UOP students who are hoping to understand how Jesus' spirituality connects to issues of poverty and justice. When not teaching class Larry coaches baseball with his 3 children andtries not to get kicked out of games.